Moscow


Table of Contents:
Culture and History / History / Geography / Travel to Moscow, visa requirements Flights to Moscow, airtickets / Sheremetyevo II / Domodedovo / Vnukovo Bykovo By train By car Buses to Moscow By ship / Get around By Metro By Taxi / Other means of public transport / Moscow attractions and sightseeing / Main sites / Other sites / City tours / Learn / Work / Shopping, Moscow souvenirs / Good restaurants and cheap meals / Budget / Mid-range / Splurge / Moscow nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs. / Cofffee / Hotels, youth hostels, lodging / Budget 2 / Mid-range 2 / Splurge 2 / Contact / Mobile / WiFi Wireless hotspots / Cope / Stay safe / Get out

More from Moscow Oblast:
Moscow

Moscow [3] is the capital of Russia.

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Culture and History

Moscow is the capital of Russia, as well as being the financial and political center of the country and its biggest сity.

Moscow has a population of around 11 million, and covers an area of around 1080 km².

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History

Caroline Brooke, Moscow: A Cultural History (2006: OUP Cityscapes series, ISBN: 0195309529) is a good place to start. Moscow is the capital of Russia, its financial and political center and its biggest сity.

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Geography

Moscow is located on the Moskva River, which bends its way through the southern and western parts of the city. Most of the main sites are on the northern bank of the river. The other major waterway is the Yauza River, which flows into the Moskva east of the Kremlin.

Much of Moscow's geography is defined by the numerous 'Ring Roads' that circle the city at various distances from the center. With Red Square and the Kremlin forming the very center, the innermost ring road is the Boulevard Ring, which runs from the Christ the Saviour Cathedral in south-west central Moscow, to the mouth of the Yauza in south-east central Moscow.

The next ring road is the Garden Ring, which used to be the place of Moscow's outer walls. It derives its name from the fact that landowners near the road in Tsarist times were obligated to maintain gardens to make the road attractive. In Soviet times the road was widened.

The recently constructed Third Ring is not much use for tourists but is a heavily used motorway which absorbs a bit of Moscow's traffic. The outer edge of Moscow is largely defined by the Moscow Ring Road, a motorway which encircles the entire city (similar to London's M25 and Paris' Peripherique). Finally, a Fourth Ring is due to be built between the Third Ring and the Moscow Ring Road in the next years.

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Travel to Moscow, visa requirements

As elsewhere in Russia, strict visa requirements apply. See Russia#Get in for details.

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Flights to Moscow, airtickets

Moscow has four airports:

  • Sheremetyevo International Airport, [4].
  • Domodedovo International Airport, [5].
  • Vnukovo International Airport, [6].
  • Bykovo Airport.

Moscow is, by far, the main air traffic hub of Russia and will continue to be as both Sheremetyevo and Vnukovo are undergoing major development plans (both are due to build brand new and large terminals in the next years) and Domodedovo plans to more than double terminal space to 225,000 m² in 2006 and to invest a further $300 million into construction and upgrades in 2007-2008.

In the past, nearly all international flights (from outside the former USSR) landed at Sheremetyevo International Airport, commonly called Sheremetyevo II. Sheremetyevo I is actually Terminal I of the same airport; however, it is located a considerable distance from Sheremetyevo II and for practical purposes is a separate airport. Sheremetyevo I handles mostly domestic flights as well as charter flights to resort destinations. However, Domodedovo and Vnukovo are increasingly competing for international flights, and several international carriers, including British Airways, have switched to Domodedovo and so it happened in the year 2005 that Domodedovo ended up as Russia's leading airport in number of passengers, both domestic and international.

If you prefer to go to the airport by car, it is best to call a taxi agency and book a cab. There are many agencies that can provide this service, and the cost ranges from $20-30 or more. All airports have taxi kiosks where you can negotiate the price and get yourself a driver. Don't listen to people offering you a taxi around the terminal, it is most of the time either not safe or will all end up in a major rip-off. For public transportation see below:

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Sheremetyevo II

Sheremetyevo II is located north from city centre and is best reached by going to the metro station Rechnoi Voksal and taking a bus 851 or a shared, fixed-price taxi called Marshrutka from there. Buses depart very regularly (about 15-30 minutes). Without jams (a very rare occasion) the trip takes about 30-40 minutes and costs 10-40 RUB, depending which one you take and amount of your luggage. If you have plenty of bulky luggage, you should not take Marshrutka. Be careful because the same bus/Marshrutka goes also to Sheremetyevo I and remember that when going to the airport they stop first at Sheremetyevo II and then at Sheremetyevo I. They arrive and depart right in front of the terminal.

