the rough guide to moscow
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Moscow
NEW YORK • LONDON • DELHI
www.roughguides.com
written and researched by
Dan Richardson
with additional contributions by
Jonathon Reynolds
The Rough Guide to
00 Colour intro MOSCOW.indd 1 10/31/08 4:14:40 PM
00 Colour intro MOSCOW.indd 2 10/31/08 4:14:46 PM
3
Contents
Colour section 1
Introduction 4
What to see 6
When to go 9
Things not to miss 11
Basics 17
Getting there 19
Red tape and visas 30
Health 34
Information and websites 36
Arrival 38
City transport and tours 42
The media 47
National holidays and
festivals 49
Trouble and the police 54
Travel essentials 56
The City 65
1 Red Square and
the Kremlin
67
2 The Kitay-gorod 101
3 The Beliy Gorod 111
4 The Zemlyanoy Gorod 148
5 Krasnaya Presnya, Fili and the
southwest
177
6 Zamoskvar
eche and
the south
204
7 Taganka and Zayauze 245
8 The Northern Suburbs 268
Out of the city 289
9 Outside Moscow 291
G Vladimir and Suzdal 309
Listings 323
H Accommodation 325
I Eating and drinking 337
J Nightlife 358
K The Arts 365
L Shopping 378
M Children’s Moscow 386
N Sports 390
Contexts 401
History 403
Books 440
Language 447
The Cyrillic alphabet 449
Pronunciation 449
Words and phrases 451
Food and drink terms 455
A glossary of Russian words
and terms 461
Small print & Index 465
̇̇ St Basil’s Cathedral ̇ Moscow at night
|
CONTENTS
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The Moscow metro
colour section following
p.336
Colour maps following
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00 Colour intro MOSCOW.indd 3 10/31/08 4:14:49 PM
4
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INTRODUCTION
|
WHAT TO SEE
|
WHEN TO GO
The city is huge, surreal and exciting. After a
few weeks here, the bizarre becomes normal
and you realize that life is – as Russians
say – bespredel (without limits). Traditionally
a place for strangers to throw themselves
into debauchery, leaving poorer and wiser,
Moscow’s puritan stance in Soviet times was
seldom heartfelt, and with the fall of Communism it has reverted to the
lusty, violent ways that foreigners have noted with amazement over the
centuries, and Gilyarovsky chronicled in his book, Moscow and the Musco-
vites. No excess is too much for Moscow’s new rich, or novye bogaty – the
butt of countless “New Russian” jokes.
As the nation’s largest city, with some twelve million inhabitants (one
in fteen Russians lives there), Moscow exemplies the best and worst of
Russia. Its beauty and ugliness are inseparable, its sentimentality the obverse
of a brutality rooted in centuries of despotism and fear of anarchy. Private
Introduction to
Moscow
In Siberia, they call Moscow “the West”, with a note of
scorn for its bureaucrats and politicians. To Westerners,
the city looks European, but its unruly spirit seems
closer to Central Asia. For Muscovites, Moscow is
both a “Mother City” and a “big village”, a tumultuous
community with an underlying collective instinct that
shows itself in times of trouble. Nowhere else reflects the
contradictions and ambiguities of the Russian people as
Moscow does – nor the stresses of a country undergoing
meltdown and renewal.
00 Colour intro MOSCOW.indd 4 10/31/08 4:14:51 PM
5
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INTRODUCTION
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WHAT TO SEE
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WHEN TO GO
and cultural life is as passionate as business and politics are cynical. The
irony and resilience honed by decades of propaganda and shortages now
help Muscovites to cope with “wild” capitalism. Yet, for all its assertiveness,
Moscow’s essence is moody and elusive, and uncovering it is like opening
an endless series of Matryoshka dolls, or peeling an onion down to its core.
Both images are apposite, for Moscow’s concentric geography mirrors its
historical development. At its heart is the Kremlin, whose foundation by
Prince Dolgoruky in 1147 marked the birth of the city. Surrounding this
are rings corresponding to the feudal settlements of medieval times, rebuilt
along European lines after the great re of 1812, and ruthlessly modernized
in accordance with Stalin’s vision of Moscow as the Mecca of Communism.
