avianca airlines travel credit

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Take control of your trip by adding additional services

Earn up to 5 Elite qualifying miles per dollar purchased by adding avianca lounges, Travel Assistance, seat selection or upgrade to business class to your booking.

More information

Additional services are not reusable unless due to involuntary causes (situations beyond the control of the customer or the airline).

As of June 1, 2023, you will have the option to request a refund of the additional services you purchased and did not use, only if your fare is flex, business, L, or XXL and if you requested the refund of the ticket to which they are associated, before the flight departure. Iké travel assistance continues to be refundable with an additional charge if coverage has not started, once the flight has started, no refunds are accepted.

• Iké travel assistance: Learn more about the applicable conditions .

Earning LifeMiles with additional services

• Additional services eligible for earning miles are: avianca Lounges, travel assistance, book your seat, empty seat, upgrade to business class. To earn your miles, make sure to include your LifeMiles number in the booking.
• This earn miles model will apply to additional services used on flights taken on or after 18 May 2021, regardless of the date of purchase.
• The Elite bonus will be awarded according to the Elite status of the member. For more information, see more information .
• Applies to any purchase channel (avianca.com, airports, points of sale, Contact Center, agencies) provided that the purchase is available at that channel.
• Miles will be earned per dollar spent. Does not apply to mileage redemptions.
• The fare in U.S. dollars ($) for calculating qualifying miles does not include fees, taxes or additional services. If you pay in a currency other than U.S. dollars ($), qualifying miles will be calculated based on the conversion rate in effect at the time of purchase.
• Your miles will be shown in your account up to 15 days after your flight. Once miles have been earned, LifeMiles program terms and conditions apply. Available at LifeMiles.com .
• These miles will count as minimum miles flown with Avianca for the Elite counter. To obtain and/or maintain LifeMiles Elite status within the program, the member must meet the number of qualifying Miles and Avianca flown Miles required for each Elite level, as well as any other requirements to obtain and/or maintain Elite status. See the requirements for LifeMiles Elite status.
• Applies to purchases on all destinations operated by Avianca airlines.

Act fast: Avianca mileage sale as low as 2,200 miles each way

Avianca just dropped a flash sale on award tickets from select U.S. cities to Central and South American destinations. The Colombian carrier is offering award tickets at up to a 30% discount to San Jose, Costa Rica; San Salvador, El Salvador; and Bogota, Colombia. With a couple of routes, you can book one-way fares for as few as 2,200 miles.

You have to act fast to take advantage of this sale, as it only applies to flights booked by Thursday. The sale fares apply to travel between now and March 2025. Another thing: To find the sale fares, you must go to the website of the airline's rewards program, LifeMiles . Once you log in, you can search for flights from your preferred departure city.

Deal basics

Airline : Avianca.

Routes : Select routes in Avianca's network from the U.S. to San Jose, San Salvador and Bogota.

How to book : Browse flights on Avianca's LifeMiles website , then book directly with the airline.

Travel dates : The travel window for this sale is from Friday through March 27, 2025.

Sample flights

As you can see in the screenshot above, the sale allows you to save a substantial number of miles for trips to these three destinations.

If you haven't used Avianca's LifeMiles site, be patient. It's not the most user-friendly site, and the functionality is clunky. For example, you have to check individual dates to find out how many miles a one-way ticket will cost.

As for the deals themselves, June is a good month to find fares from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO) in San Jose. You can book fares for 8,460 miles and about $69 in taxes each way.

August and January have even better fares, with one-way tickets from LA to San Jose available for just 7,610 LifeMiles, plus $50.28 in taxes.

You can book flights from Los Angeles to El Salvador International Airport (SAL) in San Salvador for just 3,170 miles plus $60 in taxes before the promo discount. This is easily the best bargain in this sale. We found good availability for this rate in July and August, but the lowest fares were mostly gone in other months.

One of the better deals we found out of New York City was this June itinerary from John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to San Salvador for 4,360 miles and $33.20 in taxes.

Be sure to compare options before you choose the fare you want. Avianca has three different economy options: Basic, Classic and Flex. You may have enough miles that it would be a better deal to upgrade a tier and get the free carry-on and checked bag; you wouldn't get this with the Basic-level ticket.