Other (and better during peak traffic hours) option is to take a bus 817 or Marshrutka to/from metro station Planernaya. Trip takes 40-50 minutes.

Most flights from/to Sheremetyevo II are either operated by Aeroflot, or by its partner international carriers. For Aeroflot's own flights, registration starts straight 2hrs before departure time.

If you fly by economic class and there're several people in your group, for check-in it's better to have someone to stand in business class queue, especially if you arrive before registration start--business-class clerk may start with economic class passengers if there's no/not too many business-class passengers.

In the pre-check-in area there's only TGI Friday plus 6 to 8 no-name cafes/bars/coffee shops. TGIF can serve coffee to go, but charges ab. 360 rub for mid-sized cafe latte and serves it in Coca-Cola-branded paper cups. The TGIF serves the same menu as in America, which may come in handy on your way out if you have grown tired of salty smoked fish and warm drinks. Most cafes and restaurants beyond passport control are equally faceless and overpriced. Club Bar boasts Ronnefeldt teas and decent pancakes, however.

The airport has banking and bureaux de change, and ATMs are available in both the Arrivals and Departures areas. Note to change your rubles into Euros or USD before departing Moscow for other countries as almost no other country will cash in your rubles for you (tried this in Amsterdam, London, Newark, Boston with no luck).

Duty-free shops operated by Aerofirst Moscow Duty Free [7] cover a large space, but merely repeat the same choice in 5 or 6 outlets. As elsewhere, only most popular local souvenirs are sold, still with a huge margin.

This terminal also has a hairdresser, pharmacy and a medical office as well as at least two travel agencies.

The information desk is in the main hall and sometimes you are lucky enough to get someone that speaks reasonably good English. The number is (095) 956 4666. You can also call an Intourist representatives (available in Terminal 2) that can provide tourist information (095) 578 5971.

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Domodedovo

Domodedovo is located south from city centre and is most conveniently reached by AeroExpress train from Paveletsky Train Station (near a metro of the same name). The trip takes about 40 minutes and takes you directly into the airport. Trains depart every hour starting at 6AM (every 30 minutes in peak hours and costs about 150 rubles). Several per day of them reach Kurskaya metro station. In late 2006 another express to Belorusskaya station was launched, giving another edge against Sheremetyevo. Alternatively, you can go to the Domodedovskaya metro station and catch a bus 405 or a shuttle from there--neither is operating at night. There is an express bus connection between Domodedovo and Vnukovo airports, which departs about every 90 minutes.

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Vnukovo

Vnukovo is located southwest from city centre. Take bus 611 or Marshrutka to/from metro station Yugo-Zapadnaya. Buses depart about every 15 minutes with a trip time of about 30 minutes. Alternatively, you can take an express train from Kievsky Train Station, which departs every 60 minutes in peak hours (with intervals of about 4 hours out of peak hours). There is an expressbus connection between Domodedovo and Vnukovo airports, which departs about every 90 minutes.

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Bykovo

Bykovo is a regional airport located southeast from city centre. It serves mainly short-haul domestic flights due to its short runway. Take the "elektrichka" train from Kazansky Train Station. It takes about 50 min and runs every 15-20 minutes. Get off at the Bykovo Station. Bykovo Airport is about 400 meters away.

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By train

Moscow lies at the western end of the Trans-Siberian Railway from Beijing, Ulaanbaatar and Vladivostok. You can reach here from almost anywhere in Europe and Central Asia. Moscow is also the main railway hub of Russia.

You can buy tickets to any long-distance train by Internet from JSC Russian Railways, but you need to formalize it before trip in manned booths within the stations ("kassa"). Now it's working in Russian language, but JSC Russian Railways promise the English interface to the end of 2007.

Moscow has nine train stations, each (except Savyolovsky one) offering long-distance and local train services. Savyolovsky Station offers local train service only. All are located relatively in the center of Moscow and have metro stations nearby.

