Hi, I am hoping someone can help us. My 20 year old son is planning a trip to Russia in September and looking at renting an apartment for a month in the suburb of Babushkinskaya. It is near Medvedkovo. Any info at all would be greatly appreciated.

Oops, sorry, I forgot to say that it is a northern suburb of Moscow.

Well it does not sound like there are too many Moscow travelers here.I have been and will be going again soon ( short visit during our world tour) ,but its been a while and I do not know that particular area of Moscow.I obvously think its worth visiting again and something I want to show my 5yo child and husband.I find something wonderful about "mother Russia" and the Russian people ,but it is a hard life ( or was when I was there).

You might want to check out bootnall forum & website as I know there are some there that know lots about Russia,have been recently and extensively and might be able to help.They probably even have "insiders" who live in Moscow who might help.

Thanks for the tip WT. I'll give that a try.

Hi, Susi,

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This message has been edited. Last edited by: Colleen,

I just came back from Russia. I suggest to use following websites www.waytorussia.com
or gotorussia.com. These guys are based here but have rental offices over in St Pete and Moscow.Good luck.
You can email me directly for tips on travelling there.

Thanks NAT. I am sure he has used those websites extensively. I have lots of questions though. He is staying in an apartment for a month (pretty run down by the sound of it) Then going to Italy for a couple of weeks, then back to Moscow on a dacha outside of Moscow for another month.
I have many questions.
What is the best way to transfer from the airport into Moscow?
What sort of electrical plugs do they use? Are they the same as European ones? (We live in Australia)
Would it be handy for him to have some $US odr euros as well as roubles?
Are there many ATM's for him to get money in Moscow or can it be tricky?
Any safety issues he should be aware of? (That's the mother in me!)
Such a lot of questions I know, and probably a lot more when I think about it.
Thanks for your interest and help.
Sue

Hi Susi.I am originally from Russia and take my American friends there sometimes.
To transfer from the airport- take a taxi cab from Vnukovo ors Sheremetevo.WIll cost about 50 american dollars.From Domodedovo there is a fast train which will take you to either Pavelezkoe train station or Kazanskiy train station then take taxi cab from there to your place but depends which part of the city he will stay at. Give me an idea I will ask my friends from Moscow.
Train ticket is very inexpensive and taxi cab in town is not too bad.
ATMs are everywhere.Look for banks.Good bank is a City Bank to use.WE withdrew cash without problems.Just be careful like in any country choose the one that in populated areas.
Get him dual converter set .Here in USA we buy set by Brookstone.Look on EBAY for converters for eastern europe.They are round pins ones.
I would bring cash to start with.Airports anywhere charge higher exchange rates but in the city there are so many exchange places they all have sometimes different but very similar rate.Ask him to look for CBERbank.It is a bank and usually has the best exchange rates.
Be aware of pickpockets and avoid gipsies.They are a bad news.
Send me email to natkrystal@gmail.com
Will tell you more.
Natasha.

Hi Susi.
I need to add something.When he has his GSM phone he can purchase service in Russia with Megaphone or Beeline ( yellow stores all over).Beeline SIM cards are less expensive then Megaphone and cover I think same territory.Definitly Moscow and St Pete.For labtop he can purchase minutes via WiFI in local coffe shops.There is a chain called Chocolatniza.Fridays always have WIFI.Most of the hotels there have WIFI.In the cell phone store ask the personal to get you a prepaid card for labtop.I heard it is the least expensive way to connect to the internet.
Russia is catching up with the west very fast.Customer service is not up to speed yet.Be ready for it.

Susi.One more website for your son.
http://www.travellerspoint.com/destination.cfm?country=Russia
Check forums there.Very good.

Great info thanks Nat. I'll pass it on and probably contact you again if that's OK.
Sue

When we were in St. Petersburg in 2002 the economy was run on the American dollar. No one wanted the Russian ruple. Is that still true??

Ginger

They do not except american dollar in a stores just like in any country you have to use their own currency.Ruble is getting stronger and stronger.I assume that if you go to Vernisaz market in Ismailovskiy park where craftsmen sell their beautifull work on saturday and sunday you can use american dollars.

Oh.I would say that american dollar or european dollar more now are the currencies on the business world in Russia still.
Banks in Russia becoming more trustworthy.The morgage loaning rate through russian banks increased by almost 30 % this year.Realestate in Moscow as expensive as here in Naples Florida.St Pete is slowly catching up with Moscow grows.We noticed difference in people attitude customer service clean streets lot better and common in Moscow then in St Pete.
There is so much to tell.

They do not except american dollar in a stores just like in any country you have to use their own currency.Ruble is getting stronger and stronger.I assume that if you go to Vernisaz market in Ismailovskiy park where craftsmen sell their beautifull work on saturday and sunday you can use american dollars.