Further out lie the fortied monasteries that once guarded the outskirts,
and the former country estates of tsars and nobles, now well within the
880-square-kilometre urban sprawl encircled by the Moscow Ring Road.
Moscow’s identity has been imbued with a sense of its own destiny since
the fourteenth century, when the principality of Muscovy took the lead in
the struggle against the Mongols and Tatars who had reduced the Kievan
state to ruins. Under Ivan the Great and Ivan the Terrible – the “Gatherers
of the Russian Lands” – its realm came to encompass everything from the
White Sea to the Caspian, while after the fall of Constantinople to the
Turks, Moscow assumed Byzantium’s suzerainty over the Orthodox world.
Despite the changes wrought by Peter the Great – not least the transfer
of the capital to St Petersburg, which Slavophiles have always abhorred
– Moscow kept its mystique and bided its time until the Bolsheviks made
it the fountainhead of a new creed. Long accustomed to being at the centre
of an empire, and being misled that their society was the envy of the world,
̆ Cathedral of Christ the Saviour
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6
Muscovites felt the disillusion-
ments of the 1990s more keenly
than most Russians – although
some have prospered beyond
their wildest dreams.
All this is writ large in
Moscow’s architecture and street
life. The Kremlin’s cathedrals
are Byzantine, like its politics.
Ministries and hotels the size
of city blocks reach their
apotheosis in the “Seven Sisters”
– Stalin-Gothic skyscrapers
that brood over the city like
vampires. Limousines cruise
past babushki whose monthly
pensions wouldn’t cover the
cost of admission to a night-
club (the city has more casinos
than any capital in the world).
Fascists and Communists march together, bankers live in fear of contract
killers and life is up for grabs. From all this, Muscovites seek solace in
backstreet churches and shady courtyards; in the steamy conviviality of
the bathhouse; and over tea or vodka. Discovering the private, hidden side
of Moscow is as rewarding as visiting the usual tourist sights.
What to see
D
espite its size, Moscow’s concentric layout is easier to grasp than
you’d imagine, and the city’s famous metro ensures that almost
everywhere of interest is within fteen minutes’ walk of a station.
Red Square and the Kremlin (Chapter 1) are the historic
nucleus of the city, a magnicent stage for political drama, signifying a great
sweep of history that includes Ivan the Terrible, Peter the Great, Stalin and
Gorbachev. Here you’ll nd Lenin’s Mausoleum and St Basil’s Cathedral,
the famous GUM department store, and the Kremlin itself, whose splendid
cathedrals and Armoury Museum head the list of attractions. Immediately
east of Red Square lies the Kitay-gorod (Chapter 2), traditionally the
commercial district, and originally fortied like the Kremlin. Stretches
̄ Souvenir stalls around Red Square
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INTRODUCTION
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WHAT TO SEE
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WHEN TO GO
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7
of the ramparts remain behind the Metropol and Rossiya hotels, and the
medieval churches of Zaryade and the shops along Nikolskaya ulitsa
may tempt you further into the quarter, where you’ll nd the former
headquarters of the Communist Party.
The Kremlin and Kitay-gorod are surrounded by two quarters dened
by ring boulevards built over the original ramparts of medieval times,
when Moscow’s residential areas were divided into the “White Town”
or Beliy Gorod (Chapter 3), and the humbler “Earth Town” or
Zemlyanoy Gorod (Chapter 4). Situated within the leafy Boulevard
Ring that encloses the Beliy Gorod are such landmarks as the Bolshoy
Theatre and the Lubyanka headquarters of the secret police – with its
“KGB Museum” – while the Zemlyanoy Gorod that extends to the
eight-lane Garden Ring is enlivened by the trendy old and new Arbat
streets, with three Stalin skyscrapers dominating the Ring itself.
Beyond this historic core Moscow is too sprawling to explore on
foot, which is why our division of the city is based mostly on transport
connections and ease of access. Krasnaya Presnya, Fili and the south-
west (Chapter 5) describes a swathe which includes the former Russian
Parliament building (known as the White House); Tolstoy’s house and
the Novodevichie Convent and Cemetery; Victory Park, with its war
memorials and Jewish museum; and Moscow State University in the
Sparrow Hills – the largest of the Stalin skyscrapers.
