Nature. One of the largest rivers of the Europe, which runs through several climatic zones. Temperate forest landscapes in upper and middle parts, steppes and half-deserts in lower part. Narrow areas and gigantic artificial reservoirs.

Towns and ports. Big cities: Tver, Yaroslavl, Kostroma, Nizhniy Novgorod, Cheboksary, Kazan, Ulyanovsk, Samara, Saratov, Volgograd, Astrakhan. Industrial, scientific and cultural centers. Main ports: Nizhniy Novgorod, Kazan, Samara, Yaroslavl, mouth sea port Astrakhan.

Routes. Main: Moscow - Astrakhan, Nizhiy Novgorod - Astrakhan, routes from Kazan and Samara, other with visits to the rivers of Volga basin. Passenger lines.

Motor ships. All main types of big passenger ships. Usually, the projects: 305, 588, 26-37, 92-016, sometimes 301, Q-040, 302.