Getting around Moscow

[Olga_Mouse]

The bus stop is located at the exit from the arrival lounge of Sheremetyevo-1 (B), to the left, at the airport land side.

Well if you LOOK at the arrival building of SVO-B while standing in the middle of the road, then the bus stop would indeed be on your left.

However if you just arrived and EXITED the arrival building of SVO-B, the bus stop would be on your right (and terminal C on your left).

It is just in between arrival and departure buildings.

[mendeleyev]

Good point, Olga. I was using the map previously posted and thinking that readers could visualize it from the perspective of reading the map. Your clarification however is important. The description has been corrected. Thank you.  

[mendeleyev]

Metro map update: From time to time we will update the most recent maps of the Moscow Metro. This link is pretty cool, as...

- It is the most modern map available at this time.

- It is printable to take with you.

- The flash technology enables you to do trip and route planning. Simply click on a station and then find your destination. Click on that second station and the map will plan the route and give you an estimated travel time.

[mendeleyev]

Welcome to Poklonnaya Gora (Hill of Greeting). For many Russians a favourite spot to think, to recharge and plan is here at Victory Park with the inspirational glory of Moscow's Triumphal Arch across the street.





Don't let it bother you that there is more than one "Moscow Triumphal Arch" and the other isn't even in Moscow. The other, in St Petersburg, is commonly called the "Moscow Gate" and not only resides in a different city but looks very different, too. This one is a remake, as the original Moscow Arch was built in 1814 from wood and stood beside the Tver Gates (present-day Gorky Street) for welcoming home the victorious Russian troops returning from West Europe.

The grand Arch stood for 12 years. Then one day it fell down. Oops. Version number two was begun in 1826, that time of stone. A bronze plaque was bricked up in the base of the future monument with the inscription: "These Triumphal Gates are built in memory of the triumph of Russian warriors in 1814 and the rebuilding of the splendid monuments and buildings of our capital, Moscow, ruined in 1812 by the invasion of the Gauls and the two hundred languages with them."





The stone version of the Triumphal Arch stood near the Tver Gates for 102 years. Then along came the Soviets. It seemed that the Communist idea of building a new worker's paradise always began with a wrecking ball. They never met a historic palace, church or monument that they didn't want to demolish. In 1936 the Soviets decided to redesign the square near the Beloruskaya Train Station and that was the end of the stone Arch. Well, that is until 1966, when new Soviets in power wanted it rebuilt.

[mendeleyev]

In past years I lived in this neighborhood and in many ways my heart beats with the sound of never ending traffic on busy Kutuzovskiy Prospect. While I love the Triumphal Arch today, it's not the same as the original (no matter what tour guides say). The original had been crafted with small, richly decorated guardhouses symmetrically placed on the both sides of the arch. The guardhouses had been connected to the body of the arch like wings with entry gates. Because the new location was at the entry plaza of Kutuzov Avenue, the replacement was crafted without guardhouses and railings. It may not be an exact replica but it's still a magestic piece of Russian Imperial history.





With 6 horses and 1 rider, the architects observed the old tradition in which triumphal gates and arches faced inward. Rather than designed as the original as a set of gates with a passage through them, this third version of the Triumphal Arch is a free-standing monument with traffic flowing around it on both sides.

[mendeleyev]

Парк Победы (Park Pobedy) or Victory Park, is a short metro ride outside of the city center to the Park Pobedy metro station. The park is a monument to the Red Army’s victory over Nazi Germany in the Great Patriotic War (WWII).

Wikipedia does a reasonable job of providing an introduction to the park: Poklonnaya Gora (Покло́нная гора́, literally "bow-down hill"; metaphorically "Worshipful Submission Hill"') is, at 171.5 metres, one of the highest spots in Moscow. Its two summits used to be separated by the Setun River, until one of the summits was razed in 1987. Since 1936, the area has been part of Moscow and now contains the Victory Park with many tanks and other vehicles used in the Second World War on display.

