The World's #1 Russian, Ukrainian & Eastern European Discussion & Information Forum - RUA!

This Is the Premier Discussion Forum on the Net for Information and Discussion about Russia, Ukraine, Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union. Discuss Culture, Politics, Travelling, Language, International Relationships and More. Chat with Travellers, Locals, Residents and Expats. Ask and Answer Questions about Travel, Culture, Relationships, Applying for Visas, Translators, Interpreters, and More. Give Advice, Read Trip Reports, Share Experiences and Make Friends.

Author Topic: Getting around Moscow  (Read 124090 times)

0 Members and 2 Guests are viewing this topic.

Offline mendeleyev

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 12846
  • Country: us
  • Gender: Male
  • Spouses Country: Russia
  • Status: Married
  • Trips: 20+
Getting around Moscow
« on: October 17, 2009, 12:29:29 PM »
This is a new thread split off from the original "Touring Moscow" series to help showcase Moscow's transportation systems.  We'll use this portion of the series to help readers understand and navigate getting around Moscow.


Quote
Burning holes in expensive clothes rather happen at parties but not in the subway, where no one smokes, by the way.


Excellent observation, Belle.  tiphat


Quote
On the other side, sometimes I see and hear from my fellow RW about low class people in the Moscow metro. But these filthy comments have nothing to do with magnificent, precise, quick and comfortable Moscow metro. I ride it multiple times everyday and I enjoy it.


So true. It's a national treasure of great accomplishment. And one of it's unique characteristics is that it works equally well for rich and poor alike.



Offline BelleZeBoob

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 1508
  • Country: ca
  • Gender: Female
  • Status: Dating
Re: Touring Moscow Transportation and Parks
« Reply #1 on: October 17, 2009, 01:04:57 PM »
I recognize the big wall on Kievskaya station ;)
Men are like Bluetooth: he is connected to you when you are nearby, but searches for other devices when you are away.
Women are like Wi-Fi: she sees all available devices, but connects to the strongest one.

Offline jb

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 1842
  • Gender: Male
  • I was anti-obama before it was cool
Re: Touring Moscow Transportation and Parks
« Reply #2 on: October 17, 2009, 01:07:07 PM »
Belle,

I always marvel at the Moscow Metro whenever I'm in the city.  As Mendy says; "It's a national treasure".

Incidentally, I'll be back to Moscow early next year,,, the youngest son is planning a wedding.  Attendance is mandatory.
I was anti-obama before it was cool


Offline mendeleyev

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 12846
  • Country: us
  • Gender: Male
  • Spouses Country: Russia
  • Status: Married
  • Trips: 20+
Re: Touring Moscow Transportation and Parks
« Reply #3 on: October 17, 2009, 08:40:23 PM »
I love Kievskaya! It's probably my favourite Metro.

Of course I can never say that in public because most Russians want me to be proud of Mendeleyevskaya station since they went to all that trouble to name it in my honour.   ;D

Let's keep my admiration for Kievskaya a secret just between us.  :-X

Offline mendeleyev

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 12846
  • Country: us
  • Gender: Male
  • Spouses Country: Russia
  • Status: Married
  • Trips: 20+
Re: Touring Moscow Transportation and Parks
« Reply #4 on: October 17, 2009, 08:41:34 PM »
JB, great news!  tiphat

Offline BelleZeBoob

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 1508
  • Country: ca
  • Gender: Female
  • Status: Dating
Re: Touring Moscow Transportation and Parks
« Reply #5 on: October 17, 2009, 11:11:15 PM »
I love Kievskaya! It's probably my favourite Metro.

Of course I can never say that in public because most Russians want me to be proud of Mendeleyevskaya station since they went to all that trouble to name it in my honour.   ;D

Let's keep my admiration for Kievskaya a secret just between us.  :-X

Your admiration is shared. Now I stop often by Kievskaya, as I discovered freshly pressed grenat juice at best prices in the Evropeyski  :party0031:
Men are like Bluetooth: he is connected to you when you are nearby, but searches for other devices when you are away.
Women are like Wi-Fi: she sees all available devices, but connects to the strongest one.

Offline mendeleyev

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 12846
  • Country: us
  • Gender: Male
  • Spouses Country: Russia
  • Status: Married
  • Trips: 20+
Re: Touring Moscow Transportation and Parks
« Reply #6 on: October 17, 2009, 11:55:22 PM »
My guess is on the 4th floor (of the Europeisky) at Kievskaya?