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By car

The direct way to drive from Germany, Poland, or Bielarussia is along E30 road. However EU or American citizens have to get Belarussian visas to pass through Belarus, so it could be more convenient to go via Latvia (the nearest border crossing between EU and Russia on this direction) using E22 road (starting in Riga).

Easy access from Finland through St. Petersburg and Novgorod is along E18 road. Road from St. Petersburg to Moscow is also known as Russian Federal Highway M-10. Traffic on M-10 is heavy and driving less relaxing.

Foreign cars – especially expensive ones – might attract unwelcome attention, and there is cumbersome paperwork involved.

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Buses to Moscow

Intercity busses to Russian and some former Soviet Union cities depart from the intercity bus station (автовокзал) at Shelkovskaya Metro station (the last station of the dark blue line, in northeast Moscow). This is the only place in Moscow from which public transportation is available directly to Suzdal. Also, some intercity buses depart from Komsomolskaya, Tushinskaya, Yugo-Zapadnaya, Vykhino, and Domodedovskaya Metro stations.

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By ship

Moscow is also served by passenger ships. Most of them are used for river cruises, but there are still some that serve as ordinary public transport, like train. There are two river terminals in Moscow.

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Get around

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By Metro

Central Moscow is best explored on foot, but as the distances are huge, the visitor will most likely use the famous Metro system. It is comprehensive, boasts some great architecture, and is relatively cheap. As of January 2007, a single trip costs 17 rubles, independent of the length of the trip. Tickets are sold only at manned booths within the stations ("kassa"). In several stations there are tickets vending machines. A convenient way to avoid queuing is to buy a multi-trip card for 10 or 20 trips (10 at 140 RUB; 20 at 250 RUB). There are no day tickets or similar offers directed to visitors.

The metro is open from 5:30am to 1:00am - stations close at 1:00am so you're journey must be completed by then (more precisely, at 1:00am the last train starts from the end stations, the entrances are officially closed and the escalators are stopped). Before 7am and after 7pm the metro is never busy. Between these times on work days it can be a real squeeze, especially within the ring. Some escalators are a 2 minute ride as the stations in the city centre are very deep. On the escalators stand on the right.

It's important to know that often colours in the underground's signs don't correspond to the ones on the maps, so the green line is not necessarily indicated by a green sign (that could be the sign for the gray line). To not miss your path refer to numbers, that is to say: line 3 is line 3 whatever colour is on the sign! There are no English signs inside so have your itinerary ready beforehand or learn to read cyrillic, which is not impossible. Don't let yourself be stressed by the huge masses of people. The Russians also take their time to study the tiny signposts to see where to change trains or which exit to take. Don't use the metro if you are claustrophobic as the air is getting thick especially at rush hours. The most interesting in terms of decor are Komsomolskaya and Novoslobodskaya on the ring line, Kropotkinskaya on the red line, and Mayakovskaya on the green line (watch for the mosaics on the ceiling).

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By Taxi

In Russia and Moscow the difference between hailing a cab and simply hitchhiking is blurry. It's an old Russian tradition for drivers to offer rides to strangers, for a fee. For many Russians it's like a second job. Generally, wherever you are, at any time of day or night, you can get a 'cab' in a matter of minutes or seconds by holding out your hand. Hold your hand out low by your hip, not up high as they hail cabs in American films. Normally, you tell the driver where you're going, and negotiate an amount with you naming the first price. For many locations, giving the closest Metro stop is the best plan of attack. If you don't like the amount one guy is charging, you'll doubtlessly find another driver in a minute or two. Sometimes, when you tell the driver where you're going, he'll decide he's not going in that direction and drive off. Keep in mind, though, that very few drivers will speak English.

You should be able to get between most destinations within the Garden Ring for RUB 200 or less, unless it's not a national holiday or hours when metro doesn't work. For example a typical charge for a New Year Eve is RUR 500.

There are several taxi services operating in Moscow, the most noticeable on the streets being The New Yellow Taxi (Novoye Zholtoye Taxi) - the cars are yellow Fords or Volgas (Russian car brand). They will charge the minimum rate of around 250 roubles no matter the distance. Do not take these, although they are registered, legitimacy means nothing, and you will find yourself feeling extorted when the meter reads 2,000RUR for a 10 minute drive. But hey no worries, you will probably get "special price" of only 1000RUR!

