Transportation in Moscow
Taxi
Taxis in Moscow can be extortionate, and better not left to the discretion of your concierge. Gorodskoi Taxi and Taxi 956 pick you up in new, Western cars for reasonable rates.
Foot
Armed with sturdy shoes to negotiate bad paving and winter ice (and a shapka - traditional fur hat - in winter), walking in Moscow is a joy. Wander in any direction from Red Square, or step off the beaten track to get lost in the pereuloks (lanes) around Kitai Gorod, Arbat or Patriarch's Ponds.
Underground
With signs now in English and Russian, the Moscow Metro runs daily from 5.30am to 1am and is the simplest and cheapest way to get around: avoid queues at the kassa with a ten-trip smart card. Don't miss the stained-glass panels at Novoslobodskaya, or the bronze statues at Ploshad Revolutsy.
Rent your car
Moscow has three ring roads, the outer MKAD and two inner circular routes, which all connect with major routes in and out of the city. Traffic jams are a problem though, and a fourth ring is planned. Moscow’s car parks have had a bad safety record recently but there is some on-street parking.
Transportation tips
It is legal in Russia to flag down any passing car and negotiate a lift, and probably the only country in the world where women are safe doing so. But, while drivers are safe, their vehicles (particularly older Volgas and Zhigulis) may not be: go for new imports where possible.
