Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
One week before
Book any guided tours that you intend to take.
One day before
Book a taxi from the airport, if necessary.
Useful Websites
Lonely Planet
(
www.lonelyplanet.com/moscow
) Destination information, hotel booking, trav-
eller forum and more.
Calvert Journal
(
www.calvertjournal.com
) Excellent articles on Russia's contemporary creat-
ive culture.
Moscow Times
(
www.themoscowtimes.com
)
Leading English-language newspaper in Mo-
scow.
Expat.ru
(
www.expat.ru
) Run by and for English-speaking expats living in Moscow.
Art Guide
(
www.artguide.ru
) Listings for exhibits and other arty events, as well as museum
listings.
Moscow is My Oyster
(
http://moscowismyoyster.tumblr.com
) Fun blog about eating, drink-
ing, shopping and people-watching in Moscow.
Arriving in Moscow
Airports
All three airports are accessible by the convenient
Aeroexpress train
from the city
centre. If you wish to take a taxi, book an official airport taxi through the dispatcher counter
(R2000 to R2500).
Train stations
Rail riders will arrive at one of the central train stations. All of the train stations
are located in the city centre, with easy access to the metro. Alternatively, most taxi compan-
ies offer a fixed rate of R400 to R600 for a train-station transfer. For much more on arrival,
see (
click here
)
Etiquette
Russians are sticklers for formality. Follow these tips to avoid faux pas.
Visiting Homes
Remove your shoes and coat on entering a house. Always bring a gift. If
you give anyone flowers, make sure it's an odd number - even numbers of blooms are for
funerals.
Religion
Women should cover their heads and shoulders when entering a church. Some
monasteries and churches also require skirts. Men should remove their hats and avoid
wearing shorts.
Eating & Drinking
Russians eat resting their wrists on the table edge, with fork in left
hand and knife in the right.
