Russia is the world's largest country, spanning eleven time zones from Europe to Asia. From the grandeur of Moscow's Red Square and St. Petersburg's palaces to the Trans-Siberian Railway and Lake Baikal, Russia offers unparalleled cultural heritage, dramatic landscapes, and unique experiences.
- Public
- Moscow's metro is world-class with 250+ stations, 15 lines, and trains every 90 seconds in peak hours; buses and trolleybuses fill gaps; St. Petersburg metro has 5 lines; both cities have extensive bus networks
- Taxi
- Yandex Taxi app dominates and is reliable, affordable, and safe; Citymobil and Gett also available; never hail street taxis
- Rental
- Car hire practical only for exploring outside cities; Moscow and St. Petersburg traffic is brutal; GPS and offline maps essential; winter tyres mandatory December-February
- Walking
- Moscow and St. Petersburg city centres are very walkable with wide boulevards and pedestrian zones; Old Arbat, Nevsky Prospekt, and city parks ideal on foot
Transport at a glance
Airport transfers
Getting from the airport to your accommodation.
- Taxi
- Aeroexpress train to Belorussky Station - 470 RUB ($5), 35 minutes
- Shuttle
- Taxi to city center - 1500-2500 RUB ($16-26), 40-60 minutes
- Bus
- Bus 851 to Rechnoy Vokzal metro - 55 RUB ($0.60), 50-70 minutes
Local transport
Getting around the city.
Bus
Hours: Generally 06:00-23:00, some routes 24/7
- Availability
- Extensive networks in all cities
- Cost
- 55-65 RUB ($0.60-0.70) per ride in major cities
- Payment
- Cash to conductor, transport cards accepted
Alternatives
metro, trolleybus_tram, taxi, rideshare, bike_scooter
Taxis & rideshare
What to expect from taxis and apps.
- Regular
- Official rates
- Base fare 150-200 RUB ($1.60-2.10), plus 15-20 RUB ($0.16-0.21) per km
- Apps
- Yandex Taxi (most popular), Uber (limited), Gett, Citymobil
- Tips
- Always use apps, avoid street taxis, prices surge during peak hours and bad weather
- Average rides
- Short ride 200-400 RUB ($2-4), cross-city 600-1000 RUB ($6-11)
- Apps
- Yandex Taxi dominates, Uber merged with Yandex in Russia
- App Names
- Yandex Taxi dominates, Uber merged with Yandex in Russia
Intercity travel
Getting between cities and regions.
Bus
Routes: Extensive network connecting all cities
- Operators
- FlixBus, regional carriers
- Costs
- Generally 30-50% cheaper than trains
- Comfort
- Modern buses on major routes, basic on regional routes
- Example
- Moscow-St. Petersburg 800-1500 RUB ($8-16), 8-10 hours
Flights
- Airlines
- Aeroflot, S7 Airlines, Ural Airlines, Pobeda (budget)
- Major routes
- Moscow-St. Petersburg from 2500 RUB ($26), Moscow-Sochi from 3500 RUB ($37), Moscow-Irkutsk from 8000 RUB ($84)
- Booking
- aviasales.ru for comparison, book directly with airlines
- Tips
- Essential for Siberia and Far East, book 2-3 months ahead for best prices, budget airlines charge for luggage
Transportation details
Full breakdown of how to get around.
Airports
Sheremetyevo International Airport
From centre: 29 km northwest of Moscow center
Options: Aeroexpress train to Belorussky Station - 470 RUB ($5), 35 minutes; Taxi to city center - 1500-2500 RUB ($16-26), 40-60 minutes; Bus 851 to Rechnoy Vokzal metro - 55 RUB ($0.60), 50-70 minutes; Uber/Yandex Taxi - 1000-2000 RUB ($11-21)
Domodedovo International Airport
From centre: 42 km south of Moscow center
Options: Aeroexpress train to Paveletsky Station - 470 RUB ($5), 45 minutes; Taxi to city center - 1800-3000 RUB ($19-32), 50-80 minutes; Bus to Domodedovskaya metro - 120 RUB ($1.30), 30 minutes + metro; Yandex Taxi - 1200-2500 RUB ($13-26)
Vnukovo International Airport
From centre: 28 km southwest of Moscow center
Options: Aeroexpress train to Kievsky Station - 470 RUB ($5), 35 minutes; Taxi to city center - 1500-2500 RUB ($16-26), 40-60 minutes; Bus 611 to Yugo-Zapadnaya metro - 55 RUB ($0.60), 40 minutes; Yandex Taxi - 1000-2000 RUB ($11-21)
Pulkovo Airport
From centre: 17 km south of St. Petersburg center
Options: Bus 39 to Moskovskaya metro - 45 RUB ($0.50), 30 minutes; Taxi to city center - 800-1500 RUB ($8-16), 25-40 minutes; Minibus K39 to Moskovskaya metro - 60 RUB ($0.65), 25 minutes; Yandex Taxi - 600-1200 RUB ($6-13)
Kazan International Airport
From centre: 26 km southeast of Kazan
Options: Bus 97 to city center - 30 RUB ($0.30), 50 minutes; Taxi to center - 500-800 RUB ($5-8), 30 minutes; Yandex Taxi - 400-700 RUB ($4-7)
Irkutsk International Airport
From centre: 60 km from Irkutsk, 120 km from Lake Baikal
Options: Bus to Irkutsk - 150 RUB ($1.60), 90 minutes; Taxi to Irkutsk - 1200-1800 RUB ($13-19), 60 minutes; Private transfer to Lake Baikal - 2500-4000 RUB ($26-42)
Useful apps
Download before you arrive.
Yandex Taxi
Dominant ride-hailing app combining taxis, economy rides, and premium options; use exclusively instead of street taxis
Yandex Metro
Offline metro navigation for Moscow and St. Petersburg with journey planning and real-time departure boards
Yandex Maps
More accurate than Google Maps for Russia; real-time traffic, transit directions, and walking routes with Cyrillic address support
2GIS
Offline city maps and business directories for all Russian cities; works without internet connection; excellent for small city navigation
BlaBlaCar
Intercity carpooling app connecting drivers and passengers between cities; significantly cheaper than trains on some routes
Transport tips
Travel smarter, not harder.
Buy Troika card at any Moscow metro station for discounted rides — also works on buses, trolleybuses, and trams
Download Yandex Metro app for offline navigation of Moscow and St. Petersburg metro systems with route planning
Aeroexpress trains from all three Moscow airports (470 RUB/$5) are far cheaper and often faster than taxis during peak hours
In St. Petersburg during White Nights (late May-July), check Neva bridge schedule — bridges lift 1-5AM and you can be stranded on the wrong side
Moscow metro rush hours (08:00-10:00 and 17:00-19:30) are extremely crowded — plan sightseeing to avoid these times
Minibuses (marshrutky) serve routes not covered by metro; pay driver directly; routes marked on stops