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Other means of public transport

Although it is often neglected, there is more to Moscow public transit than the metro. Moscow has wide network of bus, trolley-bus and tram lines.

There is also a monorail in Moscow tightly integrated with metro lines and stations.

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Moscow attractions and sightseeing

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Main sites

  • Red Square
  • St Basil Cathedral Built 1555-61. Inside is a museum, although it looks best from the outside.
  • The Kremlin Must not be missed. The Diamond collection is worth a visit on its own. If you get a chance, the ballet in the Conference centre has some very cheap matinee performances. (And you can change seats in the interval)
  • Old Arbat Street Walk down this lively street full of souvenir vendors, cafes, restaurants, artists, etc. The prices of the souvenirs are not bad--check both the shops and the street vendors.
  • Bolshoi Theater Sit in front of the famed theater near the fountain, or catch a show inside if you can. Bolshoi Theatre photos
  • Tretyakov Gallery One of the world's great museums, this is probably the one to choose if you only want to visit one museum in Moscow. In contrast to the worldwide collection of the Pushkin Museum, the Tretyakov is mostly a collection of Russian art. It has the best collection of Russian icons, and many of the most famous pieces of modern Russian artists like Ilya Repin.
  • Novodevichy Convent Both a convent and a fortress, Novodevichy was built in the early 1500s and has remained nearly intact since the 17th century, making it one of the best preserved historical complexes in Moscow. The adjacent Novodevichy Cemetery is one of Russia's most famous cemeteries. Famous people buried here include Anton Chekhov, Nickolai Gogol, Konstantine Stanislavski, Nikita Khrushchev, and Raisa Gorbachev (the former president's wife).

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Other sites

Less essential sites, but very worthwhile if you have the time, include:

  • Christ the Savior Cathedral This cathedral, the largest Orthodox church in the world, was blown up after orders from Stalin in 1931, then rebuilt in the mid-nineties. There is an extensive museum beneath the cathedral documenting its history (the original was first started in 1839 and consecrated in 1883).

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City tours

Moscow has really many attractions, but most of them are not friendly to non-Russian-speaker. English-language newspapers like The Moscow Times, Exile, Moscow News and others can help to navigate towards English-language friendly attractions and services.

Moscow has two circuses. The Nikulin circus on Tsvetnoi Bulvar (metro Tsvetnoi Bulvar), and the new circus near the University. Tickets can be bought for as little as 200Rbs, and even these seats are good. Touts may be selling tickets outside and can save you a lot of queueing, and they'll speak more English than the ticket office. Sometimes they are selling tickets at the cover price, and sometime at double price - just ask and make sure before parting with your cash.

The Obraztsov puppet theatre at the very north part of the Garden Ring has performances during the winter in the evening. Everything is in Russian and meant for children, but the stories are simple and quite understandable even if you don't understand Russian. The building has a large clock on its front with a box at each hour from which a puppet appears on the hour for a little performance. At 12 midday all of the puppets appear for a short but entertaining appearance.

The Novy Opera (new opera) in the Hermitage gardens features operas mainly in Russia most evenings, starting at 7pm. Tickets are normally available from 200Rbs. Ticket office is open from noon-3pm and then again from 4pm -7pm.

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Learn

  • Moscow State University (named after Lomonosov)
  • Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology
  • Bauman's University
  • Moscow Medical Academy (named after Sechenov)
  • People Friendship University
  • Russian State Medical University

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Work

You will need a work visa. Not an easy process. Needs to be arranged in advance of travelling.

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Shopping, Moscow souvenirs

Don't plan on using your credit card as you make your way around. Many stores, restaurants, and even the long-distance trains (for example to Saint Petersburg) won't accept them, so cash is a necessity. And be sure to break your 1000 RUB notes where you can, as the smaller merchants, street vendors and even many metro clerks will likely refuse them. While you are able to get many smaller vendors to accept US dollars and Euros, it is always best to change currency, which is not a problem as currency exchange spots are everywhere in the major cities. If you are a first timer in Moscow be streetwise, as locals sometimes tend to cheat the foreigners. For example, check the change returned to you and do not simply say yes to what you do not understand. You might just get an extra Apple Pie after simply ordering French Fries from McDonalds.