Maximize your purchase

If you don't have a stash of LifeMiles, there are many ways to get your hands on some, including via Avianca's partnerships with major transferable points programs . You can currently transfer your American Express Membership Rewards points, Capital One miles and Citi ThankYou Rewards points to your LifeMiles account at a 1:1 ratio.

If you're looking to top up your transferable points balances, you can do so by applying for these offers:

• The Platinum Card® from American Express : Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new card in your first six months of card membership.
• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express : Earn 120,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with the card within the first three months of card membership.
• Citi Premier® Card : (see rates and fees ) Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.
• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card (see rates and fees ): Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

Bottom line

We always point out that the more flexible your travel schedule is, the better your chance of scoring the best deal. It's especially true with this sale, as the discounted fares are volatile. Have patience with Avianca's website and check various months to hopefully maximize your savings.

Related reading:

• Here are the best current credit card welcome offers
• 7 things to understand about credit before applying for a new card
• How to apply for a credit card
• What is APR on a credit card?
• How to check your credit score for free

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How To Buy Avianca LifeMiles and Get the Best Value in 2024

Ehsan Haque

Content Contributor

52 Published Articles

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Michael Y. Park

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Keri Stooksbury

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Countries Visited: 47 U.S. States Visited: 28

Basics of the Avianca LifeMiles Program

Purchasing miles at a deep discount, buying for specific redemptions, topping off your account, how to purchase avianca lifemiles, how many lifemiles can you purchase, which card should you use, final thoughts.

We may be compensated when you click on product links, such as credit cards, from one or more of our advertising partners. Terms apply to the offers below. See our Advertising Policy for more about our partners, how we make money, and our rating methodology. Opinions and recommendations are ours alone.

Buying points and miles is generally not a great idea. But there are times when purchasing miles represents great value — and, in some cases, can potentially save you a lot of money .

When it comes to travel rewards, a program that is often overlooked is Avianca LifeMiles . The program has incredible award pricing, tons of airline partners, and does not make passengers pay fuel surcharges.

Best of all, it is easy to accumulate LifeMiles, as the loyalty program is a transfer partner of several rewards programs . It’s also relatively easy to purchase Avianca LifeMiles.

Let’s take a look at how and when you should buy Avianca LifeMiles.

Avianca LifeMiles is an incredibly beneficial program and arguably the best way to book long-haul, premium cabin Star Alliance award tickets. Although the LifeMiles program has undergone devaluations over the years, it still provides excellent redemptions.

The program still uses a zone-based award chart with incredible sweet spots and has interesting pricing quirks when it comes to mixed-cabin awards. With a fixed award chart, it’s easy to determine how many miles you need for a specific redemption.

From 6,500-mile United domestic flights to 60,000-mile business class awards between the U.S. and Europe, there are various ways to redeem Avianca LifeMiles .

In addition to the fantastic award pricing,  LifeMiles doesn’t levy fuel surcharges  on award flights. This is especially important on award flights operated by Lufthansa or SWISS, which can tack on hundreds of dollars in carrier-imposed surcharges when booked with other programs.

For this reason, LifeMiles is the go-to mileage program for booking award tickets on Lufthansa Group airlines, particularly in premium cabins.

When To Purchase Avianca LifeMiles

Let’s get this out of the way: We don’t generally recommend buying miles. This is because the cost of buying miles is usually higher than the value you get redeeming them.

Generally, however, if the value of the miles exceeds the cost of buying them, purchasing them can be a good idea. But before you hit that confirmation button, there are more things to consider before buying miles.

Your chances of getting value from buying miles tend to be better with Avianca LifeMiles. The LifeMiles program has a generous award chart and does not add fuel surcharges to award redemptions, which is a huge benefit of the program.

Let’s take a look at when it makes sense to buy Avianca LifeMiles and how to actually buy them.

You can buy Avianca LifeMiles for 3.3 cents each (i.e., 10,000 LifeMiles for $330) without any bonus. However, this does not represent the best value, as no bonus miles are involved.

Fortunately, Avianca has frequent bonus promotions when purchasing LifeMiles. In the past, these bonuses have been as high as 200%. Nowadays, it’s more common to see bonuses of up to 170%.