Across the river from the Kremlin, Zamoskvareche and the south
(Chapter 6) are the site of the old and new Tretyakov Gallery’s superlative
collection of Russian art. Here too you’ll nd Gorky Park, the Donskoy
and Danilov monasteries that once
stood guard against the Tatars, and the
romantic ex-royal estates of Tsarit-
syno and Kolomenskoe – the latter
known for staging folklore festivals
and historical pageants. Taganka
and Zayauze (Chapter 7), east of
the centre, likewise harbour forti-
ed monasteries – the Andronikov,
Novospasskiy and Simonov – and the
erstwhile noble estates of Kuskovo
and Kuzminki, but the main lure for
tourists is the Izmaylovo art market.
Moscow’s Northern Suburbs
(Chapter 8) cover a vast area with a
sprinkling of sights. Foremost is the
VVTs, a huge Stalinist exhibition park
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INTRODUCTION
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WHAT TO SEE
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WHEN TO GO
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8
with amazing statues and pavilions, in the vicinity of the Ostankino Palace,
Moscow’s Botanical Gardens and TV Tower.
Outside Moscow there’s scope for day-excursions to the Trinity
Monastery of St Sergei, the Abramtsevo artists’ colony, Tchaikovsky’s
house in Klin, Lenin’s estate at
Gorki Leninskie, and the battle-
eld of Borodino (Chapter 9),
where the battle is re-enacted every
September. Further aeld, the
historic towns of Vladimir and
Suzdal (Chapter 10) are graced by
splendid cathedrals and monasteries
attesting that they were the seat of
a principality when Moscow was
merely an encampment. Suzdal is
one of the loveliest towns in Russia,
and denitely merits an overnight
stay. It’s also possible to visit the
Aviation Museum at Monino air
base, en route to Vladimir, if you
take the trouble to get permission
ahead of time.
Moscow’s skyscrapers
Among Moscow’s most distinctive landmarks
are the “Seven Sisters” – Stalin skyscrapers
bristling with statuary, spires and illuminated
red stars, which form an arc around the city
centre. These totemic symbols of Soviet
power were intended to surround the never-
built Palace of Soviets that was envisaged as
the tallest building in the USSR, topped by
a statue of Lenin that would raise its height
to surpass the Statue of Liberty and the
Empire State Building put together. Although
this colossal edifice never materialized – and
the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour that was
demolished to clear the site has now been
rebuilt to affirm the victory of Christianity
over Communism – the Stalin skyscrapers still dominate Moscow’s
Garden Ring. Today, they have inspired a new generation of skyscrapers,
from the neo-Stalinist Triumph Palace in the northern suburbs to the
futuristic twin towers of Gorod Stolitsa in the Krasnaya Presnya district,
and the Gazprom Building in the southern suburbs.
̆ Glass portrait of Lenin
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WHAT TO SEE
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WHEN TO GO
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9
When to go
M
oscow lies on about the same latitude as Edinburgh in Scotland,
but its climate is closer to that of Edmonton in Canada (a bit
further south), due to its location far from the sea, on a great
continental land mass. Summers are hot and winters cold by
Western European standards – although the dry, often sunny weather makes
the latter tolerable, if not pleasurable.
̆ The Space Obelisk at the VVTs
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10
As most foreigners have an exaggerated fear of the cold in Russia, the
most popular time to go is summer, lasting from the beginning of June
to mid-September. Days and nights are warm and sultry, with heat waves
likely during August, when Muscovites leave in droves for their dachas in
the countryside. Culturally, things are rather slack during this period, with
the Bolshoy Ballet away from June until early September and many other
theatres closed for the duration.
Spring is chiey rewarding for the rituals and candle-lit processions
marking Orthodox Easter, when cathedrals are so packed that people
wait for hours to get in. (Christmas services are as splendid yet not nearly
so crowded.) Several major music festivals start around this time, or in
May, accompanied by such national holidays as Victory Day and May Day.
Autumn is likewise excellent for festivals, despite cloudy skies and falling
temperatures, and you can still look forward to a week or two of Babe
leto (“Granny’s Summer”), when Moscow is an Impressionist’s vision of
autumnal hues, in the nal glow of warmth.
