Moscow

Eco-friendly travel guide to Moscow advises how to be a responsible tourist. Learn how to explore the attractions in a sustainable way and how to respect the local people and culture. Make your trip green by supporting locally owned hotels, organic restaurants and other businesses. Read more on how to protect the environment by making conscientious choices and how to travel green in Moscow, Russia.

Moscow international business center

Air quality: 3.5 / 5

Exploring by foot: 3 / 5

Exploring by bicycle: 3.5 / 5

Public transportation: 4 / 5

Parks: 4 / 5

Outdoor activities: 4.5 / 5

Locals' English level: 3.5 / 5

Safety: 4 / 5

Accommodation: US$50 - $550

Budget per day: US$30 - $500

Responsible Travel

Moscow is the capital of Russia. As a result of that, you will find many foreigners going in and out of there every period. Being a tourist in today's world comes with its own set of responsibilities and obligations. The change climate of the planet urges us to be more responsible and take accountability for our actions and also study the impact we have on the environment. One must travel in an eco friendly way and ensure that the local citizens or the natural surroundings are not affected. These are some of the most crucial tips that vacationers must follow to travel responsibly.

Choose green hotels over other accommodation options and if you cannot find a green hotel of your choice then opt for an apartment or hostel. This is because most of the five star hotels and resorts create tonnes of waste every day including 79,000 tonnes of food waste (9% total food waste from the sector) and they do not adhere to sustainable business practices. If you choose to stay in an apartment you can work on your carbon footprint and decide on things like using no plastic, minimum waste etc. This will not only help with reducing your carbon footprint but massively help help with improving the environment.

Eat Local food and buy the food from street food stalls or small restaurants. This is because most of the big restaurant chains or fast food conglomerates are guilty of producing so much waste and directly contributing the problem of pollution and climate change due to their harmful business models. Not only do the small business owners need the help of tourists to run their business and provide for their family but they also have ethical practices for example most of them do not use plastic.

Use local transportation or electronic vehicles to keep the city pollution-free and save a lot of money at the same time.

Shop local. In order to support local craftsmen and artisans always shop local. During your trip to the city, you will come across small shops and food stalls in almost every lane of the city. If you want to have an unforgettable experience in the city, then buy goods and handicrafts from these shops. This will not only help you to save a lot of money but you will be supporting a lot of local people who are dependent on their small businesses to earn a livelihood

Air Quality and Pollution

There are a lot of things that pollute the atmosphere of Moscow. Out of all those things, traffic is the biggest. More than 80% of all emissions into the atmosphere is from traffic. Even though those emissions are quite harmful, there is no cause for alarm.

The weather condition has helped to reduce the effect of the emissions on Russian and foreigners living in Russia. However, you can play a part in helping to reduce air pollution in Russia. Make sure your car and other things that emit smoke are in good condition. Sometimes, machines only need good engine oil to stop producing smoke.

As of now, the government is trying everything to make sure air pollution reduces. Since factories contribute to air pollution, Russian engineers are working on new machines that will produce less smoke. As of now, the weather condition in Russia is still stable. So air pollution shouldn’t be something that will stop you from going there.

Respect the Culture

It is easy to adapt to the culture and traditions in Moscow. You just have to be willing to learn new things. Russians greet by shaking hands. In some cases, people of different sexes greet each other by kissing. You should only do that with someone that you know well. Eye contacts are important when greeting. They see it as a sign of respect. So you should stare at the person that you’re greeting.

Russians dress like responsible people. Since adults go to work on weekdays, they dress corporately. To avoid looking strange, you should try and fit in with their style. You can wear a trouser and a long-sleeve t-shirt on weekdays. If you like, you can even wear a tie. On weekends, Russians dress casually. You can wear neat jeans and a shirt. You can also dress differently. You just have to avoid stepping out like a thug.

Top 10 Places to Visit

Hermitage Museum: It is one of the largest museums in the world. Everything there is all about arts

Peterhof Palace: Details of a battle Russia won in the past are documented here. It is a place of historical importance.

Kolomenskoye: It is one of the oldest estates in Moscow and the whole of Russia. Recently, it was changed to a Museum.

Kremlin Armoury: Russian historical items from as early as 1851 are displayed here.

Moskvarium: A lot of Russian Aquariums are in full display here. It was established about one decade ago. The number of species there are estimated to be around 8500.

Diamond Fund: If you want to know what a real diamond looks like, you should visit the Diamond Fund

Ostankino Tower: it is one of the tallest buildings in the world. If you want to get a nice view of Moscow, you should go there. You can even take nice pictures there.

VDNKh: From palaces to pavilions, you will see a lot of things here. It is a place of great historical importance.

