Your will get your first taste of the Russian transportation immediately upon arrival to the Sheremetevo International Airport. It was built in 1980 during the times when Russians were for most part not allowed to travel and there were only a limited number of foreign tourists arriving to Russia. I am surprised that the have not yet build a decent airport to accommodate a huge number of traveling Russians and foreign visitors but it remains a fact - the only International airport is tiny and shabby.
After you get off the plane, unsmiling Russian customs officials will direct you to the smoky basement where you have to endure a long passport control line. After that you have to claim your luggage, which could also take some time. Customs are usually easy enough though. Make sure you have your customs declaration ready and you should not have any problems. Usually, they just wave you right through. Arrival Hall is crowded beyond belief and everyone smokes. There are dozens of seedy taxi drivers who would approach you even if it is obvious that you are being picked up. I would very much recommend to arrange for an airport transfer or use the official car services desk in the middle of the arrival hall.
Fortunately, this nightmare experience should be over soon and the rest of the trip you will have no trouble with the Russian transportation, which is quite good.
Metro
Underground/Metro is the best way to get around the city. Moscow has one of the most efficient and beautiful undergrounds in the world. Trains go every minute and a half and it is the best way to beat the traffic jams that plague Moscow early in the morning and from 2 to 7pm daily. Even if you decide not to use it for transportation, it is worth it to venture underground just to see those amazing palaces with cathedral ceilings, marble walls, murals and mosaics. Some of my favorite metro stations are Mayakovskaya with its stainless steel columns and ceiling murals, Ploshad Revolutzii with the bronze sculptures and Novoslobodskya fashioning spectacular stain glass windows. One metro ride costs approximately 6 rubles - (about 20 cents). Metro goes everywhere and while downtown, you rarely have to walk more than five minutes to see the red "M" sign for the nearest station.
Ground Transportation
Ground Transportation in Moscow consists of buses, trolleybuses, which are basically electric buses that utilize suspended wires for electricity and trams that move on rails. It is good but unlike the metro system a bit confusing and I have been unable to find a really clear bus map. If you use ground transportation, make sure that you ask for directions first and then look for your number bus. You can purchase bus tickets that come in sheets of ten at newsstands or right form the bus driver. They are dirt cheap, 25 rubles (less than one dollar) a sheet. There is a stamp machine on the bus that you have to put your ticket in to get punched. Many Russian practice fare dodging since tickets are rarely checked. If caught, the fine is only 10 rubles (about 35 cents) but it could be embarrassing and you will get kicked out from the bus.
Taxi
Taxi is very affordable in Moscow. A five-minute ride should not cost more than $1 or $2. The ride across the city would cost you around $4. Most official cabs are yellow in color and could be identified by a checker sign. Cabs for hire usually sport a green light at the corner of the windshield. When getting in a cab, make sure that you driver turns on the meter or negotiate a fare in advance. You can also use gypsy cabs. All Russians and most foreigners in Moscow do so and it is generally considered safe. Just raise your arm on any street corner and there will be plenty of Russian drivers ready to give you a ride for the agreed upon fare. One word of advice, do not get in a car with more than one person.
On foot
Walking is the best way to explore the city center. Though most of Moscow looks like it was designed for the movement of Politburo motorcades, the city does have good places to walk. In the center things are close together and many theaters, hotels and restaurants are minutes from each other.
Alexandrovsky Gardens, the Boulevard Ring and Red Square are some of the center's prettiest places to walk. If you want to explore the city away from six lanes of traffic, there are a few architectural treasures to be found in the narrower streets of Kitai-Gorod and south of the Old Arbat. Outside of the center the city is more spread out and walking is usually impractical.
Still, outer Moscow is home to Sparrow Hills, Kolomenskaya and the Botanical Gardens, and many of Moscow's best places to stroll.
