Moscow Diary. By An American Living in Moscow. Francesca de Bardin
area of 970 square miles (2,512 square kilometers). Moscow’s population is estimated at 13 million residents within the city limits. The city has over 40 percent of its territory covered by greenery, making it one of the greenest cities in Europe and the world. Its architectural diversity encompasses cathedrals built in the 1400s, private mansions from every century, Stalinist-style architecture from 1947 to 1953, and seven of the nine tallest skyscrapers in Europe. In spite of its size, the city doesn’t have the unsightly or noisy features of most megaregions. It’s incredibly clean, no litter, graffiti, homeless or drug addicts on the streets as you walk around. Fear of being robbed or harmed is non-existent. People are respectful and polite. During heavy traffic, you’ll hear little, if any, honking. Motorcycles aren’t allowed to weave through traffic at high speeds, though the police allow them to race at night in special areas. You’ll find that on trains, busses and restaurants conversations are muted. In short, the senses are not needlessly bombarded with negative sights and sounds, keeping irritations at a minimum. In a word, it’s a very civilized place to live. Moscow has grown to become one of the world’s largest urban economies, and the city is one of the fastest-growing tourist destinations in the world.
Everything in Moscow is big. The monuments, markets, parks, highways, malls, sidewalks, and even the size of the carrots are larger in scale than most I’ve seen. Taxis are a great way to see a variety of areas, but also the slowest because of traffic.
Most residents use the metro, as it’s the fastest and most reliable way to travel. I always study the metro map to plan my trips. The signage at the stations is easy to follow and a passerby is always willing to help. Moscow metro stations are architectural wonders. You’ll also find that they’re safe and clean as you wait for the trains, which are efficient and timely.
Moscow is Russia’s largest industrial city. Nearly 30% of the workforce is employed in industry and industrial research: Metallurgy, metal processing, and engineering are the largest industrial sectors. Other large sectors are textiles, clothing, footwear, chemicals, electronic instruments, and automation equipment.
Taxis
Unlike most large cities, it’s impossible to hail a taxi on the street in Moscow. Taxis are ordered only by phone application and usually from a convenient spot where a taxi can legally stop. They’re plentiful and arrive in less than five minutes. Once your location is identified by the app, a taxi is ordered and you determine the price by the comfort level of the taxi you select. Once ordered, you’re given the color, model, and license plate of the taxi and the driver’s name. You can watch it on your phone as it travels to you. The fare is charged on your debit card, so no cash is required, but you can also pay in cash if you wish. All drivers have GPS, thus allowing navigation to your destination. It’s a safe, efficient system with no surprises about the fare.
In most Russian cities, car sharing is a popular, convenient, and inexpensive mode of transportation. Usually, a person has three or four services to contact by app on their phone. One of them will have a car available within a five-minute walk of your location. The phone app unlocks the car and starts the motor. The car can be deposited virtually anywhere.
Moscow Transportation Network
Moscow is served by a comprehensive transit network, which includes four international airports, 10 railway terminals, a tram system, a monorail system, and, most notably, the Moscow Metro, the busiest metro system in Europe, and one of the largest rapid transit systems in the world.
I zip around Moscow on the metro regularly. I can time my trip almost to the tee, as the stations are two minutes apart and trains arrive usually in less than two minutes. The 15 lines are color coded, and with sufficient signage to guide you. It’s very clean and safe, with no graffiti or homeless people in sight, and with plenty of security everywhere.
Opened in 1935, the state-owned Moscow Metro is 237 miles (381 kilometers) long and consists of 15 lines and 258 stations organized in a spoke-hub distribution paradigm, with the majority of rail lines running radially from the center of Moscow to the outlying areas. The stations were constructed in the style of socialist classicism and were meant as underground “palaces of the people.”
As of 2023, the Moscow Metro had 258 stations (295 if you include the Moscow Central Circle and the Monorail). The Moscow Metro is a world leader in the frequency of train traffic, with intervals during peak hours never exceeding 90 seconds. The metro is open from approximately 5:30 a.m. to 1 a.m.
Each line is identified according to an alphanumeric index (usually consisting of a number), a name, and a color. The lines are also assigned specific colors on maps and signs. Free Wi-Fi is called MT_FREE and available on all 15 lines (inside the trains). A trip costs 65 cents in U.S. currency.
Phone Services
Free Wi-Fi is available throughout Moscow. Most everyone has a smartphone, or the equivalent, with a translation feature, so communication is possible between people who speak different languages. Phone contract prices vary based on multiple options, like elsewhere. The bill can be paid instantly and directly from your bank account.
Sometimes I forget to add minutes, so the phone stops working. This happened when I first arrived in Moscow. I was in a store getting ready to make a call when my phone wouldn’t work. I looked around and saw two men in their 20’s, and they said they spoke a little English. I showed them my phone, shrugged my shoulders, raised my hands, and shook my head in confusion. One of them took the phone, and after discussing the problem, said, «Needs money.» Realizing I couldn’t send money without the phone working, one of the men sent 500 rubles from his bank account to pay my phone charges and it activated my phone instantly. Having no idea this was possible, I was flabbergasted. It worked so quickly, and the man was kind enough to help me out. I then paid him 500 rubles in cash, thanked him profusely, and made the call.
Banking
I thought it would be difficult to open a bank account in Moscow, but it was simple. I chose Sberbank, the largest. After presenting my passport and visa, it was done very quickly. I opened three accounts, one each for U.S. dollars, euros, and rubles. I was given a debit card in rubles. Only Russian citizens can get a credit card or a loan. Dollars and euros could be deposited in those currencies and the bank would then exchange them for rubles. The debit card was only for rubles. My laptop and smartphone were both uploaded with Sberbank’s banking application, from which I could perform transactions instantly. I could transfer my dollars/euros from the U.S. or Europe directly into these accounts via Swift overnight.
Things changed with the sanctions. I had only been in Moscow a few months when Sberbank was sanctioned. It meant I could no longer receive funds from the U.S. and Europe. So, I began a search for an unsanctioned bank. I went through the same process again with Alfa Bank, and set up all the necessary accounts. A few weeks later, it was also sanctioned. The third time I chose a bank headquartered in Italy, UniCredit Bank which has offices all over Moscow. I was becoming an expert in Russian banking. The process was the same in each bank and the banking rules are consistent. U.S. dollars and euros can be deposited but not withdrawn as of now. All currencies must be changed to rubles.
Each bank has applications for laptops or phones. I can move money by phone instantly to any of my accounts, as well as pay a bill or send money to an individual, free of charge. Checks are not used in Russia. A savings account for deposits pays 4.93% interest.
I now have nine accounts in three currencies in three banks. I’m keeping them all open just in case.
International Media and Internet Access
To the disbelief of my American and European friends, I’m able to access any media in the world, via any search engine like Google, Yandex (the Russian search engine), DuckDuckGo, Bing, YouTube, or Telegram. I can find any news outlet video or podcast I wish. Internet is available on the metro and buses, in parks –