Kostroma rail bridge

The Kostroma rail bridge crosses the Volga River using seven spans with different structural designs, including overhead and side-mounted trusses. Two of its spans can be raised to allow taller river vessels to pass underneath.

Construction started in 1929 and finished in 1932, creating a working railway crossing that had been sought for decades. The project represented a significant engineering effort built specifically to handle the challenging location on the Volga River.

The bridge connected communities that had relied on ferries or detours before, making trade and travel between river banks simpler and more direct. Its arrival meant that daily life and commerce could flow across the Volga without interruption.

The bridge is accessed as part of the railway line and carries only train traffic, with no pedestrian or vehicle crossing available. The best views are from the water or from the riverbanks nearby, where you can see the full structure and its mechanical spans.

A notable feature is the two mechanical spans that can be lifted to allow larger river vessels to pass through. This rare design solved the problem of a fixed bridge being too low for the boats that navigated the Volga at the time.

Inception: 1932

Official opening: 1897

GPS coordinates: 57.73694,40.95306

Latest update: December 14, 2025 09:42