dodge journey sxt 2018

• Dodge Journey
• Used 2018 Dodge Journey
• Used 2018 Dodge Journey SXT SUV

Used 2018 Dodge Journey SXT SUV Review

Consumer reviews

Read what other owners think about the 2018 dodge journey sxt suv., most helpful consumer reviews, tired of all the negative press, great value, edmunds summary review of the 2018 dodge journey sxt suv.

Pros & Cons

• Pro: Extra versatility provided by standard three-row seat
• Pro: Low price for the segment
• Con: Lacks many modern safety and convenience features, even in top trims
• Con: Below-average fuel economy
• Con: Disappointing and outdated base engine and transmission
• Con: Handling and drivability lag behind competitors

Which Journey does Edmunds recommend?

Full edmunds review: 2018 dodge journey suv.

Vehicle overview

The Dodge Journey could very well be the car that time forgot. It debuted back in 2009 and has been pretty much the same vehicle since. While this longevity is admirable and speaks to the inherent goodness of the Journey's design concept, there's no denying that it's behind the times in quite a few areas.

As in previous years, the 2018 version of the Journey has three rows and a low price, but it lacks quite a few of the safety features buyers might expect, even when fully optioned. Its base engine is a truly underwhelming four-cylinder paired to an outdated four-speed automatic, and the combo results in subpar fuel economy. A stronger V6 is available, but even so equipped the Journey can't keep up with other three-row SUVs.

It's not all bad news for the Journey. We like the ride quality, and the seats are comfortable all around. The 8.4-inch Uconnect infotainment system included on upper trims is also a solid system, although it sadly has not been upgraded to the latest version that includes Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone integration.

The Journey will get you where you're going, and will do so for less money than many competitors. But overall we think you'll be happier with vehicles such as the Kia Sorento, GMC Acadia or new Volkswagen Tiguan.

2018 Dodge Journey models

All four Journey trims come standard with front-wheel drive and, excluding the GT, a 2.4-liter four-cylinder (173 hp, 166 lb-ft of torque) paired with a four-speed automatic. Opting for all-wheel drive (or the front-wheel-drive Journey GT) gets you a 3.6-liter V6 (283 hp, 260 lb-ft of torque) and a six-speed automatic transmission. The V6 is also available as a stand-alone option for the SXT and Journey trims.

Standard feature highlights for the Journey SE include 17-inch steel wheels, a height-adjustable driver seat, 60/40-split second-row seats (with slide and recline), dual-zone climate control, keyless ignition and entry, and a six-speaker sound system with a 4.3-inch touchscreen interface.

Options packages include the Connectivity package (Bluetooth, satellite radio, a USB port, voice commands and a leather-wrapped steering wheel), the Popular Equipment package (three-zone temperature control with rear-seat vents, a conversation mirror, overhead console storage, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel) and the Comfort/Convenience package (a power-adjustable driver seat).

Moving up to the SXT adds 17-inch alloy wheels and contents of the Connectivity and Popular Equipment packages. A Uconnect 8.4-inch touchscreen package gets you the desirable 8.4-inch touchscreen plus adds three-zone automatic climate control, aimable interior lamps, overhead console storage, rear parking sensors and a rearview camera. The SXT's Premium package adds satellite radio, a conversation mirror, leather-wrapped steering wheel and the power-adjustable driver seat.

The Dodge Journey Crossroad comes with 19-inch black-painted alloy wheels and the contents of the Uconnect 8.4-inch touchscreen package. Further options include leather upholstery, heated front seats, a rear-seat entertainment system, a premium six-speaker stereo system with subwoofer, navigation, a sunroof and the Driver Convenience package (a rearview camera, rear parking sensors, and a universal garage door opener).

The range-topping GT trim gets 19-inch alloys, remote start, a security alarm, leather upholstery, heated front seats and steering wheel, and the premium stereo system. Additional options are largely the same as for the Crossroad, but a Trailer Tow Prep package, which adds a hitch and four-pin wiring connector, is also available.

Trim tested

Each vehicle typically comes in multiple versions that are fundamentally similar. The ratings in this review are based on our first drive of the 2014 Dodge Journey SXT Plus (3.6L V6 | 6-speed automatic | AWD).

NOTE: Since this test was conducted, the current Dodge Journey has received some revisions, including an improved infotainment interface and standard third-row seating. Our findings remain broadly applicable to this year's Dodge Journey, however.

Acceleration

Drivability, seat comfort, ride comfort, noise & vibration, ease of use, getting in/getting out, edmunds insurance estimator.

The Edmunds TCO ® estimated monthly insurance payment for a 2018 Dodge   Journey in North Dakota is:

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• 2018 Dodge Journey

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starting MSRP

Base trim shown

Combined MPG

Seating capacity

View all  2018 Dodge Journey specs .

• Limited body roll
• Easy to maneuver
• 8.4-inch display's simple interface
• Crossroad trim's cabin materials and design
• V-6's transmission can be hesitant to kick down
• Nonlinear braking response
• Some low-rent dashboard buttons
• Ride quality

Starting msrp listed lowest to highest price

Wondering which trim is right for you?

Our 2018 Dodge Journey trim comparison will help you decide.

Notable features

• Seating for seven now standard
• Four-cylinder standard; V-6 available
• 8.4-inch touchscreen multimedia system available

2018 Dodge Journey review: Our expert's take

What it is: The Dodge Journey is a three-row mid-size SUV that's offered with front- or all-wheel drive. Competitors include the Ford Edge, Honda Pilot and Toyota Highlander.

Three-row seating for seven is now standard.

Consumer reviews

• Comfort 4.7
• Interior 4.6
• Performance 4.5
• Exterior 4.6
• Reliability 4.7

Most recent consumer reviews

2018 dodge journey no start..

My vehicle has been pretty good up until two weeks ago , September 9, 2022. I experienced a no start situation with the vehicle towed to the dealership and the dealership has no idea what’s happening or watt they report bad battery no charge etc. I’m suspecting that the PCM has a bad chip due to a recall that was performed supposedly in 2018. I don’t believe my vehicle was recalled and have not received a recall notice from Chrysler Corp. so now I’ve got a dead vehicle in the shop the dealership has no concept of what’s happening and the service writer seems to be not knowledgeable enough to research the problem.

• Comfort 4.0
• Interior 4.0
• Performance 5.0
• Exterior 4.0
• Reliability 4.0
• Purchased a New car
• Used for Transporting family
• Does recommend this car

Little Flaws

Love my Journey but have notice several with a missing antenna and also several with foggy headlights. Like moisture buildup inside the headlight assemblies. Bluetooth doesn't always hook up. Not the easiest on gas.

• Performance 4.0
• Purchased a Used car
• Used for Commuting

Journey needs help

Motor lacks pick up/passing power. Acceleration is slow at best! As for reliability, the passenger’s light does not work right, there is a slight sputter and a slight rattle in the front end!

• Performance 2.0
• Reliability 2.0
• Does not recommend this car

NHTSA crash test and rollover ratings (scores out of 5)

Have questions about warranties or CPO programs?

Latest 2018 Journey stories

Dodge recalls 83,500 journeys over dim side reflectors.

By Corinne Vercoe

12,800 Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Jeep and Ram Vehicles: Recall Alert

By Patrick Masterson

154,000 Dodge and Jeep Vehicles: Recall Alert

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2018 Dodge Journey SXT FWD Specs

# 18 out of 18 in 2018 affordable midsize suvs.

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Average Price Paid

$ 15,040 - $ 19,679

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2018 Dodge Journey

• Crash Tests

The Car Connection Expert Review

• Seven-seat capability
• Good optional infotainment
• Versatile interior
• Bad safety scores
• Limited features
• Underwhelming in almost every way

features & specs

The 2018 dodge journey should be available at big discounts, which is the only way we’d consider it over far more polished rivals..

The 2018 Dodge Journey is a low-cost, three-row crossover and not much else

We’ve rated the Journey at 3.8 out of 10 points, reflecting its below-average safety scores and an interior that’s a step or three behind most of its competitors. (Read more about how we rate cars .)

