| Author |
Message |
Vladimir27
Frequent Guest
Joined: 04 Mar 2004
Posts: 11
|
 Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2004 4:46 pm Post subject: Transfer from Sheremetyevo II to Moscow hotel |
 |
|
Is there a bus transportation from the Sheremetyevo- II , to the center of Moscow, like to a mini-airline terminal, and from there that I could continue to my hotel at Izmaylovo Park by taxi?
And do I have to make a reservation for such a bus? |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Bill
Just Starting
Joined: 02 Aug 2004
Posts: 4
|
| Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2004 9:53 pm Post subject: |
|
|
You have several options to make your transfer from airport to hotel.
1. Take your chances with the vultures disguised as taxi drivers waiting to pounce as you pass through customs.
2. Take one of the numerous, frequent min vans that continuously make the shuttle for about 30 roubles (1 dollar) to the metro station "Rechnoi Vakzal" (approx. 30 mins) and from there take the metro to your hotel. This is the most economical but most adventurous because nobody will speak any english and you will not be able to read the signs. Nevertheless it will be quite safe if you are up for the adventure.
3. Pre-arrange for one of the many transfer services to have a driver meet you at the airport and take you straight to your hotel. The average price for a car to pick up 1 or 2 people is about $45. You could arrange this through www.firebirdtravel.com. You can also get some ideas there of some of the things you might not want to miss while in Moscow.
Cheers
Have a pleasant journey
Bill |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Brent
Lounge Lizard
Joined: 05 Jul 2003
Posts: 91
|
| Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2004 5:14 am Post subject: |
|
|
Just a note about taking the mini-bus to "Rechnoi Vokzal." There is no sign for this bus stop, just walk outside the terminal, past the cars driving by, but before the parking lot. Ask the driver where he is going to ensure you are at the right place. The mini-bus will leave once the van is full.
Does anyone know how often the mini-bus is available, and between what times of the day? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
qvist
Just Starting
Joined: 17 May 2004
Posts: 6
|
| Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2004 9:18 am Post subject: |
|
|
I used service offered here at waytorussia.net, and pre-arranged transfer to Izmaylovo costed me 36USD, driver was very profesional and you can trust them.I think it's a very good option if you're first time in Moscow. But transfer back costed only 600 rubels, when I conntacted diretly one taxi company I found in a phone book in hotel.Usual price at taxi company was around 900, but on the street they want 1500 rubels.
My sugestion is that you just use pre-arranged tranfer, it's the easiest way to get to your hotel! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
wavetossed
WayToRussified
Joined: 27 Jun 2004
Posts: 339
|
| Posted: Sun Aug 08, 2004 7:41 pm Post subject: Transfer to metro |
|
|
If you take the marshrutniy taxi (mini-bus) to Rechnoi Vokzal or Planernaya Vokzal it will cost you 25 rubles. Those two stations (vokzaly) are the ends of the metro line.
If you can't read Russian, don't go to Russia.
Or better yet, spend a few hours learning the Cyrillic alphabet and writing down the names of places that you need to go to like Rechnoi Vokzal and Sheremetevo II and your hotel name and address. That way you'll be able to compare your copy with the names on the card in the window of the bus or marshrutniy taxi. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Vladimir27
Frequent Guest
Joined: 04 Mar 2004
Posts: 11
|
| Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2004 11:37 pm Post subject: Sheremetyevo 2 Transfer |
|
|
Thanks a lot every one!
I do speak, read and write Ru, so there should not be any problems. So far nothing works: I've made contacts with four different taxi Co's and no one will give me a confirmation.
Let you know, how I'd made out, late Sept.
Thanks again.
Volodya |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
vorteks
VIP
Joined: 08 Aug 2004
Posts: 571
Location: European Union
|
| Posted: Thu Aug 12, 2004 10:44 am Post subject: |
|
|
Check in the russian Lonely Planet guide. They give the phone number of a taxi service that quotes 450 rbls from and to the airport. I couldnt book there because they only spoke russian, but since you speak russian, you should get everything at half price usual travelers do.
From what i read, the usual price varies between 500 and 900 rbls, depending on your language skills.