Offline mendeleyev

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 12846
  • Country: us
  • Gender: Male
  • Spouses Country: Russia
  • Status: Married
  • Trips: 20+
Re: Touring Moscow Transportation and Parks
« Reply #7 on: October 18, 2009, 01:01:36 AM »
I once met a family who had lived in Moscow for a year and upon return to the USA had never even once ridden the Metro. The man's employer had hired a driver and they used this service for everywhere they went. They had listened to others who told them that the Moscow Metro is dangerous and full of gangsters.

Sorry, but the Mafia guys do not wait for an underground subway. They are the guys in that black Mercedes SUV, dark tinted windows, and often a blue light on top, sitting next to you and your driver at a red light. That family missed an opportunity they'll never understand.

So, lets get to know Moscow!


Since we've already started with the Metro, we'll enjoy some more of this magnificent transportation system which rivals anything else in the world. The New York subway, truly dangerous, is child's play compared to the size, daily ridership, and extent of the Moscow Metro.


This is station Medvedkovo. No, not named for President Medvedev. But its a typical station and here is the outside:






You can recognize a Metro station by the big "M" nearby announcing a station location.






Sometimes you'll enter thru glass doors (very heavy so watch out!) and enter a hallway with turnstiles, and other times you'll descend from street level thru a walkway before entering the station. Like this one:





Above: See the narrow concrete tracks to the left of where the babushka is selling flowers? Those, sometimes concrete and sometimes metal, are the "wheel chair ramp." Spend enough time in a Russian city and eventually you'll slip and fall on those when not paying attention. Hopefully the worst of injuries will be bruised knees and ego.


Next, in an understreet entry like this one you'll quickly see underground kiosks. These are before you've actually entered the station. You can buy everything from batteries to watches to perfumes to toothpaste to pantyhose to.....

These kiosks you don't enter. They are tiny inside, just enough room for a person and the merchandise. You shop thru a sliding window generally.






When you enter the glass doors make sure to stop by a booth and buy a ticket. They're so cheap its best to buy a pass that will allow you multiple rides instead of the hassle of buying a ticket each ride. Insert your pass in the turnstile and it comes back to you.

For multiple trips ask about a smart card to swipe thru a sensor.

Walk on thru.






Hope you don't mind making new friends.  :chuckle:






Don't worry about getting lost...there are lots of signs!  ;D






You'll descend by escalator going to the trains, then return up to street level later. As there are multiple levels and some times stations have multiple lines running at different underground levels, you will go down a long ways. Enough to feel a discernable change in temperature at any time of year.


Heading up to street level.




Offline mendeleyev

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 12846
  • Country: us
  • Gender: Male
  • Spouses Country: Russia
  • Status: Married
  • Trips: 20+
Re: Touring Moscow Transportation and Parks
« Reply #8 on: October 18, 2009, 01:22:17 AM »
Make sure you arrive at the right level. That is very, very important. This is Metro Novoslobodskaya just in case you are interested.






At your level you'll need to know which direction you need to go. The lines on the signs are in the same colour of the Metro maps. Hopefully that will help you.

Metro Komsomolskaya is one of the most famous and most beautiful stations. It's also one of the oldest.






At the platform you can look at the opposite wall and every station has it's name posted there. Are you susposed to be here, cause this is Arbatskaya the sign very plainly states.





Good. Glad it's right, because we don't want to go any deeper.  :chuckle:




 

It can get crowded so keep a close eye on your belongings, and your wallet in your front pocket.





Offline mendeleyev

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 12846
  • Country: us
  • Gender: Male
  • Spouses Country: Russia
  • Status: Married
  • Trips: 20+
Re: Touring Moscow Transportation and Parks
« Reply #9 on: October 18, 2009, 01:49:07 AM »
When your train arrives and stops, people will begin crowding around the doors to make their entry, once the exiting passengers have cleared out.  Actually, sometimes they start getting on before the exiting passengers have cleared out - but anyway, don't be shy.

These trains come between 90 seconds (rush hour) and 5 minutes and they stop/start quickly so when it arrives we need to be ready.

Here it comes.






During heavy traffic periods, personal space is not a thing that's terribly important in this situation, so just bunch in close and nudge, shuffle and push your way onto the train.  Of course, if you are riding during a low-traffic period, the pushing is much less prevalent, and you can usually simply just walk on.  If you are riding during rush hour, you may simply be able to plant yourself in the crowd and let it carry you onto the train.  There will be people pushing you (and everyone else) from behind, sometimes quite aggressively, so be prepared for that.  





