Jinan Moscow Tourism

First of all, I would like to state: Personally, I suggest that if you travel to Moscow, it is better to go with a group tour. Moscow is a very unsuitable place for independent travel. I am not from Jinan. As for the Jinan tour group owner, you can call the local consultation phone number. The following are things to note when traveling to Russia:

1) Visa.

To apply for a visa in Russia, you must obtain a local invitation letter. But unlike many countries, the invitation letter cannot only be issued by the company or local travel agency, but must also be approved by the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs (formerly the famous KGB).

In addition, the invitation letter is all in Russian, so it is best to ask someone to translate it before applying for the visa. Otherwise, if there is a problem that does not match the interview, the visa will be refused. Mainly include: nature of travel, address, address, whether travel expenses are paid, itinerary, copies of round-trip air tickets, etc.

The visa is available at the Russian Consulate and Visa Office next to the ferry bridge. In the morning, you will receive documents and have an interview. If it is urgent, you have to pay 1,000 yuan (usually about 500 a week) and you can get it in the afternoon (of course, the premise is that you pass the interview) ). I didn’t recognize a word of the invitation letter I got when I applied for the visa. Fortunately, I made a quick decision and kept making up stories. After 45 minutes, I was finally able to pay the money. The trick is to be bold and careful, don’t take big risks, the story must be consistent, and it’s enough to bite the bullet, haha.

2) Airport

Everything in Moscow is huge. There is only one small place that is unbelievable. That is its international airport, which is smaller than the old Hongqiao Airport. It was extremely dark inside, and I heard there were thousands of cameras hidden inside.

The efficiency of customs and border security at Moscow Airport is the lowest in the world. It took me 2 hours to get through the border security on the day I arrived (and there were less than 20 people in line in front of me). Everyone must be questioned repeatedly, especially those entering Russia for the first time. Moreover, the entire airport border defense only has 6 entrances, and usually only 2 are opened. Especially slow for Chinese people.

And the day I left was even more terrifying. First of all, it was the weekend. The road to the airport was full of Muscovites driving to the countryside for the weekend. The 8-lane road back and forth was full, and there was a hot LADA car every 100 meters along the way. It only took 50 minutes. The journey took 2 hours!

In addition, you must arrive at Moscow Airport 2 and a half hours before departure to ensure that you can pass customs and border control in time and get on the plane before departure! ! ! This time I spent another 2 hours queuing up for border inspection! ! ! The flight took place at 8:20 in the evening, but I didn’t go through security until 8:40. However, most people on the plane had not yet gone through customs, so the plane did not start boarding until 10:30. However, in Russia, which is lagging behind, all boarding passes are torn off by hand. As a result, someone got on the wrong plane. Due to fear of a terrorist attack, everyone had to get off the plane with their luggage, have agents inspect the plane, and then board again, so the plane It was already 11:50 pm when we took off.

So, if you are independent, there is a high probability that you will not be able to catch the plane back home.

3) Language

English is basically not available in Russia. There are very few signs in English throughout the airport, and the lady who broadcasts flight information has very poor English, and she only broadcasts it once, so she doesn't deserve it. The airport staff also only speak Russian. It is a very big country chauvinist country with no concept of service at all.

In urban areas, there are basically no foreign languages. Including the Kremlin ticket office, they only speak Russian and no English, and the staff do not know any foreign languages, which is a complete loss.

So if you don’t understand Russian, it will be difficult to travel there, including transportation within the city.

4) Transportation

Russian transportation is very inconvenient.

If you leave Moscow to go elsewhere, you will have to wait in long queues to buy train tickets or plane tickets. Secondly, there are 5 train stations in Moscow, which go in different directions. You must know them clearly, otherwise you will be in trouble. But how it is possible to figure it out if you don’t understand the local language and basically can’t use English (no one cares about you), I don’t know.

There are very few taxis in Moscow. Even if there are taxis, they don’t use the meter and you have to negotiate the price verbally. Most people just stop cars on the road. Many private cars are willing to park (of course, mainly LADA, Volvo, etc. Daben is not interested in making such money). The price usually starts at 100 rubles (30 RMB), but depending on whether you are familiar with it, some people will charge a high price. However, there are also many kind people who only charge 100, and if you are just a lady, it is free (local tradition requires single ladies to be taken care of). But it’s not easy if you have the ability to clearly explain the destination and price in Russian.

Moscow’s subway has a history of 70 years and is very developed, and Moscow’s subway stations are world-famous for their beauty. But the problem is that if you don't understand the local language, the complexity of the subway network is difficult to understand. I once read the subway guide for 30 minutes and wanted to go to a famous subway station to see the decoration there, but I gave up. In addition, the recent activities of terrorists have made the subway very dangerous, and there are also many thieves. In addition, most places in Russia do not have air conditioning (including subways and stations), so the subway is not a good means of transportation at least for now.