This year, the Journey carries over unchanged from 2017 in what’s likely to be its last year before being replaced by a new crossover. The Journey is available in four trim levels—SE, SXT, Crossroad, and GT. Most models come standard with a 2.4-liter inline-4, while a 3.6-liter V-6 is optional (and mandatory if you want all-wheel drive). The Journey shows its age in many ways, but one is that it comes standard with a 4-speed automatic transmission. Rivals, including some within Dodge parent FCA’s lineup, now have twice as many gears.

The Journey rides well enough and handles with confidence, but it is neither especially quiet nor particularly refined. Both engines produce a rumble that intrudes into the cabin and there is considerable body lean even on the Journey GT.

A rugged-looking Journey Crossroad model channels some off-road style, but it’s not actually any more capable when the pavement ends than the rest of the lineup. It is equipped with leather upholstery and an 8.4-inch infotainment system, two modern touches that make it the most appealing model in the lineup. Stick with the entry-level Journey SE, however, and you’ll find only a basic audio system without Bluetooth or a CD player. Even a rearview camera requires stepping up to the Crossroad.

The Journey comes standard with seven seats, which may make it appealing to families on a budget. Its interior is less roomy than newer rivals, but its 192-inch overall length means it may fit into some garages where minivans like FCA’s own Chrysler Pacifica are a tight squeeze. Unfortunately, its family car credentials are let down by frighteningly bad crash-test scores and limited available high-tech safety features.

2018 Dodge Journey Styling

The 2018 dodge journey is a throwback, in all the wrong ways..

The 2018 Dodge Journey is the mom jeans equivalent of the automobile. It gets the job done, but it’s far from stylish.

We’ve pulled off a point for its dowdy exterior and another for an interior that’s functional without much flair. That brings it to a subpar 3 out of 10. (Read more about how we rate cars .)

Base Journey SEs are markedly downscale with their untinted window glass and their 17-inch steel wheels with plastic hubcaps. The Journey SXT dresses things up slightly with alloy wheels, LED taillights, body-color exterior mirrors, and foglamps. The Journey Crossroad channels a bit of Subaru-like rugged looks, but that’s not backed up by any increased four-wheeling capability. Chrome roof rails and an unpainted body kit look nice, making this the most eye-catching Journey of the bunch.

Inside, the Journey’s dashboard is straightforward but painfully dull. The dash itself is contoured with soft edges and attractive graining. It’s not a terrible place to whittle away the miles, but it’s hardly inspiring. Cloth upholstery is standard, but the leather and mesh setup in the Journey Crossroads is the most appealing look in this group.

2018 Dodge Journey Performance

Though it rides well, the 2018 dodge journey’s engines are grumbly..

The 2018 Dodge Journey rides well enough, but its transmissions and its base engine are well behind the times. Those factors add up to a below average 4 out of 10 here. (Read more about how we rate cars .)

A dour 2.4-liter inline-4 rated at 173 horsepower and 166 pound-feet of torque comes standard on all but the Journey GT when front-wheel drive is selected. It shuttles power forward via a 4-speed automatic, a relic of a different era. Not only is the engine grumbly, it’s simply not enough to motivate this 4,000-pound crossover with any sort of gusto. Unladen, the 2.4-liter is acceptable, but with a few passengers aboard, things become labored.

Better is the 3.6-liter V-6 that ups things to 283 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque. It’s the must-have engine with all-wheel drive or with either version of the Journey GT. A 6-speed automatic is the only choice, and while it’s certainly better than the 4-speed paired to the 2.4-liter engine, this transmission is hardly state-of-the-art. The V-6 provides strong acceleration, but the automatic can sometimes fire off confused shifts and feels a bit lost at low speeds.

We have better things to say about the Journey’s ride and handling. Its hydraulic power steering hardly inspires performance driving, but it feels natural and centers well on the highway. Ride quality varies, with the standard 17-inch wheels delivering the most supple setup and the optional 19s trending toward jiggly on pockmarked pavement.

2018 Dodge Journey Comfort & Quality

The 2018 dodge journey’s interior is nicely configurable with decent enough room given its trim exterior proportions..

Where the 2018 Dodge Journey acquits itself best is in the way it parks passengers and their gear.

With three rows of seats and some useful storage bins scattered throughout, the Journey scores 6 out of 10 points here. (Read more about how we rate cars .)

Its front seats are about average with six-way adjustment for the driver but no height control for the passenger. The second row is really designed for two, although three can squeeze in for shorter rides. The bench itself slides fore and aft to open things up for more human or more passenger space. Row two’s folding mechanism isn’t as slick as some newer designs and access to the standard third row is really best for children—especially since there’s not a lot of room back there.

With both the second and third rows folded flat, the Journey offers a maximum of 67.6 cubic feet. But with all three raised, there’s just 10.7 cubes of storage space behind the third row. One nice perk is that the Journey’s second row can be ordered with two integrated boosters for children.

There’s plenty of room to store small items, including convenient under-seat storage bins in the second row’s floor.

No Journey is particularly luxurious inside, but the materials are generally pretty nice for the price. The standard cloth upholstery on SE and SXT models feels durable, but families may want to opt for the full leather-faced seats optional on Crossroad and standard on GT simply for how easy they are to clean up.

2018 Dodge Journey Safety

The 2018 dodge journey is simply not a good pick if safety is a priority..

If safety is a major factor when it comes to buying a new car, the 2018 Dodge Journey probably shouldn’t be on your list. Its low scores and limited safety features reveal its age; we’ve rated it a bottom-barrel 1 out of 10. (Read more about how we rate cars .)

Dodge doesn’t offer advanced features like adaptive cruise control or automatic emergency braking on the Journey and even relatively pedestrian features like blind-spot monitors aren’t available.

Heck, the Journey isn’t even available with a rearview camera unless you fork out the money for the optional Driver Confidence Group on Crossroad and GT trim levels.

In crash tests, the Journey hardly inspires confidence, either. The IIHS awarded it “Good” scores for all but the frontal offset test, where it scored a troubling “Poor.”

Federal testers give it four stars overall, albeit five stars for side impact.

Conversely, if you’re looking to get out of an older SUV or crossover, the Journey’s so-so scores against other 2018 model-year vehicles may be less of a factor.

Used Dodge Journey for sale near

2018 dodge journey features, the 2018 dodge journey is rather basic, as its price suggests..

The 2018 Dodge Journey is available in four value-oriented trim levels, but there’s more to this crossover than just its low base price.

We’ve rated the Journey lineup at a 3 out of 10, reflecting its low level of standard equipment and its limited upgrade opportunities. (Read more about how we rate cars .)

The 2018 Journey SE is decidedly basic, although power windows and locks, a USB input for its 4.3-inch touchscreen audio system, and a third row are all standard equipment. Rear-seat child boosters, a CD player, Bluetooth, and a package that includes black alloy wheels are all on the options list.

The Journey SXT comes with a few nice appearance upgrades and is available with more optional equipment like a power driver’s seat, satellite radio, and a chrome exterior appearance package.

Though it may look off-road ready, the Journey Crossroad is more about the look. It’s a bit more macho with its unpainted cladding and it’s also better-equipped. Standard leather and mesh upholstery, 19-inch alloy wheels, and an 8.4-inch touchscreen infotainment system are joined by optional navigation, a rear-seat entertainment system, and rear park assist.

At the top of the heap, the Journey GT has a stiffer suspension and standard leather upholstery with heated front seats and a heated steering wheel. A trailer tow prep package is available only on the Journey GT.

The 8.4-inch infotainment system on Journey Crossroad and GT trim levels is a delight to use, but it’s worth noting that this system has parent company FCA’s older software that’s not compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

2018 Dodge Journey Fuel Economy

Dated transmissions hold the 2018 dodge journey back when it comes to fuel economy..

The 2018 Dodge Journey delivers fuel economy that’s a step or two behind most rivals.

