Kazan International Airport (KZN) is the only airport serving Kazan and the Republic of Tatarstan. It lies about 26 km south-east of the city centre in Laishevsky District, near the village of Stolbishche, and is named after the Tatar poet Gabdulla Tukay.
The layout is simple once you know it. Two passenger buildings, Terminal 1 and Terminal 1A, are joined by a covered walkway. A third building, Terminal 2, is for business aviation and not for ordinary passengers. Signs and boards are in Russian, Tatar and English. Because the city is a real distance away, the choice between train, bus and taxi is the main decision on arrival.
Current access notice: As of October 2026: a new domestic Terminal B began passenger service in test mode on 15 October. The launch is phased, and an official opening was reported as planned for later this year. Domestic flights may therefore move between buildings at short notice, and the terminal letters in this guide may be incomplete. Always follow the terminal shown on your ticket, the airline's message and the airport's online timetable.
The airport is also subject to repeated short-notice suspensions of arrivals and departures announced by the aviation authority Rosaviatsia during missile-danger alerts in the region. Recent restrictions were lifted after a few hours. Check your flight status with the airline and the online timetable on the official website (kazan.aero) before you leave for the airport. Rules and conditions change.
Quick Facts
| Russian name | Международный аэропорт «Казань» имени Габдуллы Тукая |
|---|---|
| Type | Airport |
| IATA code | KZN |
| Built / opened | 1979 |
| Address | 420017, Республика Татарстан, Лаишевский район, территория Аэропорт, 549 OpenStreetMap · Google Maps |
| District | Laishevsky District |
| Opening hours | Open 24 hours |
| Admission | Free to enter the terminal buildings. There is no entry ticket; flight tickets are priced by the airline. |
| Best time to visit | The airport works year-round, but conditions differ by season. In winter, snow and fog are a known cause of delays, so leave a generous buffer on connections and onward plans. Summer and school holiday periods bring more leisure travellers on flights to and from the south, though there are no official figures on crowds.
Time of day matters mainly for transfers. The suburban train runs only every one to two and a half hours, so a very early or late arrival may fall outside its hours. Plan a taxi as a backup in those cases. The airport can also suspend arrivals and departures at short notice. These pauses are usually lifted within hours, but check your airline and the online timetable on the official website before you leave for the airport. |
| Website | kazan.aero |
| Last updated | October 18, 2026 |
How to Get from Kazan International Airport, Kazan to the City Center
| Option | Duration | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suburban train to Kazan-Passazhirskaya (Kazan-1) | About 20 to 30 minutes | ₽ | Best for the central station area and for avoiding road traffic. The train runs between the station at the airport and Kazan-Passazhirskaya, the central station (Kazan-1). It is run by the regional operator PPK Sodruzhestvo. Some trains run non-stop, while others stop at halts such as Stolbishche, Yubileynaya, Berezovaya Roshcha and Vakhitovo.
The airport station is reached from the covered walkway between Terminal 1 and Terminal 1A. Trains run roughly every one to two and a half hours and are not timed to flights. Timetables published in recent months give a first departure from the airport in the early morning and a last one around 22:00. Check a current rail timetable or the operator before you rely on it. Kazan-2 is a different station and is not served by this train. |
| Bus 197 to Prospekt Pobedy metro | About 40 to 60 minutes | ₽ | Best for light luggage and for hotels near the metro line. This is an ordinary city bus, not an airport shuttle. It leaves from the arrivals exit at Terminal 1A and runs to Prospekt Pobedy metro station, where you can change to the Kazan Metro. It continues to the Yuzhny and Vostochny bus stations. It does not go to the central railway station or the Kremlin.
Unofficial sources give a service from about 06:00 to 22:00 every 30 to 60 minutes, and the bus is reported to run late at times. The official airport page on getting there by bus has the current details. The new Terminal B may change where buses stop, so look at the signs on arrival. |
| Taxi | About 30 to 45 minutes to the centre, depending on traffic | ₽₽ | Best for late arrivals, heavy bags, groups and any time the train does not match your landing. There is a taxi order desk in the arrivals hall of Terminal 1A, and you can also order through a taxi app. Rush hour on the approach roads can add time.