Moscow Kremlin: You must have heard tales of the great River Moskva. You will get a nice view of the river here.

Saint Basil’s Cathedral: It is an old Christian church. Before leaving Moscow, you have to go there. It is one of the most exciting places in the city.

Hermitage Museum

Explore

No matter how short you plan to stay in Moscow, you should create time to explore the city. From history to mystery, there are a lot of things you’re going to learn from visiting the tourist attractions in Moscow. If you’re not planning to stay long, you can decide to visit a few places. To have a nice time, you should only go to places where they do things that you like.

For instance, if you love history, you shouldn’t think twice before going to a Museum. As we go further, you will learn more about interesting places to explore in Moscow.

City Parks

Gorky Park: If you want to relax and enjoy fresh here, you should visit Gorky Park.

Hermitage Garden: You can chill and meet new people here. There are also DJ’s there. So you will enjoy Russian music.

Tagansky Park: Unlike in other places, kids can have fun here. There are a lot of exciting toys there.

Yekaterininsky Park: From libraries to ponds, almost everything is available. No matter what your taste is, there is a chance that you will see something that you like.

Novodevichy Ponds: You will get a nice view of beautiful Russian ducks.

Zaryadye Park: It is the perfect place to chill and have fun. Zaryadye is full of beautiful plants and trees.

Bauman Garden: Different sporting activities are held here weekly. From football to basketball, you can go there if you like any kind of sport.

The Apothecaries’ Garden: It is one of the most popular botanical gardens in Moscow and the whole of Russia.

Morozovsky Garden: it is the perfect place to relax and think. You will hardly see any place that is as quiet as Morozovsky Garden in Moscow

Trubetskiye Garden: It is a popular playground in Moscow. If you want to make new friends, you should create time to go there.

Yekaterininsky Park

National Parks

MGU Botanic Garden: It is not always open. Before you go there, you have to check their time-table. You can do that by visiting their official website. Some people will guide and educate you about all the flowers, trees, and plants in the botanical garden.

Losiny Ostrov National Park: It is the largest forest in Moscow and one of the largest in the whole of Russia. From elks to reptiles, there are a lot of animals you’re going to see there

Prirodny Zakaznik Zhulebinskiy: Unlike other parks, Prirodny Zakaznik Zhulebinskiy is more of a modern wildlife park. With a little fee, you can take a walk through the structures.

Losiny Ostrov National Par

Beaches

Troparyovo: If you’re searching for the right place to learn swimming, you should visit Troparyovo. Even though it is small, a lot of locals like going there. Apart from swimming, there are a lot of other adventurous things you can do at the lake. You can play different kinds of sport, browse unlimited with the Wi-Fi and even rent bicycles.

Rublyovo Beach: From wakeboarding to parties, many activities are performed at Rublyovo beach every day. On weekends, they host beach parties there. Since the river is clean, you can swim and have fun inside.

Bolshoi Gorodskoi Prud: Unlike other beaches, you don’t need to pay an entry fee here. You can also play several games there. Some of the games are air hockey, volleyball, and likes. If you can use a boat, you will explore the pond to know its end.

Landmarks

Central Moscow Hippodrome: It was established about 200 years ago. No matter when you are free, you can also go to explore Central Moscow Hippodrome. During summer, horse race competition is conducted there. There are a lot of seats for spectators. So you’re going to watch and enjoy every bit of the competition.

Monument of the Conquerors of Space: Russia has achieved a lot in Space travel. You will get to read and view everything about their Space travel history here.

Palace of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich: If you want to know how Russian royal families lived in the past, you should go there. The majority of the structures are still in good condition.

Central Moscow Hippodrome

Museums

State Tretyakov Gallery: The portrait of great Russian men is displayed here. From great politicians to scientists, you will see every there. With a small entry fee, you will be allowed to enter. Since Tretyakov is big, an instructor would guide you through the place. If you’re a foreigner who is finding out information about old things in Russia, you should also go there.

WinZavod: Wines and other drinks were produced here originally. Recently, they have started using it for art. You can also go there to watch the latest movies. There is a big cinema inside.

Flacon Design Factory: Everything here is all about creativity. If you want to invent a new thing, you can go there to search for similar inventions. From science to art, there are inventions of almost every field there.

Garage Museum of Contemporary Art: Although the modern facilities used here doesn’t make it look like a traditional museum, it contains a lot of artifacts.

State Guleg Museum: The artifacts here can be used to explain how Russia transformed over the years. You will also learn about recent inventions that were crafted from the old ones.

