City guides
Moscow
Moscow is a huge, grand capital of wide avenues, onion domes, palace-like metro stations and big parks, with Red Square and the Kremlin at its heart. It is clean and well organised, but visitors must plan ahead: foreign bank cards do not work and many internet services are limited.
Good for
- History and architecture
- Museums
- Families
- Parks
- Winter lights
A good length: 5 days
Distances are long, so plan one area per day using the metro, and keep a slow park or river day in the middle of the trip.
Best months
May, June, July, August, September
Per person per day
- Budget
- US$70
- Mid-range
- US$150
- Comfort
- US$350
Per person per day: a bed (hostel or simple hotel, a 3 to 4 star hotel, or a luxury hotel), meals, metro and some taxis, and one paid sight. All of it must be paid in cash roubles unless you have a Russian card.
Where to stay and spend time
Kitay-Gorod and Red Square
Stay or visitThe Kremlin, Red Square, GUM and Zaryadye Park are all within a few minutes' walk, with several metro lines nearby.
For: First-timers, short stays
Watch out: Hotels here are the most expensive in the city, and mobile internet is often cut in the very centre.
Open in mapTverskaya and Patriarch's Ponds
Good baseThe main shopping street leads from Red Square to a quiet pond surrounded by elegant buildings, restaurants and cafes.
For: Couples, shoppers, people who like cafes
Watch out: Restaurants around the ponds are expensive.
Open in mapArbat and Khamovniki
Stay or visitThe pedestrian Arbat street, the Pushkin Museum and leafy lanes towards the river and Gorky Park make this a pleasant base on foot.
For: Families, older travellers, museum lovers
Watch out: Souvenir shops on the Arbat charge tourist prices; compare before buying.
Open in mapZamoskvorechye
Stay or visitAcross the river from the Kremlin, with low old houses, the Tretyakov Gallery and quiet streets that still feel central.
For: Families, culture lovers, calmer stays
Open in mapPresnensky and Moscow City
Good baseThe glass towers of the business district have modern hotels, malls and observation decks, with fast metro links.
For: Business travellers, people who want modern hotels
Watch out: It feels like an office district in the evening, far from old Moscow.
Open in mapKomsomolskaya Square (Three Stations)
Good baseThree main railway stations and one of the grandest metro stations meet here, with many mid-priced hotels.
For: Budget travellers, people taking trains
Watch out: The square is crowded and busy at all hours; watch your bags.
Open in mapVDNKh and Ostankino
Stay or visitA huge park of Soviet pavilions, fountains, the Moskvarium aquarium and the botanical garden, with cheaper hotels on the orange metro line.
For: Families with children, longer stays
Watch out: It is about 25 minutes by metro from Red Square.
Open in map
Places worth your time
- SightsFree
Red Square and St Basil's Cathedral
Kitay-Gorod and Red Square · 1 hour
The famous cobbled square with the colourful domes of St Basil's at one end. Come early in the morning and again at night when it is lit; entry to the cathedral itself is paid.
- Museums
Moscow Kremlin and Armoury
Kitay-Gorod and Red Square · 3 to 4 hours
Cathedral Square, the giant Tsar Bell and Tsar Cannon, and the Armoury's royal treasures, including gifts from Persian shahs. Armoury tickets are timed and sell out, so buy early at the Kremlin ticket office.
- ShoppingFree
GUM department store
Kitay-Gorod and Red Square · 1 hour
A 19th century shopping arcade with glass roofs on Red Square. Even without shopping, stop for the famous ice cream and clean toilets.
- ParksFree
Zaryadye Park
Kitay-Gorod and Red Square · 1 hour
A modern park next to the Kremlin with a floating bridge over the river and views of the domes. Good for a rest between sights.
- Sights
Moscow Metro stations
Across the city · 1 to 2 hours
Many stations are like underground palaces, with chandeliers, mosaics and statues. Komsomolskaya, Mayakovskaya, Ploshchad Revolyutsii and Kiyevskaya are favourites; ride outside rush hours for photos.