If you wanted to buy 10,000 LifeMiles with a 170% bonus, you would receive an extra 17,000 LifeMiles (27,000 LifeMiles total) for $330. This would bring your cost down to just 1.22 cents per mile.

For reference, we value Avianca LifeMiles at 1.4 cents per mile. If redeemed strategically, Avianca LifeMiles can be worth a lot more.

If you’ve done the math and know that purchasing LifeMiles is a good strategy for an upcoming redemption, make sure there’s a LifeMiles bonus promotion when you do it.

As mentioned, Avianca is a member of Star Alliance , which means you can redeem LifeMiles on all Star Alliance airlines, including Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines, Air Canada, Singapore Airlines, and United, among others. Best of all, the LifeMiles program doesn’t tack on fuel surcharges for award redemptions.

Buying the necessary miles for an award redemption can be a great way to book Star Alliance premium cabin seats at a considerable discount. For example, many business class flights between the U.S. and Europe can easily cost upwards of $4,000 one-way.

Avianca LifeMiles charges 63,000 miles for a one-way business class award ticket between the U.S. and Europe. Even without a LifeMiles bonus promotion, you can buy 63,000 Avianca LifeMiles for about $2,100.

This represents huge savings over an expensive cash ticket. Of course, you don’t want to buy LifeMiles without a significant bonus promotion, as they’re relatively frequent.

Overall, LifeMiles represents an incredibly cheap path to Star Alliance redemptions, and buying the miles you need for a redemption can be a great way to save a considerable amount of cash .

Purchasing points and miles can be a great way to get a substantial discount when compared to expensive cash fares.

Of course, you can also buy miles when you need to top off an account for a redemption you already have in mind.

If you are short just a few thousand LifeMiles , it can make sense to buy the remaining miles needed. This is especially true if you have already confirmed award space and need the miles immediately.

Fortunately, most airline loyalty programs let you buy miles in small increments to top off your account.

Buying Avianca LifeMiles is quite simple. Head to the Avianca LifeMiles website and log in to your LifeMiles account when prompted.

In the top bar, click on More . This opens a menu with more options, including buying miles.

Select Buy Miles .

From the page that pops up, you can purchase LifeMiles. Click Choose an amount, and a drop-down menu will appear. Here, enter the number of miles you wish to purchase.

After that, agree to the terms and conditions and enter your payment information to complete checkout.

Your purchased LifeMiles should be ready to use instantly.

LifeMiles allows you to purchase up to 200,000 miles per account per calendar year before factoring in any bonuses.

In the past, LifeMiles used to sell miles directly, which meant using a credit card with elevated earnings on airfare purchases, such as The Platinum Card ® from American Express or the Chase Sapphire Reserve ® , was the way to go. However, LifeMiles purchases are now completed through points.com.

The best cards to use for LifeMiles purchases are those that maximize your return on everyday spending , such as the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card or the Chase Freedom Unlimited ® .

Purchasing airline miles is generally not a great idea, as there are many different ways to earn miles through welcome bonuses and everyday card spending. However, there are certain situations where it may make sense to purchase miles, and this is especially true with Avianca LifeMiles.

Although you should never speculatively buy airline miles, buying Avianca LifeMiles can be a fantastic way to get deep discounts on many Star Alliance partners, particularly for premium cabins. When deciding to buy Avianca LifeMiles, you should always wait for bonus promotions.

The Avianca LifeMiles program continues to offer a ton of value thanks to its generous award chart and long list of Star Alliance partners. Strategically buying Avianca LifeMiles can be an excellent way to fly on some of the world’s best airlines for a fraction of the cost.

The golden rule remains to only buy LifeMiles (on any airline program’s miles) when you have a specific redemption in mind.

The information regarding the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card ® from American Express, click here .

Frequently Asked Questions

Does avianca always have a bonus promotion for buying lifemiles.

No, Avianca does not always have a bonus promotion for buying LifeMiles, but the airline does offer promotions frequently.

How can I earn Avianca LifeMiles without buying them?