Eat

Since they’ve banned the importation of foodstuffs, the local restaurants in Moscow have stepped up. Apart from mastering how to prepare basic Russian foods, Russian chefs have been able to combine different ingredients to produce new meals. The weather determines what the majority of people eat in Moscow. For instance, the majority of people eat meals made from vegetables during the winter. Since most Russians go to their workplace in the morning, they take breakfast to have energy.

Another name for breakfast in Moscow is Zavtrak. The breakfast options available in the city are buckwheat, semolina pancakes, bread, and the likes. Russians also love to take Appetizers. The majority of them take it in the afternoon. Some of the appetizers available in the city are cavier, beluga sturgeon, and Olivier salad. In their language, they refer to appetizers as Zakuski. With soups, you can take your Russian meal in different ways. Soups such as beetroot and solyanka are in high demand there.

Traditional Local Restaurants

Chestnaya Kukhnya: The chairs here are arranged in a family-style. So you can go there with your loved ones. You won’t only be given a menu; you will also be allowed to select any combination of ingredients that you want. After ordering, you would be served in a short time.

Varvara Café: It is known for its beautiful interior. From morning till evening, delicious Russian meals are served here. The kitchen is an open one. So you will see that your food is prepared in a clean place.

Matryoshka: From baked vegetables to mushrooms, almost all the traditional Russian meals are offered here. You can also go there for bland food. Mini-pies, doughnuts, and other snacks are always available there.

Mushrooms: Mushrooms with different options are available here. You can combine mushrooms with any other Russian meal that you like. Desserts are also sold there.

Oblomov: The price of pickles and other Russian meals here are a little bit high. If you can afford the meals, you will enjoy the value of your money.

Vegetarian and Vegan

Jagannath: It is one of the oldest vegetarians in Moscow. Jagannath serves as a vegetarian and a restaurant. Even though they sell a lot of dishes, they specialize in vegetables. If you do heavy work, you should visit the place often. Jagannath vegetables will give you enough energy to work for hours.

Fruits & Veges: It is quite small in size. A meal such as hummus and different soups are served there. The meals there are also easily affordable.

Sok: If you’re a foreigner, there is a chance that you will be able to eat local food from your country here. They specialize in preparing Italian, Indian and Russian dishes.

Moscow-Delhi: You can eat here for as low as $17 and as high as $30. It depends on what you want.

Veganutye: If you love Pizza, you should visit Vegenutye frequently. You can purchase Pizza for as low as $5.

Street Food

Wherever you are in the city, you will notice kiosks of different colors and people around them. The majority of those kiosks sell fast food. Some of the foods are listed below

Cheburek: The Cheburek’s great taste has made it a favorite among locals and foreigners in Moscow. It is prepared by frying dough, meat, and other ingredients together. If you’re eating it hot, you should bite carefully. The oil in your Cheburek might just squirt and stain you.

Baked potato: Since there are various types, you will find one that you like. Some are made with butter and cheese, while the others are made with mushrooms and salmon.

Doughnuts: Russian doughnuts are a little bit different from American doughnuts. It is called Ponchiki. Just like Cheburek, doughnuts are made by frying. The majority of them are made to have a ball shape. Since it is a popular snack, you will find it in almost every street kiosk.

Drink

From alcoholic to non-alcoholic drinks, you have a lot of options in Moscow. If you love alcoholic drinks, you can go for Vodka. Don’t drink too much. If you get drunk, you might start to misbehave. If you want a drink with little alcohol, you can go for Kvas. The percentage of alcohol in the drink is around 0.5%. So you can drink much without getting drunk. Since it is produced in Moscow, it goes for a low price.

If you’re in a restaurant, you can ask the staff to serve you. If you want the packaged one, you should visit the nearest shopping mall or supermarket. Another popular drink in Moscow is Mors. Just like Kvas, the percentage of alcohol in Mors is just about 1%. It is more of a juice made from natural Russian fruits. In case you find it difficult to get a drink for your children, you can serve them Mors.

Tap-water

Russians use Sodium hypochlorite to treat their water. So it is safe. You can drink and use it for other things. Some bodies monitor the quality of tap-water in Moscow. The most popular one of them is Mosvodokanal. Mosvodokanal often tests the tap water in Moscow. They close all the ones that don’t meet their requirement. So only the safe ones are left for the public to use.

The ground and surface water are used to supply all the taps in Moscow. Those two originate from three different sources. The three sources are Moskva, Vazuskoye, and Volga river. Out of all the three, Moskva supplies the highest percentage of tap water in the city. It is estimated to supply about 60%. The Volga supplies the remaining 40%.

In case the tap water gets contaminated, Vazuskoye is used. Unlike the other two, Vazuskoye is more of a reserve. Even though the tap water in Moscow is safe to drink, it is better to use bottled water. You can always use the tap water to brush your teeth and do other things.

