Artem Beliaikin, Unsplash License, Source

Moscow

A grand city of history and power

Moscow stands as a major city where Europe and Asia meet through culture, history and politics. The city has wide boulevards lined with historic buildings alongside modern skyscrapers. Visitors can explore museums filled with art from around the world or walk along the Moskva River to see landmarks like Saint Basil’s Cathedral. Public transport makes moving between neighborhoods easy, while markets sell food from many regions. Moscow serves as a hub for business and travel across continents, offering both tradition and change in daily life.

Add to list Map view

City in Russia

$$$

$	Cheap
$$	Medium
$$$	Expensive, upscale
$$$+	Very expensive, luxury

See price details

Safety: 6.8

General Safety:	7
Health & medical:	7
Accessibility:	5
Tap water:	7

Read details

2/5

English is spoken in hotels, high-end restaurants, and tourist attractions, but not widely among locals. Learning a few Russian phrases or using a translation app will be helpful.

Highlights Attractions Getting there Hotels Tips Travel costs Safety Articles

There is a travel warning issued for this country. Please check the website of your country's foreign office for the latest information.

Last update: 12 Oct 2026

* We earn a commission from some links on this page.

Moscow Summary

These place ratings give you a quick overview of how well a destination matches different types of trips.

‘Best for’ scores:
The specific interest scores show where this place really shines – whether it's ideal for hiking, food & drink experiences, museums or other activities. These highlights help you understand what makes the destination special at a glance.

‘Your personal’ scores:
This reflects how well a place matches your personal preferences. You can adjust the importances of travel topics or other personal requirements categories in your account settings.

‘Suited for’ badges:
These give you a quick overview of how well a destination suits specific types of travellers, to help you find the places that match your lifestyle, preferences or travel situation.

Read how our scores work

Famous for historic landmarks and culture. Visit the Kremlin and Red Square, explore major museums, enjoy ballet and theater and walk grand boulevards.

Place score

8.2

Best at:

Art

Guided tours

Luxury shopping

Architecture

Historic sites

Personal score

Suited for

👶 6

Families

🧓 5

Seniors

❤️ 8

Couples

🛡️ 7

Travel Beginners

Russia – Quick facts

Guide Etiquette Holidays Other

Power Grid:	220 V, 50 Hz Plug: Type C , Type F Type C: Type F: Read about power adapters
Currency:	Russian Rouble (RUB) £1 ≈ RUB 96.93
Cashless info:	Rating 4/5 Cashless payments are widely accepted in Russia, especially in cities like Moscow and St. Petersburg. Save with a travel credit card
eSIM providers:	We cannot recommend an eSIM provider for this country. We advise getting a local SIM card.

Tipping:	Tipping is not mandatory in Russia, but a 10% tip is appreciated in restaurants. Small tips for taxi drivers and hotel staff are also common.
Public drinking:	Public drinking is prohibited in many areas, particularly in public transport and on streets in larger cities.
Public smoking:	Smoking is prohibited in indoor public spaces, including restaurants and public transport.

Emergency contact:	Emergency Number: 112 (Police, Fire, Ambulance)
Taxi apps:	Yandex Taxi, Uber
Other:	Russia offers a wide range of experiences, from its rich cultural history to diverse landscapes, including the Kremlin and Siberian wilderness.

Best times to travel

The best times to travel section shows how the months compare for a visit, so you can find the time of year that fits what you want to do.

Background colours of the months:
The colour shows the typical temperature: yellow (hot), green (mild) and blue (cold). How strong the colour is shows the travel season: full colour means high season, soft colour means shoulder season and soft-striped means off season.

Weather symbols:
Each month has one symbol showing what the weather is typically like, such as hot and sunny, freezing or a rainy or snowy season. Use them to quickly spot months that match the weather you want, or to avoid the ones that don't.

Crowdedness:
The people icon shows how busy the place usually is. The more people, the more crowded it gets.

