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Travel - Internal
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.
Note: Aeroflot has been broken up into many small airlines, leading to virtually unregulated skies and the worst regional safety record in the world.
Domestic airports: Vnukovo Airport (VKO) is 29.5km (18 miles) southwest of Moscow. Coaches go to the airport from the Central Air Terminal (travel time – 1 hour 15 minutes). Outgoing duty-free facilities are available at the airport. Taxis are available to the city.
Domodedovo (DME) is 48km (25 miles) southeast of Moscow. A coach goes from the Central Air Terminal to the airport (travel time – 1 hour 20 minutes).
Bykovo Airport (BKA) is the smallest of Moscow’s airports, 35km from the city. Coaches go to the airport from the Central Air Terminal.
Approximate flight times: From Moscow to Bratsk is 6 hours 45 minutes, to Donetsk is 1 hour 30 minutes, to Irkutsk is 7 hours, to Khabarovsk is 7 hours 30 minutes, to Kharkov is 1 hour 15 minutes, to St Petersburg is 1 hour 30 minutes, to Volgograd is 1 hour 50 minutes and to Yalta is 2 hours 15 minutes.
SEA: Owing to its geographical position, the Russian Federation has ports on its Pacific and Baltic shores and in the south on the Black Sea. The most important eastern ports are Vladivostok, Magadan, Nakhodka and Petropavlovsk; the most important western ports are St Petersburg and Kaliningrad on the Baltic. The only links to the Atlantic are the ports of Murmansk on the Kola peninsula, which never freezes over and Archangelisk. Major harbours on the Black Sea are Novorossiysk and Sochi. There are plans to build an extension to the St Petersburg harbour at Ust-Luga. Upgrading of facilities at Kaliningrad and Vyborg is also planned. Sea cruises on the Black Sea and the Baltic are popular.
RIVER: Cruises and excursions are available on the Volga, Lena, Irtysh, Ob, Yenisey, Don and Amur rivers. Many companies offer cruises on board comfortable, modern boats. The Volga towns, the Golden Ring and Moscow–St Petersburg are popular routes.
RAIL: The 87,079km (54,109 miles) of track are a vital part of the infrastructure 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.
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 Moscow 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 ten 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. 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, epic journey may 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. For further information on these train journeys, contact Intourist Travel Ltd (see Contact Addresses section).
ROAD: The European part of the Russian Federation depends heavily on its road network, which totals 552,000km (343,000 miles) throughout the Federation. 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 (see Travel – International) or hire 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). 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. Traffic regulations: Traffic drives on the right. Speeds are limited to 60kph (37mph) in built-up areas and 90kph (55mph) elsewhere. 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 unauthorised 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. 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 (see end of Travel – International). 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: 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. 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, which should not be shared with strangers.
TRAVEL TIMES: The following chart gives approximate travel times (in hours and minutes) from Moscow to other major cities/towns in the Russian Federation:
| Air | Rail | Sea | | Khabarovsk | 7.30 | - | - | | St Petersburg | 1.30 | 9.00 | - | | Irkutsk | 7.00 | 88.00 | - | | Nakhodka | - | - | 141.00 | | Volgograd | 1.30 | - | - |
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