Subzero temperatures and snow can set in up to two months before
winter ocially begins in December. Blanketed in fresh snow, Moscow
is magically hushed and cleansed, and Muscovites revel in the crispness of
the air. Days are often gloriously sunny, and the temperature only a few
degrees below zero, so skiing and sledging are popular pursuits. The secular
New Year and Orthodox Christmas in early January are occasions for
shopping and merrymaking, but at some point a cold snap will send the
temperature down to -20°C or lower, while trac and thaws turn the snow
into mounds and lakes of black ice or brown slush, which linger on until
late March.
Finally, make sure you bring the right gear. Lots of layers, a hat and
waterproof footwear with nonslip soles are essential for winter. A compact
rainproof jacket will protect you from showers in the spring or autumn.
Shorts and t-shirts are ne for summer, but pack long trousers or a skirt
for visiting monasteries, the ballet or dining out – and a mosquito net to
drape over your bed if you’re unsure that your lodgings have screens on
the windows.
Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
Max. temp. (°C) -7 -5 0 8 15 20 21 20 15 9 2 -3
Min. temp. (°C) -13 -12 -8 0 6 11 13 13 9 4 -2 -8
Rainfall (mm) 35 30 31 36 45 50 72 78 64 76 46 4
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INTRODUCTION
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WHEN TO GO
Average daily temperatures and rainfall in Moscow
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ACTIVITIES
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EVENTS
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NATURE
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SIGHTS
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19
things not to miss
It’s not possible to see everything that Moscow has to oer
on a short trip – and we don’t suggest you try. What follows
is a subjective selection of the city’s highlights, shown in no
particular order, ranging from the medieval splendour of the
Kremlin to the hedonistic heights of Moscow’s clubland, all
arranged in colour-coded categories to help you nd the very
best things to see, do and experience. All entries have a page
reference to take you straight into the guide, where you can
nd out more.
01
Moskva River cruise Page 46 • In summertime, river cruises afford superb
views of the Kremlin, the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, the monument to Peter the
Great, some of the Stalin skyscrapers, and fortified monasteries.
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04
The
Metro
Page 42
•
Take a r ide
on Moscow’s
showcase metro,
whose stations
are the most
decorous in the
world. Styles
range from
High Stalinist to
ballroom glitz.
03
Kolomenskoe
Page 234
• The eerie
Church of the Ascension
(featured in Eisenstein’s film
Ivan the Terrible) and hulking
wooden watchtowers and
cabins make this former
royal estate beside the
Moskva River a fabulous
spot, which looks quite
unearthly in the winter.
Folkloric and historical
pageants are staged here
throughout the year.
02
GUM Page 73 • GUM’s elegant Victorian-era arcades are now full of designer-label
stores rather than the shoddy products and queues for which it was known in Soviet
times. A fine place for window-shopping in its colonnades, or sipping coffee by its fountains.
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06
The Arbat Page 163 • Once
the heart of bohemian Moscow, this
cobbled street buzzes with souvenir sellers,
buskers and photographers (who’ll snap you
beside a life-size Putin, Schwarzenegger or
Mickey Mouse).
07
Izmaylovo Market Page 265
• A cornucopia of Soviet memorabilia,
icons, paintings, wood carvings, vintage
cameras and samovars, the outdoor
Vernissazh (as locals call it) is Moscow’s
best source of souvenirs. Performing bears
appear at weekends.
05
Ballet, opera and classical music Page 366 • While the Bolshoy is
Moscow’s most famous venue, there is a wealth of companies, theatres and orchestras
providing world-class entertainment.
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11
Tretyakov Gallery Page 211
• Its two buildings showcase nearly a
thousand years of Russian art, from icons to
Futurism and Socialist Realist art.
08
The Kremlin palaces and
Armoury Page 95
• The seat of
Russian power features seventeenth-century and
Neoclassical interiors, and treasures ranging from
Fabergé eggs to the sable-trimmed Crown of
Monomakh.
09
Georgian cuisine Page
340
• The healthiest and tastiest
of Russia’s diverse culinary traditions,
due to its emphasis on fresh herbs,
vegetables, pulses, nuts and garnishes
such as pomegranate seeds – but with
plenty to satisfy carnivores too. Best
washed down with a robust red wine or
a bottle of Borzhomi mineral water.