Additional notes:
The grey info boxes point out special things worth knowing, like recurring weather issues or seasonal events.

for Moscow, Russia

❄️

Jan

❄️

Feb

❄️

Mar

🌥️

Apr

🌤️

May

🌤️

Jun

🌤️

Jul

🌤️

Aug

🌥️

Sep

☁️

Oct

❄️

Nov

❄️

Dec

High season:	June - Sep.
Shoulder season:	Jan., May, Oct., Dec.
Crowdedness:	9 (Very crowded)

Tap on a month for more info Hover over a month for more info

Climate details

Orthodox Christmas is 7 January; New Year is the main holiday, with many places closed 1 to 8 January

Victory Day parade on 9 May closes Red Square and central streets for several days

Most visitors need a visa, which should be arranged well before travel

Don't miss

🏰 Admire St. Basil’s Cathedral on Red Square
🕍 Tour the Kremlin and its impressive cathedrals
🪆 See Lenin’s Mausoleum and explore Soviet history
🚇 Ride the ornate Moscow Metro and spot its art
🌇 Walk along the Moskva River embankment at sunset
🎭 Enjoy ballet at the world-famous Bolshoi Theatre

You've been here?

Why travel to Moscow?

Moscow is a city that feels larger than life. Walk through Red Square and be awestruck by the iconic St. Basil’s Cathedral, visit world-class museums or take in a ballet at the legendary Bolshoi Theatre. The city’s metro system itself is an attraction, with stations that look like underground palaces. However, be prepared for cold winters, some language barriers and a fast-paced urban environment.

🏯Places worth seeing

1 St. Basil's Cathedral
One of Russia's most iconic landmarks, this cathedral features colorful onion domes in Red Square. Despite heavy tourist crowds, its intricate brickwork offers a fascinating glimpse into Moscow's historic heart.
2 The Moscow Kremlin
The Kremlin stands as Russia's historic political heart, featuring red‑brick walls, golden domes and a complex of palaces and cathedrals that house state archives, museums and the presidential residence for tourists and researchers.
3 Moscow Kremlin
4 Bolshoi Theatre
5 Red Square
6 Novodevichy Convent
7 Tretyakov Gallery
8 Vladimir Lenin's Mausoleum

🎡Places for activities

1 Gorky Park
2 Grand Sports Arena of the Luzhniki Olympic Complex
3 Zaryadye park

🏞️Natural landmarks

1 Victory Park
2 Kolomenskoe open-air museum
3 Losiny Ostrov National Park
4 Sparrow Hills
5 Moscow River Shipping Company
6 Arshinovskiy park
7 Partizanskaya
8 Kuskovo Park

🛍️Shopping

1 GUM department store
2 TsUM
3 Arbat Street
4 Danilovskiy market
5 Aviapark
6 Metropolis Mall
7 Afimall City Shopping Center

🎈Events

Moscow International Film Festival
Victory Day Parade (May 9)
Moscow City Day (September)
Maslenitsa Festival
New Year Celebrations on Red Square
Easter Orthodox Celebrations
Spasskaya Tower Military Tattoo
Moscow Biennale of Contemporary Art
Night of Museums
Christmas Markets (December-January)

Explore on map

Open map view

Knowledge before you go

Red Square and Kremlin form the historic and symbolic city heart.
Plan extra time for security checks and ticketing when visiting the Kremlin complexes and major cathedrals.
Use the ornate Moscow Metro; key stations double as underground palaces and are attractions themselves.
Combine an evening riverfront walk with Gorky Park or Zaryadye Park for relaxed views of illuminated landmarks and skyline perspectives.

How to travel to Moscow

Moscow is served by three major airports: Sheremetyevo (SVO), Domodedovo (DME) and Vnukovo (VKO), all connected to the city by Aeroexpress trains. High-speed trains link Moscow to St. Petersburg and other major cities in Russia and Europe.

