Moscow

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General Information Ideas for Additional Days Mondays in Moscow Weather and Climate Moscow Inexpensive Food Options Restaurants Traktir Chain Restaurants Fast Food Coffee Shops and Cafes Self Catering News, Cultural Information Moscow After Dark Note: Ivan the Great Bell Tower Note: Kuskovo

Address - Understanding Them Address Terms Transportation Metro Buses Trains Transportation Terms Getting to/from Sheremetevo Getting to/from Domodedovo Getting to/from Vnukovo Internet Cafes Bookstores

Inexpensive Accomodations Hostel Resources Hostels Hostels A Hostels B Hostels C Hostels D - G Hostels H - L Hostels M - N Hostels O - R Hostels S Hostels T Hostels U - Other Accommodations Medium Priced Hotels Bed and Breakfasts

Ivan the Great Bell Tower

General information 

Addresses - Understanding Them Russian addresses are different from in other countries and places can be difficult to locate, even for Muscovites. For residential buildings and often, commercial buildings, there are three parts. The first is called the "Dom" or house number. This does not mean the building number, but rather could refer to a complex of buildings all off the same courtyard. In an address is it usually written out or may be abbreviated. Note that a small letter "д" when written in Cyrillic script may look like the Roman letter "g." The second part of the address is the "korpus" or block number, which usually refers to the specific building. It is sometimes abbreviated "к." The last part of the address is the "kvartira" or apartment number, which can be abbreviated as "кв". Usually there are several doorways or entrances for each apartment building. These are called подьезд and near each one is generally some reference to which apartments can be reached through that entrance way.

Outside doors often require a special key or code to open them. Some buildings have intercoms so the apartment number can be dialed and someone can ring to open the door. Once the building is located and the door is opened, the final piece of information to locate an apartment is the floor or "этаж" number. Apartment numbers do not always correspond to the floor on which an apartment can be found. Also, just to be confusing, the ground floor is not the same as the first floor.

Often two apartments are located behind the same locked outer door. So when the correct floor is reached, look for the bell for the specific apartment and ring. And finally, be prepared to wait as many people have two more doors to open, each with several locks.

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Address Terms 

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Moscow Metropolitan

Moscow Transportation 
If you know the address and can type it out in Cyrillic, then route information for buses, trolleybuses, trams, metro and marshrutki can be found on this site: Rus Avtobus

It is worth familiarizing yourself with the metro map before arriving in Moscow. Signs in the metro are primarily in Russian, but the map in the stations and on the trains is in both Cyrillic and Latin letters. The lines are color coded, but the colors aren't always consistent or true to color.

The official site of the Moscow Metro - English has useful information. For an interactive map, check out Interactive Flash Map. If you click on the circles of the stations, the time of your journey is calculated. Beware, however, that the timing assumes some familiarity with the stations and is often optimistic. Add 15-20 percent to be more realistic.

Moscow metro - this is not the official metro site, but it does have metro maps and lots of information in Russian about the Moscow metro.

For a decent transliterated map, check out Transliterated Metro Map

The Moscow Metro is all one zone. Metro tickets are 26 rubles per ride or passes can be purchased for 5 rides for 125 rubles, 10 rides for 240 rubles or 20 rides for 460 rubles.(July 2010) Moscow multiple trip tickets can be shared. You can enter and pass back the ticket to another traveler to enter. This cannot be done in St. Petersburg.

The Moscow metro operates from 05:30 to 01:00, although some station transfer points may close a bit earlier and last trains usually leave about 00:50.

A tour that I wrote of the Moscow metro can be found here: Everbrite's Moscow Metro History and Tour

The Moscow Metro has its own museum that is open to the public. It is located on the first and second floors of Sportivnaya (Red Line) station near the south vestibule.
Address: 36 Khamovnichesky Val, Moscow, 119048, Russia
Hours: Monday: 11:00 am - 6:00 pm, Tuesday to Friday: 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Telephone: 622 73 09 (information), 622 78 33
Excursions should be booked in advance.

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Buses and Marshrutki 

Moscow's bus network is a complex mixture of private and state-owned vehicles, with little coordinated information about routes and schedules available. ПРОЕЗДНЫЕ БИЛЕТЫ "bihl YEH tee" or tickets for state-run buses, trams and trolleybuses can be bought in booklet strips of ten from special МОСГОРТРАНС "Mosgortrans" kiosks and sometimes from cashiers inside the metro stations.

New tickets are issued quarterly so be sure to check expiration date. The tickets should be purchased prior to boarding but can be purchased from the driver. This is a bit of a hassle because you will need to fight your way to the driver to make the purchase since you are supposed to enter at the back and exit at the front.

After boarding, validate the ticket by using a punch positioned near the door. Keep your punched ticket handy in case an inspector comes along: fines are imposed on farebeaters.

Privately-owned buses, which are identified by the letters 'K' or 'E' before their route number, usually have a conductor on board. Some newer Moscow buses now have a turnstile system which prevents you from boarding without a valid ticket.