10
The VVTs Page 280 • The Stalinist
theme park that once extolled the
achievements of the Soviet economy, with
mosaic-encrusted fountains and pavilions,
and two iconic monuments.
00 Colour intro MOSCOW.indd 14 10/31/08 4:15:28 PM
15
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ACTIVITIES
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CONSUME
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EVENTS
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NATURE
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SIGHTS
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14
Banya Page 390 • An essential
Russian experience, the banya
(bathhouse) is a sauna with a masochistic
twist that leaves you gasping for more and
feeling wonderfully relaxed afterwards.
12
Red Square Page 67 • The heart of Mother Russia, where St Basil’s Cathedral,
Lenin’s Mausoleum, the Kremlin walls and GUM department store stand magnificently
juxtaposed.
13
Clubbing Page 359 • Whether it’s
jazz-fusion, trance, grunge, S&M or gender
bending, there are clubs for any taste in Moscow
– the more way-out or extravagant, the better.
15
Suzdal Page 315 • A beautiful small town of fortified monasteries and wooden
houses, used as a location for filming historical epics such as Andrei Rublev, and
currently a popular place to spend Christmas and New Year.
00 Colour intro MOSCOW.indd 15 10/31/08 4:15:36 PM
16
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ACTIVITIES
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CONSUME
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EVENTS
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NATURE
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SIGHTS
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17
Peter the Great
monument Page 206
• A 95-
metre-high, monstrously kitsch waterfront
homage to the founder of the Russian navy,
by Mayor Luzhkov’s favourite artist, Tsereteli.
16
Pushkin Museum of Fine
Arts Page 125
• This wonderful
museum boasts Schliemann’s discoveries
from “Troy”, several Rembrandts, some of
Gauguin’s best-loved Tahitian paintings, and
works by Monet, Van Gogh, Picasso and
Cézanne.
19
Orthodox choral music
Page 367
• This music is otherworldly
and perfectly in keeping with the rituals
of the faith. Visitors can attend evening
service at any church; saint’s day festivals,
Christmas or Easter at Moscow’s cathedrals
and monasteries are far grander events.
18
Novodevichie Convent
and Cemetery Page 194
•
A high-walled, golden-domed convent that
unwanted wives or sisters of the tsars were
once obliged to enter as nuns. In the
adjacent cemetery, Gogol, Shostakovich,
Eisenstein, Khrushchev and a host of other
luminaries are buried beneath elaborate
funerary sculptures.
00 Colour intro MOSCOW.indd 16 10/31/08 4:15:43 PM
Basics
17
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18
Basics
Getting there 19
Red tape and visas 30
Health 34
Information and websites 36
Arrival 38
City transport and tours 42
The media 47
National holidays and festivals 49
Trouble and the police 54
Travel essentials 56
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19
Getting there
Moscow’s distance from Western Europe – never mind North America or Austral-
asia – makes flying the obvious way of getting there. Travelling overland to
Moscow is unlikely to work out cheaper than flying unless you’re coming from
Poland or the Baltic States, but the lure of riding the Trans-Siberian Railway
across the vastness of Russia, or adventures along the way from Eastern Europe,
are reason enough to consider other approaches than flying. The need to obtain
a visa makes it hard to take advantage of last-minute offers, but you should be
able to save money on both tickets and Russian visas by booking months in
advance. For short visits to Moscow, a package tour may well be cheaper than
doing things independently, once you’ve taken the cost of accommodation and
visas into account.
Booking flights online
Many airlines and discount travel websites
offer you the opportunity to book your
tickets online, cutting out the cost of agents
and middlemen, and giving you a discount
at the same time. Good deals can often be
found through discount or auction sites, as
well as through the airlines’ own websites –
the airport codes to input are DME for
Domodedovo, SVO for Sheremetevo-2, or
MOW for all Moscow airports. It’s worth
bearing in mind, however, that many online
deals permit little or no flexibility, so you
need to make sure that your flight dates
match exactly with the dates of your Russian
visa, which may take several weeks to
obtain (see p.30).
Online booking agents and general
travel sites
Wwww.cheapflights.com (US), Wwww
.cheapflights.co.uk (UK and Ireland) Flight
deals, travel agents,
plus links to other travel sites.
