The city of Samara was one of eleven Russian cities to host matches during the 2018 World Cup. Formerly a closed city, picturesque Samara is now a bustling social, transport and industrial hub that caters for a wide range of interests.
Founded in 1586, it is one of the oldest cities in Russia and the sixth largest city in the country (located in ‘the European part’). It is nestled on the bank of the curve of Volga River “Mother of Russia”; the national river of Russia and the longest river in Europe.
There is an abundance of hotels near to the ground. The stadium is approximately 15 minutes away by a taxi from the nearest train station and central Samara. If you are not driving, you may want to pick a hotel with good public transport links or accommodation within close distance. Check out below the best hotels near Cosmos Arena in Samara Russia.
SPECIAL DEALS – SAVE ON HOTEL ROOMS
443031, Samara, Demokraticheskaya Str.45A
Situated in Barboshina Polyana in Samara, 2 km... read more
RUB 2500
446379, Samara, Alma-Atinskaya Street 174
Featuring a modern castle design, this unique hotel... read more
RUB 2000
443035, Samara, Alma-Atinskaya Street 268
Featuring free Wi-Fi access available throughout, Elyzium Hotel... read more
RUB 1400
443071, Samara, Ulitsa Stara Zagora 143 A
Offering a sauna, tennis court and billiards, Stara... read more
RUB 1550
443031, Samara, Ulitsa Devyataya Proseka 70
Offering sauna, Inter Hotel is located in Samara.... read more
RUB 2300
443029, Samara, 6-ya Proseka 157
Boasting a terrace and a 24-hour front desk,... read more
RUB 5000
443031, Samara, Barboshina polyana, 9ya proseka, liniya 5, 4
Located at the sanatorium complex and offfering a... read more
RUB 4050
443031, Samara, Ulitsa Dimitrova 110A
Set within 6 km of Samara Arena and... read more
RUB 3250
443051, Samara, Ракитовское шоссе 1 Строение 5
Located in Samara, 3.2 km from Samara Arena,... read more
RUB 936
443031, Samara, 9 proseka, 3 liniya, 1a
Featuring a panoramic view over the Volga, 7terrass... read more
RUB 4000
443125, Samara, 8А Ulitsa Amineva
Featuring air-conditioned accommodation with a patio, Cozy apartment... read more
RUB 2498
443125, Samara, 353 Ulitsa Novo-Sadovaya 2
Set 8 km from Samara Arena, Apartment on... read more
RUB 3000
443115, Samara, 29 Demokraticheskaya Ulitsa, 3 floor, flat 11
Set in Samara, 6 km from Samara Arena,... read more
RUB 1450
443122, Samara, Moskovskoye Shosse 298 3 floor, flat 201
Offering free WiFi and city views, Apartment on... read more
RUB 1700
443029, Samara, 7-Ya Proseka 106
Situated in Samara, 9 km from Samara Arena... read more
RUB 2035
443095, Samara, 172 Ulitsa Tashkentskaya
Set in Samara, 5 km from Samara Arena... read more
RUB 2800
443051, Samara, 21 Ulitsa Alma-Atinskaya
Situated in Samara, within 5 km of Samara... read more
RUB 1500
443000, Samara, Сорокины Хутора, 5 линия, строение 6
Located in Samara, 7 km from Samara Arena,... read more
RUB 2500
443051, Samara, самарская область Самара Алма -Атинская 9А
Located in Samara, within 6 km of Samara... read more
RUB 1100
443087, Samara, 360А проспект Карла Маркса
Karla Marksa 360A is located in Samara, 6... read more
RUB 1800
443087, Samara, 360А проспект Карла Маркса
Карла Маркса 360А is located in Samara, 3.9... read more
RUB 2600
443125, Samara, улица Ново-Садовая 339 128 5 этаж
Located in Samara, 3.7 km from Samara Arena... read more
RUB 3300
443087, Samara, проспект Карла Маркса 360А
Located in Samara, just 5 km from Samara... read more
RUB 1600
443106, Samara, 121 улица Ташкентская 6
Set 3.7 km from Samara Arena, 1.7 km... read more
RUB 1020
443125, Samara, 6 Силовая улица
Located in Samara in the Samara Region region,... read more
RUB 1539
443107, Samara, пр. Мехзавод 8 квартал 19 дом
Located within 3.9 km of Samara Arena in... read more
RUB 1500
You can take advantage of multiple motor ship tours to cruise to other cities on the river (such as Nizhny Novgorod, Kazan, Volgograd, Tolyatti) – or you can catch the coach if you prefer.