The Avianca LifeMiles program is a transfer partner of several major reward currencies, including Amex Membership Rewards ,  Brex Rewards ,  Capital One Miles ,  Citi ThankYou Rewards , and Marriott Bonvoy .

Which partner airlines can you fly with using Avianca miles?

You can use Avianca LifeMiles to fly on any of its Star Alliance partners and codeshare partner airlines .

How many LifeMiles does Avianca charge for flights between the U.S. and Europe?

LifeMiles uses a zone-based award chart for most flights. Here is the one-way award pricing, based on which class you are flying:

• Economy: 30,000 miles plus taxes and fees
• Business: 63,000 miles plus taxes and fees
• First: 87,000 miles plus taxes and fees

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About Ehsan Haque

Ehsan is an avid traveler who has traveled to 100 countries, diligently using points and miles to fund his journeys. Currently, he holds 32 active credit cards and earns over a million points and miles annually, primarily using them for luxury hotels and long-haul premium cabins.

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UP's Bonus Valuation

This bonus value is an estimated valuation calculated by UP after analyzing redemption options, transfer partners, award availability and how much UP would pay to buy these points.

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How to Make the Most of Flying in Avianca’s Economy Class

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money .

Avianca Airlines flies to more than 100 destinations, including six in the United States. The Colombian carrier is a Star Alliance partner that operates service to the following U.S. cities: Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Los Angeles; Miami; New York City; Orlando, Florida; and Washington, D.C.

Based on our most recent analysis, NerdWallet values Avianca LifeMiles at 1.2 cents each.

Here’s what you need to know about flying Avianca economy class.

What to expect flying economy with Avianca

Fare types and inclusions.

When flying Avianca on international routes, you can choose from a wide range of fare types within economy class. Avianca’s fare types resemble clothing sizes to better fit your travel style:

XS indicates a promotional fare that includes a carry-on bag and personal item. Everything else, such as a checked bag and seat selection, comes at an extra cost. XS fares don’t allow for changes or refunds. When you fly XS, you won’t earn redeemable miles in the Avianca LifeMiles loyalty program.

S fares include a carry-on bag, and everything else comes at an extra cost. You will earn miles by booking this fare type.

M fares include a checked bag. These fares also earn miles, can be refunded (for an extra cost) and can be upgraded to the next class of service for LifeMiles Elite members.

L fares come with more flexibility and include two checked bags and complimentary Avianca Plus upgrades, changes and refunds.

XL fares include more service, such as two pieces of checked luggage, and are eligible for business class upgrades. However, changes and refunds cost extra.

XXL fares come with everything included in the fare: one carry-on bag, two checked bags, seat selection, an upgrade to business class, mileage accrual and free changes or refunds.

Bag allowance

When flying with Avianca, economy class passengers with XS or S fares have to pay extra to check a bag. Those with M fares can check one bag weighing up to 50 pounds, while those with L fares can check two bags up to that weight. XL and XXL fares fall under business class rules and can check two bags up to 70 pounds.

Carry-on bags are limited to 22 pounds.

Economy food

On economy flights shorter than three hours, only beverages are served upon request. If you’re flying three to four hours, expect a snack pack. Passengers on flights four to five hours receive prepackaged food, such as a sandwich, wrap or salad bowl. Those flying five to seven hours will be served a box containing a snack pack and prepackaged food.

Avianca’s economy seats offer 34 inches of pitch on average. Pitch is the distance between a point on a seat and the same point on a seat in front of or behind it. Any Avianca economy review would correctly note that 34 inches is quite good. But this measurement can vary depending on the plane you fly.

If your fare type includes seat selection, you'll have the option to pick or buy a front-row seat, preferential seat, emergency-exit seat, duo seat or standard seat up to 48 hours before departure.

» Learn more: Unexpected sweet spots for international airline award programs

Ways to get good value

Book with lifemiles.

To save cash, pay for your flight using Avianca LifeMiles . Take, for example, this round trip between San Salvador, El Salvador, and Bogota, Colombia. Each one-way economy flight starts at 11,000 LifeMiles at a sale redemption rate (so 22,000 miles round-trip) and goes to 14,500 miles at a standard rate.

The same round-trip flights on the same dates cost $600 total in cash.