Wwww.cheaptickets.com Discount flight
specialists.
Wwww.expedia.com (US), Wwww.expedia
.co.uk (UK), W www.expedia.ca (Canada)
Discount airfares,
all-airline search engine and daily
deals.
Wwww
.in-russia.com Discount flight and hotel
bookings in Russia, from the US only
.
Wwww.lastminute.com (UK), Wwww
.lastminute.com.au (Australia) Offers good last-
minute holiday package and flight-only deals.
Wwww.priceline.com (US), Wwww.priceline
.co.uk (UK) Name-your-own-price website that has
deals at around forty percent off standard fares.
Wwww.travelocity.com Destination guides,
cheap fares and best deals for car hire,
accommodation and lodging.
Wwww.travelonline.co.nz The best site for New
Zealanders to find worldwide flights from their country
.
Flights from Britain and
Ireland
Between them, British Airways (BA), BMI
and the Russian airlines Aeroflot and
Transaero operate about thirty direct flights
a week from London to Moscow. BA, BMI
and Aeroflot each have 2–3 flights daily from
Heathrow; Transaero, a daily flight from
Gatwick in summer, 3–4 weekly at other
times. An important difference between them
is that BA, BMI and Transaero fly into
Domodedovo airport, linked by a cheap
shuttle train to the centre of Moscow,
whereas Aeroflot uses Sheremetevo-2, from
which the journey into town is slow, if not
costly – something to keep in mind when
comparing fares.
Discount and specialist travel agents
sell direct flights below the headline rate, and
offer indirect flights with other European
carriers, changing planes at a hub city before
flying on to Moscow. Possibilities include
Luftansa via Frankfurt or Munich, KLM via
Amsterdam, Air France via Paris, Brussels
Airlines via Brussels, Austrian Airlines via
Vienna, Air Berlin via Berlin, and Aerosvit via
BASICS
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Getting there
01 City Basics (Moscow) 17-64.in19 19 10/31/08 5:09:46 PM
20
Kiev. Fares are rarely lower than Transaero’s
but may undercut Aeroflot, BA or BMI, and
allow departures from Birmingham, Glasgow
or Manchester. It’s also worth keeping an
eye out for special offers and cheap flights
on budget airlines to new members of the
European Union that border Russia, such as
Estonia or Latvia – both easyJet and Ryanair,
for example, fly from Stansted and Glasgow
to Riga and Tallinn from £20 one-way, if you
book well in advance, while Air Baltic flies
from Gatwick to both cities for a similar price.
From these cities, you can travel overland
fairly easily to Moscow (see “By Train” and
“By coach”, pp.26–28).
There are currently no direct scheduled
flights from Ireland to Moscow, and the
cheapest way to get there from either Belfast
or Dublin Is via England – ideally Manchester
or London. The best options from Dublin
are to Manchester on Ryanair, and from
there to Moscow on Transaero, which will
cost from around €200, or Dublin to
Heathrow on BA or BMI, then Aeroflot to
Moscow, from around €250. From Belfast
the cheapest option Is with Ryanair to
Manchester then Transaero to Moscow
which costs about £220.
Flights from the US and
Canada
Four airlines offer direct flights to Moscow
from the US and Canada. Delta and
American Airlines fly from New York’s JFK
to Moscow’s Sheremetevo-2 airport (9hr
30min), as does Russia’s national carrier,
Aeroflot, which also has nonstop flights from
Seattle (11hr 20min), Washington DC (12hr
20min) and Los Angeles (12hr 20min).
Additionally, Aeroflot has flights from San
Francisco (10–15hr) and Montreal (12–15hr),
connecting with their LA or east-coast
departures, or using another airline to cross
the Atlantic. From Canada, Aeroflot flies
direct from Toronto (9hr 30min), while Air
Canada flies from Toronto and Montreal.
Transaero also flies direct from Toronto and
Montreal to Moscow’s Domodedovo airport
three times a week in summer, less frequently
in winter.
Return fares vary from low (mid-Jan, Feb,
Oct & Nov) to high (June–Sept, Christmas &
New Year) season, with Delta generally being
the cheapest from the US: its direct flight
from JFK costs $1155–1600, with an indirect
flight from Los Angeles starting at $1402.
