Passenger Service in the Volga River Fleet in 1930s

Introduction. The article is about passenger service in the Volga water transport in the pre-war period. In 1943 the Upper, Middle, and Lower Volga steamship lines were organized. At that time measures were taken to attract traffic, including passenger transportation, by the river. Methods and materials. The study is based on the objectivity principles and applies general scientific as well as specific historical methods. The paper is mainly based on unpublished materials from the federal and regional archives of the Russian Federation. Analysis. In the second half of the 1930s, the material base of the river fleet (the Volga included) was modernized. The technical equipment strengthening made it possible to increase cargo and passenger traffic. The goal of the study is to establish the passenger service in the Volga Steamship Lines. The specific measures of material and domestic passenger service are considered in detail. Results. During the second half of the 1930s, active efforts were made to increase passenger traffic. The reconstruction of the USSR river fleet was limited. It depended on insufficient funding, as well as shortcomings in planning and general organizational activities. For those reasons, Volga water transport could not fully meet the needs of passenger service. Despite this, steamship lines tried to find opportunities to attract passengers by the river route.