Historically, the hill had great strategic importance, as it commanded the best view of the Russian capital. Its name is derived from the Russian for "to bow down", as everyone approaching the capital from the west was expected to do homage here. In 1812, it was the spot where Napoleon in vain expected the keys to the Kremlin to be brought to him by Russians.





Above: Saint George Cathedral at Victory Park. George the Dragon Slayer is the patron saint of Moscow and Russians have fitted the victory of the Great Patriotic War very nicely into the tradition of Saint George as protector of Moscow.

Upon entry to the park there is a large field of granite meant to showcase the massive outline of this magnificent park. To the right are the fountains, monuments to the different campaigns of the war, each in chronological order are at the left and at the far end of the park is the Victory Monument and Museum with it's dark spire rising high into the air.  





Few places can compete with Poklonnaya Gora (Hill of Greeting), especially at night when all 1,418 red fountains are flowing. Why 1,418 fountains? One for each day of the Great Patriotic War.


On 9 May, Victory Day in Russia, Парк Победы becomes the center of Moscow's afternoon and evening celebrations, with thousands of citizens, from surviving veterans to families with children wind their way to Victory Park after the parade on Red Square. Old men and women wearing uniforms and medals awarded for their contributions to the war effort will receive flowers and expressions of thanks from Russians of all ages.






Visit Victory Park with Russia Today television: http://rt.com/prime-time/2010-05-06/poklonnaya-gora-war-memorial.html#



 

Just as there are 1,418 fountains, the monument height is 141,8 meters, 10cm for every day of the War. On top the Greek goddess of victory, Nike, keeps watch on the Russian people.

[mendeleyev]

After the Victory Monument is a large Museum dedicated to the Great Patriotic War. Then behind the museum there are displays of military hardware and a forest with a monument dedicated to victims of the Holocaust.



(photo: RUA member MrMann)















For a long time the official line was that the Allies had played only a minor role at the end of the war. Russian veterans knew better however as they had eaten rations made in the USA and UK, mended the wounded with medical supplies made in Canadian and American towns, and driven American military vehicles. Large numbers of Red Army infantry rifles were manufactured in the USA.

Today the "thaw" is on and the museum carries a line of English language pamplets showing Western involvment in the very early stages of the war effort.

[mendeleyev]

During warmer months Park Pobedy is a great place to relax, walk, and have a snack or a cold beer at one of the many beer tents on the park grounds.  The park is also a popular spot for rollerblading.

[mendeleyev]

We've added some museum photos to the posts above.

[mendeleyev]

Outside in the wooded areas there is a large display of military hardware and vehicles from the War.

[mendeleyev]

Victory Park Holocaust memorial:







The museum is set in Victory Park, a 2,424-hectare park on Poklonnaya Hill.

[mendeleyev]

 
Now you can have an official state wedding at the museum!





Details here: http://www.svadbaexclusive.com/

This is no ordinary ZAGS wedding, but it is official. Unlike a typical ZAGS wedding where lots of other couples are at the hall and waiting for their turn, just as you had to wait, this is an exclusive ceremony. The museum promises that you won't meet other wedding parties and you won't be rushed thru your ceremony because another couple is standing in line outside.





While the ceremony itself is a traditional ZAGS production, unlike at a ZAGS, you won't be limited in the number of guests who can attend. This hall promises seating for 200 guests, a big number for a Russian wedding. And if your guests wish to shower the wedding couple with rose petals or rice, usually forbidden inside a ZAGS hall, here you can throw such items to your heart's content.

Also unlike most ZAGS experiences, there is a nice place to begin those champagne toasts before venturing out to traditional toasting & photo locations across the city.





This is an interesting but short 3.5 minute video of Russian weddings at the museum hall:

If interested in an exclusive wedding here, better call far in advance. As this a hall of the Park's war museum, only a certain number of days each month are allotted for weddings. More info is on the website link above, phone numbers in the upper right hand corner of the website main page.