Aeroflot fares start at $2058 from JFK,
$1740–2850 from Washington DC, $2300–
2600 from Seattle, and $2480 from LA (the
last costing more in low season, strangely).
From Canada, Aeroflot fares from Toronto
range from C$1030–1200, while Transaero
flights from Toronto or Montreal start at
C$1070. Air Canada flights are more
expensive at C$1760–2250.
Alternatively, you may wish to fly to a
European capital and continue overland from
there. Good candidates include Riga, Tallinn,
Helsinki, Warsaw or Berlin (in that order of
distance from Moscow). If Moscow is part of a
longer European trip, you’ll also want to check
out details of the Eurail pass (see p.27).
Flights from Australia
and New Zealand
Flight time from Australia and New Zealand
to Moscow is over twenty hours, and some
routings take nearer thirty; with no direct
flights, you’re likely to touch down
somewhere in Asia or the Middle East. Given
the length of the journey, you might be better
off including a night’s stopover in your
itinerary – some airlines include one in the
price of the flight. Finnair, Cathay Pacific,
Emirates, Aeroflot, Korean Air, Scandinavian
Airlines and Austrian Airlines seem to offer
the best deals, in tandem with Qantas, BA or
KLM. There’s a plethora of airline combina-
tions online, so shop around and be flexible.
Fares vary from low (mid-Jan, Feb, Oct &
Nov) to high (June–Sept, Christmas & New
Year) season. Average return fares to
Moscow from eastern gateways are
A$1900–2350 in low season, A$2265–3000
in high season. Fares from Perth or Darwin
cost A$120–180 more. Flights from
Auckland are in the region of NZ$2643 in
low season, NZ$3373 in high season.
Airlines
Aeroflot UK T0207/355 2233, US T1-888/340-
6400, Canada T416/642-1653, Australia T02/9262
2233; Wwww.aeroflot.com, Wwww.aeroflot.co.uk, or
book online Wwww.england.aeroflot.aero/eng,
Wwww.aeroflot.com.au. No NZ office.
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01 City Basics (Moscow) 17-64.in20 20 10/31/08 5:09:46 PM
21
Aerosvit US T1/212 661 1620, Canada T1/416
961 5948, Australia & NZ T02/9505 9698;
Wwww.aerosvit.ua/eng.html.
Air Baltic UK T0911/598 0599, Wwww.airbaltic
.com.
Air Berlin UK T0871/500 0737, US T1-866/266-
5588,
Canada T866 705 9127; Wwww
.airberlin
.com.
Air Canada Canada T1-888/247-2262, Wwww
.aircanada.ca.
Air France UK T0870/142 4343, Ireland
T01/814 4060, US T1-800/237274, Canada
T1-800/667 2747; Wwww.airfrance.com.
American Airlines US T1-800-433-7300,
Wwww.aa.com.
Austrian Airlines UK T0870/124 26 25,
Ireland T1-800 509 142, US T1-800/843-0002,
Australia T1800/642 438 or 02/92004800;
Wwww.aua.com.
British Airways UK T0844/493 0787,
Ireland T01/890 626 747, US & Canada
T1-800/247-9297, Australia T 1300/767 177,
New Zealand T09/966 9777; W www
.british-airways.com.
bmi UK T0870/607 0555 or 0870/607 0222,
Republic of Ireland T01/283 0700, US
T1-800/788-0555; Wwww.flybmi.com.
Brussels Airlines UK T0905/60 95 609, Ireland
01/844 6006,
Wwww
.brussels-airlines.com.
Cathay Pacific Australia T13 17 47, New Zealand
T0800/800 454; Wwww.cathaypacific.com.
Delta Airlines US & Canada T1-800/221-1212,
Wwww.delta.com.
easyJet UK T0905/821 0905, Wwww.easyjet.com.
Emirates Australia T02/9290 9700 or 1300/303
7777,
New Zealand T05/0836 4728; Wwww
.emirates.com.
Finnair UK T0870/241 4411,
Republic of Ireland
T01/844 6565, US & Canada T1-800/950-5000,
Australia T1300/798 188; Wwww.finnair.com.
KLM UK T0871 222 7474, Ireland T 01/850 747
400,
US & Canada T1-800/225 2525 (Northwest),
Australia T1300/392 192, New Zealand T09/921
6040; Wwww.klm.com.
