Moscow apartment, extra-cental, equipped, winter/recession rate $100!!

[chivo]

The location is excellent, and you won't beat the price, recession or not. Walking distance from this place to the metro is moot as it's in the center and you can/should travel by gypsy taxi relatively cheap and easy around the city center, especially in the upcoming winter months. IOW, your lady will not be in the mood for a walk when the temp is -10C or worse. Typical taxi should run about 100-200 rub. to most places depending ($3-$7).

Metros Kitay-Gorod and Tretyakovskaya are right there as well FWIW.

For those of you that don't know and are headed this way, take the deal, you'll be (extremely) hard pressed to find better. Save yourself the time and trouble.

Nothing in Moscow will be remotely similar in price like it was even a few years back...well, except for the exchange rate, which should make your dollar/euro go further.

Personally, I don't think you'll see a big decline in prices at least for a few more months when the shit really hits the fan. Time will tell.

I think the horse riding he does at  Dubrovki (on the Volga) looks more fun actually.

That depends on the philly your riding .

chivo

[shakespear]

The location is excellent, and you won't beat the price, recession or not. Walking distance from this place to the metro is moot as it's in the center and you can/should travel by gypsy taxi relatively cheap and easy around the city center, especially in the upcoming winter months. IOW, your lady will not be in the mood for a walk when the temp is -10C or worse. Typical taxi should run about 100-200 rub. to most places depending ($3-$7). 

Just curious Chivo, why on earth would you want to expose yourself and your ladyfriend to the stagnant "parking lot" that is the central Moscow roadways for ANY price when you can get anywhere you want in Moscow proper in a matter of minutes using the metro for about $ .65 per trip.

I've seen it take 30 minutes just to travel by car a few hundred yards inside the city center.  Traffic in downtown Moscow is beyond "horrible" most of the day and early night.  Now after 1am when the Metro shuts down, of course use gypsy taxi's (the rate will be about 2x higher than you listed) but during the day, IMHO Metro is the way to go.

The commies didn't get much right, but they absolutely "nailed" mass transit.        

[Brasscasing]

The commies didn't get much right, but they absolutely "nailed" mass transit.         

Intracity and intercity all thru the FSU. Leftover from the cold war days - Troop/equipment movement infrastructure incase of invasion.

Brass

[chivo]

Just curious Chivo, why on earth would you want to expose yourself and your ladyfriend to the stagnant "parking lot" that is the central Moscow roadways for ANY price when you can get anywhere you want in Moscow proper in a matter of minutes using the metro for about $ .65 per trip.

If you avoid rush hour (8am-10am and 5pm-9pm), you'll be fine. I do it BTW. Matter of fact I would avoid rush hour in the metro too if you're visiting.

Only once have I've been caught is traffic like you suggest, and it was at 6:45 pm.

If I was visiting here during the winter, it would be easy to avoid the rush most of the time. Just stay indoors (making love  ) during the times I suggested. And yes, you might from time to time get caught up in some traffic at any time. Weather and accidents do happen.

Summertime (August especially) is different. Much better traffic, and walks are much nicer.

Now after 1am when the Metro shuts down, of course use gypsy taxi's (the rate will be about 2x higher than you listed) but during the day, IMHO Metro is the way to go.

Maybe for you, but I get around the center from Tverskaya to the Arbat and similar distances the other way for 100rub. (5km in any direction) pretty easy most of the time, sometimes for 70ru., but never at the times I listed, except on the weekends.

I work in the Izvestia building at Pushkinskaya which happens to be smack dab in the center of the city on Tverskaya, just for the record.
 
Matter of fact I get to VDNH where I live from the Arbat for 250-300 rub. (about 15-20 km) depending if I'm alone or with someone (if I'm alone I haggle more). This is anytime day or night. Stay away from rides with guys from the Caucasus' also.

Why do you pay so much...just curious?

If anyone wants though, they can meet me and I'll show them how to negociate a cab ride...на русском, конечно. 

I'll back up anything I say.

The commies didn't get much right, but they absolutely "nailed" mass transit.        

Agree, the Metro is very, very good, but its a zoo during rush hour also, and if you're new to the city, it can eat you alive at that time in a much different way that might/will seem much worse than sitting in the back of a warm car with your lady time permitting, traffic or not. A very aggressive/rude place.

Have you seen the cretins that ride the metro past 12am? You want to expose a lady to that? 

Look, I don't want to get into any pissing contest (that's mainly why i've stayed away from this board for so long). We all know about your time in Russia. If someone wants to take your advice instead of mine, that's fine. I know what I know. I've lived in Moscow for the last 5 years, so anyone is free to take my advice or not.

BTW, the worst traffic is out by the outer circle ring (MKAD).

chivo

[shakespear]

Look, I don't want to get into any pissing contest (that's mainly why I've stayed away from this board for so long). We all know about your time in Russia. If someone wants to take your advice instead of mine, that's fine. I know what I know. I've lived in Moscow for the last 5 years, so anyone is free to take my advice or not. 