There is no metro to the airport. A taxi works as a backup if a train has just left or if a restriction has shifted your arrival to the middle of the night. |
| Rental car or private car | About 30 to 45 minutes to the centre, depending on traffic | ₽₽₽ | Best if you plan to explore Tatarstan beyond Kazan. The official site lists a car rental service at the airport. Parking uses an automatic system where you take a ticket on entry. Allow extra time for city traffic and for finding hotel parking in the centre. |
₽ budget · ₽₽ moderate · ₽₽₽ upscale · ₽₽₽₽ splurge. Price levels are estimates compared with typical prices for visitors.
Why Visit Kazan International Airport, Kazan?
Nobody visits an airport as a sight, but this one shapes the first hour of your trip, so it helps to know it before you land.
- A direct rail link. A suburban train runs from a station at the airport to Kazan-Passazhirskaya, the central station, so you can skip the road.
- Three-language signage. The boards and signs give you a first taste of Tatarstan’s bilingual culture.
- Useful services. Left luggage, baggage wrapping, ATMs and a post office are on site.
- Easy terminal changes. A heated, covered connection lets you switch buildings in winter without going outside.
Highlights of Kazan International Airport, Kazan
Terminal 1A, the main building
Terminal 1A opened on 15 December 2012, ahead of the 2013 Summer Universiade in Kazan, and is the airport's modern main hall. It handles all kinds of flights, including international ones, so most foreign visitors arrive here.
On the official services list you will find check-in, shops, restaurants and cafés, banks and ATMs, and a post office. The taxi order desk is in the arrivals hall.
Tip: Do not assume that T1A means international and T1 means domestic. Check the terminal shown on your ticket or on the departure boards.
Terminal 1 and the covered walkway
Terminal 1 is the older building. It was rebuilt with a new facade and reopened in 2013, and today it takes domestic check-in only. The two terminals are linked by a covered, heated passage that the airport calls a 'warm insert', so you can walk between them without stepping outside.
Baggage wrapping desks stand opposite domestic check-in on the ground floor of both terminals.
Tip: If you are in the wrong building, walk through the connecting passage rather than going outside and re-entering. It is quicker, and in winter it keeps you out of the cold.
Left luggage in the Terminal 1 basement
The only left-luggage office is in the basement of Terminal 1. According to the official website it is open 24 hours with no days off. It is run by a private operator, Pack&Fly, which also runs the baggage wrapping desks. The charge is per item, and part-days count as full days. The price level is ₽.
This is useful on a long layover, or if you want to see the city without your bags between two flights.
Tip: Even if you land in Terminal 1A, the office is in Terminal 1. Use the covered walkway to reach it, and allow time to walk back before your flight.
The airport train to Kazan-Passazhirskaya
A suburban train, often called the 'Aeroexpress', links the airport station with Kazan-Passazhirskaya, the central station. The ride takes roughly 20 to 30 minutes: some trains run non-stop, others call at halts such as Stolbishche, Yubileynaya, Berezovaya Roshcha and Vakhitovo.
The service is run by the regional operator PPK Sodruzhestvo, not by the airport, and uses its own tickets, sold at the station ticket offices. The price level is ₽. Follow the signs to the station from the terminals.
Tip: Trains leave roughly every one to two and a half hours and are not timed to flights. Check the current timetable with the operator or a rail timetable site, and have a taxi as a backup if you land just after a departure.
Bus 197 to Prospekt Pobedy
Bus 197 is an ordinary city route, not an airport shuttle, and has its own fare (₽). It leaves from the arrivals exit at Terminal 1A and takes about 40 minutes to Prospekt Pobedy metro station, where you can change to the Kazan Metro. The route continues to the Yuzhny and Vostochny bus stations.
It suits travellers with light luggage who are heading for areas along the metro line.