We’ve based our 6 out of 10 score on the V-6 model with all-wheel drive, but there’s hardly a major advantage to the base 2.4-liter engine. (Read more about how we rate cars .)

V-6 models come in at 17 mpg city, 25 highway, 19 combined with front-wheel drive and 16/24/19 mpg with all-wheel drive.

The front-wheel drive with a 2.4-liter inline-4 Journey rates 19/25/21 mpg on the EPA test.

Front-wheel drive Journeys can also run on E85, if you happen to live in the corn belt. Predictably, E85 consumption is much higher at 12/18/14 mpg.

What’s holding the Journey back? Its dated 4- and 6-speed automatic transmissions lack the gearing that makes competitors far thriftier.

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2018 Dodge Journey: It's Still Here

In its ninth year, this bigger-than-most crossover still sells against much fresher competition.

The Journey comes in base SE, mainstream SXT, stylish Crossroad, and well-equipped GT trims. A 173-hp 2.4-liter inline-four with a four-speed automatic transmission (there’s a sign of how old it is—only four ratios!) is standard on all front-drive Journeys except the GT. All-wheel-drive models and the front-drive GT come with a 283-hp 3.6-liter V-6 bolted to a six-speed automatic. For this review, we sampled an AWD Crossroad V-6 model.

What’s New: The Journey is like an oldies radio station that you listen to because you know all the words to the songs. For 2017, the V-6–powered GT model replaced the ambitiously named R/T and featured a stiffer suspension, red-stitched leather seats, 19-inch aluminum wheels, and a premium sound system. All 2018 Journey models now come standard with a third-row seat—the five-seat version has been dropped—which technically makes it a seven-passenger vehicle, so long as the aft occupants aren’t fully grown. Also new for 2018, Dodge has expanded the availability of the popular Blacktop appearance package to all Journey models including the base SE; it brings a black grille, black front-fascia trim, black-painted aluminum wheels, black roof rails, and black mirrors. Last year’s Crossroad Plus trim has been dropped.

What We Like: When Chrysler was developing the Journey, it borrowed some designers from its minivan program who managed to imbue the crossover with clever storage solutions. All Journeys feature hidden compartments big enough to stow larger items like cameras, tablets, laptops, and such out of sight under the second-row footwells and beneath the rear cargo floor. The 283-hp 3.6-liter V-6 delivers decent performance, especially next to competitors in the Journey’s under-$30K price category. The 8.4-inch Uconnect infotainment system that’s standard on the Crossroad and the GT (but not available on the SE or the SXT) is one of the simplest and easiest-to-use systems out there, especially at the price.

What We Don’t Like: Even though Dodge says it sells slightly more four-cylinder/four-speed Journeys than V-6/six-speed versions, we’d leave those slow, noisy four-bangers to populate the rental fleets. Neither the four- nor the six-cylinder is particularly thrifty at the pump. Transmission shift quality—even with the newer six-speed—can be inconsistent, mixing abrupt gearchanges with stretchy ones. As with many compact and mid-size crossovers with third-row seats, the Journey’s are useless for adult habitation. This Dodge drives like what it is—a mildly updated 10-year-old design. That said, it’s one of the last vehicles with hydraulically assisted steering, so weighting and effort buildup actually feel more organic than in the electrically assisted systems in more modern crossovers.

Verdict: Joey Chestnut can eat more hot dogs, but the Journey has more stash space.

Specifications

SPECIFICATIONS

2018 Dodge Journey

VEHICLE TYPE front-engine, front- or all-wheel-drive, 7-passenger, 4-door hatchback

BASE PRICES SE, $23,590; SXT, $26,790; SE AWD, $27,990; Crossroad, $28,990; SXT AWD, $30,290; Crossroad AWD, $32,490; GT, $33,590; GT AWD, $35,490

ENGINE TYPES DOHC 16-valve 2.4-liter inline-4, 173 hp, 166 lb-ft; DOHC 24-valve 3.6-liter V-6, 283 hp, 260 lb-ft

TRANSMISSIONS 4-speed automatic, 6-speed automatic

DIMENSIONS Wheelbase: 113.8 in Length: 192.4 in Width: 72.2 in Height: 66.6 in Passenger volume: 122-124 ft 3 Cargo volume: 11 ft 3 Curb weight ( C/D est): 4000-4375 lb

EPA FUEL ECONOMY Combined/city/highway: 19-21/16-19/24-25 mpg

C/D TEST RESULTS FOR 2016 Dodge Journey V-6 AWD Zero to 60 mph: 7.8 sec Zero to 100 mph: 23.1 sec Zero to 110 mph: 29.5 sec Rolling start, 5-60 mph: 8.3 sec Top gear, 30-50 mph: 4.3 sec Top gear, 50-70 mph: 5.7 sec Standing ¼-mile: 16.1 sec @ 86 mph Top speed (governor limited): 118 mph Braking, 70-0 mph: 177 ft Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad*: 0.76 g Curb weight: 4368 lb C/D observed fuel economy: 17 mpg *stability-control-inhibited

c/d testing explained

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The Comprehensive Guide to Moscow Nightlife

• Posted on April 14, 2018 July 26, 2018
• by Kings of Russia
• 8 minute read

Moscow’s nightlife scene is thriving, and arguably one of the best the world has to offer – top-notch Russian women, coupled with a never-ending list of venues, Moscow has a little bit of something for everyone’s taste. Moscow nightlife is not for the faint of heart – and if you’re coming, you better be ready to go Friday and Saturday night into the early morning.

This comprehensive guide to Moscow nightlife will run you through the nuts and bolts of all you need to know about Moscow’s nightclubs and give you a solid blueprint to operate with during your time in Moscow.

What you need to know before hitting Moscow nightclubs

Prices in moscow nightlife.

Before you head out and start gaming all the sexy Moscow girls , we have to talk money first. Bring plenty because in Moscow you can never bring a big enough bankroll. Remember, you’re the man so making a fuzz of not paying a drink here or there will not go down well.

Luckily most Moscow clubs don’t do cover fees. Some electro clubs will charge 15-20$, depending on their lineup. There’s the odd club with a minimum spend of 20-30$, which you’ll drop on drinks easily. By and large, you can scope out the venues for free, which is a big plus.

Bottle service is a great deal in Moscow. At top-tier clubs, it starts at 1,000$. That’ll go a long way with premium vodka at 250$, especially if you have three or four guys chipping in. Not to mention that it’s a massive status boost for getting girls, especially at high-end clubs.

Without bottle service, you should estimate a budget of 100-150$ per night. That is if you drink a lot and hit the top clubs with the hottest girls. Scale down for less alcohol and more basic places.

Dress code & Face control

Door policy in Moscow is called “face control” and it’s always the guy behind the two gorillas that gives the green light if you’re in or out.

In Moscow nightlife there’s only one rule when it comes to dress codes:

You can never be underdressed.

People dress A LOT sharper than, say, in the US and that goes for both sexes. For high-end clubs, you definitely want to roll with a sharp blazer and a pocket square, not to mention dress shoes in tip-top condition. Those are the minimum requirements to level the playing field vis a vis with other sharply dressed guys that have a lot more money than you do. Unless you plan to hit explicit electro or underground clubs, which have their own dress code, you are always on the money with that style.

Getting in a Moscow club isn’t as hard as it seems: dress sharp, speak English at the door and look like you’re in the mood to spend all that money that you supposedly have (even if you don’t). That will open almost any door in Moscow’s nightlife for you.

Types of Moscow Nightclubs

In Moscow there are four types of clubs with the accompanying female clientele:

High-end clubs:

These are often crossovers between restaurants and clubs with lots of tables and very little space to dance. Heavy accent on bottle service most of the time but you can work the room from the bar as well. The hottest and most expensive girls in Moscow go there. Bring deep pockets and lots of self-confidence and you have a shot at swooping them.

Regular Mid-level clubs:

They probably resemble more what you’re used to in a nightclub: big dancefloors, stages and more space to roam around. Bottle service will make you stand out more but you can also do well without. You can find all types of girls but most will be in the 6-8 range. Your targets should always be the girls drinking and ideally in pairs. It’s impossible not to swoop if your game is at least half-decent.