- Museums
State Tretyakov Gallery
Zamoskvorechye · 2 to 3 hours
The best collection of Russian painting, from old icons to 19th century masters. Closed on Mondays; plan at least half a day.
- ParksFree
Gorky Park
Arbat and Khamovniki · 2 hours
A large riverside park with gardens, boat rental in summer and a big ice rink in winter. Walk on into Neskuchny Garden for shade and quiet.
- With childrenFree
VDNKh and Moskvarium
VDNKh and Ostankino · Half a day to a full day
Grand Soviet pavilions and golden fountains in a park big enough for a full day, plus one of Europe's largest aquariums. Rent bikes or ride the park train to save walking.
- ViewsFree
Sparrow Hills viewpoint
Near Moscow State University · 1 hour
A terrace over the river with a wide view of the city and the stadium, in front of the huge university tower. A cable car crosses the river from Luzhniki.
- ShoppingFree
Arbat Street
Arbat and Khamovniki · 1 hour
An old pedestrian street of street artists, souvenir shops and cafes. Fun for a stroll; buy matryoshka dolls after comparing a few shops.
- ParksFree
Kolomenskoye
South Moscow · 2 to 3 hours
A former royal estate on a high riverbank with old wooden buildings, orchards and the reconstructed wooden palace of the tsars. Calm and green, good for older travellers.
- MarketsFree
Izmailovo Kremlin and Vernissage
East Moscow · 2 hours
A colourful fairy-tale complex next to a big souvenir and flea market. Best at weekends; prices are lower than in the centre and bargaining is normal.
- Views
Moscow City observation deck
Presnensky and Moscow City · 1 to 2 hours
High-rise viewing decks in the glass towers with views over the whole city. Go before sunset and stay for the lights.
- Day trips
Sergiev Posad
About 70 km north-east · Full day
A Golden Ring town with a walled monastery of blue and gold domes and a toy museum. Suburban trains leave from Yaroslavsky station; buy the ticket with cash at the counter.
Getting around
From the airport
Aeroexpress trainabout 55 min
The train leaves from the station at Terminals B and C, stops at the southern Terminals D, E and F, and runs to Belorussky station, with some trains also stopping at Savyolovskaya. The website and app take only Russian cards, so buy your ticket with cash at the Aeroexpress ticket office. First train about 5:45, last about 21:15.
about 470 roubles online, more at the ticket office (2026)
Aeroexpress bus to Khovrino metroabout 60 min
Express bus 1195 every 10 to 30 minutes from Terminals B and C to Khovrino on the green metro line, about 20 minutes, then metro to the centre. Pay cash at the Aeroexpress or bus ticket office at the airport. Ordinary city buses from the airport take no cash: you need a Troika card or a Russian bank card.
about 250 roubles online, more at the ticket office, plus a metro ride (2026)
Yandex Go taxiabout 60 min
Order in the app once you have Wi-Fi and choose cash. Waiting is free for only a few minutes, so order after passport control and baggage. Avoid drivers who approach you in the hall.
roughly the price of 20 to 30 US dollars in roubles (2026), more in traffic
In the city
Troika card
Buy the blue Troika card at a metro ticket office and top it up with cash; it works on the metro, buses, trams and the MCC ring. A ride costs 75 roubles from January 2026. Foreign Visa and Mastercard do not work at the gates, and buses take no cash.
Metro
Fast, frequent and the best way around, running from about 5:30 to 1:00. Signs and announcements on most lines are also in English; save a metro map on your phone since mobile data may be cut.
River boats
In the warm months, boats cruise the Moskva river past the Kremlin, Zaryadye and Gorky Park, an easy sightseeing trip for older travellers. Ask at the pier if they take cash.
Taxis and ride apps
Yandex Go is the main app and lets you pay the driver in cash; card payment needs a Russian card. Street drivers at airports and stations overcharge. Without mobile data, ask your hotel to order a car for you.
On foot
The centre is flat but very large, with long underground crossings and long walks inside metro stations. Older people should plan short walking stretches with metro rides in between and rest on the many benches in parks.