Access summary

From Sheremetyevo (SVO): Aeroexpress train to Belorussky station, about 35–45 minutes.
From St. Petersburg: Sapsan high-speed trains to Moscow, roughly 3.5–4 hours.
From Sochi: Direct flights to Moscow airports, typically around 3–3.5 hours.

Check your route from anywhere

Where to stay in Moscow

Moscow has a wide range of accommodation, from budget hostels to luxury hotels. The city center (near Red Square and Tverskaya Street) is the best for sightseeing, while Arbat and Kitay-Gorod offer a mix of history and nightlife.

Hotel recommendations

*by rating and popularity. Commissions have no influence on the rankings.

We couldn't find any nearby hotels for now.

How to get around Moscow

Moscow’s Metro is one of the most efficient and beautiful in the world, making it the best way to get around. Taxis and ride-hailing apps are available but can be expensive. Walking is a great option in central areas, though distances can be long.

Budget snapshot

Costs compared to home

We calculate the average costs when travelling to destinations and compare those with the living costs at your home. With this you can get an estimate of how expensive or cheap the destination is for you.

To customise this, you can set up which location and price level are used for the calculations in your account settings.

-32 %

Daily expenses in Moscow are around 32% lower than the average across United States. That means you'll spend considerably less on meals and getting around.

Exchange rate trend

The exchange rate price factor shows how expensive or cheap a currency currently is compared to its historical average. It's a quick way to see if a country is currently more or less affordable due to exchange rate changes.

+5 %

Your exchange rate (GBP to RUB) is 5% worse than in recent years. That means travelling now costs around the same compared to the past.

Travel costs

To help you plan your trip, we provide estimated daily costs per person (when travelling as a pair) for different travel styles. These numbers give you an idea of what you might spend each day at this destination, including accommodation, food, transport and activities.

Additionally, we also provide average hotel costs for different travel styles to give you an estimate for the accommodation only.

Please note that these are only estimates. The real costs depend on booking times, season and other factors.

Daily cost summary

Travel style categories explained:

Backpacker:
Staying in hostels or budget hotels, cooking your own meals or eating cheap and choosing low-cost activities.

Mid-range:
Staying in mid-range hotels, eating at a mix of restaurants and casual spots and enjoying a variety of activities.

Luxury:
Staying in luxury hotels, dining out at high-end restaurants and enjoying premium experiences without worrying about the price.

	Backpacker	Mid-range	Luxury
💵 Total costs per day, including accommodation	£38	£94	£255
🏨 Accommodation per night, per person	£15	£38	£90
🍝 Food per day	£20	£53	£155
🚕 Transportation per day	£3	£4	£10

Food & Drink

🍽️ Restaurant Dinner, per person	£22
🍛 Lunch Set, per person	£10
🍟 Fast food combo	£5
🍝 Preparing your own food, per day	£6.50
☕ Cappuccino	£2.80
🍺 Beer in a restaurant, 0.5 l	£3.60

Transportation

🚌 Public transport ticket	£0.75
🚕 Taxi Ride, 10 km / 6 mi	£6
⛽ Petrol, 1 l	£0.70

Other

🎞️ Cinema ticket	£6
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's consult	£25
🤧 Cold medication	£3.60
💇 Basic haircut	£5.50

Safety information overview

General safety

Moscow is generally safe, but be cautious of pickpockets in crowded areas. Avoid unlicensed taxis and be aware of scams targeting tourists. Political demonstrations should be avoided.

Health & Medical

Medical facilities are good, but private clinics offer better service for foreigners. Travel insurance is highly recommended. Winters can be harsh, so dress appropriately to avoid frostbite.

Accessibility

Metro stations have limited accessibility for wheelchair users. Some modern buildings and hotels are well-equipped, but historical sites often lack ramps and elevators.

Tap water

Tap water is not recommended for drinking due to its high mineral content. Use bottled or filtered water, which is widely available.