Zheleznogorsk

Zheleznogorsk (Russian: Железного́рск zhyh-leez-nah-GOHRSK) (previously known as Krasnoyarsk-26) is a city of 84,000 (2018) 60 km northeast of Krasnoyarsk. During the Soviet era, it was a major plutonium-producing city, and remains a "closed city", requiring an invitation from an authorized agency in the city, with a government-approved reason for visiting.

The city formerly known as Krasnoyarsk-26

Understand

This "secret city" of about 94,000 residents did not appear on maps of the Soviet Union. Situated on the east bank of the Yenisei River, it was constructed after World War II specifically for processing weapons-grade plutonium, and was known during this time as "Krasnoyarsk-26": essentially a post office box address indicating only a location near the city of Krasnoyarsk. In 1992 Russia's President Yeltsin permitted the secret cities to reveal themselves and use traditional names; Krasnoyarsk-26 came out as the "closed city" of Zheleznogorsk.

Although the nuclear industry is gradually being down-sized due to safety and non-proliferation pressures, in 1996 the residents voted to remain a closed city in an attempt to maintain their town's charming, village-like quality amidst harsher, more environmentally damaged cities. Built on a picturesque artificial lake, the town is said to resemble St. Petersburg. The city is clean and the transportation system efficient, a legacy from the time when Zheleznogorsk was part of the privileged, secret nuclear weapons complex.

Get in

Although you can now find it on maps of Krasnoyarsk Krai, you cannot just drive there without authorization. Visitors are only permitted by screened invitation. Before you will be permitted to visit, your hosts must submit a request to the Ministry of Atomic Energy and to Russian national security agencies for authorization, which can take up to two months. If approved, you'll receive a letter of invitation, which will be required for your visa application, which can take anywhere from a week to a month.

Travel to Zheleznogorsk is done by way of Krasnoyarsk. There are four-hour red-eye flights daily from Moscow's Domodedova airport to Krasnoyarsk's Yemelyanovo. As of late 1999, tickets cost roughly US$148. The more scenic route is to take the near-three-day train from Moscow to Krasnoyarsk: The "Yenesei" No. 56 departs Kazan train station every other day and winds its way eastward through the vast countryside reaching the Krasnoyarsk train station at early on the third day of travel. The cost of a sleeping car for this trip was about US$81.

From Krasnoyarsk, bus route #521 links Yemelyanovo airport to Zheleznogorsk. The Icarus Company provides a daily shuttle on this route from the airport at. The departing time is 08:30 and arrives in Zheleznogorsk at approximately 11:00. Taxi service from the airport to Zheleznogorsk costs about ~US$20. Public buses traveling between the cities of Krasnoyarsk and Zheleznogorsk provide daily service at half-hour intervals from 06:00 to 21:30. Buses No. 502 and 503 also depart the train station for Zheleznogorsk about every 30 minutes for a 90-minute trip. Taxi service between the rail station and the city is available.

Get around

Your hosts will arrange transportation within Zheleznogorsk. It has public bus routes that operate daily from 06:00 until 00:00 and 24-hour taxi service (☏ +7 39197 461-62, (☏ +7 39197 258-58, or ({{phone|+7 39197 325-88).

See

Zheleznogorsk city center

A local private tourist agency provides tours of Zheleznogorsk and Krasnoyarsk Kray (☏ +7 39197 464-44.

Do

The city offers many recreational opportunities including:

• four indoor swimming pools
• a 5-km roller skating pathway
• a mountain climbing facility
• a stadium with two soccer fields, a hockey rink and running/walking track
• a separate track and field complex
• four tennis courts
• five shooting ranges
• a sports garden with an artificial ice surface
• a physical therapy center

There are also 32 community exercise facilities in town; not including those housed at state and private businesses.

Buy

There are over 200 stores in the city, half of which are food stores. Most city stores are open 09:00-19:00. Food stores are open daily, while other types of stores are generally closed on Sundays.

• Baltiskiy, the largest variety store in the city, is open every day until 9PM. Similar to Target or K-Mart in the United States, Baltiskiy offers a wide selection of goods including clothes, shoes, electronics, and children's toys. Location is Leningradskiy Prospect 35, ((☏ +7 39197 403-97).

Eat

• The Argo, Ulitsa Kurchatova, 54, ☏ +7 391 972-16-43. Offers an ideal atmosphere for a business luncheon or dinner. 
• The Baykal, Ulitsa Shkolnaya 42, ☏ +7 391 973-38-65. Popular for its delicious Russian dishes and late-night dance floor. (The dance floor is open until 03:00 every night). On Friday and Saturday nights, Baykal provides guests with special traditional dance performances by professionals. In 1999, Baykal received an award for regional culinary excellence. 
• The Tsentralnoye Café, Ulitsa Lenin 25a, ☏ +7 391 974-38-76. Su-Th 11:30-00:00, F Sa 11:30-03:00. Located in the downtown Hotel Tsentralnoye. It is an exceptional Russian kitchen and offers a diverse selection of 50 wines. The café also has a banquet hall that seats 12. On Fridays and Saturdays after 23:00 entertainment includes live music and dance performances. 
• The Esse Club Café, Ulitsa Lenin 25a, ☏ +7 391 973-38-89. Serves quality fare at reasonable prices in a quiet and cozy atmosphere. 
• Sibir' Café, 15a Ulitsa Sverdlova, ☏ +7 391 975-46-12. Ideal for a quick and inexpensive bite. 

Sleep

Accommodations will be arranged by your host agency.

Many guests stay in one of the two pensions: the Zvezdniy, owned by Nauchno Proizvodstvennoe Obiedinenie Prikladnoi Mechaniki, or the Yubeleniy, owned by the Mining and Chemical Combine. Both are located in a picturesque section of town.

• Tsentralnaya, Ulitsa Lenin, 25a, ☏ +7 391 973-38-45. Situated in the center of the city and considered the best local hotel. It has a day and evening café, restaurant, money exchange, travel agency and barber shop. Renovations are expected to raise the standard of comfort to international levels. 

Should no vacancies exist in either pension or hotel, the Krasremstroy Company lets two-room apartments. (☏ +7 39197 240-03