Russia Moscow Tours, Private Tour?
Jun 2nd, 2003, 01:22 PM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Russia Moscow Tours, Private Tour?
I will be visiting Moscow as part of a Volga River Cruise. The tours offered are only for the morning. I would like to add afternoon tours, or substitute full day private tours.
I am currently booked the end of August with SmarTours on the Volga River Cruise from Moscow to St. Petersburg .
Day 1, Thursday, August 28 Arrive 12:05 PM on Finnair, transfer to MS Mayakovski. Afternoon and evening unplanned.
Day 2 Friday, August 29 Morning tour introducing you to the city?s major highlights: Red Square, St. Basil?s Cathedral with its colorful mushroom domes and the Kremlin, the seat of the Russian government and the center of the Russian Orthodox church. Afternoon unplanned. This evening, your Cruise Director may assist in arranging tickets for a mesmerizing performance at the renowned Moscow Circus.
Day 3 Saturday, August 30 Morning excursion visits the new Victory Park and returns to the Kremlin?s grounds where on a walking tour you?ll see the Czar?s Cannon, the 200 ton Czar?s Bell and other highlights. Afternoon unplanned. Ship departs at 5:30PM
As you can see, we have time unplanned in all 3 afternoons. I would appreciate suggestions for activities that could add to the planned tours. Alternatively , we could contact a private tour company to take us on a full day tours on day 2 and 3, so we could make better use of our time. Suggestions?
It has been recommended that we tour the subway system. Is this something that we could do without a guide??
Is anyone familiar with the areas that the ship will be docked in Moscow and St. Petersburg? Are there shops/stores within walking distance?
Thanks for your time. Robert Lewis
[email protected]
I am currently booked the end of August with SmarTours on the Volga River Cruise from Moscow to St. Petersburg .
Day 1, Thursday, August 28 Arrive 12:05 PM on Finnair, transfer to MS Mayakovski. Afternoon and evening unplanned.
Day 2 Friday, August 29 Morning tour introducing you to the city?s major highlights: Red Square, St. Basil?s Cathedral with its colorful mushroom domes and the Kremlin, the seat of the Russian government and the center of the Russian Orthodox church. Afternoon unplanned. This evening, your Cruise Director may assist in arranging tickets for a mesmerizing performance at the renowned Moscow Circus.
Day 3 Saturday, August 30 Morning excursion visits the new Victory Park and returns to the Kremlin?s grounds where on a walking tour you?ll see the Czar?s Cannon, the 200 ton Czar?s Bell and other highlights. Afternoon unplanned. Ship departs at 5:30PM
As you can see, we have time unplanned in all 3 afternoons. I would appreciate suggestions for activities that could add to the planned tours. Alternatively , we could contact a private tour company to take us on a full day tours on day 2 and 3, so we could make better use of our time. Suggestions?
It has been recommended that we tour the subway system. Is this something that we could do without a guide??
Is anyone familiar with the areas that the ship will be docked in Moscow and St. Petersburg? Are there shops/stores within walking distance?
Thanks for your time. Robert Lewis
[email protected]
Jun 2nd, 2003, 02:39 PM
#2
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 44
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You can tour the subways without a guide. Very simple, though I can't stress enough to take a couple of hours and learn the Cyrillic alpahbet to at least a familiar level. Find a metro map of Moscow, several travel books have good ones that have the name of the stations in Russian and in transliterated English. Buy a card for ten trips, costs about 3.00 at the KACCA inside the station and have at it. They are beautiful and there are several more so than others. Park Pobiedy (Victory Park) is very grand, the museum there is outstanding if you're into WWII. Novodivichy Monastery and Cemetery is another must as is the Tretyakov Gallery and for a look into the past there's Sculpture Park(somewhat close to the Tretyakov). A good walk for churches is from the Tretyakov south down the Bolshaya Ordynka Ulitsa. There's so much to see and do. One thing to remember; unless it changes, Lenin's mausoleum in Red Square is only open on Tue, Thur and Saturday from 10-1. You'll love it, especially when you first set foot in Red Square and see St. Basil's and the Kremlin. If you're hesitant about going on your own, there's a tour group in Moscow called "Patriarshy Dom" that lines up good tours(so I've heard), even the closed to the public KGB Museum. They've a website http://www.russiatravel-pdtours.netfirms.com/sched.htm
I don't know anything about the docks for the ships in Moscow, but there's plenty of people on this forum that do. If there's anything else I can help you with, at least I hope this helped, let me know. I'm going back in early August and can't wait.
I don't know anything about the docks for the ships in Moscow, but there's plenty of people on this forum that do. If there's anything else I can help you with, at least I hope this helped, let me know. I'm going back in early August and can't wait.