[mendeleyev]

Before we leave Victory Park, here are some additional photo links:

Photos and English descriptions: http://www.peachmountain.com/5star/Museums_Great_Patriotic_War_Museum_Moscow.asp


The park's Russian language website: http://www.poklonnayagora.ru/

[mendeleyev]

Finally we get to take that ride on the Metro. But first I need to tell you something--the AeroExpress is technically NOT part of the Metro. Aeroexpress is a joint venture of Transgroup (74 percent) and International Airport Sheremetyevo (26 percent), and is operated by Russian Railways Corporation, (Российские железные дороги or РЖД) the source of funding for building the system.





But we will link with the Metro soon so as we leave the airport grab your bags and lets get ready to climb board.



(AeroExpress Terminal at Sheremetyevo)

[mendeleyev]

As the vast number of our RUA readers come to Moscow by air we'll give some general directions at first. Depending on air-carrier you will arrive to one of three Moscow airports – Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo or Vnukovo.

From your airport you can reach the centre of Moscow by taxi (typically between 1500-2000 RUR) or by AeroExpress (300 RUR) and then by metro (26 RUR). AeroExpress trains arrive to railway stations with connections to Moscow's Metro system; Belorusskaya, Kievskaya or Paveletskaya – all on the Metro's brown circular line).



  

AeroExpress schedule for Sheremetyevo: http://nustar2009.narod.ru/Sheremetievo.pdf

AeroExpress schedule for Domodedovo: http://nustar2009.narod.ru/Domodedovo.pdf

AeroExpress schedule for Vnukovo:


Our first trip will be from Sheremetyevo Airport to Park Pobedy (Victory Park), the subject of the current Parks and Monuments posts in the Touring Moscow series.



(AeroExpress terminal atrium at Sheremetyevo/Photo courtesy of AeroExpress Media services)


1) From Sheremetyevo airport we'll take an aeroexpress train to the Moscow Metro. We'll take the lift to the departure hall of the Sheremetyevo airport by using the escalator in the center of the arrival hall and then walking through the passage (5-7 minutes), to the rail terminal near the airport. There we'll buy a ticket (300 roubles) for the 35 minute ride to the Belorussky train station in Moscow.



(AeroExpress Information at Sheremetyevo)



Business class is available, offering reserved seat with an extra space, free newspapers, hot drinks, refreshments, as well as wireless Internet access. Business fare is 750 Rbs (adult), 380 Rbs (children).



(Photo courtesy of AeroExpress Media services)


What about the station? Many maps still show service running directly between Sheremetyevo and Savelovsky. That direct service has been replaced, well sort of--on their way to Sheremetyevo trains make a stop at the Savelovsky Railway Station. Trains going in the opposite direction do not. If you need to get over to Savelovsky you can take the Metro.

After the Aeroexpress train arrives we'll walk to Metro station Belorusskaya (on brown line, #5 Koltsevaya line) which is near the Belorussky train station. Mendeleyev first lived in Moscow near this station (between Belorusskaya and Mendeleyevskaya).

We'll go south to station Kievskaya, then catch the blue line west to Park Pobedy.

[mendeleyev]

An older version (this one costs 250 Rubles) here is a sample ticket. Aeroexpress tickets may be purchased in advance at 380 roubles. This month AeroExpress introduced new "smart card" type tickets.

A boarding pass has a validity period of 6 months which allows passengers to schedule journeys in advance. As tickets are non-refundable this allows use if travel plans change.

AeroExpress tickets are not issued to a specific person and therefore can be passed on to any other person however two people cannot use the same ticket on the same trip as the new smart cards have a 20 minute waiting period between uses.

Aeroexpress began selling the new contactless smart cards in early August 2010. They are easy-to-use and enable passengers to significantly cut costs of frequent rides to the airport and back by rail. For tourists going on a trip Aeroexpress offers a "round-trip" price plan smart card costing 550 rubles. It is effective for 30 days, the day of purchase included.