Tip: The bus does not stop at the central railway station. If your hotel is near Kazan-Passazhirskaya or the Kremlin, the train or a taxi is simpler. The official airport page on getting there by bus has the current schedule.
Taxi desk and the road into town
A taxi order desk operates in the arrivals hall of Terminal 1A. The ride to the centre takes about 30 to 45 minutes depending on traffic, mostly along the R-239 highway. The price level is ₽₽. A taxi is the fastest door-to-door option, especially late at night or with heavy bags.
Tip: Order at the desk or through a taxi app rather than accepting offers from people who approach you in the hall.
Terminal 2, for VIP and business aviation
Terminal 2 is a separate building for VIP and business aviation. It is not a third terminal for airline passengers, and anyone with an ordinary ticket has no reason to go there. The VIP service is a paid add-on.
If you see it on a map, remember that your commercial flight will use Terminal 1 or 1A.
Tip: Your ticket and the departure boards show which terminal you need. If in doubt, ask your airline before crossing the airport grounds.
The Yak-42D on the forecourt
On the forecourt square stands an old Yak-42D, a Soviet-built jet of a type also used for business flights. It is the one landmark outside the terminals and gives you something to look at while you wait for a taxi.
It also echoes the airport's origins: the first scheduled departure in 1979 was a Tu-134, another Soviet-built airliner.
Tip: Take your photo on arrival rather than after check-in, because once you are airside you cannot easily go back outside.
Help for passengers with reduced mobility
The airport has a dedicated service for passengers with reduced mobility, but it must be requested in advance. Details and contacts are in the accessibility section below.
Tip: Make the request well before your trip, not on the day.
Atmosphere
The airport is compact compared with the big Moscow hubs. The two terminals sit side by side, and the signs in Russian, Tatar and English make orientation easy.
In winter the covered walkway between the buildings is a welcome relief, and in snow or fog you will often see passengers checking the departure board for delays.
Outside, the old Yak-42D on the forecourt is the only thing that gives the entrance a bit of character. You are well outside the city here, and the transfer is part of the experience of arriving in Kazan.
History of Kazan International Airport, Kazan
Kazan’s current airport is a product of the late Soviet period. In 1972 the decision was taken to build a new airport outside the city, near the village of Stolbishche in what is now Laishevsky District. The site gave the airport room for a long runway, suitable for all types of aircraft.
The airport opened on 15 September 1979. The first flight was a Tu-134 from Kazan to Sochi, a typical Soviet-era service linking a major regional city with the Black Sea coast.
After the end of the Soviet Union the airport was reorganised as a company. On 6 December 1995 the joint-stock company Kazan International Airport was established as a legal entity, the structure under which it still operates.
The biggest change in its appearance came with the preparations for the 2013 Summer Universiade in Kazan. The new Terminal 1A opened on 15 December 2012 and was designed to handle all types of flights, including international ones. The older Terminal 1 was rebuilt with a new facade and reopened in 2013. The covered walkway between the two is the arrangement visitors still use.
In 2019 the airport was named after Gabdulla Tukay, the Tatar poet regarded as a founder of modern Tatar literature, which is why you may see it called Tukay Airport. The Tatar signage alongside Russian and English belongs to the same picture.
Today the airport is the base of the regional airline UVT Aero, and Nordwind also uses Kazan as a hub. Airlines and destinations change often, so check the online timetable on the official website for current flights.
Tickets and Payment at Kazan International Airport, Kazan
The airport sells no entry ticket, and you can walk into the terminal buildings freely. You need a flight ticket only to pass into the departure area. Flight tickets are sold by the airlines, and also through the airport’s own ‘Buy a Ticket’ service on the official website and in its mobile app. Air and rail ticket offices operate in the terminal. Online check-in is listed among the official services, but check-in times and rules are set by each airline.
Current situation (as of October 2026): the airport is operating, but Russian aviation authorities have repeatedly announced temporary restrictions on arrivals and departures at short notice, on several days in recent months. Most were lifted within hours, but they can delay or divert flights. In winter, fog and snow also cause delays. Check your flight status with the airline and the online timetable on the official website before you leave for the airport. Rules and conditions change, so check again before you travel.