Food
Halal food: Halal food is fairly easy. Moscow has a large Muslim population and dozens of halal-friendly places, from Uzbek, Azerbaijani and Dagestani to Turkish and Lebanese. There are halal cafes near the Cathedral Mosque by Prospekt Mira metro, and the city tourism office publishes a Muslim-friendly guide.
Persian food and community: The Iranian community is small and Persian restaurants are few, but Azerbaijani, Uzbek and Tajik restaurants serve plov, kebabs and lamb dishes close to Persian taste. Many workers from Tajikistan speak Tajik, a form of Persian, and are often happy to help.
- Order plov, lagman and samsa at Uzbek cafes, which are everywhere and good value.
- Try Russian pancakes (blini), borscht and pelmeni dumplings, but ask about the meat.
- Business lunch menus on weekdays are the cheapest way to eat in good restaurants.
- Supermarkets sell ready meals and fresh bread; useful for families on a budget.
- Restaurants print bills in roubles only; make sure you carry enough cash before ordering.
Money and phone
Cash: Bring US dollars or euros in clean, undamaged notes; banks and exchange offices often refuse torn or marked bills. Change them for roubles at bank branches or licensed exchange offices in the city, with your passport. Airport rates are poor, so change only what you need for the trip into town. You can bring up to the equivalent of 10,000 US dollars without declaring it.
Cards: Foreign Visa and Mastercard cards do not work anywhere in Russia, and Apple Pay and Google Pay do not work either. Shops and apps use Mir, the Russian card system, which needs a Russian bank account. Since late 2024 cards from some Iranian banks connected to Shetab can withdraw roubles at Russian ATMs that accept Mir; ask your bank before you travel whether your card is enabled, and still carry enough cash.
SIM and internet: Buying a Russian SIM now requires biometric registration and a government account, which takes days, so most short-stay visitors do not. Use your home roaming or a travel eSIM set up before the trip, and rely on hotel and cafe Wi-Fi. Foreign SIMs may have mobile data blocked for the first 24 hours after arrival, and mobile internet in central Moscow is often switched off.
What travellers say
Advice that travellers from many countries repeat, chosen for Iranian visitors.
- Carry enough cash roubles for every day of the trip; card payments will fail.
- Download offline maps (Yandex Maps works well offline) and a metro map before you arrive.
- Write your hotel address in Russian on paper to show taxi drivers.
- Buy Kremlin and Armoury tickets early in the day; timed slots sell out.
- Book hotels through Russian sites such as Ostrovok or directly with the hotel; Booking.com and Airbnb do not work for Russia.
- Expect thorough questions at passport control; keep your hotel booking and return ticket printed.
- Winters are very cold, often below minus 10 degrees; summer days are long and mild.
- Some museums close on Mondays; check opening days before you plan.
For Iranian travellers
- For entry rules for Iranian passports, see the Russia visa page on this site.
- Ask your Iranian bank before the trip whether your card can withdraw roubles at Russian ATMs, but bring all your spending money in dollars or euros as a backup.
- WhatsApp has been blocked in Russia since February 2026 and Telegram is heavily restricted; agree with your family before you leave how you will keep in touch.
- Hotels register your stay with the authorities; if you stay with friends, you must register yourself, so ask your host to help.
- Carry your passport at all times; police document checks in the metro are common.
- The Iranian embassy is at 7 Pokrovsky Boulevard, near Chistye Prudy metro.
- Tajik and Azerbaijani speakers are common in shops and taxis, and many will understand Persian or Turkish.
Stay safe
- Emergency number: 112.
- Flights can be delayed and airports briefly closed because of drone alerts; leave extra time and keep snacks and water with you.
- Watch for pickpockets in crowded metro stations, at Komsomolskaya Square and on Red Square.
- Use only Yandex Go or hotel-ordered taxis; unofficial drivers at airports and stations overcharge heavily.
- Do not take photos of military or police buildings, and avoid political gatherings.
Checked 7 November 2026