In summer 2022 I went to one of my most desirable travel destinations – Norilsk. Norilsk is a closed city in Russian arctic which is famous for being one of the most polluted cities in the world.
Norilsk is one of the most remote towns on the planet, located deep in the northernmost parts of Siberia, within the Arctic Circle. Accessible only by air, there are no roads to connect it to wider Russia, making it highly closed-off from the outside world.
The town was built during the 1930s, as the site of a Gulag labour camp. Most of the housing blocks and main buildings were built by prisoners, who were forced to work all hours of the day in gruelling sub-zero temperatures. According to archives, it is estimated that 16,806 prisoners died under these cruel conditions, between the years of 1935-1956.
The Norilsk Nickel corporation is in many ways a de facto governing body over the local population, employing a large percentage of residents and exercising tight control over the rights and rules of Norilsk town.
Riding a freight train from Norilsk to Dudinka:
( Edited text from https://www.skratch.world/post/norilsk-the-isolated-russian-town-dubbed-most-depressing-on-earth )
Content:
00:00 – Introduction into Norilsk
01:36 – Landing in Alykel Airport (NSK)
02:20 – Introduction into the history of Norilsk Railway
03:32 – Disappeared town of Alykel
05:20 – Narrow-gauge steam locomotive
06:20 – Kayerkan district
12:49 – Grocery prices (July 2022)
13:47 – Former Nadezhda Airport
14:34 – Norilsk in the evening
16:17 – Oganer district
18:19 – Talnakh district
19:57 – Trainhopping to Dudinka
20:10 – Dudinka
23:53 – Abandoned trains in Kayerkan
27:21 – Hopping on a random train
31:12 – Disappeared railway station
32:45 – Across Putorana Plateu by swamp-buggy
35:53 – Norilsk industrial zones (1)
39:21 – Former coal railway and epic ore passageway
42:58 – Golgofa: the memorial to the victims of political repressions
44:17 – Tundra station, hitchhiking a freight train
47:26 – Norilsk, the city center
49:17 – Norilsk Museum
50:27 – Soviet mosaic in Norilsk
50:45 – Norilsk industrial zones (2)
51:34 – Sneaking into a diesel locomotive
52:34 – Collecting berries in tundra
53:03 – Derailed trains near Norilsk
55:38 – A lot of mosquitos
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43 Comments
Let me encourage you to leave comments under this video and share it on social media (if it's possible). It took me a lot of effort to make this video, so your activity is important.
Thanks.
👍👍👍👊👊
When most people think about "dream vacations", they think of tropical paradises or world wonders. Vagabond thinks of Norilsk 😁
Thank you for making this video. In spite of all the pollution, it looks really pretty out there.
Well made inspire of city’s depressing vibe
What a amazing video. Thank you very much for taking us with you on your journey.
Super interesting and well put put together video, great work
I love watching Your videos they show me what a awful county russia is
Thanks for another super video, especially on t his subject! Too bad it has two commercials every 4 minutes in it. But still, the content is super!
Really facinating!
06:48 how much do they earn there for you to pay $4-$5 for only one small meal and no juice, kompot…
Fantasying. so interesting to see you explore places I will never experience myself. thank you for sharing them with us.
amazing video dude
Мне кажется, Карабаш так-то похуже Норильска будет.
Between you and Bald & Bankrupt we non-Russians get to learn a lot about your country, people, regional culture and the way people live. Since Bald is now persona non grata in Russia, it is left to you and you do a great job – the facts you find out are always really interesting!
In the end, we are all much more alike than we are different as people; only the locations and government philosophies change. Thanks!
I just found your channel through this video and have now watched lots more, great quality and really interesting! Can't wait for more!
interesting buti stopped watching because constand vagabond brainwashing interlud…..wtf is this necessary ?
Ngl you are brave ah to visit this place. Between the toxic air and cold temps, you are a boss for making this documentary. Nice job. You earned a sub from me.
Thanks again! I always wanted to see some of that area.
This is a very interesting example the environmental impact of mining the metals needed for "green tech". For example platinum is needed for "green" hydrogen. Wind turbine consume vast amounts of copper. Thanks – good work.
Great video as always man. Really interesting. Russia is a wild place
Take a video about this , The world is now ruled by one community of people, the world Satanic elite, you can also call them the committee to meet the Antichrist and prevent the 2nd coming of Jesus, Trump called them the deep state, at the moment it consists of about 10,000 people, the main ones there are Rockefellers, Rothschilds, Windsors, Baruchs, they, their ancestors, descendants and other people who enter there have the mark of Lucifer, which, if they bring the antichrist and do not allow the 2nd coming, they will receive eternal life after the x hour, and the rest of humanity, for all the time that they have lived, they won't get anything, so all people should know about the existence of a world government (Jesus who was a The Prophet of God, not God.God will send Jesus as a reward to humanity, if humanity deserves it, for this it is necessary to fight Lucifer and his elite)
and so is your channel good bye
Thank you. Finally the clip of Norilsk! Very interesting!
Christ at least in Soviet times there was a set of standards and they had filters for the exhausts, but I guess in good ol' cowboy Capitalism, such evil measures are waste of money and time! People just produce more children even if life span drop by half! Who care! Sieg Korporat
depois passa em Ohio
15:08 nice shot
Fantastic video mate. You are an inspiration to me and probably many others. I was wondering, however, how much a beer or vodka costs in a bar and what if any nightlife there is in this city beside sitting beside a puddle of water in the car park in the midnight sun.
Amazing video!!
Love your video and all good wishes to the regular people of russia. I wish you all the luxuries of the west but I am a bit amazed by the fact that your supermarket apears to contain every A brand that a typical european store does. I was under the impression that the sanctions of the past year prohibited such items to be sold to russia or the companies to be operated there.
Stay safe matey.
Fascinating video ! Amazing. Thanks for uploading this.
The pollution in Russia is the problem why everything looks grey and deppressing.
Chad: All roads lead to Rome. Sigma: no roads lead to Norilsk
Amazing video. Do you ever have to deal with people just questioning why you're "exploring"?
Kind of a sad place even in summer months.
unbelievable, so much ressources and absoulutly broke….
Isn't this where the metal to make batteries for nice clean electric cars come from?
Guy loves train tracks
Those kids without masks… I guess it rlly is survival of the fittest.
Hey Vaga Bond, thanks for the video, it's great to get such a tour and explanation around Norilsk.
I just discovered your channel and i am now a subscriber. It is very interesting.
Great video