Basic clubs/dive bars:

Usually spots with very cheap booze and lax face control. If you’re dressed too sharp and speak no Russian, you might attract the wrong type of attention so be vigilant. If you know the local scene you can swoop 6s and 7s almost at will. Usually students and girls from the suburbs.

Electro/underground clubs:

Home of the hipsters and creatives. Parties there don’t mean meeting girls and getting drunk but doing pills and spacing out to the music. Lots of attractive hipster girls if that is your niche. That is its own scene with a different dress code as well.

What time to go out in Moscow

Moscow nightlife starts late. Don’t show up at bars and preparty spots before 11pm because you’ll feel fairly alone. Peak time is between 1am and 3am. That is also the time of Moscow nightlife’s biggest nuisance: concerts by artists you won’t know and who only distract your girls from drinking and being gamed. From 4am to 6am the regular clubs are emptying out but plenty of people, women included, still hit up one of the many afterparty clubs. Those last till well past 10am.

As far as days go: Fridays and Saturdays are peak days. Thursday is an OK day, all other days are fairly weak and you have to know the right venues.

The Ultimate Moscow Nightclub List

Short disclaimer: I didn’t add basic and electro clubs since you’re coming for the girls, not for the music. This list will give you more options than you’ll be able to handle on a weekend.

Preparty – start here at 11PM

Classic restaurant club with lots of tables and a smallish bar and dancefloor. Come here between 11pm and 12am when the concert is over and they start with the actual party. Even early in the night tons of sexy women here, who lean slightly older (25 and up).

The second floor of the Ugolek restaurant is an extra bar with dim lights and house music tunes. Very small and cozy with a slight hipster vibe but generally draws plenty of attractive women too. A bit slower vibe than Valenok.

Very cool, spread-out venue that has a modern library theme. Not always full with people but when it is, it’s brimming with top-tier women. Slow vibe here and better for grabbing contacts and moving on.

High-end: err on the side of being too early rather than too late because of face control.

Secret Room

Probably the top venue at the moment in Moscow . Very small but wildly popular club, which is crammed with tables but always packed. They do parties on Thursdays and Sundays as well. This club has a hip-hop/high-end theme, meaning most girls are gold diggers, IG models, and tattooed hip hop chicks. Very unfavorable logistics because there is almost no room no move inside the club but the party vibe makes it worth it. Strict face control.

Close to Secret Room and with a much more favorable and spacious three-part layout. This place attracts very hot women but also lots of ball busters and fakes that will leave you blue-balled. Come early because after 4am it starts getting empty fast. Electronic music.

A slightly kitsch restaurant club that plays Russian pop and is full of gold diggers, semi-pros, and men from the Caucasus republics. Thursday is the strongest night but that dynamic might be changing since Secret Room opened its doors. You can swoop here but it will be a struggle.

Mid-level: your sweet spot in terms of ease and attractiveness of girls for an average budget.

Started going downwards in 2018 due to lax face control and this might get even worse with the World Cup. In terms of layout one of the best Moscow nightclubs because it’s very big and bottle service gives you a good edge here. Still attracts lots of cute girls with loose morals but plenty of provincial girls (and guys) as well. Swooping is fairly easy here.

I haven’t been at this place in over a year, ever since it started becoming ground zero for drunken teenagers. Similar clientele to Icon but less chic, younger and drunker. Decent mainstream music that attracts plenty of tourists. Girls are easy here as well.

Sort of a Coyote Ugly (the real one in Moscow sucks) with party music and lots of drunken people licking each others’ faces. Very entertaining with the right amount of alcohol and very easy to pull in there. Don’t think about staying sober in here, you’ll hate it.

Artel Bessonitsa/Shakti Terrace

Electronic music club that is sort of a high-end place with an underground clientele and located between the teenager clubs Icon and Gipsy. Very good music but a bit all over the place with their vibe and their branding. You can swoop almost any type of girl here from high-heeled beauty to coked-up hipsters, provided they’re not too sober.

Afterparty: if by 5AM  you haven’t pulled, it’s time to move here.

Best afterparty spot in terms of trying to get girls. Pretty much no one is sober in there and savage gorilla game goes a long way. Lots of very hot and slutty-looking girls but it can be hard to tell apart who is looking for dick and who is just on drugs but not interested. If by 9-10am you haven’t pulled, it is probably better to surrender.

The hipster alternative for afterparties, where even more drugs are in play. Plenty of attractive girls there but you have to know how to work this type of club. A nicer atmosphere and better music but if you’re desperate to pull, you’ll probably go to Miks.

Weekday jokers: if you’re on the hunt for some sexy Russian girls during the week, here are two tips to make your life easier.

Chesterfield

Ladies night on Wednesdays means this place gets pretty packed with smashed teenagers and 6s and 7s. Don’t pull out the three-piece suit in here because it’s a “simpler” crowd. Definitely your best shot on Wednesdays.

If you haven’t pulled at Chesterfield, you can throw a Hail Mary and hit up Garage’s Black Music Wednesdays. Fills up really late but there are some cute Black Music groupies in here. Very small club. Thursday through Saturday they do afterparties and you have an excellent shot and swooping girls that are probably high.

Shishas Sferum

This is pretty much your only shot on Mondays and Tuesdays because they offer free or almost free drinks for women. A fairly low-class club where you should watch your drinks. As always the case in Moscow, there will be cute girls here on any day of the week but it’s nowhere near as good as on the weekend.

In a nutshell, that is all you need to know about where to meet Moscow girls in nightlife. There are tons of options, and it all depends on what best fits your style, based on the type of girls that you’re looking for.

Related Topics

• moscow girls
• moscow nightlife

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Travel Itinerary For One Week in Moscow: The Best of Moscow!

I just got back from one week in Moscow. And, as you might have already guessed, it was a mind-boggling experience. It was not my first trip to the Russian capital. But I hardly ever got enough time to explore this sprawling city. Visiting places for business rarely leaves enough time for sightseeing. I think that if you’ve got one week in Russia, you can also consider splitting your time between its largest cities (i.e. Saint Petersburg ) to get the most out of your trip. Seven days will let you see the majority of the main sights and go beyond just scratching the surface. In this post, I’m going to share with you my idea of the perfect travel itinerary for one week in Moscow.

Moscow is perhaps both the business and cultural hub of Russia. There is a lot more to see here than just the Kremlin and Saint Basil’s Cathedral. Centuries-old churches with onion-shaped domes dotted around the city are in stark contrast with newly completed impressive skyscrapers of Moscow City dominating the skyline. I spent a lot of time thinking about my Moscow itinerary before I left. And this city lived up to all of my expectations.

Travel Itinerary For One Week in Moscow

Day 1 – red square and the kremlin.

Metro Station: Okhotny Ryad on Red Line.

No trip to Moscow would be complete without seeing its main attraction. The Red Square is just a stone’s throw away from several metro stations. It is home to some of the most impressive architectural masterpieces in the city. The first thing you’ll probably notice after entering it and passing vendors selling weird fur hats is the fairytale-like looking Saint Basil’s Cathedral. It was built to commemorate one of the major victories of Ivan the Terrible. I once spent 20 minutes gazing at it, trying to find the perfect angle to snap it. It was easier said than done because of the hordes of locals and tourists.

As you continue strolling around Red Square, there’s no way you can miss Gum. It was widely known as the main department store during the Soviet Era. Now this large (yet historic) shopping mall is filled with expensive boutiques, pricey eateries, etc. During my trip to Moscow, I was on a tight budget. So I only took a retro-style stroll in Gum to get a rare glimpse of a place where Soviet leaders used to grocery shop and buy their stuff. In case you want some modern shopping experience, head to the Okhotny Ryad Shopping Center with stores like New Yorker, Zara, and Adidas.