Once on the train, either take a seat or stand near a spot where you can hang onto a handrail.  The train does a fair amount of "jostling" around as it travels, so you will need something to help keep your balance as you ride.

Always offer your seat to the elderly, handicapped and ladies. Keep a hand and eye on your personal belongings.






Inside each car, near each door, there will be a Metro map posted on the wall of the car.  These maps normally have the station names written in Russian and in English.  Also, each train has a schematic of the particular line on which that train runs, with all the stations for that line listed, in sequential order, in both English and Russian.  Station announcements are made for each stop, but only in Russian, and each station has signs identifying it, but they are in Russian and can be difficult to see from inside the train.




Okay, okay. Stop it already! I know that you want to see what Metro Mendeleyevskaya looks like inside. Trust me, it's not pretty. No, really.

I was robbed! I wanted Kievskaya but instead they took this ugly old Metro with some chemical looking symbols (dude, what's up with that?) and named that station after your old pal Mendeleyev.

But since you insisted...







Once you have arrived at your destination station, simply get off the train and look for the white sign, with black lettering, that says "Exit to City" (in Russian "Выход в Город"), and proceed to the escalator.




Offline ecocks

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 1263
  • Gender: Male
  • Always willing to help.
Re: Touring Moscow Transportation and Parks
« Reply #10 on: October 18, 2009, 01:50:22 AM »
Nicely done and an excellent introduction to the Metro.

Oh, BTW, I liked those lights.

Offline mendeleyev

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 12846
  • Country: us
  • Gender: Male
  • Spouses Country: Russia
  • Status: Married
  • Trips: 20+
Re: Touring Moscow Transportation and Parks
« Reply #11 on: October 18, 2009, 02:00:58 AM »
Thanks Ed, btw, did you see those video cameras mounted on the overhead lights in Metro Mendeleyev? Video monitors are all over in each station. Often fairly well hidden.

Offline mendeleyev

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 12846
  • Country: us
  • Gender: Male
  • Spouses Country: Russia
  • Status: Married
  • Trips: 20+
Re: Touring Moscow Transportation and Parks
« Reply #12 on: October 18, 2009, 02:24:22 AM »
With over 7 million DAILY passengers and 35,000 employees to run such a system, how do you know whether you're coming or going?

Easy. Just LISTEN.  (http://mic-ro.com/metro/files/msk2-1.wav)


On all lines you can determine the direction of the train by the gender of the announcer: on the ring line, a male voice indicates clockwise travel, and a female voice counter-clockwise.

On the radial lines, travelers heading toward the centre of Moscow will hear male-voiced announcements, and travelers heading away from the centre of the city hear female-voiced announcements.


Sign says Tverskaya station.



The Metro is open from about 5:30 until 1:00 (the opening time may vary at different stations according to first train schedule but all stations close for entrance simultaneously at 1:00). During peak hours, trains run roughly every 90 seconds on most lines.

Off peak hours run between 3.5 and 7 minutes. Each line is identified by a number, a name and a colour.

The Moscow Metro has approximately 300 km of rail, 12 lines and 175 stations; on a normal weekday it carries 9.0 million passengers. Each day some 9915 trains operate between 5am - 1am.






Want to learn the metro map? Here is an interactive map from the Metro web folks: http://engl.mosmetro.ru/flash/scheme01.html


Offline Chris

  • Moderator
  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 14372
  • Country: england
  • Gender: Male
  • Spouses Country: Chernivtsi, Ukraine
  • Status: Married
  • Trips: 20+
Re: Touring Moscow Transportation and Parks
« Reply #13 on: October 18, 2009, 03:28:33 AM »
More from Kievskaya



Ukrainian Fishermen and their catch of Sturgeon


Metro Map
Слава Україні

Offline BelleZeBoob

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 1508
  • Country: ca
  • Gender: Female
  • Status: Dating
Re: Touring Moscow Transportation and Parks
« Reply #14 on: October 18, 2009, 03:49:32 AM »
My guess is on the 4th floor (of the Europeisky) at Kievskaya?



I get it at Juice Town on zero level, where the Perekrestok is.
Men are like Bluetooth: he is connected to you when you are nearby, but searches for other devices when you are away.
Women are like Wi-Fi: she sees all available devices, but connects to the strongest one.

Offline jb

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 1842
  • Gender: Male
  • I was anti-obama before it was cool
Re: Touring Moscow Transportation and Parks
« Reply #15 on: October 18, 2009, 06:00:31 AM »
Quote
On all lines you can determine the direction of the train by the gender of the announcer: on the ring line, a male voice indicates clockwise travel, and a female voice counter-clockwise.