To see how much value you’re getting out of your points for this trip, subtract the taxes, about $105, from the $600 cash fare, then divide the difference ($495) by 22,000 miles. You end up with a healthy 2.25 cents per mile on this trip — a tremendous value for an economy award.

Use Lock and Fly to hold award flights

Avianca’s Lock and Fly option lets you hold an award flight while you earn or transfer points to the LifeMiles program. The feature is available only for select Avianca-operated flights.

Once you find an eligible flight with a Lock and Fly icon, you can hold it from the lock date up to 15 days before a domestic flight, up to 30 days before an international flight and up to 60 days before a flight to Europe. The cost varies based on itinerary, class of service and length of hold.

In this example, both sale and standard mileage rates were available for booking, but only the sale rate could be locked. If you need more time to get miles or plan the trip, you can lock the award at the lower rate and buy more time. Once you’re ready to book, make sure the hold is still active and complete the booking.

Control your economy fare cost

Avianca’s many fare classes create a lot of opportunities to save money.

For example, if you’re going on a short trip where you don’t need to check a 50-pound bag, you can book a cheaper ticket with an XS or S fare. If you don’t care about seat selection enough to pay extra, you can get a lower fare without that option. You're in control of how many amenities or how much fare flexibility you get by spending less or more on a ticket.

» Learn more: 5 times you'd want to redeem more miles for a flight

Fly Avianca economy class and save

For flights to and within Central and South America, Avianca’s economy class isn’t a bad choice. Depending on travel distance, you might get a meal and a seat with plenty of pitch. Plus, the many different fare classes provide more flexibility and allow you to choose how you want to travel.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

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Districts [ edit ]

Central Moscow districts [ edit ]

Outlying districts [ edit ], understand [ edit ].

Moscow is the financial and political centre of Russia and the countries formerly comprising the Soviet Union. It has a population of around 13 million and an area of 2,511 square kilometres (970 sq mi) after an expansion in 2012. One-tenth of all Russian citizens live in the Moscow metropolitan area. Moscow is the second most populous city in Europe, after Istanbul , and has the most populous metropolitan area in Europe, with some 21 million residents. Moscow is in the UTC+3 time zone; there is no daylight saving time.

Many years since the break up of the Soviet Union, the economy has improved, and the modern era has brought upon a wide variety of construction projects, modern architecture and newer transport systems replacing the derelict ones during Soviet times.

Geography [ edit ]

Moscow is a large metropolis on the Moskva River, which bends its way through the city. The historical center is on the northern bank of the river. The other major waterway is the Yauza River, which flows into the Moskva east of the Kremlin.

Much of Moscow's geography is defined by the 3 'Ring Roads' that circle the city at various distances from the centre, roughly following the outline of the walls that used to surround Moscow. With Red Square and the Kremlin forming the very centre, the innermost ring road is the Boulevard Ring ( Bulvarnoye Koltso ), built in the 1820s where the 16th century walls used to be. It runs from the Christ the Savior Cathedral in south-west central Moscow, to the mouth of the Yauza in south-east central Moscow.

The next ring road, the Garden Ring ( Sadovoe Koltso ), derives its name from the fact that landowners near the road in Tsarist times were obligated to maintain gardens to make the road attractive. In Soviet times, the road was widened, and there are now no gardens there.

The Third Ring Road, completed in 2004, is not much use for tourists but is a heavily used motorway which absorbs a bit of Moscow's traffic. It roughly follows the outline of Kamer-Kollezhsky val , the customs boundary of Moscow in the 18th – early 20th century. The outer edge of Moscow is largely defined by the Moscow Ring Road (widely known by its abbreviation: MKAD-Moskovskaya kolcevaya avto doroga), a motorway which is 108 km (67 mi) long and encircles the entire city (similar to London's M25 and Paris' Périphérique ).

Climate [ edit ]

The climate of Moscow features warm summers and long, cold winters.

Get in [ edit ]

See Russia#Get in for visa requirements to Russia.

By train [ edit ]

Moscow is a railway hub, with connections to all parts of Russia and far into Europe and Asia. Due to its hub status, Moscow's train stations are often crowded; trains are the usual form of intercity transport for most Russians. The stations have a reputation for being unsafe but paradoxically the threat of terrorism has improved things: security gates, policing and surveillance deter the casual thugs and villains. Guard your valuables and yourself as you would in any big city.

