The Novosibirsk waterbus system (russian: Новосибирский речной трамвай) is a part of the

public transport Public transport (also known as public transportation, public transit, mass transit, or simply transit) is a system of transport for passengers by group travel systems available for use by the general public unlike private transport, typical ...

network of

Novosibirsk Novosibirsk (, also ; rus, Новосиби́рск, p=nəvəsʲɪˈbʲirsk, a=ru-Новосибирск.ogg) is the largest city and administrative centre of Novosibirsk Oblast and Siberian Federal District in Russia. As of the Russian Census ...

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...

History

In 1910, the municipal authorities bought the

steamship A steamship, often referred to as a steamer, is a type of steam-powered vessel, typically ocean-faring and seaworthy, that is propelled by one or more steam engines that typically move (turn) propellers or paddlewheels. The first steamships ...

"Novonikolayevsk" for the organisation of a ferry between right and left banks of Ob. In 1919, "Novonikolayevsk" was replaced by the steamship "Brat'ya" ("Brothers"). The

ferry A ferry is a ship, watercraft or amphibious vehicle used to carry passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo, across a body of water. A passenger ferry with many stops, such as in Venice, Italy, is sometimes called a water bus or water taxi ...

was operational until the opening of the Kommunalny Bridge in 1955. In 1950s-1970s, there was a need to provide transport services between

city center A city centre is the commercial, cultural and often the historical, political, and geographic heart of a city. The term "city centre" is primarily used in British English, and closely equivalent terms exist in other languages, such as "" in Fren ...

and

dacha A dacha ( rus, дача, p=ˈdatɕə, a=ru-dacha.ogg) is a seasonal or year-round second home, often located in the exurbs of post-Soviet countries, including Russia. A cottage (, ') or shack serving as a family's main or only home, or an outbu ...

s located in the Ob

river valley A valley is an elongated low area often running between hills or mountains, which will typically contain a river or stream running from one end to the other. Most valleys are formed by erosion of the land surface by rivers or streams over ...

within the city limits. This had given a boost to a development of the city

waterbus A water taxi or a water bus is a watercraft used to provide public or private transport, usually, but not always, in an urban environment. Service may be scheduled with multiple stops, operating in a similar manner to a bus, or o ...

transport system which reached its peak in the mid-

1970s File:1970s decade montage.jpg, Clockwise from top left: U.S. President Richard Nixon doing the V for Victory sign after his resignation from office following the Watergate scandal in 1974; The United States was still involved in the Vietnam War i ...

. At that time, Novosibirsk passenger fleet replenished with new

hydrofoil A hydrofoil is a lifting surface, or foil, that operates in water. They are similar in appearance and purpose to aerofoils used by aeroplanes. Boats that use hydrofoil technology are also simply termed hydrofoils. As a hydrofoil craft gains sp ...

boats A boat is a watercraft of a large range of types and sizes, but generally smaller than a ship, which is distinguished by its larger size, shape, cargo or passenger capacity, or its ability to carry boats. Small boats are typically found on inl ...

such as Meteor type, Voskhod type, Raketa type and hydroplane

pump-jet A pump-jet, hydrojet, or water jet is a marine system that produces a jet of water for propulsion. The mechanical arrangement may be a ducted propeller (axial-flow pump), a centrifugal pump, or a mixed flow pump which is a combination of both ...

Zarya type. Further development of the land passenger transport led to a ridership drop and a reduction of the number of routes of

system.

Current status

Routes of Novosibirsk

are operated by single private carrier, which is using displacement decked Moskva type ships. This carrier also serves suburban commuter routes to

Berdsk Berdsk (russian: Бердск) is a town in Novosibirsk Oblast, Russia. A suburb of Novosibirsk, it is on the Berd River. In the 2010 Russian census, its population was Geography Berdsk is on the Berd River. Open land is south of the town and a ...

and Sedova Zaimka. The Novosibirsk

system includes the following routes: * Novosibirsk River Passenger Terminal - Beach "Bugrinskaya Roshcha" - Korablik Island : This route is the only way to take people to Korablik Island because no other public transport goes to the island. Since 2020, waterbuses, following this route, make intermediate stop at the beach near Bugrinskaya Roshcha. * Novosibirsk River Passenger Terminal - Severo-Chemskoy residential area - Allotment garden community "Smorodinka" - Allotment garden community "Tikhie Zori" : The route was launched on 1 August 2021. In 2022, the route will be operational since the opening of the period of navigability. * Novosibirsk River Passenger Terminal - Novosibirsk Waterpark. : The route was launched in 2018. The route was not included in the plan of navigational season 2021 due to suspension of Waterpark's operation. Usually, the period of navigability is opened in late April or early May and is closed in late September or early October.

References

{{reflist

External links

Routes of Novosibirsk waterbuses and suburban commuter ships (in Russian)
Transport in Novosibirsk Water taxis Ferries of Russia