On the radial lines, travellers heading toward the centre of Moscow will hear male-voiced announcements, and travellers heading away from the centre of the city hear female-voiced announcements.

This is very good information, as many times as I've rode the Metro I had not snapped to that.
I was anti-obama before it was cool

Offline ecocks

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 1263
  • Gender: Male
  • Always willing to help.
Re: Touring Moscow Transportation and Parks
« Reply #16 on: October 18, 2009, 11:02:30 AM »
Just out of curiousity, is the Moscow system any more handicapped friendly than the Kiev (or any Ukrainian) system?

Offline Chris

  • Moderator
  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 14372
  • Country: england
  • Gender: Male
  • Spouses Country: Chernivtsi, Ukraine
  • Status: Married
  • Trips: 20+
Re: Touring Moscow Transportation and Parks
« Reply #17 on: October 18, 2009, 12:27:48 PM »
Just out of curiousity, is the Moscow system any more handicapped friendly than the Kiev (or any Ukrainian) system?

Not that I have seen.
Слава Україні

Offline Manny

  • Moderator
  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 19719
  • Country: gb
  • Gender: Male
  • Spouses Country: Russia
  • Status: Married
  • Trips: 20+
Re: Touring Moscow Transportation and Parks
« Reply #18 on: October 18, 2009, 02:02:51 PM »
Just out of curiousity, is the Moscow system any more handicapped friendly than the Kiev (or any Ukrainian) system?

Not that I have seen.

Those very long, steep escalators would prohibit them from being disabled friendly (at least on the bits of the Moscow Metro I have been on).
Read a trip report from North Korea >>here<< - Read a trip report from South Korea, China and Hong Kong >>here<<

Look what the American media makes some people believe:
Putin often threatens to strike US with nuclear weapons.

Offline mendeleyev

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 12846
  • Country: us
  • Gender: Male
  • Spouses Country: Russia
  • Status: Married
  • Trips: 20+
Re: Touring Moscow Transportation and Parks
« Reply #19 on: October 18, 2009, 02:42:06 PM »
A disabled person needs someone to assist them with access. The photo posted of the 2 narrow concrete rails at the entry shows that a person couldn't contol the descent or push themselves up without additional help.

You don't have a lot of the disabled considerations in construction of city streets and sidewalks either. Things are tough in general for those in a wheelchair or using a walker.

Offline ecocks

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 1263
  • Gender: Male
  • Always willing to help.
Re: Touring Moscow Transportation and Parks
« Reply #20 on: October 18, 2009, 03:01:38 PM »
So, no improvements over Kiev then?

Offline Eduard

  • Commercial member
  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 5641
  • Country: us
  • Gender: Male
  • Skype: edthered90
    • realrussianmatch.com
  • Spouses Country: Russia
  • Status: Married
  • Trips: 20+
Re: Touring Moscow Transportation and Parks
« Reply #21 on: October 18, 2009, 03:23:43 PM »
this is the only "subway" I knew since my childhood and until I arrived to New York. Imagine my shock when I had my first glimpse of NYC subway...

Offline ecocks

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 1263
  • Gender: Male
  • Always willing to help.
Re: Touring Moscow Transportation and Parks
« Reply #22 on: October 18, 2009, 03:46:04 PM »
Like lindochka and Belarus, the Moscow City Government should commission Mendeleyev to present their image to the west.

I can't tell if it's just your photographic expertise, but you're building the impression that Moscow's metros are cleaner than Kiev's.

Offline jb

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 1842
  • Gender: Male
  • I was anti-obama before it was cool
Re: Touring Moscow Transportation and Parks
« Reply #23 on: October 18, 2009, 06:49:11 PM »
IMHO, the Moscow Metro is the finest in the world with almost every station being decorated near museum quality.  Certainly the London tube is a piece of crap by comparison.  I'd be afraid to ride the NYC subway after dark.
I was anti-obama before it was cool

Offline skiingandrunning

  • Meмber
  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 829
  • Gender: Male
Re: Touring Moscow Transportation and Parks
« Reply #24 on: October 18, 2009, 09:26:01 PM »
Mendy,

Good idea to split this topic as I would be one of the many who disagree my current girlfriend who avoids the subway like the plague as I actually look forward to riding it as it provides some GREAT people watching opportunities.  Yes, when riding up and down those long escalators, and the pretty girl smiles at me going in the opposite direct I have more than once thought (I'm going in the wrong direction  ;D ). 


 

 

Registration