hub for Southern Russia. Platov International Airport was opened in late 2017 as part of preparations for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. The international river port specializes in the packaging and freighting of minerals and timber. Shipping information is published on line. The main railway stations in Rostov-on-Don are "Rostov-Glavny" and "Rostov-Prigorodny". The "St. Petersburg-Rostov-Caucasus" railway crosses the territory of Rostov-on-Don. The North Caucasus Railway Administration Building is in Rostov-on-Don. Several highways of federal and regional significance cross Rostov. The M-4 “Don” route passes Rostov to the east and crosses the Don river in the Aksay city area. The “Rostov-Novoshakhtinsk” starts from the Northern housing block area of the city running north to connect with the M-4 “Don” route between Shakhty and Novoshakhtinsk. The Greater Rostov supercity The Ministry of Regional Development of Russia has prepared a program to create eight multimillion conglomerate population centres or 'super cities'. The Rostov Oblast will be one of these. “The Greater Rostov” metropolitan area will include the cities of Rostov-on-Don, Novocherkassk, Taganrog, Aksay, Bataysk and Azov. Communications In 1929, the first automatic telephone exchange in Russia with a capacity of 6,000 numbers commenced in Rostov-on-Don. Since 2004, standard telephone numbers in Rostov-on-Don have been seven digits in length. Since 2009, city numbers have begun with "2". The city dialing code is "863". Financial services The first commercial bank in the South of Russia, Rostovsoсbank, was opened in Rostov-on-Don. The bank existed from 1989 to 1989, and before the withdrawal of the banking license it made a full return of deposits to all depositors. The largest bank in the Rostov region is Center-Invest. In total, there are about 50 banks and their branches, 17% local banks, 80% representative offices of federal banks, 4% representative offices of foreign banks. Education Rostov-on-Don hosts higher educational establishments, including universities, academies, secondary schools of vocational training including colleges, technical schools, specialized schools, and elementary schools of vocational training including lyceums, professional colleges and schools of general education. The largest educational establishments of the city include: Southern Federal University Don State Technical University Rostov State University of Economy Rostov State University of Transport Routes (The Railway Engineers' University) Rostov State University of Civil Engineering Rostov State Medical University Rostov State Conservatory named after Sergei Rachmaninoff Branch of the Moscow State Academy named after F.F. Ushakov Rostov Eparchy Religious College Rostov Institute of Advocacy of Entrepreneurs Rostov Institute of Foreign