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Getting Around Moscow

Moscow Buses, Trams, and Trolleys

Moscow Buses, Trams, and Trolleys

Buses, trams, and trolleys operate on the honor system. Upon boarding, you by a ticket from the driver, or the conductor, who walks around the vehicle, and validate your ticket by punching it in one of the machines attached to a wall of the vehicle. The buses and trolleys are often overcrowded, and you may not be able to reach the canceling machine. Ask the person next to you to pass your ticket along; the canceled ticket will make its way back to you, and you should hold on to it until you get off. On some routes, particularly out of the city center, you may be the only person to pay for your ride. However, inspectors do sometimes board buses and may detain or fine you if you cannot show a canceled ticket or valid pass.

You can purchase strips of tickets at metro stations and at kiosks throughout the city. The ticket is valid for one ride only; if you change buses you must pay another fare. Buses, trams, and trolleys operate from 5:30 AM to 1 AM, although service in the late-evening hours and on Sunday tends to be unreliable.

A quicker way to travel than the bus is by “marshrutka”. It is a van that runs the same route as a bus, or tralleybus. Look to see that the number of the bus or trolley route coincides with that of the marshrutka you are boarding. Once you get on board, you must pass the driver the fare for the ride, usually around 10-12 roubles, depending on the route. The driver stops upon request, so you must know the name of the stop beforehand and call it out as he nears the desired stopping area. The driver can stop at official bus/tram stops, as well as at almost any requested area along the route.

Moscow by Car

Driving in Russia is not for the faint-hearted. You must first be comfortable driving on roads marked only with Cyrillic and/or international symbology; you mustn't mind dealing with the bribe-hungry GAI traffic inspectors; and, finally, the poor and sometimes even dangerous conditions of the road can be a real nightmare. Even the main highways are potholed and in poor condition. Repair stations are few and far between, and many places sell poor-quality gasoline. In addition, you should not underestimate the risk of crime: highway robbery and car theft are on the rise, and foreign drivers are the No. 1 targets. Do not stop to help a motorist whose car appears to have broken down, even if they wave at you for help -- this is a classic ambush technique. Russian drivers routinely remove their windshield-wiper blades, side mirrors, and anything else removable when parking their car for the evening, since theft of these items is common. Obviously, never leave anything of value inside your car.

Moscow Car Rentals

Avis (24 Tverskaya ul., 095/937-9434).

Budget (43 Volgogradsky prospekt, PHONE: 095/737-0407; Sheremetyevo II airport, PHONE: 095/931-9700).

Hertz (4 ul. Chernyakhovskovo, PHONE: 095/937-3274).

Moscow Car Rentals with Drivers

Taxi 232
To rent a car with a driver: VAZ, Moskvich, Volga - from 6:00 a.m. till 10:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. - 180 rbls. an hour (more than 3 hours - 150 rbls. an hour), from 10:00 p.m. till 6:00 a.m. - 220 rbls. an hour (more than 3 hours - 180 rbls. an hour). Audi, Mercedes - 180-360 rbls. an hour (order - 30 minutes minimum). Credit cards are not accepted, payment - cash or clearing, to a driver, in rubles. It's better to order a car beforehand.

 

RAND-Trans (Domodedovo)
The Russian Association of Travel Agencies. Car rent with driver. Taxi services for air passengers, tourist groups. Fixed charge accepted by the dispatcher. Good accomplishment is guaranteed. Period contracts, membership discounts for RATA members. Cars: Volga, Gazel. Hourly charge for Volga within the city: 560 rbl., 300 rbl. for each extra hour. Taxi services in Domodedovo airport: 600-800 rbl. depending on the place of destination.

 

Avto-Alkion
Cars with drivers ( Volga, Opel, Ford, Audi)
Volga - 200 rbl an hour
Opel and Ford - 200 rbl. an hour
Audi - 250 rbl. an hour.
Payment on credit cards + 4% tax. All terms of payment are available. Advanced booking.

 

Cinema Trans
$14 an hour from 8;00 till 20:00 rent a car with driver.
$100 ten hours rent, $10 additional hour.
$65-70 a day rent a car without a driver for 3-7 days period.
$55-60 a day for 8-15 days period
$45-50 a day for 16-30 days period
$40-45 for 1-3 months period,
$40-45 for 4-6 months period
$35-40 a day for 7-12 months period.
Cars: Toyota.
24 hour advanced booking is essential. Payment on credit cards + 4% tax or bank transfer.

 

Rolf-Yug
Rent of cars: Mitsubishi, Hyundai, Audi. Services: repair, washing, sale of new and secondhand cars, evacuation.
Cars with a driver: 1 hour in Moscow - $18-32, outside the city - $22-40. Cars without a driver: 1 day (total rent time: 1-2 days) - $60-180, over 1 day (total rent time: over 13 days) - $45-120. Insurance is included, no limit of mileage. Giving/return of a car in the city - $18. Tariff of a rest-day: from 17:00 on Friday till 10:00 on Monday - $149-299. Extra charge for giving a car on the day of request - $10.

 

Moscow Taxi Services

Foreign tourists should exercise caution when using taxicabs. There are standard taxis of various makes and colors, but professional ones all have taxi lights on top and can easily be hailed in the city center. Official taxis have a "T" and checkered emblem on the doors (but there are not many of them). Generally, everyone with a car is a potential taxi driver in Moscow; it is common for Muscovites to hail an ordinary car and negotiate a price for a ride. Of course, this is not recommended unless you speak some Russian. If you try it, never get in a car with more than one person inside, and if the driver wants to stop for another fare, say no or get out of the car.

You can call cabs by phone or through your hotel's service bureau.

Moscow Taxi (PHONE: 095/238-1001) provides city cabs as well as airport service in vans or buses, picking up from hotels or privately. Their prices are higher than those of city cabs.

Maryino (PHONE: 095/927-0000 or 095/348-8900) has 24-hour service. There is sometimes a delay, but the cab usually arrives within the hour. If you order a cab in this way, you pay the official state fare in rubles (which is very reasonable when calculated in dollars), plus a fee for the reservation.

 

Moscow by Metro

The most convenient and cheap way to travel to and from your hotel and around Moscow is by Metro. Visit our Moscow Metro page for further details.