Guide in Russia
 

We will be traveling to Moscow and have hired a guide who charges 250 euros per day. We are two adult ladies and find this amount extremely expensive. We are hiring the guide more for translations than for tourism. The guide will take care of Kremlin entrances and transportation. Could we find something less expensive? Should we take care of the guide´s lunch expenses? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

I haven't been to Moscow, only to St. Petersburg. But I had no trouble at all getting around St. Petersburg by myself. I used my smartphone for walking and bus directions. I don't read Cyrillic or speak Russian. I used my phone's Google Translate app a few times to translate spoken language and occasionally written language. I wouldn't expect to have a conversation with Google Translate, but if you are really stuck, it can help you communicate with someone in a pinch.

I know people who have been to Moscow recently and had no trouble getting around without a guide. I'm sure that's how I would do it, especially if I had to spend 250 Euros/day just for someone to translate things for me.

If you are staying in central Moscow you can walk to Kremlin and some other attractions. It is easy to buy ticket for Kremlin - just line up with other tourists.(I think you can purchase it on line ) . Moscow was absolutely jammed with people from around the world last summer. It is a sophisticated city ,
English is spoken in hotels, upscale restaurants and shops.
Metro
and street signs are in Cyrillic . I can read the alphabet and speak some Russian
but as Andrew suggested you might use apps to guide you.

Although Moscow is VERY different than St. Petersburg, <b>no guide is necessary</b> unless having one is your preference.

As danon says, learning to transliterate from Cyrillic would serve you very well. A good guidebook or two should also prove invaluable.

P.S. It's a fascinating city. Enjoy!

My Russian speaking wife , on learning of your plight, had some words of wisdom that I can't repeat here.

Why not take a free tour as reviewed here?

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attracti...al_Russia.html

We did not go there, but had such tours in Budapest and Copenhagen.

As others have suggested, at least learn the Cyrillic alphabet and use Google translate on your smartphone. You can pocket that 250 euros and live large.

Thanks all for your words of advise. You´ve been more than helpful. I´ve been looking for a guide/translator since my sister just returned from Moscow and said it was absolutely impossible to visit without a guide, St. Petersburg not as bad as Moscow. Before I posted I read all of your reviews, in fact I dowloaded Andrew´s translator, but I felt a bit insecure of not understanding the writing, but I´ve managed in other countries before without being able to read, I´m sure I´ll manage again. Besides, me and my travel partner can´t afford the huge amount we´re being charged.

Would you recommend going to Serguiev Posad?

i did not leave Moscow on either visit ( 3 nights and 5 nights) because I found
enough to see and do in the city . It is a big place and I move slowly!
The alphabet is not difficult to learn...(a number of letters are the same
in both alphabets.) You can find it on ytube.
Good luck.

Of course, it will pay you to know how to handle transactions in advance, and what the customary language might be. For example, find out how to buy a metro ticket, what you need to say to the clerk to get one, how the turnstiles work...that kind of thing so you dont need to learn there.

Sergiev Posad is stunning! I'm very glad I visited it. :-)