cape pioneer trek 2022 route

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Cape Pioneer Trek presents its 2023 Route

Dubbed the race with soul the seven-day stage race will feature serpentine singletracks, big mountain passes and traverses across arid plains..

GARDEN ROUTE | KAROO NEWS - The eleventh Momentum Medical Scheme Cape Pioneer Trek, presented by Biogen, is set to showcase the best riding of the Garden Route and Klein Karoo in 2023.

Dubbed the Race with Soul the seven-day stage race will feature serpentine singletracks, big mountain passes and traverses across arid plains.

Starting in George the longer event will take in race villages at Louvain and Oudtshoorn; while the four-day Adventure joins the action in the Langkloof.

Taking place from 3 to 9 September 2023 the race will feature a 472 kilometre long route, taking in 10 850 meters of climbing. Headlines will be written about the iconic Swartberg Pass mountain top finish, but for the riders taking part each stage features a significant highlight as well as a number of thrilling features which are sure to make the racing interesting.

Designing a course which plays to the strengths of professional and amateur riders alike was Dryland Event Management’s goal.

“Balance is hard to achieve,” Henco Rademeyer, of Dryland Event Management, noted.

“To make a really difficult route is easy, but to blend challenges and rewards in equal measure takes some doing. The 2022 course was really well received by the riders, so we are using that as a template. But we will be adding more singletrack kilometres and replacing smooth district roads with rugged Karoo jeep track whenever possible.”

“For the racers, both professional and amateur alike, this means a route which provides ample opportunity to attack and counter attack,” Rademeyer promised. “The lead could conceivably change hands on the final stage, as we’ve increased the difficulty of Stage 6. Every stage has something special about it. Overall, the race will reward the teams and riders who can not only manage their energy levels but who can look after their bikes best too.”

“The famous South African platteland (rural) hospitality provides a warm welcome and the food is of course one of the big things riders rave about. It also takes European, Asian and American visitors through parts of the country they would otherwise never see. In fact, it takes South African into places they probably never knew existed either.

"Dryland are also happy to help with additional planning and recommendations, should anyone wish to extend their stay in the country; be it to see the Cango Caves or the other Klein Karoo attractions or explore beyond the regions our route covers.”

“After the singletrack packed stages in George the route features more dual track in the Langkloof and the Klein Karoo,” Rademeyer advised. “This makes it easier to add an eBike category as they will be able to more readily pass other riders on the trails.”

2023 Momentum Medical Scheme Cape Pioneer Trek, presented by Biogen, Route

Prologue #SaasveldSingletrack

Sunday, 3 September 2023
Glenwood House School, George
Distance: 27km
Elevation Gain: 450m

Returning riders will be pleased to note that the asphalt liaisons will be limited significantly in 2023, providing more time on the trails!

Stage 1 #JonkersbergJewel

Monday, 4 September 2023
Distance: 55km
Elevation Gain: 1 850m

The first marathon stage of the race is not to be underestimated, despite its short distance. It features a sapping 1 850 meters of climbing in just 55 kilometres and it packed with singletracks.

Taking in the trails and jeep tacks which criss-cross the Jonkersberg Nature Reserve as well as the greater George Trails network of mountain bike routes. The ascents of Tierkop and the Horse Shoe Bend will stretch and strain the field, while the plethora of singletracks will reward those with the fitness and skill to exploit them.

On the homebound leg of the stage the rooty forest trails are shunned for flowing tracks to speed up the race to the stage finish.

Stage 2 #LusciousLouvain

Tuesday, 5 September 2023
Glenwood House School to Louvain
Distance: 81km
Elevation Gain: 1 950m

Having conquered Montagu the route then heads east through Herold tracing the mountainside along rugged singletracks initially and then jeep tracks towards the second race village at Louvain.

Stage 3 #LangkloofLiaison

Wednesday, 6 September 2023 (Adventure begins)
Distance: 63km
Elevation Gain: 1 400m

At 63 kilometres long, with 1 400 meters of climbing, the toughest challenge comes early in the day. From the summit of Duiwelskop the views are spectacular, with the Outeniqua stretching away to the east, west and south; while the Klein Karoo rolls out to the north.

The day eventually loops out of the Langkloof and into the fringes of the Karoo, but not before traversing bountiful orchards and tracing a precipitous ravine.