Organic Cafés

Gorod-Sad: All the ingredients used in preparing the meal here is natural. So it is a good choice if you’re considering your health. Even though natural ingredients are used, meals at Gorod-Sad still have a great test. It even tastes better meals from other cafes in Moscow. For as low as $2.6., you can have a great breakfast there.

Latuk: it is a high-class café. Before entry, you must have booked a space. They serve different meals in different seasons. During winter, their menu consists of meals that will keep you warm. Latuk’s menu includes porridge, solyanka, cake, and other great meals.

Receptor: With an amount of $15, you will eat any meal you want here. Some of the meals are burgers, noodles, and chicken.

Voronezh: it is known for its delicious fish and vegetable salads. Other Russian meals are served there as well.

LavkaLavka: The ingredients used in preparing meals in LavkaLavka are made from small farms. So it is safe for everyone.

Breweries

Rants & Raves Brewery: It is always opened by 11 am and closed by 11 pm. They work on all weekdays. On Sundays, Rants and Raves Brewery is closed by 9 pm. They don’t only sell beers; delicious Russian meals are also available there. If the place is far from you, you can order any of their beers online. It would be delivered to you.

The Moscow Brewing Company: It is the first brewery in Moscow. It is always opened by 4 pm and closed by 8 pm. Apart from Sunday, they work on all other weekdays. Since it is a local brewery, they specialize in producing Russian drinks. If you go there, you will be served on time. You will also have a lot of options. They produce beers in different flavors. Even though the place is not big, there is a DJ there. The DJ plays local Russian music.

Activities

When you’re less busy, there are a lot of fun activities that you can do in Moscow. There are a lot of lakes in the city. So you can always go fishing. You have to know that entry fees are paid to access the majority of those lakes. The atmosphere is also cool the majority of the time. So you can plug in your earpiece and walk around your street. If you have an interest in history, you can take lectures on Russian culture.

Since the majority of their restaurants sell traditional Russian meals, you’re going to enjoy them when you’re there. There are also a lot of tourist attractions in the city. Some of them are Armoury Chamber, Patriarch’s palace, and the likes. In case you’re into music, you will enjoy the different musical shows held in the city. Different local and international musicians perform there regularly. If you’re an upcoming musician, you can even get a chance to perform in a concert.

Yoga and Retreats

If you love yoga or any other related exercise, you will get the chance to practice here. Some of the popular places to practice yoga are listed below

Ashtanga: People often see yoga as a means of relaxing. Ashtanga is not about that. Even though yoga practice is a little bit exhausting, it is effective. Ashtanga has two branches in the city. So no matter where you’re based, one of those branches would be easy for you to access.

Yoga 108: Standard yoga is practiced here. It is aimed at building the strength of its students. The students there are taught in the Russian language. You will attend an average of eight classes in a month.

Bikram Yoga MSK: You should only go here if you’re not new to yoga. The majority of their classes last an average of 90 minutes. So that it will easy for international students; some of their classes are taught in English.

Accommodation

You need a good accommodation to have a nice time in the city. So you’ve to choose well. When choosing the right one, you have to consider the price. You don’t want to spend half of all the money you brought on accommodation. There are almost all kinds of accommodations in Moscow. The one you will stay depends on the amount you’re willing to spend. You will have to choose between a hotel, a hostel, or an apartment. There are great local hotels in town. Some of them are listed below.

Local hotels are the best for people who want to stay alone. On the other hand, you should consider an apartment if you want to stay with your family or friends. If you’re going to stay long, getting an apartment is also the right choice for you. If you’re in Moscow to study, you should get a hostel. When compared with the other two options, hostels are the cheapest. You can even share rooms, kitchens, bathrooms, and almost every other thing.

Green Hotels

Moscow is popular for its exciting tourist attractions. So you will find foreigners from different parts of the world there. So that foreigners will find it easy to settle in the city, green hotels were established. Green hotels don’t only help foreigners to adapt; they also contribute to the economic development of the city. To help make Moscow a better place, you should book only green hotels. Some of them are listed below

Radisson blu hotel: From the local staff to local food, everything here is done to introduce foreigners to the lifestyle in Moscow. All the rooms have Wi-Fi and televisions. So you’re going to have a nice time there.

Park Inn: The activities here contribute a lot to making Moscow a better place. Almost everything sold there is locally made. They also serve local breakfast meals to foreigners.

Hotel Metropol: When it was established, it competed with the great international hotels in Moscow. They employ only well-trained staff that are willing to guide foreign men on how to cope in the city.

