Getting there

Moscow’s main international airport is Sheremetevo-2, which services most flights outside the former Soviet Union. The smaller terminal, Sheremetevo-1, services domestic flights. Buses shuttle between them.

An express train runs every hour from Savolovsky Station to Lobnya, where shuttle buses continue to Sheremetevo. The complete trip takes 75 minutes. A taxi between the airport and the city center takes 45 minutes in light traffic and costs about 800 rubles.

Moscow’s second airport, Domodedovo has undergone extensive upgrades in recent years to service more international carriers, including British Airways. In addition to free Internet kiosks in the international departures section, Wi-Fi zones are located in the second-floor waiting room and the first-floor VIP lounge. Wireless access requires the purchase of an MTS card from a newsstand or telecom store (various locations throughout the airport).

A convenient express train leaves Pavelets Station for Domodedovo every half hour. Taxi fare from the city center is 800 rubles and the trip takes at least an hour, depending on traffic. History is alive in this heroic city. The Kremlin shows off the splendor of Muscovy’s medieval princes; St. Basil’s Cathedral recounts the defeat of the Tatars. Moscow also recalls Russia’s more recent past, still fresh in our memories. On Red Square, the founder of the Soviet state lies embalmed-a few kilometers away, his heir propelled the demise of the same state.

These days, Moscow continues to make history. It transpires on every street corner, as Muscovites move into the 21st century while embracing the global culture of the modern era. With the same purposeful optimism that their predecessors looked “Forward to Communism!,” Muscovites today are looking forward to the limitless opportunity of New Russia.

Getting around

Many of Moscow’s metro stations are marble-faced, mosaic-tiled, stained-glass works of art. This engineering and artistic marvel is also the quickest and cheapest way to get around the city. Metro maps with Roman transliterations are available at hotels and in tourist publications.

To avoid the crowds, flag a taxi and let the driver tussle with traffic. Many unofficial taxis cruise around Moscow; alternatively, book a cab through your hotel. Taxis do not use meters, so expect to pay 150-200 rubles to ride within the center.