Brushing the arid region which the race delves into from Stage 4 onwards the route follows rocky jeep tracks in a wide arch back to Louvain, where a final singletrack leads riders home for the day.

Stage 4 #KammanassieKind

Thursday, 7 September 2023
Louvain to Langenhoven Gimnasium, Oudtshoorn
Distance: 90km
Elevation Gain: 1 650m

The route takes a curving path towards its destination, providing jaunts through the Madi Madi, Landrani and Buffelsdrift game reserves. Giraffe and antelope sightings will provide respite from the rugged terrain, which takes in more jeep track than the corresponding stage did in 2022.

After 90 kilometres riders will roll onto the fields of Langenhoven Gymnasium, the final race village of the event.

Stage 5 #SwartbergShowdown

Friday, 8 September 2023
Langenhoven Gimnasium, Oudtshoorn to Die Top
Elevation Gain: 2 300m

Wildehondekloof Game Reserve provides more wildlife close encounters before the ascent into the clouds begins. Upon reaching Kobus se Gat the riders will be able to see exactly what lies ahead; an 8.5 kilometre climb, rising 655 meters at an average gradient of 7.6%.

In previous years the showdown on the Swartberg Pass often determined the Momentum Medical Scheme Cape Pioneer Trek, presented by Biogen, winners. This time out a tricky final stage offers the opportunity for redemption.

Stage 6 #ChandelierChampagne

Saturday, 9 September 2023
Langenhoven Gimnasium to The Queens Hotel, Oudtshoorn
Distance: 66km

The final stage of the race takes riders into the famous Chandelier Game Reserve. It presents one last chance to make up or lose time, to change the general classification standings.

More steep climbs lead into the reserve where the terrain becomes truly rocky. Punctures as well as fatigue could play a role in determining who pulls the final First Ascent leaders’ jerseys on, in front of the Queens Hotel.

Especially given the new run into Oudtshoorn, will follow the Grobbelaars River rather than the road to the final finish line on Baron van Reede Street.

For visual clues as to what to expect at the 2023 Race with Soul like the Momentum Medical Scheme Cape Pioneer Trek, presented by Biogen, Facebook page or follow @CapePioneerTrek on Twitter and @capepioneer on Instagram.

For more information or to enter the eleventh edition visit www.capepioneer.co.za .

* Note: All upgrades are calculated in addition to a Standard Non-Accommodation Entry

'We bring you the latest Garden Route, Hessequa, Karoo news'

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Cape Pioneer Trek 2022

A ROUTE UNMATCHED IN DIVERSITY

The “Race With Soul” plunges its participants into a whirlwind adventure, taking riders from the pulsating singletrack of Saasveld into the heart of the Klein Karoo.

Each of the 7 days poses a completely unique challenge. With riders summiting the mighty Swartberg Mountain to traversing the arid, desert-like landscapes of the wild Kammanassie.

The event combines world-class hospitality and an electric race village with a mountain biking experience like no other.

The magic lies in the unique combination of exciting, diverse trails, passionate people and authentic human connection, brought to you by world-class event organisers. The result is a race that has achieved near legendary status.

More information : capepioneer.co.za

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Momentum Medical Scheme Cape Pioneer Trek presented by Biogen 2022 Sun 4 Sep - Sat 10 Sep 2022 @ George, Western Cape

Momentum Medical Scheme Cape Pioneer Trek presented by Biogen 2022

Organiser Dryland Event Management

From the arid desertscapes of the Groot Karoo to the great mountains of the Klein Karoo and the aboriginal forests of the Garden Route, the Cape Pioneer has it all, a truly African mountain biking experience. The magic lies in the unique combination of exciting, diverse trails, passionate people and authentic human connection, brought to you by world-class event organisers. The result is a race that has achieved near legendary status.

More information : capepioneer.co.za

Momentum Medical Scheme Cape Pioneer Trek presented by Biogen 2022

Pricing guide

Classes and pricing available classes for the event, event location george, george.