Hostels and Guest Houses

Netizen Moscow Rimskaya: You won’t only sleep comfortably here, there are facilities in place to ensure that you have a nice time. There are restaurants, cafes, and likes inside. You don’t have to bring many things when you want to enter. There are clean towels and shelves inside. It is also recommended for students. There are good reading lamps there. So you can stay awake and study all night.

Capsule Hotel Botanist: The rooms here are wide and neat. Since you’re ready to pay, you can continue staying in a room as long as you like. If you also want to switch rooms, you would be allowed. During the weekend, you can scroll through the beautiful botanical garden at the back of the hotel. It is also a nice place to take dope pictures.

Urban Jedi Hostel: Up to 2 people can sleep comfortably in the private room here. If you are more than that, you can book a shared room. The shared room can contain up to 6 people comfortably. It is one of the best hostels for foreigners in Moscow. As you begin to explore the city, the staff here would educate you on the dos and don’ts in Moscow.

Apartments

If you live in an eco-friendly apartment, you will enjoy the comfort, social, and health benefits. In general, the quality of living in an eco-friendly environment is too obvious to be ignored. In Moscow, almost all local apartments were built with good materials. Good window materials are used. So you will have good ventilation. There is also Wi-Fi in almost all local apartments in Moscow. So you will enjoy the fast internet.

Even though all local apartments in Moscow are great, you will still have to choose one. That is why you’ve to access any apartment you want and check it yourself. All you have to do is meet the landlord. Inform him if he needs to make replacements in the apartment. Since the utility bills of local apartments are shared, you are not going to pay much. Airbnb is also popular in the city. You can visit their site and do researches about the available apartments in Moscow.

Couchsurfing

Moscow is a lovely place to visit. The majority of Russians love to mingle with foreign men. So they are quite accommodating. If you read through history books, you would have learned a lot from Moscow and the rest of Russia. A lot of beautiful inventions have been made there. They contribute a lot to modern technology.

Couchsurfing is quite easy in Moscow. A lot of lonely people don’t mind accommodating Russians for a particular period. All you have to do is search online. You should have made your findings before leaving your home country.

When you meet a host online, you should start interacting with him/her. So you would be familiar by the time you get to Moscow. You won’t find it difficult to get hosts. Couchsurfing is popular among people that are from developing or less-developing countries. Since some of them can afford to rent an apartment when they reach Moscow, they search for hosts that can accommodate them.

Camping

Sokolniki Camping: A lot of people do camp here every time. So you won’t feel lonely. It is also close to where you can take a taxi. So you can find it easy to access the city. Since the Wi-Fi is in good condition, you are going to enjoy stable internet access. Since showers are not much there, you might have to wait for a while before taking your bath.

Moscow Escape Aviapark Glamping: The staff here makes it easy for foreigners to settle there. Some cleaners ensure that the place is always clean. There is a swimming pool there. The pool is not deep. So newbies can learn how to swim there. There is even a space for parking cars.

Camping Yamskaya Sloboda: It is close to almost all the exciting places in Moscow. So you won’t have to move far before exploring. Breakfasts are always served there. Unlike other places, they prepare a lot of Russian meals for breakfast. So you would be able to choose anyone you like.

How to Get There

It is not difficult to visit Moscow. It just depends on your home country. If you’re in a close country, you are not going to spend much. On the other hand, you will spend much if you’re coming from a far country. If you’re from a developed nation, you will find it easy to access Russia. You just have to pay for your ticket fee.

On the other hand, you might find it difficult to enter Russia if you’re from a less developed nation. The country is trying to control its population. So they only accept people that are going there for genuine reasons. Another reason they are careful about immigrants is because of security. All immigrants are properly scanned before they are allowed to enter.

International students contribute a lot to Russia. So they are always open to accepting students. If you meet all their requirements, you will find it easy to study there. You can enter Russia through air, bus, or train. It depends on how far it is to you.

Air

The international airports in Moscow are in good condition. Their planes are also safe and easy to travel. They have embassies in almost all countries. So you can visit the one in your country. Before booking a flight to Moscow, you have to visit different websites and figure out where you’re going to get the best deal.

If you’re going to book a flight in advance, your fair is not going to be expensive. On the other hand, you might have to spend much. There are a lot of good airlines in Russia. Even though they offer the same thing, some of them operate in different ways. The most popular ones are Aeroflot, S7, and Rossiya. Immediately after you reach Moscow, you will find public transport buses that can take you to anywhere you’re going to in the city.

Domodedovo International Airport

Bus

The new e-buses in Moscow work from morning till evening. Since e-buses are far better than regular buses we used to know, Moscow is trying to change to it completely. E-buses contributes to better air quality in Moscow and the rest of Russia. Unlike the regular buses, e-buses doesn’t discharge emissions.