The 4km river embankment is the main recreational centre venue for both tourists and locals and caters for everyone, from revellers and sportsmen to families. For commanding views of the river head up to the signposted observation point.
Football aficionados may want to visit the municipal museum to learn about the city’s history of football and the famous national football club Krylya Sovetov.
As the football stadium name ‘Cosmos’ pays homage to, Samara is a renowned centre of the Russian aerospace industry and home to several renowned engineering institutions. Enthusiasts will enjoy the Samara in Space Museum; exhibits include the Yantar-4K1 and Resurs F-1 spaceship landing sections, model rocket engines and a life-size monument of the famed Soyuz carrier rocket.
The Galileo Park of Wonders is a free interactive science exhibition area comprising various science workshops and a Maze of Illusions.
Architectural highlights include the Kirillo-Mefodiyevsky Cathedral, Intercession Cathedral, The Temple of Samara Saints Cathedral and Church of the Holy Martyrs Faith.
There are plenty of statues to see (Chapaev, Grigoriy Zasekin and Fyodor Sukhov) and various monuments of interest: The Rook (Ladya), the Sculptural Composition of Barge Haulers on the Volga and a monument to the invention of the heating battery!
Kubychev Square and the Leningradskaya pedestrianised area host various street cafes for al fresco dining and people watching.
If gardens are more your thing, consider visiting Strukovskiy Garden, Square Aleksandra Pushkina or the Botanical Garden of Samara State University.
The Yu. Gagarin Park of Culture and Leisure is also a nice location for a stroll by the lake and also offers bicycle hire. For outdoor adventurous types, the Zhiguli Mountains are close by, as is the Chaika Ski Lodge (cross-country skiing as well as mountain skiin and snowboarding in winter).
The Mediterranean climate of this region lends itself to hosting large open-air music events such as rock festivals during the summer.
Other cultural highlights include Stalin’s Bunker, built in 1942, the Modernist Style Museum, the Volga Region Museum of Railway Machinery and the Museum of Photography (Samara was the centre of Russian photographic art throughout the 1940s, 50s and 60s).
Several theatres are dotted throughout the city, including the Samara Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre, The Samara Academic Gorkiy Drama Theater and City Theater.
Your visit to Samara for the World Cup 2018 will be unforgettable!
The Cosmos Arena, located 15km north of Samura city in Russia was called the Samara Arena during the 2018 World Cup, and comfortably seat ~45000 people. Work began in 2014 and completion was towards the end of 2017. With its beautifully designed multi-panelled domed roof over 60m high, the stadium have an ‘English stadium’ feel to it with straight stands running along the edge of the pitch, plus the more European design of rows of continuous seating spread over two tiers.
After the FIFA World Cup, the ground became the home of local football club FC Krylia Sovetov Samara (“Wings of the Soviets”). The area around the stadium is currently a mix of residential housing, forests, retail outlets and light industry.
Accommodation options range from hotels with very basic facilities and staff with limited English to affordable hotels with excellent customer service and a large range of on-site facilities such as a fitness centre, swimming pool and multiple restaurants. You may want to select a hotel that has a bar for your post-match celebrations or commiserations!
Club — FC Krylia Sovetov
Nickname — Feathers, Green-White-Blues
Stadium Capacity — 44,800 seats
Opened — 2017
Location — Located about 15km or 9.3mi north of the city centre. You can get to the ground by bus or taxi.
Address — Samara, Samara Oblast, Russia 443072
Club Colours — White, Green and Blue
Air Connections — nearest airport is Kurumoch International Airport (KUF) just over 50km or 31mi away, providing both domestic and international flights from among Germany and Finland.
