Getting around

Moscow airports

In Moscow there are three major airports: Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo and Vnukovo. The most efficient way of reaching the city center from the airport terminals are the air trains “Aeroexpress”. They travel to the main railway stations (air train from Sheremetyevo goes to Belorusskiy railway station, air train from Domodedovo airport goes to Paveletskiy railway station and air train from Vnukovo airport travels to Kievsky railway station). The trip takes around 35/40 minutes, and the interval between the trains is from half an hour to an hour depending on the time of day. For more detailed information about the prices, timetables and other services you can visitwww.aeroexpress.ru

Taxi services are available at each airport. Buses and minivans serve all three major airports.

You can learn more about the transit between Moscow airports and the city on the following websites:www.svo.aero, www.domodedovo.ru  andwww.vnukovo.ru.

Moscow railway stations

All of the main Moscow train stations are located near metro stations on the Koltsevaya line (Circle Line).  Trains for the most popular route - St-Petersburg-Moscow - arrive at Leningrad railway station. Trains from Europe arrive at Belorusskiy and Kievskiy railway stations. Trains bound for the Urals, Siberia and the Far East depart from Kazansky and Yaroslavskiy railway stations.

At each train station there is a taxi booking service run by the “RZhD” (РЖД) company, as well as other private companies and private drivers. We recommend using the official taxi service with a pre-agreed rate to travel to your destination.

Moscow public transport system

The basis of the Moscow public transport system is the well-developed metro network, covering most of the city districts and all the main places of interest. However, in the more congested metro lines, the trains and stations are frequently packed with passengers.  In most cases, it will take you no more than 15 minutes to walk to your destination from the metro station. Besides the metro, there are numerous trams, buses and trolleybuses operating in Moscow. Taxi minivans are another popular mode of transport. Trolleybuses are more comfortable for a medium-length journey. Trams cover only certain areas of the city and there are hardly any of them within the Sadovoye  Ring. But they can be of interest from a sightseeing viewpoint. The most comfortable, although the most expensive, way of traveling around the city is taxi.

Metro

12 metro lines connect the outskirts with the city center, providing an uninterrupted transport capability for the Muscovites. During the rush hours, the metro system is the fastest transport, as cars and other means of transport are usually stuck in traffic.

In the recent years, Moscow authorities have taken steps to make public transport more attractive: new trains with heating and conditioning systems have been purchased, the capacity of existing lines has been increased, and new transit lines are being constructed.

Metro is open from 6am to 1am. The price of a metro ticket is fixed at the rate of 28 rubles. During daytime, the interval between the trains does not exceed three minutes. The metro system is one of the main Moscow attractions: many of the earliest built stations are veritable architectural wonders and are very popular among visitors.

Trip tickets 

Payment for the trip can only be made in rubles (in cash) at the station booths. The Moscow metro offers many types of tickets depending on the number of trips.  Tickets for 1 or 2 journeys are valid for three days after purchase, whereas tickets for 5, 10, 20 and 60 trips are valid for 45 days, including the day of purchase. For very frequent use of the metro, it is advisable to buy tickets with an unlimited number of trips for 30, 90 or 365 days.  Large luggage bags should be paid for separately at a price of 1 passenger ticket.

The monorail transport system, which is incorporated into the metro, has the same tariffs for travelling. Passengers have to buy separate tickets at a station booth.  The following website gives a pricing overview: http://engl.mosmetro.ru

Reading the metro map

Moscow metro has 12 lines, 9 of which pass through the center of the city. The Koltsevaya line (Circle Line) connects not only the lines with each other,  but also the main railway stations with air train terminals in the city.  The metro map can be found in every train cart and at every station. The names of the stations are translated into English. 

Communication System

There are information points at each platform, with the help of which you can receive advice about the metro, report any incidents, or call  the police or for assistance. A designated communications system is each cart connects the train driver with the passengers. Despite strict security measures in the metro, it is advisable to keep track of all your personal belongings.

Ground transport

Moscow has an extensive network of ground public transport, which includes bus, trolleybus and tram routes. Buses and trolleybuses run on all  major Moscow streets. Trams are less common and primarily serve North, East and South-East of Moscow. Taxi minivans in the city operated by private companies follow the routes of buses and trolleybuses. The Department of Transport of Moscow City has ambitious plans to introduce separate lanes for public transport, as well as start a high-speed tram system in the city.

Tickets 

Public transport tickets can only be purchased with cash at the booths of “Mosgortrans” company, which are located close to metro stations. Tickets for a small number of trips are issued on a paper card with a magnetic strip.

You can only enter the bus, tram or trolleybus through the front door by inserting a paper ticket into the slot of the yellow validating machine with the arrow on the ticket facing down You can exit through any of the rear doors.  Prices, timetables and maps of most routes of Moscow’s surface transport can be found at www.mosgortrans.ru.

River transport

Every year from May to September double-decker ships cruise along the Moscow River through the entire city centre. You can get an unparalleled view of the Kremlin, Moscow parks and take a look at the most prominent examples of the city’s architecture.

 List of docking stations

• Kievskiy train station ( “Kievskaya” metro station);
• Sparrow Hills (Vorobievi Gori) (Moscow State University, “Vorobievi Gori” metro station);
• Frunzenskaya riverside ( “Sportivnaya” metro station);
• Gorky Park (“Park Kultury” metro station);
• Bolshoi Kammeniy Bridge (Red Octover, “Kropotkinskaya” metro station);
• Bolshoi Ustinskiy Bridge (“Kitay-Gorod” metro station);
• Novospassky Bridge (“Proletarkaya” metro station).

Furthermore, there is a river ship operating year-round departing from Radission Hotel “Ukraina” (Kievskaya” metro station). It is operated as a floating restaurant. The duration of the trip is 3 hours, during which you can enjoy fine Russian food and music, as well as see the city’s finest attractions at an unusual angle. For more information and to reserve tickets visit  www.Radisson-cruise.ru

Taxi

There is no unified taxi operator in Moscow or a booking call centre.  Instead, a large number of private companies offer their services. Every company has fixed tariffs for trips to train stations and airports. Often, it is possible to hitch-hike for short and medium distances, but we generally do not recommend visitors to do so, because it requires some bargaining and you often need to know the route.