Korean Air Australia T02/9262 6000, New
Zealand T09/914 2000; Wwww.koreanair.com.au.
Lufthansa UK T0871/945 9747, Ireland
T01/ 844 5544, US T1-800/3995-838, Canada
T1-800/563-5954; Wwww.lufthansa.com.
Qantas Australia T13 13 13, W www.qantas
.com.au,
New Zealand T0800/808 767; W www
.qantas.co.nz.
Ry
anair UK T0871/246 0000, Ireland
T01818/303 030; Wwww.ryanair.com.
Scandinavian Airways (SAS) UK T0871/521
2772,
Ireland T01/844 5440,
US & Canada
T1-800/221-2350, Australia T1300/727 707,
New Zealand agent: Air New Zealand T09/357
3000; Wwww.flysas.com.
Transaero UK T0208/887 0394, Canada T1/905
405 1999; Wwww.transaero.ru/en.
Agents and operators
ebookers UK T0871/223 5000, Republic of
Ireland T01/431 1311; Wwww.ebookers.com,
Wwww.ebookers.ie. Low fares on an extensive
selection of scheduled flights and package deals.
Flight Centres Australia T13 31 33, Wwww
.flightcentre.com.au.
Promises to beat any other
discount fare quoted online.
Joe Walsh Tours Ireland T01/ 241 0800,
Wwww.joewalshtours.ie. General budget fares
agent.
North South Travel UK T01245/608 291,
Wwww.northsouthtravel.co.uk. Friendly
,
competitive
travel agency, offering discounted fares worldwide.
Profits are used to support projects in the developing
world, especially the promotion of sustainable tourism.
On the Go Tours UK T020/7371 1113, Wwww
.onthegotours.com.
Runs group and tailor
-made
tours, including Moscow city breaks, and a variety of
tours including Moscow as part of a wider Russian
itinerary.
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STA Travel US T 1-800/781-4040, UK
T0871/2300 040, Australia T134 782, New
Zealand T0800/474 400, South Africa T0861/781
781; Wwww.statravel.com. W
orldwide specialists in
independent travel; also student IDs, travel insurance,
car rental, rail passes and more. Good discounts for
students and under-26s.
Trailfinders UK T0845/058 5858, Republic of
Ireland T01/677 7888, Australia T1300/ 780 212;
Wwww.trailfinders.com, Wwww.trailfinders.com
.au.
One of the best-informed and most efficient
agents for independent travellers, offering discounted
flights, car rental, tailor-made tours and rail passes.
Travel Avenue US & Canada T1-800/333-3335,
Wwww.t100g.com. Full-service travel agent that
offers trips to Moscow as part of a variety of wider
Russian tours.
T
ravel Cuts Canada T1866/246 9762, US
T1-800/592 2887; Wwww.travelcuts.com.
Canadian student-travel organization.
Package tours
Given the price of flights to and hotels in
Moscow, there’s a strong incentive to look
for a package tour – an easy way of cutting
the cost and trouble of organizing a trip.
There are all kinds of possibilities, from city
breaks to Trans-Siberian tours and luxury
cruises. Unless otherwise stated, all prices
below are land-only rates for one person in a
twin share; where two prices are given, these
refer to low- and high-season rates.
From the UK, a city break makes sense if
you just have a few days, although the visa
costs will make the trip much pricier than to
other Eastern European cities (the prices
quoted below include visa support, but not
the cost of the visa itself). Go Russia runs an
escorted four-day tour for £680 (year round),
and unescorted three-day tours from £370–
560, depending on the hotel, while Intourist
has a three-night tour for £530–630, or
£750–990 in a superior hotel.
Several operators offer two-city tours of
Moscow and St Petersburg: the cheapest
eight-day package comes from Intourist
(£990–1240). Both Intourist and Go Russia
run tours combining the two cities with
historic towns on the Golden Ring, such as
Kostroma, Uglich, Suzdal and Novgorod,
which start at around £630. From the US or
Canada, you can do an eight-day Moscow
and St Petersburg tour, with an overnight
train journey between them – ranging from
the low-budget land-only Adventure Center
($1490) to deluxe tours ($9000–12,700 for
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