5) Security

The biggest danger in Russia is terrorist attacks. Therefore, every major building must be inspected, including all tourist attractions. There are many agents and police officers and electronic scanning equipment. If you want to enter some OFFICE BUILDING, you must apply the day before, get your passport on the same day, and have the staff inside take it in. If there is no reservation the day before, even if someone picks it up that day, you will not be able to get in. So many OFFICE BUILDING lobbies are filled with customers waiting in line, haha.

Another danger at night comes from drunkards. Russians do not have the habit of working overtime every day, so after 6:00, you can see people drinking from bottles everywhere. Usually people start getting drunk after 8:00. It's summer in Moscow now, and the sun doesn't start to get dark until 11:00 p.m., but generally it's not safe after 8:00, especially for Chinese people, because Russia's discrimination against Chinese people is very serious.

The biggest danger to Chinese people comes from the police. You must carry your passport with you at all times in Russia, because police will constantly stop you on the road to check your documents. Sometimes the police will tell you that your documents are not up to standard, so don’t worry. Just pay 300-500 rubles (RMB 100-160) and you can get away. Otherwise, they will take you to the police station, lock you up for 4-8 hours, and fine you US$250-600 before releasing you. Even if all your documents are legal, it’s useless. Don’t expect anyone to listen to your complaint. In addition, there are some people who pretend to be police officers and specifically look for foreigners to check their documents and defraud money. However, due to the different languages, you can't tell whether it is true or false, so it is best to pay.

6) Price

Russia’s prices are the highest in the world alongside London and Tokyo, and more expensive than Germany.

The SHERATON PALACE HOTEL I stayed in is a relatively high-end hotel in the local area, known as 5 stars, and costs 1,300/night. KEMPINSKI across from Red Square costs $450 per night.

But the most expensive thing is eating, and the prices of high-end restaurants and food stalls are very expensive, which is a strange thing.

The meal we had at THE Anchor in the hotel on the first night was the most high-end Western food in the area. It cost 2,000 yuan for four people, which was not more expensive than in Shanghai. The next day I had Georgian food, which is a mixture of Western food and Xinjiang flavor. It was very delicious and the price was unknown. On the third day, I realized that everything I eat is very expensive. If you don’t believe me, please read:

One day, I ate Chinese food, Northeastern cuisine, 3 people, 2 cold dishes, 1 spare ribs, 1 fried noodles, RMB 400; < /p>

One day we ate at a food stall, just like the big times, 2 people, 3 side dishes, a plate of watermelon, and two Cokes, RMB 500. I heard that watermelon is 150 yuan/catty.

So, Russia is beautiful, but try not to go there by yourself.

There is only one word to describe Moscow: MASSIVE.

It was already 10:00 pm when we came out of the airport, and the sun had just started to set. From the airport to the city is a wide and straight road, the famous Tewei Street. At the end of the street is the Kremlin. The street starts from the Kremlin and goes to the airport. After walking for 8 hours, you will reach St. Petersburg. There are 8 lanes going back and forth, and the buildings on both sides are match-shaped buildings. It feels exactly like the Fourth Ring Road in Beijing, except that all the buildings are about 2-5 times larger than those in Beijing.

Moscow and Beijing are very similar, because Beijing was built in imitation of Moscow. Many buildings also look alike and ugly. But the buildings in Moscow are generally about 2-5 times larger than those in Beijing. They can only be described as huge. Moreover, the city of Moscow is also composed of 5 rings, with the Kremlin in the center.

But once you pass the Garden Ring Road (equivalent to the 3rd Ring Road), it is hugely different from Beijing. Completely European-style buildings are dotted with churches that constantly appear, as well as some huge buildings that pop up from time to time. The Soviet-era skyscrapers are definitely an exhibition of architectural art and a visual feast.

The huge building is not suitable for taking pictures, because it is impossible to take a full picture without a wide angle. The photo was taken on Heping Street, but similar buildings are everywhere.

The Kremlin is closed every Thursday, so make sure you plan your time when traveling. It took at least 30 minutes to queue up to buy a ticket, and all the notices were in Russian and no English. I fainted. The large entrance fee is 300 (RMB 100), including the main church (there are many churches in the Kremlin), but does not include the weapons depot.

If you see a flag flying on the top of the building, it means Putin is in the Kremlin. In that case, tourists can only visit the church area, and other places can only be viewed from a distance. So there are lines drawn everywhere, there are police, and whistles will be blown as soon as you cross the line. You must abide by the rules, otherwise you may enter the KGB, haha.

Only after seeing the Red Square can you experience the status of a superpower; and then imagine what it would be like to work in the Kremlin, and you will understand why Russia was so tough before, because standing there, you really You will feel that this is the center of the world.

Wish you a happy journey!