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To continue this Moscow itinerary, next you may want to go inside the Kremlin walls. This is the center of Russian political power and the president’s official residence. If you’re planning to pay Kremlin a visit do your best to visit Ivan the Great Bell Tower as well. Go there as early as possible to avoid crowds and get an incredible bird’s-eye view. There are a couple of museums that are available during designated visiting hours. Make sure to book your ticket online and avoid lines.

Day 2 – Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, the Tretyakov Gallery, and the Arbat Street

Metro Station: Kropotkinskaya on Red Line

As soon as you start creating a Moscow itinerary for your second day, you’ll discover that there are plenty of metro stations that are much closer to certain sites. Depending on your route, take a closer look at the metro map to pick the closest.

The white marble walls of Christ the Saviour Cathedral are awe-inspiring. As you approach this tallest Orthodox Christian church, you may notice the bronze sculptures, magnificent arches, and cupolas that were created to commemorate Russia’s victory against Napoleon.

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Unfortunately, the current Cathedral is a replica, since original was blown to bits in 1931 by the Soviet government. The new cathedral basically follows the original design, but they have added some new elements such as marble high reliefs.

Home to some precious collection of artworks, in Tretyakov Gallery you can find more than 150,000 of works spanning centuries of artistic endeavor. Originally a privately owned gallery, it now has become one of the largest museums in Russia. The Gallery is often considered essential to visit. But I have encountered a lot of locals who have never been there.

Famous for its souvenirs, musicians, and theaters, Arbat street is among the few in Moscow that were turned into pedestrian zones. Arbat street is usually very busy with tourists and locals alike. My local friend once called it the oldest street in Moscow dating back to 1493. It is a kilometer long walking street filled with fancy gift shops, small cozy restaurants, lots of cute cafes, and street artists. It is closed to any vehicular traffic, so you can easily stroll it with kids.

Day 3 – Moscow River Boat Ride, Poklonnaya Hill Victory Park, the Moscow City

Metro Station: Kievskaya and Park Pobedy on Dark Blue Line / Vystavochnaya on Light Blue Line

Voyaging along the Moscow River is definitely one of the best ways to catch a glimpse of the city and see the attractions from a bit different perspective. Depending on your Moscow itinerary, travel budget and the time of the year, there are various types of boats available. In the summer there is no shortage of boats, and you’ll be spoiled for choice.

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If you find yourself in Moscow during the winter months, I’d recommend going with Radisson boat cruise. These are often more expensive (yet comfy). They offer refreshments like tea, coffee, hot chocolate, and, of course, alcoholic drinks. Prices may vary but mostly depend on your food and drink selection. Find their main pier near the opulent Ukraine hotel . The hotel is one of the “Seven Sisters”, so if you’re into the charm of Stalinist architecture don’t miss a chance to stay there.

The area near Poklonnaya Hill has the closest relation to the country’s recent past. The memorial complex was completed in the mid-1990s to commemorate the Victory and WW2 casualties. Also known as the Great Patriotic War Museum, activities here include indoor attractions while the grounds around host an open-air museum with old tanks and other vehicles used on the battlefield.

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The hallmark of the memorial complex and the first thing you see as you exit metro is the statue of Nike mounted to its column. This is a very impressive Obelisk with a statue of Saint George slaying the dragon at its base.

Maybe not as impressive as Shanghai’s Oriental Pearl Tower , the skyscrapers of the Moscow City (otherwise known as Moscow International Business Center) are so drastically different from dull Soviet architecture. With 239 meters and 60 floors, the Empire Tower is the seventh highest building in the business district.

The observation deck occupies 56 floor from where you have some panoramic views of the city. I loved the view in the direction of Moscow State University and Luzhniki stadium as well to the other side with residential quarters. The entrance fee is pricey, but if you’re want to get a bird’s eye view, the skyscraper is one of the best places for doing just that.

Day 4 – VDNKh, Worker and Collective Farm Woman Monument, The Ostankino TV Tower

Metro Station: VDNKh on Orange Line

VDNKh is one of my favorite attractions in Moscow. The weird abbreviation actually stands for Russian vystavka dostizheniy narodnogo khozyaystva (Exhibition of Achievements of the National Economy). With more than 200 buildings and 30 pavilions on the grounds, VDNKh serves as an open-air museum. You can easily spend a full day here since the park occupies a very large area.

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First, there are pavilions that used to showcase different cultures the USSR was made of. Additionally, there is a number of shopping pavilions, as well as Moskvarium (an Oceanarium) that features a variety of marine species. VDNKh is a popular venue for events and fairs. There is always something going on, so I’d recommend checking their website if you want to see some particular exhibition.

A stone’s throw away from VDNKh there is a very distinctive 25-meters high monument. Originally built in 1937 for the world fair in Paris, the hulking figures of men and women holding a hammer and a sickle represent the Soviet idea of united workers and farmers. It doesn’t take much time to see the monument, but visiting it gives some idea of the Soviet Union’s grandiose aspirations.

I have a thing for tall buildings. So to continue my travel itinerary for one week in Moscow I decided to climb the fourth highest TV tower in the world. This iconic 540m tower is a fixture of the skyline. You can see it virtually from everywhere in Moscow, and this is where you can get the best panoramic views (yep, even better than Empire skyscraper).

Parts of the floor are made of tempered glass, so it can be quite scary to exit the elevator. But trust me, as you start observing buildings and cars below, you won’t want to leave. There is only a limited number of tickets per day, so you may want to book online. Insider tip: the first tour is cheaper, you can save up to $10 if go there early.

Day 5 – A Tour To Moscow Manor Houses

Metro Station: Kolomenskoye, Tsaritsyno on Dark Green Line / Kuskovo on Purple Line

I love visiting the manor houses and palaces in Moscow. These opulent buildings were generally built to house Russian aristocratic families and monarchs. Houses tend to be rather grand affairs with impressive architecture. And, depending on the whims of the owners, some form of a landscaped garden.

During the early part of the 20th century though, many of Russia’s aristocratic families (including the family of the last emperor) ended up being killed or moving abroad . Their manor houses were nationalized. Some time later (after the fall of the USSR) these were open to the public. It means that today a great many of Moscow’s finest manor houses and palaces are open for touring.

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There are 20 manor houses scattered throughout the city and more than 25 in the area around. But not all of them easily accessible and exploring them often takes a lot of time. I’d recommend focusing on three most popular estates in Moscow that are some 30-minute metro ride away from Kremlin.

Sandwiched between the Moscow River and the Andropov Avenue, Kolomenskoye is a UNESCO site that became a public park in the 1920’s. Once a former royal estate, now it is one of the most tranquil parks in the city with gorgeous views. The Ascension Church, The White Column, and the grounds are a truly grand place to visit.

You could easily spend a full day here, exploring a traditional Russian village (that is, in fact, a market), picnicking by the river, enjoying the Eastern Orthodox church architecture, hiking the grounds as well as and wandering the park and gardens with wildflower meadows, apple orchards, and birch and maple groves. The estate museum showcases Russian nature at its finest year-round.

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If my travel itinerary for one week in Moscow was a family tree, Tsaritsyno Park would probably be the crazy uncle that no-one talks about. It’s a large park in the south of the city of mind-boggling proportions, unbelievable in so many ways, and yet most travelers have never heard of it.

The palace was supposed to be a summer home for Empress Catherine the Great. But since the construction didn’t meet with her approval the palace was abandoned. Since the early 1990’s the palace, the pond, and the grounds have been undergoing renovations. The entire complex is now looking brighter and more elaborately decorated than at possibly any other time during its history. Like most parks in Moscow, you can visit Tsaritsyno free of charge, but there is a small fee if you want to visit the palace.

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Last, but by no means least on my Moscow itinerary is Kuskovo Park . This is definitely an off-the-beaten-path place. While it is not easily accessible, you will be rewarded with a lack of crowds. This 18th-century summer country house of the Sheremetev family was one of the first summer country estates of the Russian nobility. And when you visit you’ll quickly realize why locals love this park.

Like many other estates, Kuskovo has just been renovated. So there are lovely French formal garden, a grotto, and the Dutch house to explore. Make sure to plan your itinerary well because the estate is some way from a metro station.