For business passengers frequently going on business trips there is a smart card with a limit of 4 rides costing 1,000 rubles which is effective for one week (the day of purchase included).

Okay, our train is waiting out on the platform so we should approach for boarding.



(Photo courtesy of AeroExpress Media services)


Drop off some things here...





...then take a seat. We'll be at the Belorussky Rail station in just about 35 minutes.

[mendeleyev]

(photo: Gregory A. Kharikoff)


The Belorussky Rail Station (Белорусский вокзал) was built in 1870.

The terminal is home to the famous "Moscow-Express" Москва-Экспресс to Berlin and was featured in "The Bourne Supremacy" mystery thriller film. In the film actor Jason Bourne arrived from Berlin and caught a taxi into Moscow.






On return back to the Airport the Belorussky Rail Terminal is where many travelers can faciliate early check in (but not for International flights).



(AeroExpress Information desk, Belorussky rail station)


...when we continue we'll visit the Metro stations en route to our destination.

[Olga_Mouse]

Metro stations are open for passengers daily from 6 a.m. to 1 a.m.

First not, the metro stations are open - but rather entrance is allowed from... to.

Second, entrance to the stations opens at 05:30 - 05:40 (the exact time is written next to the entrance doors of every station).

The digit 6 a.m. appears only at mosmetro.ru website.

Third, if you've entered the metro before 1 a.m, you can use it till the last train that passes through the station you've entered - which is sometimes at 01:15 - 01:20.

It’s a violation to carry bulky luggage, firearm/weapons, bicycles, items that may damage other passengers; animals and birds without special containers or cages.

Make sure you buy a special luggage ticket to carry big items.

 Luggage rules: Which is considered as bulky - and as big?

"Big" (what you have to pay for...)

2.2. Багаж, сумма измерений которого по длине, ширине и высоте находится в пределах от 121 см до 150 см, длинномерные предметы, длина которых от 151 см до 220 см, оплачиваются отдельно за каждое место.

Количество мест багажа разрешенного к провозу не должно превышать двух мест на одного пассажира.

"Bulky" (what is not allowed)

2.10.1. Громоздкий багаж, сумма измерений которого (за исключением специально оговоренных случаев) по длине, ширине (двум диаметрам или осям в основании рулона) и высоте превышает 150 см, длинномерные предметы, длина которых свыше 220 см.

This information is available only at the Russian version of Mosmetro.ru website.

[mendeleyev]

The first Metro station in this leg of the trip is the Belorusskaya (Белору́сская), opened in 1952 as a transfer station with the original Belorusskaya station on the Zamoskvoretskaya line (the first part of this station was built in 1938). Belorusskaya is named for the nearby Belorussky Rail Terminal.





Travelers should be aware that as a transfer station, Belorusskaya serves two lines, the Zamoskvoretskaya Line and the Koltsevaya Line. To keep the two apart, some refer to the Koltsevaya as the Belorusskaya-Koltsevaya to distinguish it from the original connecting Zamoskvoretskaya Line station which was constructed in 1938. The two stations are connected via stairway.

The Koltsevaya line does not service just stations that belong to that line exclusively; rather, all its stations are transfer stations linking other lines.



(photo: Evgeniy88; Станция Кольцевой линии Московского метрополитена "Белорусская")

A terrorist bomb exploded under one of those attractive marble benches in 2001, injuring ten people in the blast.


Here is a nice video of the station:

[mendeleyev]

As this is a transfer station, serving two lines, with two levels, how does a rider tell them apart? The easiest part is to read the signs of course and after a while you become familiar with stations visited on a frequent basis.

But there is a way to tell just in case you don't read any Russian.

Just look up...



(The 1952 Koltsevaya Line ceiling is inset with murals of historic Belarussian life.)


Almost 200,000 riders enter the Belorusskaya station daily.



(The 1938 Zamoskvoretskaya Line has some similar design characteristics but without the ceiling murals and featuring lights as more prominent in the ceiling design.)