Buying souvenirs can be quite a chore if you do not stay in Center of Moscow. You can get cheaper souvenirs from Izmaylovskiy Market in Izmalylovo Park and other markets meant for locals [ed...Izmaylovskiy Market is NOT a locals' market. The performing bears at the entrance tell all you need to know. Its an expensive tourist trap, although if you want a paperweight with a picture of Stalin in a snow storm its perfect.] Remember that most Russians may not be excessively friendly to visitors. Walking out in the middle of a bargaining session will NOT, most likely, get you the price you want; instead insults will be hurled towards you.

  • Evropeiskiy: A new shopping mall opened in 2006 next to Kievsky station, right next to the metro. Lots or international brandname shops eg Marks and Spencer, Next, Levis, Calvin Klein, Swatch. There is also a multi screen cinema, food gallery, supermarket, opticians, and probably everything else if you care to look for it.
  • Ikea: There are 3 large Ikea stores in Moscow, all just outside the ring road, and located in large shopping malls (Mega, also operated by Ikea). They all offer free bright yellow buses from the nearest metro stations.

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Good restaurants and cheap meals

Most tourists will find eating out in Moscow quite expensive. It does not have to be that way, but the most visible options generally are. Although the restaurant scene in Moscow is a vast improvement from Soviet times, Russians still eat out infrequently and regard restaurants as a luxury.

There are a number of Western (American) franchise restaurants, such as KFC and TGI Friday's. On Old Arbat Street there is a Hard Rock Cafe that serves the same menu it does worldwide for reasonable prices. Also, they are open for breakfast at 6 am and serve traditional Western breakfasts for what works out to be about $8 USD per person. Fresh squeezed orange juice and hash browns are a highlight here. You can eat outdoors and people watch on the endlessly fascinating parade of characters that walk the street all day and all night.

Great American-style breakfasts can be had at either of the Amerikanski Bar locations, as well as thick juicy cheeseburgers.

A huge and quickly growing range of restaurants, with a matching range of prices, has developed in Moscow. The average cost per person for a middle to top class restaurant will be $30 to $200 (more if one goes for vintage wines). A quick 'canteen' style meal in a 'Stolovaya' can cost about $3. The chain restaurant 'Moo-Moo' offers adequate quality canteen food, with English menus, for around $5 pp. Most Muscovites do not eat in even cheap restaurants very often, although lately a lot of new "middle-class" restaurants have opened, sprawling with families on weekends. The omnipresent McDonald's have outlets near many metro stations.

Besides Russian cuisine, one variety of ethnic food that is strongly recommended while in Moscow is Georgian. This cuisine is generally spicier than Russian food, and there are a number of reasonably priced Georgian restaurants in Moscow.

Fast Food is a growing thing in Moscow. The likes of McDonalds and KFC and Rostiks are seen nearby almost every shopping mall. While McDonalds and Sbarros Pizzas serve quite a filling serving for a reasonable price (approx. 100Roubles for McD and 150Roubles for Sbarros), most other fast food outlets including the local fast food chains will not fill you up in one serving. A potato topped with 3 choice toppings will cost you 145Roubles which is almost $6. Contrary to most countries whereby ketchup and various sauces are given for free, they are usually charged 5Roubles for a packet of ketchup.

Be wise when ordering and do not get cheated because they tend to take advantage of foreigners who speak no Russian at all. Get used to the Russian's attitude of hurling insults at you for ordering incorrectly. Customer service is still unknown here.

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Budget

There are several chains of outdoor stand-up food vendors, usually located around metro stations. Two to look for are:

  • Kroshka-Kartoshka These green kiosks sell stuffed baked potatoes, as well as toasted sandwiches and a few drinks.
  • Teremok These brown-colored kiosks sell large blinchiki, or Russian pancakes (actually these will remind you more of crêpes). They have a wide variety of fillings.

Another cheap option is fast food. There are several chains of restaurants that are now very widespread, and again are usually located near metro stations. The 1990 opening of McDonalds was an international event, and now it has over 70 outlets in Moscow. Rostiks, a Russian chain, is KFC main competitor, and specializes in fried chicken.

Kruzhka [9] is a chain of "beer restaurants" which serves cheap food and, as its name suggests, mugs of beer. It can be found in 20 locations around Moscow. The menu is relatively simple, consisting mainly of types of Kebab and shaurma, with fries. Sport events are on often shown on televisions or big screen.