All long-distance trains are operated by Russian Railways and its subsidiaries, except for a few international trains with other operators. Tickets can be bought at stations or online . For domestic trains, you can show the ticket officer your online boarding pass; however, international trains require a printed ticket. There are usually ticket counters with English-speaking personnel - they may be marked as such, or the clerk may direct you to another counter if they can't cope with your English. See Russia#By train 2 for more details on travelling in Russia by train.

From Europe [ edit ]

All trains from Europe halted since 2020

Train stations in Moscow [ edit ]

Moscow has 10 train stations, 9 of which are near metro stations close to the center of Moscow. Be sure to note the station from which your train is departing, which will be indicated on the ticket, or online . Three stations ( Leningradsky , Yaroslavsky , and Kazansky ) are on one huge square, informally known as the "Three Stations' Square". A running joke among Moscow taxi drivers since the Soviet times is to be able to pick up a fare from one of them to the other, taking the unwary tourist on an elaborate ride in circles. Be prepared for enormous queues trying to enter or exit the Metro at peak times, as people are getting off or on the commuter trains.

By car [ edit ]

Many entry points to Moscow over the Ring Road and into the city feature rotating roadblocks, where teams of traffic police may stop a vehicle, especially if it is not featuring Moscow plates. You may be stopped and questioned but you'll be allowed to proceed if you have all the proper documents.

Foreign cars, especially expensive cars, might attract unwelcome attention, and there is cumbersome paperwork involved to enter Russia by car.

By boat [ edit ]

There is no scheduled passenger service to Moscow by boat; however, cruise ships do provide service to the Northern River Terminal, on the Moscow Canal near the Khimki Reservoir. The pier is not convenient to the city and it can take over 2 hours to reach the city centre by car.

A system of navigable channels and locks connects the Moskva River with the Volga River, which is further connected to the Baltic Sea , White Sea, the Azov, the Black Sea, and the Caspian Sea. In the Soviet times this allowed the official propaganda to refer to Moscow as "a port on the five seas".

By bicycle [ edit ]

Moscow is the easternmost destination of the EuroVelo cycling routes . Eurovelo Route 2 , the Capitals Route, is a 5,500 km (3,400 mi) route starting in Galway , Ireland , passing through Dublin , London , Berlin , Warsaw and Minsk before terminating in Moscow.

By metro [ edit ]

The Metro is open from 05:30-01:00. Station entrances are closed at 01:00, and at this time the last trains depart from all of the termini stations. After 01:00, many locals will enter the train station using the exits, which are still open. Service on the ring line runs until 01:30, although entrances are closed at 01:00. The down escalators are also shut off at 01:00.

There is signage in the Metro stations in English and the Latin alphabet, but these signs are not everywhere. Each train carriage has a map in Latin script and there is one near the entrance to each station. Note the direction of the train before you alight. It is worth printing a map of the metro system in both Cyrillic and Latin letters to take with you.

All trains in the system have free WiFi onboard, but you will need to have a Russian phone number to get the authorization code to access the WiFi. Some of the older train cars are not climate controlled.

2 or 3 stations may be connected as transfer points but will each have a different name. There are 2 stations called Smolenskaya and 2 stations called Arbatskaya , but the station pairs are not connected to each other despite having the same name. Some of the stations are very deep underground, and transfer times between certain metro lines can take a lot of time. In the city centre, it can save time to go directly to the above-ground entrance of the line you want to take rather than to enter at a connecting station and transfer underground. On the escalators, stand on the right and walk on the left except for peak hours, when standing on the left side is also allowed.

Some of the train stations include beautiful architecture and it is worth taking a guided tour of the metro system. The most interesting stations in terms of decor are Komsomolskaya (ring line), Novoslobodskaya (ring line), Kievskaya (ring line), Kropotkinskaya (Line #1 - red), Kievskaya (Line #3 - dark blue), Arbatskaya (Line #3 - dark blue), Ploschad' Revolyutsii (Line #3 - dark blue), Mayakovskaya (Line #2 - dark green). Also look at the architecture of the ground entrance building of Arbatskaya (Line #4 - light blue) and Krasnye Vorota (Line #1 - red). History buffs may appreciate that Metro Line #1 (red) has the oldest stations, opened in 1935.