Pioneering Route Through the Heart of the Garden Route and Klein Karoo

The eleventh Momentum Medical Scheme Cape Pioneer Trek, presented by Biogen, is set to showcase the best riding of the Garden Route and Klein Karoo in 2023. Dubbed the Race with Soul the seven-day stage race will feature serpentine singletracks, big mountain passes and traverses across arid plains. Starting in George the longer event will take in race villages at Louvain and Oudtshoorn; while the four-day Adventure joins the action in the Langkloof.

Loamy and rooty forest singletracks will get the 2023 Momentum Medical Scheme Cape Pioneer Trek, presented by Biogen, underway in George. Photo by Sage Lee Voges for zcmc.co.za.

“Balance is hard to achieve,” Henco Rademeyer, of Dryland Event Management, noted. “To make a really difficult route is easy, but to blend challenges and rewards in equal measure takes some doing. The 2022 course was really well received by the riders, so we are using that as a template. But we will be adding more singletrack kilometres and replacing smooth district roads with rugged Karoo jeep track whenever possible.”

The Swartberg Pass and the climb to Die Top remains one of the Race with Soul’s most iconic features in 2023. Photo by Sage Lee Voges for zcmc.co.za.

The Race with Soul maintains its UCI Stage Class 1 status and will add an amateur category, to entice competitive but working mountain bikers to race the event. “We believe the event offers exceptional value to international riders,” Rademeyer said. “The famous South African platteland (rural) hospitality provides a warm welcome and the food is of course one of the big things riders rave about. It also takes European, Asian and American visitors through parts of the country they would otherwise never see. In fact, it takes South African into places they probably never knew existed either. Dryland are also happy to help with additional planning and recommendations, should anyone wish to extend their stay in the country; be it to see the Cango Caves or the other Klein Karoo attractions or explore beyond the regions our route covers.”

Alongside the seven-day Race the Momentum Medical Scheme Cape Pioneer Trek, presented by Biogen, also has a four-day Adventure. Designed to accommodate riders who cannot quite take a full week off work, or who are not ready for such a long stage race, the Adventure joins at Louvain. Taking in the final four stages it is also ideally suited to eBikers. “After the singletrack packed stages in George the route features more dual track in the Langkloof and the Klein Karoo,” Rademeyer advised. “This makes it easier to add an eBike category as they will be able to more readily pass other riders on the trails.”

Along with arduous ascents the riders will need to conquer high speed descents, forgoing the pleasure of taking in scenic vistas at times. Photo by Justin Reinecke for zcmc.co.za.

2023 Cape Pioneer Trek Route

#SaasveldSingletrack

Sunday, 3 September 2023

Glenwood House School, George

Distance: 27km

Elevation Gain: 450m

Packed with singletrack the opening stage of the Race with Soul sets the scene for the week to come. Stingingly steep, but mercifully short climbs, allow for the fittest riders to make their mark; while sweeping singletracks through the Saasveld forests ensure that those with technical skills are amply rewarded too. Returning riders will be pleased to note that the asphalt liaisons will be limited significantly in 2023, providing more time on the trails!

#JonkersbergJewel

Monday, 4 September 2023

Distance: 55km

Elevation Gain: 1 850m

The first marathon stage of the race is not to be underestimated, despite its short distance. It features a sapping 1 850 meters of climbing in just 55 kilometres and it packed with singletracks. Taking in the trails and jeep tacks which criss-cross the Jonkersberg Nature Reserve as well as the greater George Trails network of mountain bike routes. The ascents of Tierkop and the Horse Shoe Bend will stretch and strain the field, while the plethora of singletracks will reward those with the fitness and skill to exploit them. On the homebound leg of the stage the rooty forest trails are shunned for flowing tracks to speed up the race to the stage finish.

#LusciousLouvain

Tuesday, 5 September 2023

Glenwood House School to Louvain

Distance: 81km

Elevation Gain: 1 950m

Stage 2 takes the riders from George, in the Garden Route, to Louvain, in the Langkloof. The 81 kilometre course is highlighted by the climb of the Montagu Pass. Getting to the foot of the pass requires completing a final section of singletracks in the forests before leaving the lush green coastal woodlands for the orchards and fynbos of the northern slopes of the Outeniqua Mountains. Having conquered Montagu the route then heads east through Herold tracing the mountainside along rugged singletracks initially and then jeep tracks towards the second race village at Louvain.

