Russia Info
Joined: 20 Apr 2007
Posts: 17
Home Country: russia
|
 Posted: Wed May 30, 2007 5:11 am Post subject: GETTING AROUND IN RUSSIA / RUSSIA TRANSPORTATION GUIDE |
 |
|
GETTING AROUND IN RUSSIA
BY AIR
The internal network radiates from Moscow’s four airports. Aeroflot runs services from Moscow to most major cities. All-inclusive tours are available from specialist tour operators. After the fall of the Soviet Union, Russian carriers developed a reputation for grouchy stewardesses, smoky cabins and poor safety. Thankfully, its safety record has improved in recent years and in flight services are on par with most international airlines.
Aeroflot and Transaero are Russia's most respected carriers. Both fly Western planes on many routes and are building alliances with Western airlines. Smaller baby flots are generally less reliable. Regardless of whom you fly with, Russian airlines tend to have habits (cancelling your ticket if you don't confirm, for example) that Western carriers couldn't get away with.
Flying from Moscow to Bratsk is six hours 45 minutes, to Donetsk is one hour 30 minutes, to Irkutsk is seven hours, to Khabarovsk is seven hours 30 minutes, to Kharkov is one hour 15 minutes, to St Petersburg is one hour 30 minutes, to Volgograd is one hour 50 minutes and to Yalta is two hours 15 minutes.
Domestic airports
Vnukovo Airport (VKO) (website: www.vnukovo.ru) is 29.5km (18 miles) southwest of Moscow. To/from the airport: Coaches go to the airport from the Central Air Terminal (travel time – one hour 15 minutes). Taxis are available to the city. Facilities: Outgoing duty free.
Domodedovo (DME) (website: www.domodedovo.ru) is 48km (25 miles) southeast of Moscow. To/from the airport: An Aeroexpress train goes from Moscow to the airport (travel time - 40 to 50 minutes). Express buses and a 24 hour shuttle service are also available. Two official taxi firms operate at the airport. Facilities: Duty free, shops and restaurants.
Bykovo Airport (BKA) is the smallest of Moscow’s airports, 35km from the city. To/from the airport: Coaches go to the airport from the Central Air Terminal.
BY SEA/ RIVER
With the exception of certain remote corners of Siberia, boats aren't an efficient way of getting around Russia. Still, there are a plenty of places in Russia you can get to by boat, and the sights often make the trip worthwhile.
European Russia has a network of interconnected rivers and canals that have been well travelled for centuries. Siberia's rivers are broad Goliaths that travel thousands of kilometers through the wilderness on their way from the steppe to the Arctic Circle. In the summer it's not hard to find cruises along Russian rivers. Passenger boats run up and down the Volga, between St. Petersburg and Moscow, and along many of the Siberian rivers.
The quality of the conditions varies tremendously. Many of the boats are still old Soviet operations where you'll spend a week or two in tight quarters eating bad food. Other boats are completely new or renovated and offer the kind of living quarters and food you'd find in a western hotel.
If you want to make sure you get a comfortable boat, it's best to book your trip through an agency. One western, but relatively, expensive option is Uniworld Cruises. The most popular cruises are on the river Don and the Volga. The Volga towns, the Golden Ring and Moscow–St Petersburg are popular routes.
BY RAIL
The railway is a vital part of the infrastructure of Russia because of the poor road system. The largest and busiest rail network in the world is predominantly for freight traffic. Only a few long-distance routes are open for travel by tourists, and reservations must be made on all journeys. Children under five years of age travel free. Children aged five to nine pay half fare. Rail travellers are advised to store valuables in the compartment under the bed or seat and not to leave the compartment unattended.
Most Russian trains fall into one of three groups: firmeny, skorry or elektrichki. Firmeny trains are long distance trains run by a private company. They usually have a name and on the whole they are faster, cleaner, more comfortable and more expensive than other trains. The Rossia (Russia), connecting Moscow and Vladivostok, and the Krasnaya Strella (Red Arrow), connecting Moscow and Petersburg, are two of the more famous firmeny trains.
All other long distance trains are the not-so-aptly named skorry poyezdy (fast trains). These are generally not as comfortable and make more stops. For shorter trips most sizable Russian cities are surrounded by a network of elektrichki, or suburban trains. An elektrichka has no cabins or bunks and will usually stop everywhere (there are some faster ones on Moscow's surburban network), including places where the cows won't get off the tracks.
Most long distance trains have two different classes: platzcart and coupe. Coupe, the preferred option for most foreigners, is a private cabin with four bunk beds, two on each side of a small table. Some long distance firmeny trains include a deluxe coupe class where there are two bunks in a coupe cabin that normally holds four. Platzkart is transportation for the masses, an open train car that fits six bunks into the space the coupe uses for four. A platzkart car feels like it was made to transport troops and puts the sights, sounds, and smells of Russia right in your face.