Flights, Transfers and Planning
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How to Get to Kazan International Airport, Kazan
The airport is about 26 km from the centre. No metro line reaches it, so you choose between the suburban train, bus 197, a taxi or your own car. The details for each are in the highlights above.
The train is the most predictable option and ends at Kazan-Passazhirskaya, the central station. Bus 197 ends at Prospekt Pobedy metro station. A taxi takes you to your door.
If you drive, take the R-239 highway. Parking at the airport uses an automatic system: you take a ticket on entry.
Accessibility
The official website states that the airport provides a barrier-free environment, including for passengers with reduced mobility.
Assistance around the airport and at boarding must be requested in advance, by sending an application form to the airport's e-mail sop@airportkzn.ru or by phone on +7 960 085-34-42, as given on the official page for passengers with disabilities. Whether the service is free is not stated clearly on that page, so confirm it when you apply. Foreign visitors should also tell their airline about the need for assistance.
Food Nearby
The official website lists restaurants, cafés and bars among the airport's services, along with shops, but this guide does not name individual venues because they could not be verified. Expect ordinary airport cafés and snack counters in the terminal buildings, with more choice in the main hall of Terminal 1A than in the older building. Which outlets are before and after security is not confirmed.
The airport sits in open land outside the city, so there is nothing within walking distance. The airport also has a hotel and a capsule hotel on site. For a proper meal, plan to eat in Kazan itself, where the choice is far wider than at the airport, particularly around the centre and the Kremlin.
What to Bring
Bring your passport or ID and your flight details in a form that works offline, since mobile coverage and apps can be unreliable if plans change. A screenshot of the train timetable you intend to use and the name of your hotel written in Russian will help if you take a taxi.
In winter, bring warm layers, a hat and gloves for the platform and any open-air sections, even though the walkway between terminals is heated. A power bank is useful if closures or fog delay your flight.
Hand baggage follows the airline's rules and the instructions of security staff.
Carry some means of payment that works for you, and check in advance whether your own country's sanctions rules allow it.
Photography Rules
No photography rules were found on the official website, so follow the signs and staff instructions inside the terminals. Avoid photographing security checkpoints, staff and other passengers. The Yak-42D on the forecourt can be photographed from the public square. Do not fly drones near the airport; check the current Russian rules for airfields first.
Family Suitability
The official services list includes a mother-and-baby room, prayer rooms and medical services. The airport is compact and the two terminals are linked under cover, so moving with children or a pushchair does not mean going outside in winter weather.
Russia Vibes Tips
- Do not confuse Kazan International Airport with Begishevo, a small airport serving Nizhnekamsk in Tatarstan. Check that your ticket says KZN.
- When buying a train ticket into the city, make sure you are heading for Kazan-Passazhirskaya (Kazan-1), the central station. Kazan-2 is a different station and not where the airport train goes.
- If you arrive by car, the parking uses an automatic system with a ticket taken on entry. Keep the ticket with you when you return to the car.
Explore Nearby Kazan International Airport, Kazan
Sights near Kazan International Airport, Kazan
Kazan Kremlin – about 23.7 km away · typical visit: 2–4 hours2 min on foot from Kremlyovskaya, Kazan metro, Open 24 hoursMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
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FAQ: Kazan International Airport, Kazan
Can I pay for the train or bus with a foreign card?
Payment methods for foreign visitors on the airport train and on bus 197 have not been confirmed, and it is not clear whether a city transport card works on either. The airport has ATMs and currency exchange points. Sanctions rules in your own country may restrict the use of Russian banks and payment services, so check this yourself before you travel.
Are the terminals open 24 hours?
Sources give different terminal hours, and the exact opening hours are not confirmed. Flight operations follow the airline schedule, so rely on your airline and the official online timetable rather than on a set opening time.
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Last updated: October 18, 2026.
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