E-buses are also easier to maintain than regular ones. An estimate shows that the cost of maintaining an e-bus is about 15% lesser than the regular bus. As early as 4:00 am, e-buses have started working. So you can get to any place you’re going early. Some of those buses work till mid-night. The majority of the e-buses in Moscow have 30 seats. About 83 people can sit inside them comfortably. The noise is also less. So it is comfortable to travel with one.

Train

It is quite comfortable to travel to Moscow by train. Since it can be used to access anywhere in Russia, some people prefer it to all other means. Since some travels can take about a week, you have to pack in all the necessary things that you need. Even when a train stops, it doesn’t take more than 15 minutes before it continues moving. Whenever you’re traveling by train, make sure you get every necessary information. Know your timetable and departure times.

Since about 40 minutes are given to passengers to board, make sure you arrive there on time. If you want to rest, you’re going to pay for a bed. Unfortunately, your bedding fee isn’t included in the ticket fee. So you will have to pay around $4. It depends on the train that is carrying you. Even though it is safe to travel by train in Moscow, you have to be smart. Don’t trust anyone with your belongings. Make sure that your things are always with you.

Hitchhiking

If you sight any car moving to Moscow, you can politely stop the driver and ask him to take you there. In some cases, the driver would ask you for a small amount of money. If you are not ready to pay, you can reject his order and search for other drivers. Even though you’re going to see someone that will take you for free, it might take you long.

You can easily hitchhike at a gas station. A lot of drivers do leave there regularly. You can also hitch at places where trucks stop. Some truck drivers stop driving to rest. If you’re lucky enough to meet one, you can ask him for a lift. It is safe to hitchhike to Moscow. You just have to be smart. If you’re a woman, you should go with a man.

Others

You can reach Moscow by car. That is only possible if you live in a neighboring city. Unlike trains and buses, you don’t need any processing to do that. You can even drive your car by yourself. Just make sure it is in good condition. You should ask her a mechanic to test your car before you start driving. You should also have an extra tire. You should fix it if any of your tires run flat.

To travel safely, don’t move at night. Since the road is less busy at night, a lot of people drive at high speeds. You will be surprised that some of those drivers don’t even have functioning lights. Make sure you have enough petrol in your fuel tank. You shouldn’t exceed the speed limit. Every city and road in Moscow has a speed limit. Only experienced drivers should drive while traveling. If you’re still new to driving, you should hire a driver. Your travel would be safe and faster.

Moving Around

As a foreigner, you can go wherever you like in Moscow. Just make sure that you avoid conflicts by all means. At night, you can just plug in your earpiece and explore the city. You have to be careful. Entry fees are paid to enter some places. So make sure you avoid them if you’re not ready to pay.

The mode of transport that you will use depends on where you’re going. You can trek, ride bicycles, cars, and buses. You can even use a plane or private jet to move within the city. It depends on how buoyant you’re in finances. As a tourist who is not going to stay long, you have to utilize your time in Moscow. If you want to explore a lot of things, you shouldn’t rent an apartment. Since Moscow is a large city, you can’t stay in one place if you want to visit almost all the tourist attractions in a short time. That is why you should rent hotels or hostels. As we go further, you will learn the means of moving within the city easily.

Walk

If you’re close to where you’re going, you might decide not to take a taxi. Some doctors would even advise you to walk as much as possible so that you will be in perfect shape. Even though the security in Moscow is good, you should avoid walking at night. Some thieves are ready to snatch bags and other things.

You should also avoid trekking early in the morning. A lot of people trek to work. If you’re not as fast as them in trekking, you might cause foot traffic. If you aim to view the landmarks and tourist attractions in the city, you shouldn’t trek. The reason is that majority of them are far from each other. You should only trek if you don’t plan on seeing more than one in a day.

Bicycle

Bicycles are allowed at all streets in Moscow. If you’re just learning how to ride one, you shouldn’t practice in the main streets. The traffic is always much. So you can only drive on the main road if you’re pretty good. As there are international riding competitions held in the city, they also organize local riding competitions. You can join them if you’re good enough. If you win, you’re going to become popular within your short time in the city.

In case you can’t bring your bicycle to the city, you can always rent. For instance, a company named Velobike rents out bicycles to natives and foreigners in Moscow. All you have to do is register on their website. All you need for the registration are a valid email address, an active phone number, and some of your bank details. When you’re done with registration, you can visit their nearest station and get a bicycle. After doing that, the rent amount will be deducted from your bank account.

