Volga

The waterway runs through fifteen regions from Tver to Astrakhan, linking major cities across 3,530 kilometers (2,193 miles) of Russian territory. Wide sections alternate with narrow channels while reservoirs and tributaries shape the landscape between forests and plains.

During medieval centuries a trade route formed between northern Europe and the Caspian Sea that merchants used to carry goods across long distances. Later steamships and canals opened new connections to other waters.

Boat excursions and river cruises between cities reveal how residents use the waterway as a living artery for travel and gathering. Along the banks families meet for picnics while fishermen cast their nets and vendors sell local produce near the landings.

Major cities along the waterway offer landing points for sightseeing while remote stretches of shore can be reached by footpaths. Boat trips between key locations take several hours or days depending on the route.

The system forms Europe's largest waterway by volume and contains more than 151,000 kilometers (93,827 miles) of navigable channels that link five different seas through canals. Before dam construction spring floods rose so high that riverside villages had to be evacuated temporarily.

Location: Tver Oblast

Location: Moscow Oblast

Location: Yaroslavl Oblast

Location: Kostroma Oblast

Location: Ivanovo Oblast

Location: Nizhny Novgorod Oblast

Location: Mari El

Location: Chuvashia

Location: Tatarstan

Location: Ulyanovsk Oblast

Location: Samara Oblast

Location: Saratov Oblast

Location: Volgograd Oblast

Location: Astrakhan Oblast

Location: Kalmykia

Part of: Unified Deep Water System of European Russia

Address: Volga River, Tver Oblast, Russia, 172754

GPS coordinates: 57.25133,32.46797

Latest update: December 2, 2025 22:07