The Vorobyovy Gory Metro Station on Line #1 (red) is unique in that it is on a bridge crossing the Moscow River. This bridge also carries auto traffic road on another level. There is a beautiful view through the transparent sides of the station. A great observing point around Moscow is located nearby on Vorobyovy hills, next to the main building of Lomonosov Moscow State University.

There are a couple of unique trains operating through the system and you will be lucky if you get to ride them. Aquarelle (Watercolor) is a train that includes an art gallery. The train operates daily on Line #3 (dark blue). The Sokolniki Retro Train is a train modeled after the original 1930s trains and it occasionally is placed into service, usually around a major anniversary of the metro system.

The metro is relatively safe, although pickpockets are a problem, as they are in any environment where a lot of people are pressed together. Opportunistic petty crime, such as snatching someone's mobile phone and jumping out just as the doors are closing, is also commonplace. Take the usual precautions at night when gangs of inebriated teenagers may look for an excuse to beat someone up. There is no train guard or conductor, so the first car near the driver may be the safest. Every car is equipped with an intercom to the driver's cabin; they are beige boxes with a grill and a black button near doors, and mostly work, unless visibly vandalized.

By tram [ edit ]

There are several tram routes, although trams are not common in the city centre.

By monorail [ edit ]

Moscow Monorail is a 4.7 km (2.9 mi) monorail line with 6 stations. It is slower, less frequent, and has shorter operating hours when compared with the metro (every 30 min, 08:00-20:00). However, the view is picturesque. It is useful to get to the Ostankino Tower, or to get to the VDNKh exhibition centre from Metro Line #9 (silver). Interchanges between Moscow Metro and Monorail is free, no additional fee will be charged.

By hop-on-hop-off bus [ edit ]

The hop-on-hop-off bus is a convenient way for tourists to see the major sights quickly and efficiently. The buses feature English-speaking guides to answer any questions. A 1 day pass costs $24 for adults and $15 for children.

See [ edit ]

Do [ edit ].

Moscow has many attractions, but many of them are not friendly to a non-Russian-speaker. English-language newspapers like The Moscow Times , Element [dead link] , Moscow News and others can help to navigate towards English-language friendly attractions and services.

Circuses [ edit ]

Theatres [ edit ].

• Bolshoi Theatre , one of the oldest and best known ballet and opera companies in the world.

Learn [ edit ]

Moscow remains the educational center of Russia and the former USSR. There are 222 institutes of higher education, including 60 state universities & 90 colleges. Some of these offer a wide-spectrum of programs, but most are centered around a specific field. This is a hold-over from the days of the USSR, when Sovietwide there were only a handful of wide-spectrum "universities" and a large number of narrow-specialization "institutes" (mostly in Moscow & St.Petersburg). Moscow offers some of the best business/management, science, & arts schools in the world. Moscow is also a popular destination for foreign students to learn Russian.

Work [ edit ]

You will need a work visa which is not an easy process. The visa needs to be arranged well in advance of traveling. It is possible to work in Moscow, you just need to find a good company to support you. The main obstacle for many foreigners will be a mandatory Russian language exam required to obtain a work permit.

Shopping malls [ edit ]

Large shopping malls are common near metro stations.

Tipping [ edit ]

For information on tipping in restaurants, see Russia#Eat .

Ethnic food [ edit ]

Authentic ethnic food from countries of the nearby Caucasus ( Azerbaijan , Georgia , Armenia ) is common in Moscow. Japanese food, including sushi, rolls, tempura, and steakhouses are very popular in Moscow. Other Asian cuisines including Vietnamese, Thai, and Chinese are becoming increasingly more common.

Budget [ edit ]

Street food [ edit ].

Free-standing kiosks serving sausages, meat pies, or kebobs are plentiful, although the origins of the meat served is questionable and the food has been known to occasionally make people sick.