The Trans-Siberian Express, probably the most famous train in the world, is one of the best ways of seeing the interior of the country. It runs from St Petersburg to the Pacific coast of Siberia and on to Japan. There is a daily service, but the steamer from Nakhodka to Yokohama only sails approximately once a week. The through journey from Moscow to Yokohama takes 10 days. It is the world’s longest continuous train journey, crossing seven time zones and 9745km (5778 miles) from Europe to the Pacific, with 91 stops from Vladivostok to Moscow. Bed linen and towels are provided in the ‘Soft Class’ (first-class) berths, and there is a toilet and washbasin at the end of each carriage. Second-class cabins have four berths. Attendants serve tea from samovars for a small charge and there is a restaurant car on every train where meals can be purchased (however, no alcohol is available on the train, so passengers are advised to bring their own if desired).
The Trans-Manchurian Express follows the same route, before heading southeast into China and down to Beijing. Another, slightly shorter but no less epic journey can be made on the Trans-Mongolian Railway to Beijing. It runs from Moscow to Irkutsk (Siberia), skirting Lake Baikal and then entering Mongolia. The journey to the Mongolian capital, Ulaan Baatar, is remarkable for its dramatic scenery. The journey concludes in Beijing.
In theory, foreigners are required to buy train tickets at a Central Railway Agency ticket window specifically designated for foreigners. Two of the most convienent are located at the Belorussky Station and the Leningrasky Station. However, iff you find train station ticket offices daunting, it's possible to buy train tickets through agencies at a slightly higher prices.
BY ROAD
The European part of the Russian Federation depends heavily on its road network. Generally, the few roads in Siberia and further east are impassable during the winter. It is a good idea to arrange motoring holidays through a reputable agency. It is also advisable to pre-plan the itinerary and accommodation requirements. On the majority of tourist routes, signposts are also written in the Latin alphabet. Travellers can take their own car or rent a vehicle; tariffs include the cost of insurance. Chauffeured cars are available in major cities. Sample distances: Moscow to St Petersburg: 692km (432 miles); Moscow to Minsk: 690km (429 miles); Moscow to Rostov-on-Don: 1198km (744 miles); Moscow to Odessa: 1347km (837 miles).
Traffic drives on the right. Speeds are limited to 60kph (37mph) in built-up areas, 90kph (55mph) in non-built-up areas and 100kph (62mph) on highways (visiting motorists who have been driving for less than two years must not exceed 70kph (43mph)). Hooting the horn is forbidden except when to do so might prevent an accident. Motorists should avoid driving at night if possible. It is forbidden to carry unauthorized passengers or pick up hitch-hikers. Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol is forbidden. Every car must display registration plates and stickers denoting the country of registration and be fitted with seat belts, a first-aid kit, a fire extinguisher and an emergency sign (triangle) or red light. In case of an accident, contact the nearest traffic inspection officer and make sure all participants fill in written statements, to be witnessed by a militia inspector. All repairs will be at the foreign motorist’s expense.
Bus
Long-distance coach services have only recently become open to foreigners. They are a great way of seeing the country but patience is a necessity and getting lost is commonplace.
On the whole, Buses are not a comfortable way to get from city to city, but in some places they're the only public transportation available. Unless you're on a private coach hired by a tour group, the bus will probably be 20 years old and hidden in cloud of black exhaust. If you're more than a day's drive away from Moscow it could be worse.
Car rental
It's possible to rent a car in Moscow and St. Petersburg, but driving a car often proves difficult. Especially in the capital, bizarre traffic patterns (left turns are rare) and bad driving habits (nobody bothers with lanes) creates huge traffic jams and makes driving a challenge for the untested.
If you want to give it a try, check the Moscow Business Telephone Guide's list of car rental agencies. Several rental services offer pick-up or drop-off at Sheremetyevo-2. If you don't want to drive, many firms offer cars rented with a driver, sometimes even at reasonable prices. In provincial areas drivers can be hired at bus stations and train stations for a pittance.
Documentation: An International Driving Permit and a national licence with authorised translations are necessary. Visitors travelling in their own cars must also possess the following documents at all times: passport and visa; itinerary card bearing visitor’s name and citizenship, car registration number and full details of itinerary presented upon entry to the Russian Federation relating to the route to be taken and the date and place of stopovers; form provided by Customs on arrival guaranteeing that the car will be taken out of the Russian Federation on departure; petrol vouchers purchased at the border; and insurance cover documents. A road tax is payable upon entry to the country. Motor insurance for travel within the Russian Federation should be arranged prior to departure, or upon entry to the Russian Federation at the offices of Ingosstrakh, the Russian Federation foreign insurance agency. Contact the Embassy or a specialist tour operator for further details.
URBAN TRANSPORTATION
Public transport in the cities is comprehensive and cheap. Many services are electric traction (metro, tramway, trolleybus). Stations on the Moscow and St Petersburg metros are always elegant and often palatial. Entry to the underground is by tokens, which are inserted into the ticket barrier. Fares are standard for the various forms of transport; weekly and monthly passes are available. Buses operate 0500-0000. Tickets are available in strips or booklets from people outside the metro station or from the drivers directly. Tickets must be punched in the machine provided on the bus.
Taxis are also available; they can be hailed in the street, hired at a rank or booked by telephone. It is safer to use officially marked taxis, they are yellow with chequered signs on the doors. It's generally best to agree on the fare beforehand, as even the registered cabs rarely use meters (and when they do, it can sometimes be even more expensive). Use common sense when getting into a vehicle - if you don't like the look of someone, or don't want to get in a car with more than one person in it already, just say no and wait for the next one. |
|
Register
Log in
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