Day 6 – Explore the Golden Ring

Creating the Moscow itinerary may keep you busy for days with the seemingly endless amount of things to do. Visiting the so-called Golden Ring is like stepping back in time. Golden Ring is a “theme route” devised by promotion-minded journalist and writer Yuri Bychkov.

Having started in Moscow the route will take you through a number of historical cities. It now includes Suzdal, Vladimir, Kostroma, Yaroslavl and Sergiev Posad. All these awe-inspiring towns have their own smaller kremlins and feature dramatic churches with onion-shaped domes, tranquil residential areas, and other architectural landmarks.

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I only visited two out of eight cities included on the route. It is a no-brainer that Sergiev Posad is the nearest and the easiest city to see on a day trip from Moscow. That being said, you can explore its main attractions in just one day. Located some 70 km north-east of the Russian capital, this tiny and overlooked town is home to Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius, UNESCO Site.

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Sergiev Posad is often described as being at the heart of Russian spiritual life. So it is uncommon to see the crowds of Russian pilgrims showing a deep reverence for their religion. If you’re traveling independently and using public transport, you can reach Sergiev Posad by bus (departs from VDNKh) or by suburban commuter train from Yaroslavskaya Railway Station (Bahnhof). It takes about one and a half hours to reach the town.

Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius is a great place to get a glimpse of filling and warming Russian lunch, specifically at the “ Gostevaya Izba ” restaurant. Try the duck breast, hearty potato and vegetables, and the awesome Napoleon cake.

Day 7 – Gorky Park, Izmailovo Kremlin, Patriarch’s Ponds

Metro Station: Park Kultury or Oktyabrskaya on Circle Line / Partizanskaya on Dark Blue Line / Pushkinskaya on Dark Green Line

Gorky Park is in the heart of Moscow. It offers many different types of outdoor activities, such as dancing, cycling, skateboarding, walking, jogging, and anything else you can do in a park. Named after Maxim Gorky, this sprawling and lovely park is where locals go on a picnic, relax and enjoy free yoga classes. It’s a popular place to bike around, and there is a Muzeon Art Park not far from here. A dynamic location with a younger vibe. There is also a pier, so you can take a cruise along the river too.

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The Kremlin in Izmailovo is by no means like the one you can find near the Red Square. Originally built for decorative purposes, it now features the Vernissage flea market and a number of frequent fairs, exhibitions, and conferences. Every weekend, there’s a giant flea market in Izmailovo, where dozens of stalls sell Soviet propaganda crap, Russian nesting dolls, vinyl records, jewelry and just about any object you can imagine. Go early in the morning if you want to beat the crowds.

All the Bulgakov’s fans should pay a visit to Patriarch’s Ponds (yup, that is plural). With a lovely small city park and the only one (!) pond in the middle, the location is where the opening scene of Bulgakov’s novel Master and Margarita was set. The novel is centered around a visit by Devil to the atheistic Soviet Union is considered by many critics to be one of the best novels of the 20th century. I spent great two hours strolling the nearby streets and having lunch in the hipster cafe.

Conclusion and Recommendations

To conclude, Moscow is a safe city to visit. I have never had a problem with getting around and most locals are really friendly once they know you’re a foreigner. Moscow has undergone some serious reconstruction over the last few years. So you can expect some places to be completely different. I hope my one week Moscow itinerary was helpful! If you have less time, say 4 days or 5 days, I would cut out day 6 and day 7. You could save the Golden Ring for a separate trip entirely as there’s lots to see!

What are your thoughts on this one week Moscow itinerary? Are you excited about your first time in the city? Let me know in the comments below!

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24 comments.

Ann Snook-Moreau

Moscow looks so beautiful and historic! Thanks for including public transit information for those of us who don’t like to rent cars.

MindTheTravel

Yup, that is me 🙂 Rarely rent + stick to the metro = Full wallet!

Mariella Blago

Looks like you had loads of fun! Well done. Also great value post for travel lovers.

Thanks, Mariella!

I have always wanted to go to Russia, especially Moscow. These sights look absolutely beautiful to see and there is so much history there!

Agree! Moscow is a thousand-year-old city and there is definitely something for everyone.

Tara Pittman

Those are amazing buildings. Looks like a place that would be amazing to visit.

Adriana Lopez

Never been to Moscow or Russia but my family has. Many great spots and a lot of culture. Your itinerary sounds fantastic and covers a lot despite it is only a short period of time.

What was their favourite thing about Russia?

Gladys Parker

I know very little about Moscow or Russia for the\at matter. I do know I would have to see the Red Square and all of its exquisite architectural masterpieces. Also the CATHEDRAL OF CHRIST THE SAVIOUR. Thanks for shedding some light on visiting Moscow.

Thanks for swinging by! The Red Square is a great starting point, but there way too many places and things to discover aside from it!

Ruthy @ Percolate Kitchen

You are making me so jealous!! I’ve always wanted to see Russia.

Moscow is in my bucket list, I don’t know when I can visit there, your post is really useful. As a culture rich place we need to spend at least week.

DANA GUTKOWSKI

Looks like you had a great trip! Thanks for all the great info! I’ve never been in to Russia, but this post makes me wanna go now!

Wow this is amazing! Moscow is on my bucket list – such an amazing place to visit I can imagine! I can’t wait to go there one day!

The building on the second picture looks familiar. I keep seeing that on TV.

Reesa Lewandowski

What beautiful moments! I always wish I had the personality to travel more like this!

Perfect itinerary for spending a week in Moscow! So many places to visit and it looks like you had a wonderful time. I would love to climb that tower. The views I am sure must have been amazing!

I was lucky enough to see the skyline of Moscow from this TV Tower and it is definitely mind-blowing.

Chelsea Pearl

Moscow is definitely up there on my travel bucket list. So much history and iconic architecture!

Thumbs up! 🙂

Blair Villanueva

OMG I dream to visit Moscow someday! Hope the visa processing would be okay (and become more affordable) so I could pursue my dream trip!

Yup, visa processing is the major downside! Agree! Time and the money consuming process…

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In Transit: Notes from the Underground

Jun 06 2018.

Spend some time in one of Moscow’s finest museums.

Subterranean commuting might not be anyone’s idea of a good time, but even in a city packing the war-games treasures and priceless bejeweled eggs of the Kremlin Armoury and the colossal Soviet pavilions of the VDNKh , the Metro holds up as one of Moscow’s finest museums. Just avoid rush hour.

The Metro is stunning and provides an unrivaled insight into the city’s psyche, past and present, but it also happens to be the best way to get around. Moscow has Uber, and the Russian version called Yandex Taxi , but also some nasty traffic. Metro trains come around every 90 seconds or so, at a more than 99 percent on-time rate. It’s also reasonably priced, with a single ride at 55 cents (and cheaper in bulk). From history to tickets to rules — official and not — here’s what you need to know to get started.

A Brief Introduction Buying Tickets Know Before You Go (Down) Rules An Easy Tour

A Brief Introduction

Moscow’s Metro was a long time coming. Plans for rapid transit to relieve the city’s beleaguered tram system date back to the Imperial era, but a couple of wars and a revolution held up its development. Stalin revived it as part of his grand plan to modernize the Soviet Union in the 1920s and 30s. The first lines and tunnels were constructed with help from engineers from the London Underground, although Stalin’s secret police decided that they had learned too much about Moscow’s layout and had them arrested on espionage charges and deported.

The beauty of its stations (if not its trains) is well-documented, and certainly no accident. In its illustrious first phases and particularly after the Second World War, the greatest architects of Soviet era were recruited to create gleaming temples celebrating the Revolution, the USSR, and the war triumph. No two stations are exactly alike, and each of the classic showpieces has a theme. There are world-famous shrines to Futurist architecture, a celebration of electricity, tributes to individuals and regions of the former Soviet Union. Each marble slab, mosaic tile, or light fixture was placed with intent, all in service to a station’s aesthetic; each element, f rom the smallest brass ear of corn to a large blood-spattered sword on a World War II mural, is an essential part of the whole.