Electronic Vehicles

Just like you can rent bicycles, you can also rent an electronic vehicle in Moscow. Even though the two processes are similar, there are some little differences. Once you register on their official website of any operator, you will receive an email at the nearest place to pick up an electronic scooter. Some operators have only one station in town while others have a lot.

Some of the most popular operators in Moscow are Youdrive station and Delimobile operators. Surprisingly, those two were established in one day. After using their vehicle, you are expected to return it in a few hours. The amount you are going to spend depends on how long you want to use the vehicles.

The applications you will need to rent those vehicles can be downloaded on both google play store and apple store. It is available to both android and iPhone users. People using windows can also download it on the Microsoft store. There are official bodies that ensure that their vehicles are in good condition. So it is safe for use.

Public Bus

It is one of the cheapest means of transport in Moscow. Unlike other places, you don’t pay upon entry. You have to purchase tickets. You can either purchase the tickets when you get there or in advance. Since the tickets sell out early in the morning, it is advisable to purchase it in advance. There are several modes of paying for public bus tickets in Moscow. One of them is the use of Troika cards. That same Troika card can also be used to book for electronic vehicles and other things. The amount of money you will pay depends on when you’re going. There are different bus stops in the city. So you’ve to get down at the bus stop that is close to where you’re going. If you miss a particular bus stop, you will have to wait until the driver reaches the next bus stop.

Tram, Train and Subway

Just like you will get a public bus, it is also easy to get a train in Moscow. Unlike buses, the train doesn’t stop at many places. So it is only taken by people who are going to the same place. There are schedules for when trains move. So you’ve to plan so that you can meet up with any train you’re taking. In the past, the tram in Moscow was one of the most used in the city and the whole of Russia.

With the recent modes of transport, trams are not as used as before again. The tram at Mosco are in different places, and they reach a lot of locations. Due to the recent improvement in technology, they have also been made to be safer. Moscow has one of the best subways in the world. Even though the subway is fast and safe, it still goes for a low price.

Sustainable Shopping

There are a lot of markets and shopping malls that you can visit in Moscow. So you can purchase almost everything that you want. To make it easy for everyone, you don’t have to hold cash whenever you want to purchase. You can make use of your card. If you’re from another country, you will likely experience a change in the weather. To adapt easily, you can purchase the local skincare products in the city.

There are also several local boutiques in the city. Beautiful Russian clothes are sold there. When you start to put on such clothes, you will appear like a Russian. There are also flea markets in Moscow. From clothes to artifacts, a lot of vintage things are always sold there. Some flea markets open once in a week while the others open every day. To help improve the economy, you should patronize the local Russian malls in Morocco. All sorts of goods and services are available there.

Food Markets

Central Market: It was established in 1840. The central market became the major food market in Moscow, immediately that it started running. After sometimes, it was closed. In 2017, it started operating again, but they made some major changes. So that it can be easy for customers to purchase, fresh foods and street foods were sold differently. Since the traders in the same section sell almost the same thing, you would be able to select from different options.

Vokrug Sveta: You can drink and listen to music without visiting any nightlife place. That is possible at Vokrug Sveta. They also sell both local and foreign meals there.

Depo Moscow: It was opened recently. Depo Moscow is the definition of a modern market. It is the perfect spot to purchase freshly cooked meals in the city. On weekends, a lot of people go there to purchase, and it becomes so lively.

Flea Markets

Levsha: It was established in 1824. If you want to purchase good things here, you should go early on Saturday morning. That is when people rush the things available. By the afternoon, you won’t find exciting things to purchase anymore. From shoes to coins, almost everything is sold there.

Tishinka Flea Market: You should go there if you want to purchase design materials. You should also know that a lot of things that you will purchase there are not Russian. People from France, Germany, and other countries sell there. Unlike Levsha, the Tishinka market is opened once in a while. There are no specific days of operation. If you stick around for a few months, you would have the chance to purchase there.

Izmaylovsky vernisage Flea market: If you want to purchase the great things Russian used in the past, you should go there. It is highly recommended for people that love history. From old cameras to souvenirs, a lot of things are sold there. Since a lot of people visit the market, some artistes advertise themselves there. A lot of exhibitions are always on full display. On weekends, Izmaylovsky vernisage is opened from 9 am to 6 pm.

Second Hand Stores

Vintage Heritage: You can purchase clothes from as early as the 60s here. If you love fantastic jewelry, you can also purchase them at low prices. Even though their goods are old, they are still in good condition. The online store is also available for Russians only.

Feelosophy: They don’t only sell second-hand items here; they also sell some new Russian products. New companies take their items there and sell for low prices. They do that mainly for marketing. When they become popular, they start selling at normal prices.

Vintage X: Vintage clothes and other old and clean items are available for purchase here. You just have to pay a little amount of money for the quality items there.