Those quoting more will always take references about a few business travelers getting scammed at 100$ and generalise it to the usual price. They will also tell you that Moscow is the most expensive place in the world. It is actually, for those who dont care about money and dont arrange services beforehand.
For example, taking a taxi out of the rossija hotel to anywhere in the town from the taxi maffia fishing tourists there will cost you 500 rbls. The ride back cost us 100 rbls (not per person). Generally any service offered in touristic places or to touristic places ( red square, arbat, airport) will cost you a touristic price, especially if you cant speak any russian.
Of course the logic is motivated by greed, but some could explain you it is an inheritage of the communist philosophy whose currency was more "one hour of work" than money. Since you are supposed to earn more per hour than an average russian, you should pay more so that you pay the same time of work . Of course this is very theorical, since moscovite oligarchs and mafiosi earn much more per hour than the average tourist. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Bill
Just Starting
Joined: 02 Aug 2004
Posts: 4
|
| Posted: Thu Aug 12, 2004 6:09 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Vorteks,
You are somehwat correct about the prices.
Nevertheless your attempt to explain this in terms of a history of communism or something particularly Russian is quite distressing and cannot be overlooked without comment.
Firstly: Charging whatever the market will pay is pure Capitalism.
Secondly: This taxi problem is UNIVERSAL. Some cities, eg New York (perhaps the heart of Capitalism), have handled this situation by instituting levels of regulation and close supervision that are perhaps closer to what we might think is more like a Communist society rather than a so called "Free Market".
Finally: How we understand "greed" and "need" in ourselves and others is probably a root cause of what is tragically happening in the world today and does not form a good basis for a logical deconstruction.
Bill |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
vorteks
VIP
Joined: 08 Aug 2004
Posts: 571
Location: European Union
|
| Posted: Thu Aug 12, 2004 9:11 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Bill (amazing name when we talk about pricing  )
If you understand capitalism as free market without rules, yes, Russia is certainly one of the few capitalist countries in the world. Other so called capitalist or individualistic markets have set rules to protect customers from an excess of "need".
You are certainly opposing a structured market to a deregulated market. This chaotic environment is surely a very russian perticularism. In China for example, former communist country, even tips will be kindly refused, and in Beijing, taxi drivers have the obligation to use their meter. It is evolving with time tho ; dual pricing is not used any more for train and plane tickets, even tho travel agencies will often charge overinflated change rate to foreigners.
Anyways, if you reread the post you ll find out that this explanation was not an affirmation but was offered as a possible argument used by some local "vultures" as you qualify them to justify tourist prices. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Bill
Just Starting
Joined: 02 Aug 2004
Posts: 4
|
| Posted: Thu Aug 12, 2004 10:50 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Vorteks,
I see your point. And in spite of my name I do not feel qualified to discuss the relative merits of different forms of Capitalist expression.
Perhaps I did not read your post with the full attention it deserved. I probably over-reacted to some of your key words (mafia, greed, communism). These words are all to often associated with a negative stereotype about Russia and Russians that in my experience is far from the truth. My overall experience is of a warm, generous people with a great sence of humor even if their manner is not well polished when it comes to negotiating business transactions. I spend a lot of time thinking about how to promote travel to Russia and deliver an experience to the visitor that will show them Russia in this light.
--Russia is certainly one of the few capitalist countries in the world.
Yes, in many respects Russia is also a very "free" country. True this "freedom" allows the opportunity of all kinds of human behaviour.
I find it difficult (once again contrary to what my name might suggest) to formulate prices for these kinds of services. I cannot ,in good faith, pay a man who operates his own vehicle less than $15/hr to drive in and around Moscow. His round trip to SVO can easily run 3 hours and sometimes more if customs are having a bad day. What is the visitor prepared to pay to have a pleasant arrival experience?
In Moscow you can within reason negotiate any fair for about Rb100-150 by holding out your hand and seeing who stops. Of course 99 times out of 100 whoever stops will not speak one word of English and as there is no regulation for this kind of activity you will need to have some Moscow street smarts as well as Russian language. When you step out of the hotel or airport and pay the tourist price you will at least be negotiating with someone who can understand where you want to go and is probably in too much of a hurry to get back for another fish to waste time in robbing you. Perhaps even vultures have their place in the food chain.
Bill  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
