LIFE IN MOSCOW
Everything you need to know to navigate Russia's historic capital
Life and Culture
Moscow carries the beauty, spirit and magnitude formed by centuries of history. There is always something to do, somewhere to go and someone to meet. During your time in the Global Campus program, you will get a chance to immerse yourself into Moscow's vibrant, contrasting and rich life.
Sights
The Global Campus program will host four major tours which are essential to feeling and understanding the spirit of the Russian capital. You will get a chance to visit the old city center with the Global Campus program team. Other historic sights are:
  • The Red Square
  • The Kremlin
  • St. Basil's Cathedral
  • Lenin's Mausoleum
  • Moscow Metro
  • Bolshoi Theatre
  • Cathedral of Christ the Saviour
  • Moscow City business center

Museums
The Global Campus program will take you to the Tretyakov art gallery with its collection of more than 1300 works of Russian art dating from the 11th century to the early 20th century. Other museums worth visiting during your time in Moscow are:
  • Pushkin State Art Museum
  • State Historical Museum
  • Victory Museum
  • Multimedia Art Museum
  • Museum of Cosmonautics
  • Tsaristino Museum-Estate
  • Kolmenskoe Museum-Estate
  • Soviet Bunker
Local experiences
The best way to get to know the city's character and its people is through local experiences. Here are some ideas for things to do when you won't feel like going to a museum:
  • Walk around the cozy neighborhoods: Arbat, Nikolskaya and Myasnitskaya streets, Chisty and Patriarshye prudi, Taganka area
  • Visit Soviet factories-turned-art spaces: Flacon, Vinzavod, ArtPlay, Red October and Depo
  • Visit historic estates: Kuskovo, Tsaritstino, Kolomenskoe and Arkhangleskoe
  • Enjoy Moscow parks: VDNH, Gorky park, Aptekarsky gorod, Botanical Gardens, Muzeon
Day and Weekend Trips
Moscow is not the only city worth visiting during your time in Russia. Some amazing historic destinations also include:
  • Saint Petersburg
  • Tver
  • Yaroslavl
  • Borodino
  • Sergiev Posad
  • Kazan
  • Suzdal
Living Conditions
The Global Campus program takes place at Skoltech University, which is about 20-30 minutes away from the city center. Below are some answers to the most common questions about living here.
Campus Accommodation
Dormintories address: Zapadnaya Ulitsa, 40, Novoivanovskoye, Moskovskaya oblast', Russia

Travel time: 25-40 min. (depending on traffic)

Description: a three-story building reserved by Skoltech for Skoltech students only. Next-door there is a food market, shopping mall, pharmacy, and bus stops.

Accommodation conditions: 2-3 persons per room. Each room has 2-3 beds, 2-3 side tables, 2-3 chairs, a closet, and a desk. The building is equipped with soundproof windows which will shut out the noise from the street. Each floor has a shared kitchen with an electric stove, 2 fridges, 2 microwave ovens and 2 kettles. All rooms are swept and mopped regularly by staff and bedclothes are changed weekly.

Wi-Fi: 300 RUB/month for 1 device

Administrative costs for registration: 1,000 RUB per registration (you must register every time you enter or re-enter Russia)

The nearest bus stop: "Nemchinovka-1" (just under the pedestrian bridge). Public transport: 819K bus (from Slavyansliy Boulevard Metro to "Usad'ba" in Skolkovo). You can also use taxi-Apps (Yandex, Uber, and Gett). If you share a taxi with 3 other persons, the price will be nearly the same as taking the bus.

Facilities: There is a gym equipped with basic facilities; you can find table tennis and aero hockey at the Cohort place where students hang out during their free time, and in the student kitchen there is foosball as well. There are cafes and a cafeteria. There are also kitchens where you can cook your own food.
Living Costs
Taking into account the constantly increasing value of the dollar against the ruble, life in Moscow may not seem expensive. In the list below, you will find prices for things that you may need while you are in Moscow.