#LangkloofLiaison

Wednesday, 6 September 2023 (Adventure begins)

Distance: 63km

Elevation Gain: 1 400m

The Adventure begins with the Langkloof Liaison, both for the four-day riders and those taking on the main race. After three stages on the urban edge Stage 3 takes riders into the wild on a proper mountain biking expedition. At 63 kilometres long, with 1 400 meters of climbing, the toughest challenge comes early in the day. From the summit of Duiwelskop the views are spectacular, with the Outeniqua stretching away to the east, west and south; while the Klein Karoo rolls out to the north. The day eventually loops out of the Langkloof and into the fringes of the Karoo, but not before traversing bountiful orchards and tracing a precipitous ravine. Brushing the arid region which the race delves into from Stage 4 onwards the route follows rocky jeep tracks in a wide arch back to Louvain, where a final singletrack leads riders home for the day.

Ascending the Montagu Pass, during Stage 2, will transfer the riders from the lush Garden Route into the fynbos and orchards of the Langkloof. Photo by Erin Nel for zcmc.co.za.

#KammanassieKind

Thursday, 7 September 2023

Louvain to Langenhoven Gimnasium, Oudtshoorn

Distance: 90km

Elevation Gain: 1 650m

Stage 4 is the second transition stage of the race, taking riders from the Langkloof into the heart of the Klein Karoo. It flirts with the famous Kammanassie, summiting a searching tentacle of the range’s imposing main body before dropping into the Kammanassie Valley. There, not geographically far from civilisation the riders will feel as remote as it is possible to feel in the Western Cape. The route takes a curving path towards its destination, providing jaunts through the Madi Madi, Landrani and Buffelsdrift game reserves. Giraffe and antelope sightings will provide respite from the rugged terrain, which takes in more jeep track than the corresponding stage did in 2022. After 90 kilometres riders will roll onto the fields of Langenhoven Gymnasium, the final race village of the event.

#SwartbergShowdown

Friday, 8 September 2023

Langenhoven Gimnasium, Oudtshoorn to Die Top

Elevation Gain: 2 300m

The Queen Stage of the 2023 Race with Soul features the only mountain top finish in South African mountain biking. With 2 300 meters of climbing in 90 kilometres the stage is the hardest on paper and in reality. Especially with the inclusion of more climbs through the Red Stone Hills in the lead in to the foot of the Swartberg Pass. Wildehondekloof Game Reserve provides more wildlife close encounters before the ascent into the clouds begins. Upon reaching Kobus se Gat the riders will be able to see exactly what lies ahead; an 8.5 kilometre climb, rising 655 meters at an average gradient of 7.6%. In previous years the showdown on the Swartberg Pass often determined the Momentum Medical Scheme Cape Pioneer Trek, presented by Biogen, winners. This time out a tricky final stage offers the opportunity for redemption.

#ChandelierChampagne

Saturday, 9 September 2023

Langenhoven Gimnasium to The Queens Hotel, Oudtshoorn

Distance: 66km

The final stage of the race takes riders into the famous Chandelier Game Reserve. It presents one last chance to make up or lose time, to change the general classification standings. More steep climbs lead into the reserve where the terrain becomes truly rocky. Punctures as well as fatigue could play a role in determining who pulls the final First Ascent leaders’ jerseys on, in front of the Queens Hotel. Especially given the new run into Oudtshoorn, will follow the Grobbelaars River rather than the road to the final finish line on Baron van Reede Street.

For visual clues as to what to expect at the 2023 Race with Soul like the Momentum Medical Scheme Cape Pioneer Trek, presented by Biogen , Facebook page or follow @CapePioneerTrek on Twitter and @capepioneer on Instagram. For more information or to enter the eleventh edition visit www.capepioneer.co.za .

Alongside the elite professional riders Dryland Event Management will be rewarding the competitive amateurs and age groupers taking part in the 2023 race. Photo by Justin Reinecke for zcmc.co.za.

* Note: All upgrades are calculated in addition to a Standard Non-Accommodation Entry

Punctures could well play their part in the eleventh edition as the route favours jeep track whenever possible over smoother gravel roads. Photo by Sage Lee Voges for zcmc.co.za.

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Schedules & Route Maps

SMART Transit east and west routes take you to popular destinations throughout the City of Moscow. Buses stop at medical offices, shopping areas, schools (including the University of Idaho campus) and high-density housing developments.