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Mid-range

  • Dyadya Vanya m. Pushkinskaya/Chekhovskaya. Literally 'Uncle Ivan's', this place also uses a nostalgic interior, of the inter-war period.
  • Korchma Taras Bulba This is restaurant of Ukrainian cuisine. Interior is decorated like a Ukrainian house. There always are playing Ukrainian music. This is a chain restaurant. The cuisine is Ukrainian, but still it is quite common to the national Russian cuisine. Dinner costs $25 for two persons. Address Petrovka st. 30/7 near metro Pushkinskaya/Chekhovskaya. Pyatnickaya st. 14 near metro Novokuznetsckaya.
  • Lavash Cuisine from the Caucus region. Large menu with pictures, good choice of Russian beer and vodka at reasonable prices. Looks more expensive than it is. Conveniently located 100 metres south of the Nikulin circus on Tsvetnoi Bulvar. Come out of Tsvetnoi Bulvar, turn right, walk 2 minutes.
  • Mi Piace [10] A chain of Italian restaurants; expensive but quite popular both among locals and expatriates working in Moscow. Addresses are: 22 Chayanova (250-0893); 13/9 B. Ordynka (951-52-50, 953-96-65); 20 Tverskaya (650-7575); 20 Sadovaya-Samotechnaya (694-0001); 16/16 Pokrovka (623-4411); 7, 1st Tverskaya Yamskaya (970-1129)

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Splurge

  • Krasnaya ploschad dom 1 This restaurant is situated in the heart of Moscow, in the Historical museum building on the Red Square to the right hand if you are looking at the Lenin Mausoleum. This is quite expensive place the cost for dinner per person is near $70-80. But it is worth visiting.
  • Pushkin (has a cafe and restaurant; cafe is cheaper). Probably the only place in Moscow to try true Russian cuisine, as it's cooked at home (at least, it's quite difficult to find another of the same quality).
  • Carre Blanc [11] French restaurant with an attached and much cheaper bar/cafe which also serves good food. Good wine list. French/English/Russian spoken. Metro Novoslobodskaya.
  • Riviera Maybe the finest French food outside of France. Painfully slow white glove service but beautiful restaurant with a Harpist playing throughout the meal and expertly prepared authentic french dishes. Expansive wine list.

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Moscow nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs.

There are several bars in central Moscow worth visiting.

  • Gogol' Bar (Speakeasy) is located on the posh Stoleshnikov pereulok. The street houses the de luxe brand shops such as Chanel, Burberry, Cartier etc. The entrance to the bar is between Vivienne Westwood and Lancel boutiques. The interior, menu and drinks are quite simple. Musical performances every weekend. During winter the small yard is used as a skating rink.
  • Tema bar (Theme bar) is located near Chistye Prudy boulevar (Potapovsky pereulok, 5). It boasts quite a long cocktail list, including all time favorites like Screwdriver, Cosmopolitan and Manhattan. The bar is packed on Friday and Saturday nights.

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Cofffee

According to Vedomosti (June 2007), best coffee can be found in:

  • Coffeemania chain, [12].
  • Coffee Bean, Petrovka 18/3. Petrovka is most coffee-conscious place in the Coffee Bean chain (also Tverskaya, Pyatnitskaya).
  • Volkonsky, Maroseika 4/2.

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Hotels, youth hostels, lodging

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Budget

  • Godzillas Hostel Moscow, Bolshoi Karetnyy 6, apt. 5 (first floor), ☎ +7 (495) 699-42-23 (, fax: +7 (495) 699-16-91), [13]. checkin: 2 pm; checkout: 12 am. Pretty reasonable hostel with decent bathrooms and very friendly staff. It's in a pretty reasonable location; minutes walk from the local bars and restaurants and 20-25 minutes walk from the Kremlin. Prices start at RUR 725 per night in a dorm or at RUR 1,740 per night in a double room.
  • Napoleon Hostel, Maly Zlatoustinskiy 2, (4th floor), ☎ +7 (495) 628-66-95 (, fax: +7 (495) 624-59-78), [14]. Good hostel with excellent location in the quiet city center. Dorm prices starts from RUR 800 per night.

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Mid-range

There is a big need in mid-range accommodation in Moscow, but nevertheless curious traveler could found some useful destinations.