The Metro is a monument to the Soviet propaganda project it was intended to be when it opened in 1935 with the slogan “Building a Palace for the People”. It brought the grand interiors of Imperial Russia to ordinary Muscovites, celebrated the Soviet Union’s past achievements while promising its citizens a bright Soviet future, and of course, it was a show-piece for the world to witness the might and sophistication of life in the Soviet Union.

It may be a museum, but it’s no relic. U p to nine million people use it daily, more than the London Underground and New York Subway combined. (Along with, at one time, about 20 stray dogs that learned to commute on the Metro.)

In its 80+ year history, the Metro has expanded in phases and fits and starts, in step with the fortunes of Moscow and Russia. Now, partly in preparation for the World Cup 2018, it’s also modernizing. New trains allow passengers to walk the entire length of the train without having to change carriages. The system is becoming more visitor-friendly. (There are helpful stickers on the floor marking out the best selfie spots .) But there’s a price to modernity: it’s phasing out one of its beloved institutions, the escalator attendants. Often they are middle-aged or elderly women—“ escalator grandmas ” in news accounts—who have held the post for decades, sitting in their tiny kiosks, scolding commuters for bad escalator etiquette or even bad posture, or telling jokes . They are slated to be replaced, when at all, by members of the escalator maintenance staff.

For all its achievements, the Metro lags behind Moscow’s above-ground growth, as Russia’s capital sprawls ever outwards, generating some of the world’s worst traffic jams . But since 2011, the Metro has been in the middle of an ambitious and long-overdue enlargement; 60 new stations are opening by 2020. If all goes to plan, the 2011-2020 period will have brought 125 miles of new tracks and over 100 new stations — a 40 percent increase — the fastest and largest expansion phase in any period in the Metro’s history.

Facts: 14 lines Opening hours: 5 a.m-1 a.m. Rush hour(s): 8-10 a.m, 4-8 p.m. Single ride: 55₽ (about 85 cents) Wi-Fi network-wide

Buying Tickets

• Ticket machines have a button to switch to English.
• You can buy specific numbers of rides: 1, 2, 5, 11, 20, or 60. Hold up fingers to show how many rides you want to buy.
• There is also a 90-minute ticket , which gets you 1 trip on the metro plus an unlimited number of transfers on other transport (bus, tram, etc) within 90 minutes.
• Or, you can buy day tickets with unlimited rides: one day (218₽/ US$4), three days (415₽/US$7) or seven days (830₽/US$15). Check the rates here to stay up-to-date.
• If you’re going to be using the Metro regularly over a few days, it’s worth getting a Troika card , a contactless, refillable card you can use on all public transport. Using the Metro is cheaper with one of these: a single ride is 36₽, not 55₽. Buy them and refill them in the Metro stations, and they’re valid for 5 years, so you can keep it for next time. Or, if you have a lot of cash left on it when you leave, you can get it refunded at the Metro Service Centers at Ulitsa 1905 Goda, 25 or at Staraya Basmannaya 20, Building 1.
• You can also buy silicone bracelets and keychains with built-in transport chips that you can use as a Troika card. (A Moscow Metro Fitbit!) So far, you can only get these at the Pushkinskaya metro station Live Helpdesk and souvenir shops in the Mayakovskaya and Trubnaya metro stations. The fare is the same as for the Troika card.
• You can also use Apple Pay and Samsung Pay.

Rules, spoken and unspoken

No smoking, no drinking, no filming, no littering. Photography is allowed, although it used to be banned.

Stand to the right on the escalator. Break this rule and you risk the wrath of the legendary escalator attendants. (No shenanigans on the escalators in general.)

Get out of the way. Find an empty corner to hide in when you get off a train and need to stare at your phone. Watch out getting out of the train in general; when your train doors open, people tend to appear from nowhere or from behind ornate marble columns, walking full-speed.

Always offer your seat to elderly ladies (what are you, a monster?).

An Easy Tour

This is no Metro Marathon ( 199 stations in 20 hours ). It’s an easy tour, taking in most—though not all—of the notable stations, the bulk of it going clockwise along the Circle line, with a couple of short detours. These stations are within minutes of one another, and the whole tour should take about 1-2 hours.

Start at Mayakovskaya Metro station , at the corner of Tverskaya and Garden Ring,  Triumfalnaya Square, Moskva, Russia, 125047.

1. Mayakovskaya.  Named for Russian Futurist Movement poet Vladimir Mayakovsky and an attempt to bring to life the future he imagined in his poems. (The Futurist Movement, natch, was all about a rejecting the past and celebrating all things speed, industry, modern machines, youth, modernity.) The result: an Art Deco masterpiece that won the National Grand Prix for architecture at the New York World’s Fair in 1939. It’s all smooth, rounded shine and light, and gentle arches supported by columns of dark pink marble and stainless aircraft steel. Each of its 34 ceiling niches has a mosaic. During World War II, the station was used as an air-raid shelter and, at one point, a bunker for Stalin. He gave a subdued but rousing speech here in Nov. 6, 1941 as the Nazis bombed the city above.

Take the 3/Green line one station to:

2. Belorusskaya. Opened in 1952, named after the connected Belarussky Rail Terminal, which runs trains between Moscow and Belarus. This is a light marble affair with a white, cake-like ceiling, lined with Belorussian patterns and 12 Florentine ceiling mosaics depicting life in Belarussia when it was built.

Transfer onto the 1/Brown line. Then, one stop (clockwise) t o:

3. Novoslobodskaya.  This station was designed around the stained-glass panels, which were made in Latvia, because Alexey Dushkin, the Soviet starchitect who dreamed it up (and also designed Mayakovskaya station) couldn’t find the glass and craft locally. The stained glass is the same used for Riga’s Cathedral, and the panels feature plants, flowers, members of the Soviet intelligentsia (musician, artist, architect) and geometric shapes.

Go two stops east on the 1/Circle line to:

4. Komsomolskaya. Named after the Komsomol, or the Young Communist League, this might just be peak Stalin Metro style. Underneath the hub for three regional railways, it was intended to be a grand gateway to Moscow and is today its busiest station. It has chandeliers; a yellow ceiling with Baroque embellishments; and in the main hall, a colossal red star overlaid on golden, shimmering tiles. Designer Alexey Shchusev designed it as an homage to the speech Stalin gave at Red Square on Nov. 7, 1941, in which he invoked Russia’s illustrious military leaders as a pep talk to Soviet soldiers through the first catastrophic year of the war.   The station’s eight large mosaics are of the leaders referenced in the speech, such as Alexander Nevsky, a 13th-century prince and military commander who bested German and Swedish invading armies.

One more stop clockwise to Kurskaya station,  and change onto the 3/Blue  line, and go one stop to:

5. Baumanskaya.   Opened in 1944. Named for the Bolshevik Revolutionary Nikolai Bauman , whose monument and namesake district are aboveground here. Though he seemed like a nasty piece of work (he apparently once publicly mocked a woman he had impregnated, who later hung herself), he became a Revolutionary martyr when he was killed in 1905 in a skirmish with a monarchist, who hit him on the head with part of a steel pipe. The station is in Art Deco style with atmospherically dim lighting, and a series of bronze sculptures of soldiers and homefront heroes during the War. At one end, there is a large mosaic portrait of Lenin.

Stay on that train direction one more east to:

6. Elektrozavodskaya. As you may have guessed from the name, this station is the Metro’s tribute to all thing electrical, built in 1944 and named after a nearby lightbulb factory. It has marble bas-relief sculptures of important figures in electrical engineering, and others illustrating the Soviet Union’s war-time struggles at home. The ceiling’s recurring rows of circular lamps give the station’s main tunnel a comforting glow, and a pleasing visual effect.