Everyone rides FREE!

Current alerts and announcements

RIDER ALERT! College & Deakin stop is out of service today 3/11 and will re-open mid-day 3/12 due to an emergency road closure
RIDER ALERT! Closed Monday, Feb. 19th for President’s Day.
RIDER ALERT! Closed Christmas Day (12/25) and New Year’s Day (1/1)

There are two fixed routes. Both routes connect at Moscow’s Intermodal Transit Center at 1006 Railroad Street.

Download current route maps and schedules

Single route schedule, west side loop.

Covers the west side of Moscow and the University of Idaho campus. Common stops include:

Student Union Building (ISUB) and residence halls along Sixth Street
Moscow Family Medicine QuickCARE
Palouse Mall
Downtown Moscow
Gritman Medical Center

East side loop

Covers the east side of Moscow from the UI campus. Common stops include:

Moscow High School
East City Park
Aquatic Center
Moscow Junior High School
Skateboard Park
Latah County Fairgrounds
Eastside Marketplace
Styner Avenue

Buses depart the Intermodal Transit Center at 10 minutes and 40 minutes after the hour.

Most stops are served every half hour.

Download current map and schedule poster

West side loop schedule.

Transit Center

6:40, 7:10, 7:40, 8:10, 8:40, 9:10, 9:40, 10:10, 10:40, 11:10, 11:40, 12:10, 12:40, 1:10, 1:40, 2:40, 3:40, 4:40, 5:40, 6:40

College & Deakin Ave.

6th & Deakin

6:41, 7:41, 8:41, 9:41, 10:41, 11:41, 12:41, 1:41, 2:41, 3:41, 4:41, 5:41, 6:41

Ash & University Ave.

7:11, 8:11, 9:11, 10:11, 11:11, 12:11, 1:11, 2:11, 3:11, 4:11, 5:11, 6:11

7:12, 8:12, 9:12, 10:12, 11:12, 12:12, 1:12, 2:12, 3:12, 4:12, 5:12, 6:12

6:42, 7:42, 8:42, 9:42, 10:42, 11:42, 12:42, 1:42, 2:42, 3:42, 4:42, 5:42, 6:42

Wallace Complex

7:12, 7:42, 8:12, 8:42, 9:12, 9:42, 10:12, 10:42, 11:12, 11:42, 12:12, 12:42, 1:12, 1:42, 2:12, 2:42, 3:12, 3:42, 4:12, 4:42, 5:12, 5:42, 6:12, 6:42

6th & Perimeter

7:13, 7:43, 8:13, 8:43, 9:13, 9:43, 10:13, 10:43, 11:13, 11:43, 12:13, 12:43, 1:13, 1:43, 2:13, 2:43, 3:13, 3:43, 4:13, 4:43, 5:13, 5:43, 6:13, 6:43

6:46, 7:46, 8:46, 9:46, 10:46, 11:46, 12:46, 1:46, 2:46, 3:46, 4:46, 5:46, 6:46

Moscow Family Medicine/QuickCare

6:47, 7:47, 8:47, 9:47, 10:47, 11:47, 12:47, 1:47, 2:47, 3:47, 4:47, 5:47, 6:47

6:50, 7:15, 7:50, 8:15, 8:50, 9:15, 9:50, 10:15, 10:50, 11:15, 11:50, 12:15, 12:50, 1:15, 1:50, 2:50, 3:50, 4:50, 5:50, 6:50

Baker Hill (Wish Medical)

A & Baker

6:51, 7:16, 7:51, 8:16, 8:51, 9:16, 9:51, 10:16, 10:51, 11:16, 11:51, 12:16, 12:51, 1:16, 1:51, 2:16, 2:51, 3:16, 3:51, 4:16, 4:51, 5:16, 5:51, 6:16, 6:51

A & Peterson

A & Cherry

6:52, 7:17, 7:52, 8:17, 8:52, 9:17, 9:52, 10:17, 10:52, 11:17, 11:52, 12:17, 12:52, 1:17, 1:52, 2:17, 2:52, 3:17, 3:52, 4:17, 4:52, 5:17, 5:52, 6:17, 6:52