COMMUNICATION
  • Mailing a postcard/letter home (Airmail) …… Less than 100 RUB
  • A low-cost cellphone model 950-1600 RUB
The most popular telecoms operators and their lowest offers:
Beeline

  • 300 RUB inculdes: 300 mins of phone calls, 100 sms, 2GB data allowance a month
  • 500 RUB inculdes: 550 mins of phone calls, 300 sms, 5GB data allowance a month
Megafon
  • 300 RUB inculdes: 300 mins of phone calls, 200 sms, 2GB data allowance a month
  • 500 RUB inculdes: 550 mins of phone calls, 400 sms, 5GB data allowance a month
MTS
  • 300 RUB inculdes: 250 mins of phone calls, 250 sms, 2GB data allowance a month
  • 500 RUB inculdes: 400 mins of phone calls, 400 sms, 10GB data allowance a month

CULTURE/ENTERTAINMENT
  • Museum admission as an individual 200-1500 RUB per adult
  • Concert admission 200-5000 RUB per adult
  • Theater admission 200-5000 RUB per adult
  • Movie admission 200-1000 RUB per adult
  • Night club entrance fee 200-2000 RUB per adult (but mostly free)
  • Athletic facility fee 300-1000 RUB per adult
  • Newspaper 50-100 RUB
  • Magazine 100-300 RUB

PERSONAL ITEMS

  • Laundry detergent 300 RUB
  • Dry cleaning 200-1000 RUB
  • Sweater 1000-4000 RUB
  • Shoes 2000-10000 RUB
  • Umbrella 500-1500 RUB
  • Raincoat 2000-4000 RUB
  • Contact lens solution 500-600 RUB
  • Package of 5 razors 400 RUB
  • Feminine products 300 RUB
  • Haircut 500-3000 RUB
  • AA battery 50 RUB
  • Printing of digital photos 20 RUB per 1 photo
  • 500 mb flash card 400-1000

MEALS
  • Dinner, inexpensive 400-600 RUB
  • Dinner, expensive 2000+ RUB (no limit)
  • Lunch at the Academy 150-350RUB
  • Sandwich at cafe 100-200RUB
  • Сup of coffee 50-300 RUB
  • Snacks between meals 70 RUB
  • Bottle of water/soda 50 RUB
Public Transportation
GROUND TRANSPORTATION
Moscow's ground transportation covers the entire city. While buses and trolleys include more routes, electric trams have their own paths which allow them to move swiftly past the traffic.

THE METRO
Moscow's underground system is one of the most efficient metro systems in the world. With more than 222 stations, locals and visitors can get within a walking distance to their destination.

TRANSPORTATION TO CAMPUS
There are plenty of buses going to/from the campus from/to Moscow every 5-10 mins. Please check the schedule here.

COSTS
All journeys can be paid for with individual paper tickets (purchased from bus drivers) or pre-filled "Troika" cards (sold in metro stations). We recommend purchasing a Troika card at the start of your journey and refilling it throughout your stay.

  • 1 journey – 55 RUB, 2 journeys – 110 RUB, 20 journeys – 720 RUB, 40 journeys – 1440 RUB, 60 journeys – 1700 RUB
  • 1 journey with Troika card – 36 RUB
  • Train ticket to St. Petersburg (single, roundtrip) – 1000-5000 RUB
  • Regional train ticket – 100-300 RUB (depending on distance)

Map of Moscow Metro
Other
Safety
Moscow is a big city and is as safe or unsafe as any other big city, be it New York, Paris or London. The main advice that we usually give at our orientation sessions is to use common sense.

Moscow night life is really great, so there is no reason to miss it; just be alert. It is better to travel around in groups and share cabs with each other. Never get into a cab if the driver is accompanied by someone else, avoid crowds, and avoid groups of drunk teenagers.

In case of emergencies, call 112 from any phone.
Weather
The summertime is usually warm, but at times there are spells of cold and rain, and temperatures might drop to around 59F (15C). However, it can get very hot (approx. 86F or 30C), although the average temperature is 72F (22C).

At the beginning of autumn (fall), you'll experience a gorgeous summer. This is when temperatures reach up to 70F (21C); however, the weather during that time may also be windy and rainy.

In November, the temperature will drop to approximately 20-50F (-6C to +10C) and with a possibility of early snow.
If you need any help or have questions, just send us an email at global.campus@skoltech.ru