Now, click on the linked player and turn up the volume and listen to a Metro train arrive at Belorusskaya, doors open, then close, the Metro announcment is made, and the train picks up speed on the way to the next station, Dynamo.

[mendeleyev]

Краснопресненская/Krasnopresnenskaya





After Belorusskaya our next station feature is Краснопресненская. Even though we won't get off here, it would be nice to know more about this interesting station. Krasnopresnenskaya was opened in 1954 as a line section between Belorusskaya and Park Kultury stations. Located on located in Krasnaya Presnya street, the theme of the station décor is the Revolution of 1905.





The 1905 Russian Revolution was a forerunner to the political unrest that would come in 1917. Not just limited to Petrograd, strikes and marches took place all across the Russian Empire. The outcome of the citizen uprisings led to the establishment of limited constitutional monarchy, the State Duma of the Russian Empire, the multi-party system and the Russian Constitution of 1906.

In Petrograd, outspoken Orthodox priest George Gapon led a huge workers' procession to the Winter Palace to deliver a petition to the Tsar in January 1905. Russian troops at the Winter Palace opened fire on the protesters and hundreds died. That single event became known as Bloody Sunday, the start of the revolution which would continue for more than a decade.



(photo: Alexei Troshin/Алексей Трошин)


Nearby is the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs building, one of those imposing Stalin skyscrapers.

From here passengers can transfer to Barrikadnaya (Баррикадная) on the Tagansko-Krasnopresnenskaya Line. Barrikadnaya refers to street "barracades" from the 1905 revolution.

[mendeleyev]

We'll transfer at our next stop, Киевская (Kievskaya), on the Koltsevaya Line.





3 lines are served by the 3 connected Kievskaya stations where passengers can transfer from our Koltsevaya Line to the Arbatsko-Pokrovskaya Line or the Filyovskaya Line. To continue to Park Pobedy (Victory Park) we will transfer to the Arbatsko-Pokrovskaya line.

Each line has it's own colour as indicted in the map above.





The Koltsevaya Line Kievskaya is very beautiful inside. Yes, that is Mr Lenin pictured at the end of the hallway.






When we continue we'll see the connecting Kievskaya station and learn how to tell, by the interior decorations, which Kievskaya station we're in at the time.

[mendeleyev]

Mr Stalin was dead. Nikita Khrushchev was consolidating power, and it was time for a new station to be built.

Khrushchev was born in Ukraine and always extolled his “minor motherland”, as Russians sometimes call Ukraine (Kiev was the birthplace of Russia). In fact, he loved Ukraine so much that he was known to wear the national shirt known as a “Kosovorotka” with his suit. That being said it's not a surprise that the first two sections of Kievskaya literally flow with strong Ukrainian themes.

When Mr Khrushchev became the Secretary General of the USSR, he made no secret of his opinion that Ukraine's contribution to the creation of the Soviet state had not been properly recognized. Determined to build a monument to Ukraine in Moscow, the station Kievskaya project began with more than 40 design versions submitted for review. The winning design team was from Kiev (Kiev).





Unlike most Metro stations, the mosaics in Kievskaya Koltsevaya are mounted low along the walls. Compared to Metro Belorusskaya where we enjoyed the mosaics mounted in the ceiling, and even lower than in the adjoining Kievskaya Arbatsko-Pokrovskaya Line, the proximity to each mosaic allows waiting riders to study each panel in detail.






Underneath each panel is a marble scroll with the name and brief description of the scene.

[mendeleyev]

It was 1954 and the Soviet Union was celebrating 300 years of "union" between Ukraine and Russia when the Kievskaya Koltsevaya Line station was opened. A major theme running through the station is enduring friendship between the two peoples.





The scrolls at the bottom of each mosaic are crafted of white marble from the Ural mountains.