A & Lily

6:53, 7:18, 7:53, 8:18, 8:53, 9:18, 9:53, 10:18, 10:53, 11:18, 11:53, 12:18, 12:53, 1:18, 1:53, 2:18, 2:53, 3:18, 3:53, 4:18, 4:53, 5:18, 5:53, 6:18, 6:53

A & Almon

7:19, 8:19, 9:19, 10:19, 11:19, 12:19, 1:19, 2:19, 3:19, 4:19, 5:19, 6:19

Almon & E

7:20: 8:20, 9:20, 10:20, 11:20, 12:20 1:20, 2:20, 3:20, 4:20, 5:20, 6:20

E & Main (Rosauers)

7:21, 8:21, 9:21, 10:21, 11:21, 12:21, 1:21

2nd & Main

6:55, 7:22, 7:55, 8:22, 8:55, 9:22, 9:55, 10:22, 10:55, 11:22, 11:55, 12:22, 12:55, 1:22, 1:55, 2:22, 2:55, 3:22, 3:55, 4:22, 4:55, 5:22, 5:55, 6:22, 6:55

Friendship Square

6:56, 7:24, 7:56, 8:24, 8:56, 9:24, 9:56, 10:24, 10:56, 11:24, 11:56, 12:24, 12:56, 1:24, 1:56, 2:56, 3:56, 3:56, 4:56, 5:56, 6:56

8th & Main (Gritman Medical Center)

6:57, 7:25, 7:57, 8:25, 8:57, 9:25, 9:57, 10:25, 10:57, 11:25, 11:57, 12:25, 12:57, 1:25, 1:57, 2:25, 2:57, 3:25, 3:57, 4:25, 4:57, 5:25, 5:57, 6:25, 6:57

Friendship Square stop not serviced during Saturday Farmers’ Market May through Oct

East Side Loop Schedule

6:40, 7:10, 7:40, 8:10, 8:40, 9:10, 9:40, 10:10, 10:40, 11:10, 11:40, 12:10, 12:40, 1:10, 1:40, 2:10, 3:10, 4:10, 5:10, 6:10

College & Deakin

6:41, 7:10, 7:41, 8:10, 8:41, 9:10, 9:41, 10:10, 10:41, 11:10, 11:41, 12:10, 12:41, 1:10, 1:41, 2:10, 2:41, 3:10, 3:41, 4:10, 4:41, 5:10, 5:41, 6:10, 6:41

6:41, 7:11, 7:41, 8:11, 8:41, 9:11, 9:41, 10:11, 10:41, 11:11, 11:41, 12:11, 12:41, 1:11, 1:41, 2:11, 3:11, 4:11, 5:11, 6:11

Almon & A

8:42, 9:42, 10:42, 11:42, 12:42, 1:42, 2:42, 3:42, 4:42, 5:42, 6:42

8:43, 9:43, 10:43, 11:43, 12:43, 1:43, 2:43, 3:43, 4:43, 5:43, 6:43

8:44, 9:44 10:44, 11:44, 12:44, 1:44, 2:14, 3:14, 4:14, 5:14, 6:14

D & Jefferson

8:45, 9:45, 10:45, 11:45, 12:45, 1:45, 2:45, 3:45, 4:45, 5:45, 6:45

D & Howard

8:46, 9:46, 10:46, 11:46, 12:46, 1:46, 2:46, 3:46, 4:46, 5:46, 6:46

Moscow High School / 1912 Center

3rd & Polk

7:13, 8:13, 9:13, 10:13, 11:13, 12:13, 1:13, 2:13, 3:13, 4:13, 5:13, 6:13

3rd & Lincoln

7:14, 8:14, 9:14, 10:14, 11:14, 12:14, 1:14, 2:14, 3:14, 4:14, 5:14, 6:14

1st & Hayes

Hayes & D St.

6:45, 7:15, 7:45, 8:15, 8:45, 9:15, 9:45, 10:15, 10:45, 11:15, 11:45, 12:15, 12:45, 1:15, 1:45, 2:15, 2:45, 3:15, 3:45, 4:15, 4:45, 5:15, 5:45, 6:15, 6:45

Hayes & F St.

