MOSCOW CITY GUIDE Welcome to Moscow! You’ve arrived at Sheremetyevo – You did just right now, when you picked the largest airport in Russia. up this guide. First, it is indeed short. Put it in your pocket and it will be all along Sheremetyevo has repeatedly been with you while you stay in Moscow. recognised as the best airport in Europe Second, it is helpful. Here you will for client service and was named find all the information you need for the “travellers’ favourite airport” by a comfortable trip. TripAdvisor. Third, it is free and is available in three The very first steps in a new city are languages. the ones that matter most. Even if you Moscow is an amazing city. You must have read several travel guides, marked have already suspected this and now we with your own hand the most interesting will show this to you. places on the map and scheduled every hour of your trip, you will still be agitated in an unfamiliar city. You are always welcome here! Getting to Moscow 2 Transport in Moscow 4 Money, safety and conduct 5 10 must-see places 6 If you have just a weekend 8 Restaurants 10 Moscow with kids 12 Riviera Shopping Mall for children 13 Best viewing points in Moscow 14 Map of the city centre 16 Museums 18 Shopping 21 Historic Moscow 24 Hotels 25 Moscow event calendar 26 Moscow night life (24/7) 28 Sheremetyevo international airport 30 Moscow's most beautiful metro stations 32 For advertising, contact: +7 (495) 789 46 98 www.exms.ru Don’t wave down By taxi By Aeroexpress By bus a taxi Getting to any place get in time to the to the nearest in the city centre metro stations Use the official taxi service to Moscow — this will save you time and from 25 min. 35 min. from 45 min. trouble. up to 4 people 1 person 1 person Before you get inside, ask the taxi driver how much the ride from 1,500₽ from 420₽ from 50₽ will cost you. YOU CAME HERE Further details on page 4. 3 Transport in Moscow Money, safety and conduct Public transport prices Money Safety How not to offend others Ediny (All-in-One) ticket 90 minutes ticket Troika ticket The official currency of Russia is rou- In general, Moscow is a perfectly Moscow is a modern secular Eu- One ride by any means of public For one ride by metro and unlim- An electronic transportation card ble and this has long been no formal- safe city, where the police work ropean city, where no strict rules transport ited number of connections by that allows you to top-up the bal- ity. By all means, it cannot be ruled well and street crimes are on of public behaviour apply. How- land transport during 90 minutes ance, add tickets for all means of out that, in some antique shop in the a quite low level. By all means, ever, Muscovites are somewhat 55 ₽ ( 1-60 rides) city transport and a season pass Arbat, they will happily accept your same as in any other metropoli- conservative and demonstrating for commuting trains dollars or euros (if the amount is tan city, you should be aware of passionately one’s political or reli- 65‑2650 ₽ big enough); however, generally, you pickpockets and stay away from gious beliefs or sexual identity in will not be able to buy anything in prohibited entertainments such as public could be taken by others Moscow with foreign cash. Curren- prostitution or drugs. Unlike other with disapproval. In Moscow, it cy exchange kiosks and ATM ma- world capitals, there are no par- is prohibited to consume alco- chines are located at every turn (in ticularly ill‑famed locality in Mos- holic drinks in public. Police are the city centre, at least) and it is safe cow. However, a foreigner, who strictly monitoring abuses and to use them (however, just in case, does not speak Russian, would be, no paper packs would pass for Money, safety and conduct and safety Money, Tickets Metro Taxi you better change your money for sure, running a greater risk at a camouflage of a bottle. in a bank even if the exchange rate night somewhere in the outskirts In metro ticket offices or ticket Everybody knows that Moscow The vast majority of legal taxi there is less appealing). Currency of the city rather than at noon kiosks, you can buy an all-in-one has the most beautiful metro in drivers in Moscow use the fol- exchange kiosks, bank branches and on Red Square. Being prudent ticket to use in all types of public the world. Metro is also the most lowing three aggregators: Yan- ATMs are located in every terminal of would not be out of place at night transport. The two most popular convenient means of public trans- dex. Taxi, Gett and Uber. If you the airport, where you can send and clubs either. However, in general, types of ticket are the «Ediny» (All- portation in Moscow. It is true that have any of the above apps receive money transfers, buy curren- if a tourist is sober and friendly, Smoking is prohibited near metro in-One) (for one trip by metro or during rush hours (from 7 till 10 installed on your smartphone, you cy or withdraw cash. he will be safe in Moscow. stations, schools, hospitals, at sta- land transport) and the «90 min- in the morning and from 6 till 8 in will not have any problem with diums and in any premises, apart utes» (which allows you to do un- the evening) the metro can be over- taxis in Moscow: either in terms from one’s own apartment. Smok- limited trips by land transport and crowded. You will find the map of the of language or security. The prices ing is also prohibited in cafеs and Transport in Moscow in Transport one trip by metro within 90 min- Moscow metro on page 2–3. offered by the three aggregators restaurants. utes). The tickets cost 55₽ and are not the same but alike: you 65₽, respectively. You can buy a will pay 350–500₽ for a 30‑min- Bank card ticket for the same price directly ute economy ride. Apart from In any emergency call from the driver. However, drivers rush hours, waiting for a taxi will VISA and MasterCard cards are sell only the Ediny ticket for one Buses, trolleys and trams take no more than 10 minutes. accepted virtually everywhere and soon, according to the Moscow One more piece of advice for our trip. Two important things: you can foreign guests: in Moscow, same Modern-looking screens display- authorities, there will be no shop If you have come to Moscow for still find legal taxis that are not as everywhere in Russia, you are ing the waiting time were installed or café where you would not be more than 3 or 4 days, it makes sense painted in the habitual yellow and supposed to give place to women not long ago at the public trans- able to pay by card. Moscow open to buy the «Troika» transportation that do not have the taxi sign on and elderly people in transport. card. One trip paid with the Troika port stops in Moscow. However, top (and most Uber taxis are like markets are the only places where card would cost only 35₽. You can owing to the metropolitan traffic that). Do not worry about this. And, they accept cash only. 112 buy the card and top up the balance jams, you should not fully rely on second, if you do wave down a taxi in metro ticket offices or in automat- this information. All in all, the land on the street, you better negotiate ed machines and land kiosks. transport in Moscow is not as the price at the very beginning. popular among tourists as metro or taxi. However, in some instanc- Official currency rates es, land transport could be more For support call: suitable; for instance, in the city You can check the official cur- centre, trolleys often go half-empty. rency rates at the website of the +7 (495) 539 54 54 Entrance to the land public trans- Russian Central Bank. 3210 (a short dial for MTS, port is to be made through the Beeline or Megafon) front door, which is equipped with www.cbr.ru transport.mos.ru a pay-gate and validator to which you have to attach your ticket. 4 5 Ten must-see places The Kremlin and the Red Square The Pushkin Museum Don’t listen to snobs: the Kremlin and the Red Square are indeed the best places Unlike the Tretyakov Gallery, the Pushkin Museum was intended as a Western in Moscow. The Kremlin is the largest existing fortress town in the world. It is the most museum demonstrating the world art. The intention indeed materialised, as its beautiful and precious (from the historic point of view) attraction in Moscow and collection includes Cranach and Botticelli, Rembrandt and Poussin. However, the the only one that should not be missed for sure even if you came to Moscow for as main pearl of the museum is its collection of French impressionists and post- little as just a couple of hours. You can simply take a walk around the Kremlin walls. impressionists, including the Red Vineyard near Arles by van Gogh and the Blue However, it will be better if you manage to get inside (bear in mind that there is always Dancers by Dega.