No desire for a pissing contest either.  Just trying to learn.  While I have regularly negotiated gypsy cab rides of 70-100pyb in the daytime inside the ring road, there is no way I've been able to negotiate the same rates at night after the Metro stops at 1am.  I'm no rookie and I speak enough Russian to be able to negotiate a hard bargain.  Going home from PaPa's Place, Propaganda, The Real Mc Coy or Voodoo Lounge at 4or 5 am to my apartment on Tverskyaya the rate is never less than 300 pyb; usually 400 pyb.  Are you saying you can get it for 100pyb just like in the daytime?     Care to share your secret?

[Ward_Cleaver]

LOL!  It's painfully obvious you've never been there.   :

No, I haven't.  My expectations were based upon information I got from someone who lived there 7-8 years ago as a student.

[shakespear]

No, I haven't.  My expectations were based upon information I got from someone who lived there 7-8 years ago as a student.

No problem.  You should probably go this summer just to say you've been.  Moscow and Peter are absolutely exciting cities.  Much of what is discussed on this group will make more sense to you once you see it for yourself.

[chivo]

Going home from PaPa's Place, Propaganda, The Real Mc Coy or Voodoo Lounge at 4or 5 am to my apartment on Tverskyaya the rate is never less than 300 pyb; usually 400 pyb.  Are you saying you can get it for 100pyb just like in the daytime?     Care to share your secret?

Well, I'm rarely if ever coming home from these places, but have taken rides from similar distances. If anyone leaves an establishment like this, understand most of the drivers around these places are there specifically because they know that a lot of foreigners hang out at these places and therefore can take advantage of unsuspecting tourists and their prostit, er, evening dates  :, at a higher rate. Not much different than the guys at the airports really.

There is really nothing I do so special other than drive a hard bargain. If they don't want what I offer, I move on to another driver. You'll be surprised how many drivers will back up and invite you to sit down after you make your offer (which they initially refuse), politely close the door and walk away.

If I'm visiting a tourist type area, I walk a short distance away from the establishment (10-20m., or so) and get regular drivers who are just happening by. This alone will save you around 100 ru. or more, without much effort or inconvenience to your lady. Again, the drivers that wait around these places will not take less because they know some tourist will pay them more, sooner or later.

I also have they money I'm willing to spend handy, and will show it to them with the comment that it's all I have. I don't know, maybe it's the fact that they can smell it, but I rarely get refused when I do this. I don't squabble over an extra 50ru. should it be at 4-5am, or in the winter, unless I'm alone  .

I've been asked to pay all types of crazy amounts to get from A to B. Just cause they ask, doesn't mean I have to pay. For example, someone once wanted 300ru to take me from Mayakovskaya to the Arbat ( I must have looked like a tourist  ). Funny, he looked at me like I was crazy for refusing such a generous offer  .  I ended up paying 80ru, 10 seconds later.

I will pay what I know to be the going rate, nothing more. I don't worry if they accept my offer or not as another driver will be by in no time. I think the longest I've ever waited for a ride was about 3 minutes, and I'm talking about, who knows, maybe 500 rides. Good luck.

chivo

[mendeleyev]

Ward, nice avatar.  Very beautiful lady at your side, she looks very happy.

[mendeleyev]

It is a nice location and if around, the advice and counsel you'd receive would be worth $100.  Figure the apartment as a free extra.

Новокузнецкая station is on a great line and makes it easy to go anywhere.  To see inside the station, as it's a historic and very beautiful part of the early Metro system, watch this brief Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxvnkxdPOxs

I don't know why, but at first it was so difficult for me to say that name, Novokuznetskaya.  Now it seems so simple novo-kuz-nets-skaya.   

This is just a short walk from the Peter monument on the river and not far from Cathedral of Christ the Saviour either.

[Chillidog]

Uncle Pasha,

I maybe in need of an apartment in April (2009) in Moscow, but more likely in Kaluga. Do you have anything near Kaluga? or can point me in the right direction?

[mendeleyev]

CD, I have close friends and a relative (very elderly) in Kaluga and you'll enjoy this historic little town!  You absolutely must visit the museum in the centre and the Space museum.  Kaluga at one time was a very important centre of Russia's space program.

Today it's a furniture making mecca, as well as the primary factory for most of the commercial stoves used in BURGER KING restaurants in the West.

Hope your trip planning goes well!

[Bobalouie]

... as well as the primary factory for most of the commercial stoves used in BURGER KING restaurants in the West.

Dude, Mendy, what DONT you know?   

[mendeleyev]

Oh Bob, just ask the very lovely and talented Mrs Mendeleyeva.  She probably has a list of things I need to learn!   

[Chillidog]

CD, I have close friends and a relative (very elderly) in Kaluga and you'll enjoy this historic little town!  You absolutely must visit the museum in the centre and the Space museum.  Kaluga at one time was a very important centre of Russia's space program.

Today it's a furniture making mecca, as well as the primary factory for most of the commercial stoves used in BURGER KING restaurants in the West.

Hope your trip planning goes well!

any of them anxious to make a little cash in April and know of a decent apartment I can rent?

early in the planing stages so nothing definite and we may just meet in Moscow, but would rather meet in Kaluga.

I assume when you have traveled there you just took the train from Moscow correct?