Muscovites are also fond of their ice cream, consumed in any weather, even in the dead of winter, cheap and usually of superior quality; kiosks can be found all over the center and near all Metro stations.

Foodcourts 2.0 [ edit ]

This term is used in articles by local food critics: since 2016, several special food courts were opened with independent and small food chains, for those people who get bored of McDonald's-like food. They offer a wider choice of cuisines.

Clubs [ edit ]

Nightlife in Moscow is bustling, intense and exciting. It starts quite late; it's common for the headliners to start at 02:00-02:00. Most noticeable are areas near Solyanka street and Krasniy Oktyabr' place. At summer time a lot of clubs opening open-air terraces called "verandas". Most of clubs in Moscow are very picky of who they let in, so make sure you have a positive attitude and dress up if you are going to a fancy club.

Gazgolder [dead link] (not far from Kremlin) is among the best.

Cafes [ edit ]

Moscow has several café chains with great coffee including Coffeemania and Coffee Bean [dead link] . Moscow also has a good selection of tea saloons. High-quality infusion teas such as Newby, are widely available in cafes, both in packets and loose.

Asking to add boiling water to the tea you ordered earlier is a practice that some cafes don't welcome, but normally it's acceptable.

Sleep [ edit ]

Stay safe [ edit ].

Moscow enjoys a relatively low crime rate.

Drunk people are the most likely sources of problems. In the past years, lots of policemen were corrupt, and it was best to avoid them. Nowadays Moscow has a Tourist Police force, whose officers are able to speak foreign languages and help tourists. Police officers are equipped with body-cameras.

It is preferable to avoid some parts of the outer districts of Moscow, especially in the south. Some of those areas are notorious for gopniks (drunkards notorious for muggings and starting fights with strangers, and will do so seemingly unprovoked), who normally hang out in sparse residential areas and in industrial zones. The same problems can be witnessed in the surrounding regions and in other Russian cities as well.

While traveling in Moscow, as in the rest of Russia, you should always have your passport with you. If you look non-white, your papers may get checked more often than otherwise. The police may demand to see your papers to check if you have been registered within 7 business days of your arrival into Moscow. Always remember that if you stay in a hotel then you are automatically registered and will be handed a confirmation paper at a time of check-in, so don't worry in this case. The police are usually looking for migrants from Central Asia and unless you fit this profile, you are unlikely to be questioned.

Women should take caution walking alone late at night since they may receive unwanted attention from drunk men. Women should also stay clear of large companies of men in front of bars, restaurants, etc. It is best to walk with a friend if possible.

Streets can become very slippery in winter. Wear shoes or, even better, boots with decent grip to prevent twisted ankles. Ice patches can be hard to spot. A waterproof raincoat is also sensible.

Traffic is poorly handled, and vehicle accident rates are very high.

If you need help with translation, ask students or pupils: younger people are more likely to be able to help you than the older generations.

Connect [ edit ]

For information on using telephones and buying SIM cards in Russia, see Russia#Connect .

Mobile Internet is quite affordable in Russia, but you have to buy Russian SIM-card first.

Wireless Internet [ edit ]

Moscow Metro has Wi-Fi in all trains. It is ad-supported.

Mosgortrans has Wi-Fi spots on every bus, trolleybus and tram. Also sometimes you can find Wi-Fi spot on a public transport stop.

Beeline Wi-Fi [dead link] operates the largest network of both paid and free Wi-Fi access points. If there is a charge, you can pay online via credit card.

There is a large network of free Wi-Fi hotspots in the city centre; check your device in the middle of a busy area and you may find one.

Many cafes and restaurants offer Wi-Fi - ask for password. Most bookstores offer free Wi-Fi, including "Dom Knigi" on New Arbat Street or "Respublika" bookstore on Tverskaya near Mayakovskaya Metro Station.

Some establishments that offer free Wi-Fi may require you to verify an authorization code sent to a Russian phone number before gaining access, but for the most part, foreign numbers also work as of 2016.

Cope [ edit ]

Embassies [ edit ].

Moscow is one of the global diplomatic capitals, competing with Berlin , Brussels , Beijing , Paris , London , Tokyo and Washington D.C. . Most of the world's countries have their embassies in the city.

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