Jun 2nd, 2003, 03:28 PM
#3
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 704
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
In Moscow the ship dock is at the North River Port it is about a ten minute's walk from Rechnoy Vokzal (ÐÅ?ÍÎÉ ÂÎÊÇÀË
metro station, walk away from the river, the stop is the last stop on the Green Line, you will find a number of shops near the metro station. The Green Line will take you directly to a station near Red Square and the Kremlin, 9 stops to Okhotniy Ryad (ÎÕÎÒÍÛ&Eac ute; ÐÀÄ
Other places that you might want to consider visiting, which are also on the Green Line are Kolomenskaya and Tsaritsyno, both are old Royal Estates and could easily be visited in one afternoon.
In St Petersburg the River Station is located about ten minutes walk south, from the Proletarskaya Metro Station (ÏÐÎËÅÒÀ&E TH;ÑÊÀßon the Green Line, 5 stops towards the city will take you to Nevsky Prospect
I would recommend that at the end of each morning tour just stay in the city and do your own thing the rest of the day. Once you get over the initial fear of the subway you should have no problem, be aware that when lines cross they each have different names. Get metro map with names in English and Cyrilic also get a city map and carry a small pocket compass. You will find that when you exit a metro station you will have no idea what direction to go, the compass will help.
metro station, walk away from the river, the stop is the last stop on the Green Line, you will find a number of shops near the metro station. The Green Line will take you directly to a station near Red Square and the Kremlin, 9 stops to Okhotniy Ryad (ÎÕÎÒÍÛ&Eac ute; ÐÀÄOther places that you might want to consider visiting, which are also on the Green Line are Kolomenskaya and Tsaritsyno, both are old Royal Estates and could easily be visited in one afternoon.
In St Petersburg the River Station is located about ten minutes walk south, from the Proletarskaya Metro Station (ÏÐÎËÅÒÀ&E TH;ÑÊÀß
on the Green Line, 5 stops towards the city will take you to Nevsky ProspectI would recommend that at the end of each morning tour just stay in the city and do your own thing the rest of the day. Once you get over the initial fear of the subway you should have no problem, be aware that when lines cross they each have different names. Get metro map with names in English and Cyrilic also get a city map and carry a small pocket compass. You will find that when you exit a metro station you will have no idea what direction to go, the compass will help.
Jun 2nd, 2003, 03:47 PM
#4
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 704
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
For interactive maps of Moscow and St Petersburg go to http://nakarte.ru/
The site is in Russian however the map for Moscow (left-top) can be viewed in English, click english version. The map for St Petersburg (right - top) is only in Russian, click arrow beside map. To locate the river port for Moscow, click on the metro station at the end of the Green Line, and then zoom in, you will see the various metro lines on the map. Building 51 along the river is the river station building.
On the St Petersburg map, the the river station is just north of the 3rd metro station from the south end of the green line. Zoom in, you will find the river station at building 195, across the road from the river.
The site is in Russian however the map for Moscow (left-top) can be viewed in English, click english version. The map for St Petersburg (right - top) is only in Russian, click arrow beside map. To locate the river port for Moscow, click on the metro station at the end of the Green Line, and then zoom in, you will see the various metro lines on the map. Building 51 along the river is the river station building.
On the St Petersburg map, the the river station is just north of the 3rd metro station from the south end of the green line. Zoom in, you will find the river station at building 195, across the road from the river.
Jun 2nd, 2003, 04:20 PM
#5
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 704
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The Cyrillic in my previous reply did not come out right.
For pictures of Moscow and St Petersburg as well as river trip from St Petersburg to Rostov on Don have a look at: http://www.imagestation.com/members/wu687
For pictures of Moscow and St Petersburg as well as river trip from St Petersburg to Rostov on Don have a look at: http://www.imagestation.com/members/wu687
Jun 5th, 2003, 08:59 PM
#7
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 704
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I just read on the Moscow paper that some German tourists were injured on one of the escalators for the Moscow Metro. The escalators are very long and move fast, you must stand on the right as many of the locals will walk and will need to get by. Also do not stand on the yellow lines and be ready to step off at the end, if you pause you will have a hundred people on top of you in a very short time.
Jun 23rd, 2003, 06:25 PM
#8
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Just returned from a Uniworld Volga River cruise. They had good maps of the metro system in both cities. They told us where to catch the trains (Right or Left) track and how many stops until we got off. Easy. No problems. They also had several optional tours available. They were very helpful as to what else there is to do and how to do it. We took some of the ship's tours and also explored the cities on our own. I imagine your ship will be able to provide the same type of information.