Eco-Fashion

With the new brands that have been introduced in Moscow, eco-fashion is starting to become popular. Since they produce quality clothes, Russians purchase them. So they have started to expand production to every part of the city. Moscow and the wholee of Russia are using quality materials to produce their clothes. Animal furs are one of those materials.

Even though the major designers in the city are yet to be accepted globally, the future is bright. The majority of Russians now prefer to purchase locally made clothes in Moscow. The only set-back Moscow brands have in production is enough capital. That is why you have to patrionize them well. If they sell for both natives and foreigners, they will generate enough money to produce better dresses for the people. Popular local brands in Moscow are listed below

Gosha Rubchinskiy

12STOREEZ

Yulia Yadryshnikova

NNedre

Recycling

Not all waste products should be destroyed. Some of them can be recycled and used for other things. Even though a lot of programs have been done to enlighten Russians about recycling, they still destroy almost all their waste. Waste management companies focus on the money that they get from customers. Such a useful waste like bottles is destroyed together with the remaining waste.

Recently, some waste management companies in Moscow have started to realize that some waste products can be recycled and reused. That move has helped some companies to gather their variable capital easily. Since waste management companies don’t charge much for plastics, private individuals purchase and use them.

About 4% of all waste in the city is now being recycled. The remaining 94% is burned or destroyed in other ways. You would be surprised that some of the products that you even use today were made from recycling products.

Waste

There is thrash can in almost every street. Moscow is a neat city. So no one is expected to litter the place. All households must register with at least one waste management company. To determine the one you should register with, you have to consider certain things.

Waste management companies don’t operate in the same way. Some of them work on weekends while the others work on weekdays. You should register with the waste management company that would be around when you are at home. You’re expected to pack all your waste in one place. So it will be easy for them to take it whenever they arrive.

The majority of waste management companies work once a week. They have a specific day that they collect waste. Since most people are usually around on Saturdays, that is when they come the most. Moscow is a clean city. So you won’t find trash on the streets. If you’re looking for materials to recycle, you should request from waste management companies.

Work and Study Abroad

Since the currency in Russia is good, a lot of students love to study there. Some of those international students choose to study in Moscow. There are world-class universities there. So your certificate would be of good value. You are also going to meet a lot of international students like you. So you’re going to adapt quickly.

Moscow generates a lot of revenue from international students yearly. That revenue is from the school fee that each student pays. To encourage more foreigners to study in Moscow, they introduced the work and study. As an international student in the city, you would be able to apply for the same job as natives.

Even though you won’t have much opportunity to work as an undergraduate student, you’re still going to make some money. Postgraduate students are the ones that benefit the most from the work and study programmer. Since they attend classes once in a while, they have every chance to work and get rich before leaving the city.

Exchange Student

If you’re in a school that partner with Moscow schools, you can go there as an exchange student. In most cases, you would be on scholarship. If the school fee of the institution you’re going to study is too much, you might be asked to pay part. Exchange students either live in school hostels or rent houses outside. It depends on the terms of the agreement.

Since the standard of education in Moscow is high, they only admit intelligent students. So you’ve to work and study hard if you want to enjoy the program. In some cases, exchange students will automatically start doing masters after the undergraduate program. So they are entitled to work and study there. After you’re done with your master, you can also enroll for your doctorate. Just know that you’re going to sponsor yourself on that one.

Au Pair

If you’re not financially stable, you can work as an Au Pair in Moscow. Au Pair operates in different ways. It depends on your host. In most cases, an Au pair is usually asked to take good care of everything at home. If your host has children, you will also be asked to take care of them. In exchange for all those services, you will live in Moscow for free. Your host will shelter you, feed you, and he can even give you pocket money.

The majority of the hosts in Moscow prefer young people. So if you’re old, it might not be easy for you to get a host. They also prefer to house young boys or girls with good character. So you might have to make your changes if you have bad characters. When you know about the city well, you can leave and start to stay on your own. If you’re still financially dependent on your host, you shouldn’t leave yet.

Volunteering

Since Moscow started changing to a capitalist nation, they have been demanding from a lot of Volunteers. There is no racism in the city. So both local and foreign volunteers are allowed. Even though the government is working to make everything comfortable for its citizens, they can’t provide everything. That is why they need people who can work for free in certain sectors. Volunteers are needed for environmental works. The waste management company can’t reach everywhere.

There is a need for someone who can help and destroy the refuse left by people in those places. It will make their environment to be clean. Not all the schools in Moscow are of a good standard. Some parents can’t even afford to send their children to good schools. Volunteers can help send the children of those parents to good schools. It will yield a good result in the nearest future.