  • Hotel Budapest, Petrovskie Linii, 2/18, ☎ +7 (495) 621-10-60 (, fax: +7 (495) 621-52-90), [15]. Rooms from RUR 3,000, located in the city center (metro station Kuznetsky Most/Chekhovskaya), within walking distance of the major attractions.
  • Hotel Cosmos, Prospekt Mira 150, ☎ +7 (495) 234-12-06 (, fax: +7 (495) 615-88-80), [16]. Rooms from RUR 6,000. The hotel is right outside metro station VDNKh and next to the All-Russian Exhibition Centre [17].
  • Hotel Izmailovo Gamma-Delta, Izmailovskoe shosse 71, ☎ +7 (495) 737-70-00 (fax: +7 (495) 737-70-70), [18]. The hotel is right outside Partizanskaya metro station with a direct connection that takes you to Ploshchad Revolyutsii metro station in about 15 minutes. On Saturday and Sunday there is a Vernisazh market with attractive art and handmade crafts within a 5 minute walk from the hotel. Prices start at RUR 2,300 per room per night.
  • Hotel Maxima Zarya, ul. Gostinichnaya 4/9, ☎ +7 (495) 788-72-72 (, fax: +7 (495) 482-22-11), [19]. The hotel is about 500 m from the Petrovsko-Razumovskoe metro station (grey line, six stops to the city center, 15-20 minutes) and close to the All-Russian Exhibition Centre [20]. Prices start at RUR 3,400 per room per night.
  • Hotel Voskhod, Altuf'evskoye shosse 2, [21]. Relatively cheap and modest accommodation in the outskirts of the city. Located near Vladykino metro station (grey line, seven stops to the city center, 20-25 minutes). Price starting at RUR 1,800 per double room.

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Splurge

  • Hotel National
  • Hotel Baltchug Kempinski
  • Swissotel Krasnye Holmy
  • Golden Ring Hotel - Very expensive and in desperate need of new carpets. Hotel staff is very accommodating and speaks English well. The bar/lounge can be entertaining in the evening when the local "escorts" wait for their "dates". The hotel is also attached to a casino and is a 5 minute walk to Arbat Street and the Foreign Ministry building.

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Contact

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Mobile

In Russia there are three main GSM operators (MTS, Beeline, Megafon), and they often have offers that give you a SIM card for free or at least very cheap. If you are planning to stay a while and to keep in touch with Russian people; then you should consider buying a local SIM card instead of going on roaming. Buying a SIM card from a shop you'll need your passport for a bit of paperwork, but it only takes 5 minutes and will cost less than $10.

For calls abroad there is are different cheap pre-paid cards (e.g. Arktel), which you can find at many shops and kiosks throughout the city or in any post office.

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WiFi Wireless hotspots

See wifi.yandex.ru for a list of free WiFi internet hotspots in Moscow (most are in cafes and restaurants).

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Cope

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Stay safe

It is well known that Moscow is not the safest place to be. The common advise to give to travellers is to not walk around in the middle of the night far from the city center. Even at times from your hotel rooms you will be able to hear drunkards strolling in the cold and shouting random things.

As for younger travellers, ALWAYS STAY IN A GROUP. Acting like a tourist will actually attract negative attention towards yourself. Keep in mind that most Police here don't speak a word of English, therefore the smart thing to do if you got harrassed or even assaulted, tell it to your hotel manager or your travel agent if he/she is in Moscow.

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Get out

  • Saint Petersburg - The overnight train leaves Moscow at midnight and arrives the next morning at 8AM. Pay the extra money for a 1st class sleeper cabin which has 2 comfortable beds. Included in the price is a small snack for supper/breakfast. There is also an attendant for each carriage who is willing to make tea in classic metal and glass tea glasses. Very civilised way to travel.

  • Arkhangelskoye - One of the finest of Moscow Oblast's usadbas (estates) is only a short elektrichka ride away from Moscow and makes a fine day excursion.
  • Leninskiye Gorki
  • Borodino battlefield
  • Melikhovo (Chekhov's country house south of Moscow)
  • Sergeyev Posad
  • Yasnaya polyana (Tolstoi's country house close to Tula)

Retrieved from "http://wikitravel.org/en/Moscow"

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Moscow

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TravelTips24 2008
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