Bus stops are designated by a sign marked with an 'A' (for avtobus), and buses are supposed to run from 06:00 am to 01:00 am. As traffic in the centre of Moscow can be extremely heavy, buses are only really useful when traveling further from the center.

Marshrutki are small yellow minivans that you see at bus stops. They are private lines that duplicate bus routes, but only stop on demand (if you find a marshrutka that has the same number as the bus you want, you can take it). Because they are smaller, they better navigate the city's traffic than buses. However, if you don't speak Russian, you may find it intimidating as you must tell the driver in advance where you want to stop

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Trains 
See Travel in Russia for more information about train travel.

Transportation Terms  for the Metro

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Sheremetevo

Getting from Sheremetevo Airport to the Downtown: 
Assuming that you arrive in Sheremetevo, as most but not all international flights do, you can order a taxi to meet you at the airport from many of the hostels (see above) or hotels or WaytoRussia. Usually the price is about $25-40USD depending some on when and where you are traveling. Note that the drive is about 45 minutes to an hour depending upon the traffic.

OR Taking public transportation is not too complicated, provided that you don't have much luggage, you read some cyrillic and you know where you are going. If you decide to be adventurous, note that the Moscow metro is not luggage friendly, and there are tons of stairs so luggage on wheels is not necessarily helpful.

Public transportation from Sheremetevo (either SVO 1 or 2) is a two-step process. Catch the Aeroexpress train from SVO2 to the Savelovskaya (Савеловская) metro station which is on the gray line. Check the AeroExpress Schedule The train takes 30 minutes and costs 250 rubles for a regular seat and 350 for a VIP seat. Don't forget to change some money into rubles before leaving the airport. There is an ATM machine after you pass out of customs.

From the Savelovskaya (Савеловская) metro station to get to Red Square you have several options.

1. Take the metro to Chekhovskaya (Чеховская) station (green line station that is a free transfer), exit the metro and stroll down Ulitsa Tverskaya.
2. Take the metro from the Tverskaya (Тверская) station to the Tetralnaya station, exit and walk two blocks from there to Red Square.
3. Take the metro from the Tverskaya (Тверская) station to the Tetralnaya (Театральная) station, walk to the Okhotny Ryad (Охотный Ряд) station (red line station that is a free transfer), exit the metro and you are across from the entrance to Red Square.

Or if you are headed to the entrance to the Kremlin, then you can take the gray line metro directly to the Borovitskaya (Боровицская) station

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Getting from Domodedovo to Downtown: 
British Air and Swiss Air both arrive at Domodedovo, which is at the completely opposite site of town from SVO. It is considerably easier to get from this airport to downtown. There is an express train from the airport to Paveltskaya Train and Metro Station. Your boarding pass from your flight should enable you to travel on the express train for free. This metro stop is where the green line intersects the ring line on the south side of the city.

There are also fixed price taxis that can be arranged in advance and on site. For details on all the public transportation options, check out the airport website in English: Domodedovo International Airport. Don't forget to change some money into rubles before leaving the airport.

Getting from Sheremetevo to/from Domodedovo Airport
According to the above link for the Domodedovo Airport website there is a bus which travels between these two airports. Travel time is reportedly 1.5 - 2 hours. Unfortunately, the website does not have information about prices or drop off/pick up points. Plus no one seems to know for certain if it really exists.

Getting to/from Vnukovo 
Vnukovo now has international as well as domestic flights. The airport has its own website which gives information on public transportation: Vnukovo Airport Directions. In addition, this airport offers the option to prearrange a fixed priced taxi to or from the airport: Vnukovo Trans-free cab.

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Internet and Wifi 
Internet cafes are increasingly uncommon in central Moscow, but their disappearance is compensated for by an increased number of locations that offer wifi, sometimes for free. Many Coffee Shops and Cafes offer this service, but check their websites for details.

TimeOnline is an internet cafe with two locations.
Timeonline - 1
Address: Okhotny Ryad Shopping Mall, the lower level
Tel.: (495) 988 6426/ 25
Metro: Okhotny Ryad

Timeonline - 2
Address: Komsomolskaya Pl., 3
Tel.: (495) 266 8351
Metro: Komsomolskaya

Cafemax is a company that has several sites in Moscow that are a combination of cafe and internet center.
Address: Pyatnitskaya 25, Building 1
Tel.: (495) 646 7412/13 for questions, (495) 950 6050
Metro: Novokuznetskaya, Tretyakovskaya
Hours: 24/7

Address: Leninsky Gory St. 1, Building 54 on the territory of MGU
Tel.: (495) 775 6500
Metro: Universitet
Hours: 24/7

Address: Novoslobodskaya St. 3
Tel.: (495) 741 7571
Metro: Novoslobodskaya
Hours: until 0200 unless there are people or the overnight Saturday to Sunday

Address: Volokokamskoye Shosse 10
Tel.: 8 (495) 641 0422, 8 (926) 795 6888
Metro: Sokol
Hours: 0800 to 2200 except Friday and Saturdaay until 2300

Passport Magazine has a list of free Wi-Fi hotspots that can be searched by metro stop.