Kievskaya-Koltseveya is part of the circle ring that connects most other lines. Koltseveya is line #5 on metro maps and brown in colour. Urban legend says that Joseph Stalin himself ordered the line after he placed a coffee cup on the original development map (with no ring) and then lifting it and leaving a circular stain around the centre of the city and said "It's your main fault, it should be built". Supposedly this is the reason for the line's brown colour on all metro maps.

‘In the morning I go down in the Metro
There my underground life runs away.’
Three hundred feet below the ground,
The Circle Line goes round and round,
De-clunk de-da, de-clunk de-da,
Four syllables to every bar.
‘Dear Passengers,’ the tannoy says,
Uncomradely, though polished phrase
In regular paeonic feet
That fits the Metro rush-hour beat
Of workers paid to feed machines.
The male voice on the tannoy means
We’re ticking clockwise round the stain
Of Stalin’s coffee cup again;
An urgent metre, keeping time,
To which we nod our heads in rhyme
And mark the stress for emphasis,
Rabotniks from Metropolis,
Or clockwork soldiers on parade;
A rhythm made to be obeyed
By veterans with medalled chests,
And Moscow girls with perfect breasts,
And Moscow girls with almond eyes,
And businessmen in suits and ties,
And college kids who text and text
Between one station and the next:
I’m on the train, I’m on the train
I’m on the train, I’m on the train…
(Valery Syutkin)





Kievskaya-Koltsevaya is distinctively Ukrainian with whitewashed walls coloured in ivory and the mosaics and arches are trimmed with elaborate gold-colored plaster borders. Ukrainian style hanging lamps offer sufficient light to enjoy the protrayal of the stages of Russian-Ukrainian relations.





Escalators at the end of the hall lead bring riders from Arbatsko-Pokrovskaya Line. The entrance to Kievskaya-Koltseveya is built into the Kiyevsky Rail Terminal.

[mendeleyev]

Riding the Moscow Metro can be both breath-taking and bewildering. It is at once like a tour in a palace museum but at the same time can be confusing with the fast pace of moving trains, busy passengers, and confusing signs in a foreign language to most visitors.

So with the ability to read Russian how does one tell the 3 stations of the Kievskaya apart? There are several clues and this is by no means an exhaustive list.

The colour of the line. The round Koltseveya line (Кольцевая ли́ния), line 5, connects stations around the centre of Moscow and is the brown line. The Arbatsko–Pokrovskaya Line (Арба́тско-Покро́вская ли́ния) is line 3 with the colour of dark blue. The Filyovskaya Line (Филёвская ли́ния) is line 4 and it's colour is bright blue.





Another means of distinguishing between the 3 connected Kievskaya stations is of course by the line names and numbers.





On of the most fun ways is recognition of the interior styles. The Koltseveya line (Кольцевая ли́ния) is described in the immediate posts above. It is a very beautiful station.



(photo: Yuri Gridchin)


Kiyevskaya on the Arbatsko-Pokrovskaya Line was debuted in 1953, and is an amazing portrayal of Ukrainian life and culture through art. You'll notice that the mosiacs are placed much higher on the walls, at mid-ceiling length, than on the Koltseveya line art. The walls are also lighter, more whitewashed, as contrasted to the Koltseveya Kievskaya.



(photo: A. Savin)


The next station, while perhaps appearing more modern than the other 2 Kievskaya stations, is actually the eldest. Kiyevskaya Filevskaya was originally part of the Arbatsko-Pokrovskaya Line and dates back to 1937. Yes, there have been a lot of changes to it's structure over the years. Regardless of age, it is very different in appearance from the other 2 Kievskaya stations.



(photo: Ivan Gricenko)


Lighting is a key part of each Metro station design, often introducing a station's theme as does Metro Mendeleyevskaya (Менделе́евская) as an example. Compare the lighting scheme and fixtures in the 3 Kievskaya stations and you find each designed to play a very intergral part that station's theme.


Next on our tour we'll make the transfer from Kievskaya Koltseveya to Kievskaya Arbatsko-Pokrovskaya in order to continue our trip to Moscow's famous Victory Park (Metro Park Pobedy).