Double back two stops to Kurskaya station , and change back to the 1/Circle line. Sit tight for six stations to:

7. Kiyevskaya. This was the last station on the Circle line to be built, in 1954, completed under Nikita Khrushchev’ s guidance, as a tribute to his homeland, Ukraine. Its three large station halls feature images celebrating Ukraine’s contributions to the Soviet Union and Russo-Ukrainian unity, depicting musicians, textile-working, soldiers, farmers. (One hall has frescoes, one mosaics, and the third murals.) Shortly after it was completed, Khrushchev condemned the architectural excesses and unnecessary luxury of the Stalin era, which ushered in an epoch of more austere Metro stations. According to the legend at least, he timed the policy in part to ensure no Metro station built after could outshine Kiyevskaya.

Change to the 3/Blue line and go one stop west.

8. Park Pobedy. This is the deepest station on the Metro, with one of the world’s longest escalators, at 413 feet. If you stand still, the escalator ride to the surface takes about three minutes .) Opened in 2003 at Victory Park, the station celebrates two of Russia’s great military victories. Each end has a mural by Georgian artist Zurab Tsereteli, who also designed the “ Good Defeats Evil ” statue at the UN headquarters in New York. One mural depicts the Russian generals’ victory over the French in 1812 and the other, the German surrender of 1945. The latter is particularly striking; equal parts dramatic, triumphant, and gruesome. To the side, Red Army soldiers trample Nazi flags, and if you look closely there’s some blood spatter among the detail. Still, the biggest impressions here are the marble shine of the chessboard floor pattern and the pleasingly geometric effect if you view from one end to the other.

Keep going one more stop west to:

9. Slavyansky Bulvar.  One of the Metro’s youngest stations, it opened in 2008. With far higher ceilings than many other stations—which tend to have covered central tunnels on the platforms—it has an “open-air” feel (or as close to it as you can get, one hundred feet under). It’s an homage to French architect Hector Guimard, he of the Art Nouveau entrances for the Paris M é tro, and that’s precisely what this looks like: A Moscow homage to the Paris M é tro, with an additional forest theme. A Cyrillic twist on Guimard’s Metro-style lettering over the benches, furnished with t rees and branch motifs, including creeping vines as towering lamp-posts.

Stay on the 3/Blue line and double back four stations to:

10. Arbatskaya. Its first iteration, Arbatskaya-Smolenskaya station, was damaged by German bombs in 1941. It was rebuilt in 1953, and designed to double as a bomb shelter in the event of nuclear war, although unusually for stations built in the post-war phase, this one doesn’t have a war theme. It may also be one of the system’s most elegant: Baroque, but toned down a little, with red marble floors and white ceilings with gilded bronze c handeliers.

Jump back on the 3/Blue line  in the same direction and take it one more stop:

11. Ploshchad Revolyutsii (Revolution Square). Opened in 1938, and serving Red Square and the Kremlin . Its renowned central hall has marble columns flanked by 76 bronze statues of Soviet heroes: soldiers, students, farmers, athletes, writers, parents. Some of these statues’ appendages have a yellow sheen from decades of Moscow’s commuters rubbing them for good luck. Among the most popular for a superstitious walk-by rub: the snout of a frontier guard’s dog, a soldier’s gun (where the touch of millions of human hands have tapered the gun barrel into a fine, pointy blade), a baby’s foot, and a woman’s knee. (A brass rooster also sports the telltale gold sheen, though I am told that rubbing the rooster is thought to bring bad luck. )

Now take the escalator up, and get some fresh air.

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21 Things to Know Before You Go to Moscow

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A guide to Moscow’s summer festivals

May 26, 2018 • 4 min read

People attend open-air concert during Usadba Jazz festival at the Archangelskoye Estate @ Anton Gvozdikov / Shutterstock

Believe it or not, in summer Moscow usually gets rather hot. It’s also the season when the city is fully awake, with more events happening than at any other time of the year. Almost every weekend a new market, exhibition or festival takes place, making it pretty hard to choose which one to attend.

Of course, the highlight of this summer in the Russian capital will be the celebration of football, as Moscow gets ready to host the 2018 FIFA World Cup (from 14 June to 15 July) along with 10 other cities across the country. Nevertheless, over the years some big annual events have become an integral – and fun – part of Moscow’s summer culture. Here are our top picks.

Usadba Jazz at Arkhangelskoe

This iconic open-air jazz festival has been taking place in Moscow for over a decade, making it one of the city’s favourite outdoor events. The location is always the same – the gorgeous 19th-century  Arkhangelskoe Estate and its surroundings. Apart from some great classical and modern jazz, blues, funk, soul and world music, there’s a new theme each year: in 2017 it was ecology, introducing some local eco-designers and culinary artists to jazz-loving Muscovites.

Dates: 2–3 June 2018

Red Square Book Fest

This year Moscow’s annual book festival will be taking over the historic Red Square for the fourth time. The event celebrates the reading culture, introduces the best local publishing houses, and allows visitors to purchase books, attend masterclasses and listen to some well-known modern Russian writers. The program covers several themes, including fiction, non-fiction, ebooks, children’s and educational literature, antique and secondhand books, as well as Russian regions.  Famous Russian museums present their publishing projects and catalogues, and there are live concerts and performances throughout the festival.

Dates: 3–6 June 2018

Moscow Flower Show

Who knew Moscow could be a rose? Last year a new sort of rose was created just to celebrate the 870th anniversary of the Russian capital. This international garden festival is a paradise for the admirers of landscape design and all things green and blooming. Both recognised and up-and-coming landscape designers present their works and compete for the main prize, awarded by an international jury. And visitors get a chance to release their inner flower child.

Dates: 29 June–8 July 2018

Taste of Moscow

This international food festival   has been around for a long time, covering 19 cities of the world and gaining huge popularity in Moscow. The city’s 30 best restaurants will take part in the program this year, offering visitors their most renowned dishes and products. You can treat yourself to delicacies from one of the exclusive menus created specifically for the festival, attend degustations or learn how to cook from a professional chef. The interactive program will also include concerts, masterclasses, pop-up performances and children’s activities.

Dates: 26–29 July 2018

Much loved by both locals and visitors to the city, the annual Park Live rock festival has achieved international status in its six years of existence, treating the fans with performances from world-famous and local rock stars. Hosting Muse in 2015 has been the highlight in the festival’s history, while Red Hot Chili Peppers, Lana Del Rey, Limp Bizkit and System of a Down have also headlined. In 2018 revellers will have a chance to see David Guetta, Gorillaz and Massive Attack at the vibrant Gorky Park  in the heart of the city.

Dates: 27–29 July 2018

Afisha Picnic

Moscow’s biggest open-air festival is a summer rave for food and music lovers. Organized by Afisha magazine, it’s been expanding year on year, eventually moving from concert halls and stadiums to the vast Kolomenskoe Museum-Reserve , a former royal estate and a Unesco World Heritage Site by the Moscow River. The organisers make sure there’s lots going on, so apart from multiple music stages you can find food stalls with local products, a designers’ market, gaming and lecture areas – all with a strict no-alcohol policy.

Dates: 4 August 2018

The Times and Epochs re-enactment of a battle between Polish and Ruthenian archers © Degtyaryov Andrey / Shutterstock

Times and Epochs

The ultimate historical festival in Russia expands with each passing year, taking over Moscow parks, recreational areas and some of the main streets. It brings together the best from the world of historical re-enactment, boasting more than 6000 geeky participants in 2017 (many of them from abroad). Soldiers, merchants, craftsmen, musicians all walk the streets in traditional costumes, performing or teaching the arts, crafts and games of the past. Best of all, the festival is focused on getting the audience involved in the lifestyles of different eras, from the Stone Age to the Soviet times.

Dates: 10–22 August 2018

Moscow City Day

Moscow turned 870 in 2017, and to celebrate the occasion, the city administration decided to host a 10-day festival under the slogan ‘Moscow is a city where history is being made’. With Russian avant-garde the main theme, dozens of events, lectures, performances and street markets celebrated the history of the capital as well as its prominent inhabitants. Plenty of music, food and modern art is always to be expected on the city streets during this time. Don’t miss the magnificent fireworks.

Dates: 1–10 September 2018

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