There are free Wi-Fi hotspots at all train stations and at Domodedovo Airport.

McDonald's offers a coupon for 30 minutes of free Wi-Fi with a purchase.

Though this website is in Russian, Moscow Menus allows you to search for dining recommendations based on the metro location, wifi availability, price range, cuisine, etc.

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Moscow Bookstores 
Bookstores that have foreign language books seem to have a tough time remaining in business in Moscow. Over the past several years, a number of well-known and well-loved shops have changed their names and locations or disappeared, but a few remain.

Biblio Globus, a huge shop carrying many classics and novels in English but it isn't noted for its organization.
Address: 6/3 Ul. Myasnitskaya, Building 1
Metro: Lubyanka
Website: www.biblio-globus.ru/

Bookhunter, formerly known as Anglia and formerly on Khlebny pereulok is known for its English books, art albums, children's literature, Russian history, audio tapes for textbooks
Address: 9 Krivokolenny Per., Building 1
Metro: Chistye Prudy
Website: bookhunter.ru/
Bookberry, a modern chain with several locations and a decent range of best-sellers and classics in English. Open 24 hours.
Address: Nikitsky Bulvar, #17/1
Tel.: 202 6679
Metro: Arbatskaya
Website: www.bookberry.ru (see website for other locations)

Britannia, an extensive and well organized selection of novels, histories and other English language books, notable for its language teaching materials and audio CDs.
Address: 28 Ul. Bakhrushina
Metro: Paveletskaya
Website: www.britannia-elt.ru/

Bukva (Letter), on the third floor is a English language shop that has novels, classics, art and history books, travel guides, classics and children's books.
Address: 17 Zubovsky Bul., Korpus 1
Metro: Park Kultury

Dom Innostranoy Knigi (House of Foreign Books), dedicated to foreign books with a wide selection and slightly more expensive than Dom Knigi or Biblio Globus
Address: 18/7 Kuznetsky Most
Metro: Kuznetsky Most
Website: www.mdk-arbat.ru/

Moskva, a centrally located shop with a small selection of classics, novels and CDs that also sells stationery, antiques (porcelain, crystal, silver, paintings), antiquarian books, rare books by order)
Address: 8 Tverskaya ul
Tel: 229 64 83
Fax: 229 91 49
Metro: Tverskaya, Pushkinskaya, Chekhovskaya Website: www.moscowbooks.ru/

Moscow House of Books Once the largest bookstore in Moscow, it still has a good selection of books, some in foreign languages.
Address: 8 Novyy Arbat ul
Information: 290 45 07,290 35 80
Tel: 291 12 87
Fax or Telephone: 290 40 75
Metro: Arbatskaya
Website: www.mdk-arbat.ru/

Respublika, the closest to a Russian equivalent of Borders with CDs, DVDs, a cafe, gifts, and foreign language books including books in English, French, Spanish, German and Italian.
Address: 1st Tverskay-Yamskaya Ul., #10
Tel: 251 6527
Metro: Mayakovskaya
Website: www.respublica.ru.

Universum, an antique store with an eclectic range of secondhand books and a wide selection of dictionaries and linguistic books
16/5 Malaya Nikitskaya, Building 1
Metro: Barrikadnaya

No longer in operation, but deserving of mention is Shakespeare & Co.

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This group of three buildings is generally called the Ivan the Great Bell Tower, but it also includes the Assumption Belfry and Filaret Annex. The strange configuration is the result of having been built in several phases. Ivan III ordered the erection of a two-tiered bell tower with a church in 1505. When completed by the builder Bon Fryazin (also known as Marco Bon) in 1508, the 60-meter bell tower consisted of two octagonal pillars, one on top of the other, tapering toward the top and crowned by a dome with a circular drum. Bon Fryazin is known only to have built one structure in Moscow, but it was built to last. The lower level of the tower rests on 5 meter wide solid brick walls which taper to 2.5 meters at the second tier. Iron reinforcing rods were set in the first tier masonry. The tower survived numerous fires and other disasters, which frequently swept the Kremlin.

At the beginning of the 17th century Boris Godunov ordered the tower extended 21 meters, with additional tiers, as it appears today. The upper octagon was decorated with a double row of kokoshniki. Above this was added a cylindrical drum with false narrow windows painted black. Under the gold dome are three rows of inscription in gilt letters on copper leaf against a blue background. The old Slavonic script states "by the grace of the Holy Trinity and the Tsar and Grand Prince Boris and his son Fyodor said church was built and adorned with gold in 1600."

Some say that it was at this point that the tower got its name of "Great" because of its height of 81 meters. And that Ivan was included in the name because on this site previously had stood the stone bell tower church to St. Ivan Clamicus (St John of the Ladder) originally built by Ivan I in honor of his patron saint. Others claim that the name can be attributed to Ivan the Great who ordered the original section of this tower built on this site.

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