F St. & Orchard

6:46, 7:16, 7:46, 8:16, 8:46, 9:16, 9:46, 10:16, 10:46, 1:16, 11:46, 12:16, 12:46, 1:16, 1:46, 2:16, 2:46, 3:16, 3:46, 4:16, 4:46, 5:16, 5:46, 6:16, 6:46

F St. & Mountain View

6:47, 7:17, 7:47, 8:17, 8:49, 9:17, 9:49, 10:17, 10:49, 11:17, 11:49, 12:17, 12:49, 1:17, 1:49, 2:19, 3:19, 4:19, 5:19, 6:19

Mountain View Skate Park

Mountain View & Rolling Hills

6th & Mountain View

6:48, 7:18, 7:48, 8:18, 8:48, 9:18, 9:48, 10:18, 10:48, 11:18, 11:48, 12:18, 12:48, 1:18, 1:48, 2:18, 2:48, 3:18, 3:48, 4:18, 4:48, 5:18, 5:48, 6:18, 6:48

6th & Park

6:49, 7:19, 7:49, 8:19, 8:49, 9:19, 9:49, 10:19, 10:49, 11:19, 11:49, 12:19, 12:49, 1:19, 1:49, 2:19, 2:49, 3:19, 3:21, 4:19, 4:49, 5:19, 5:49, 6:19, 6:49

Blaine Street at 6th Street

7th & Blaine

6:50, 7:20, 7:50, 8:20, 8:50, 9:20, 9:50, 10:20, 10:50, 11:20, 11:50, 12:20, 12:50, 1:20, 1:50, 2:20, 2:50, 3:20, 3:50, 4:20, 4:50, 5:20, 5:50, 6:20, 6:50

Blaine & Mabelle

Blaine & White Ave. (Eastside Marketplace)

6:51, 7:21, 7:51, 8:21, 8:51, 9:21, 9:51, 10:21, 10:51, 11:21, 11:51, 12:21, 12:51, 1:21, 1:51, 2:21, 2:51, 3:21, 3:51, 4:21, 4:51, 5:21, 5:51, 6:21, 6:51

Styner & Northwood

6:53, 7:23, 7:53, 8:23, 8:53, 9:23, 9:53, 10:23, 10:53, 11:23, 11:53, 12:23, 12:53, 1:23, 1:53, 2:23, 2:53, 3:23, 3:53, 4:23, 4:53, 5:23, 5:53, 6:23, 6:53

Styner & Hawthorne

Styner & Main

6:54, 7:24, 7:54, 8:24, 8:54, 9:24, 9:54, 10:24, 10:54, 11:24, 11:54, 12:24, 12:54, 1:24, 1:54, 2:24, 2:54, 3:24, 3:54, 4:24, 4:54, 5:24, 5:54, 6:24, 6:54

Need curb-to-curb service?

If you need a more personalized transit option than fixed-route buses, consider using Dial-A-Ride . It offers curb-to-curb service with pickups at prescheduled times.

Intercity travel

Starting may 15, 2023, smart transit is no longer selling northwestern trailways intercity bus tickets.

You may purchase tickets directly from the intercity carriers:

Northwestern Trailways (800-366-3830)
Salt Lake Express

Contact the carriers or visit their websites for information about routes, schedules, baggage, and more.

When you buy tickets online, most exchanges, refunds, and customer service inquiries must also be made online.

Trip planning tools

Google Maps and Bing Maps

Both tools provide directions for your entire trip, including the walk to the bus stop.

Visit the Idaho Transportation Department online for road reports, maps, and more.

Buy & Sell
Stolen Bikes

Drama in Cape Pioneer Trek Women’s Race But General Classification Remains Stable

Press Release - Cape Pioneer Trek

Stage 3 of the 2022 Momentum Medical Scheme Cape Pioneer Trek, presented by Biogen, took in a circular route from Louvain Guest Farm, in the Langkloof, on Wednesday, 7 September. The elite men’s race was a relatively measured affair which played out in a four-up sprint after 63 kilometres of racing. In the women’s race there was late drama, with two mechanicals and the pink First Ascent jersey wearers having to run a bike into the finish. Despite that the Efficient Insure Infiniti team only lost 36 seconds of their overall lead.

For the men the only point in the route where they could make a decisive move was the first climb, which came just 5 kilometres into the stage. The technical ascent of Duiwelskop allowed Insect Science Pro to split the field, but the climb was not long enough to distance their top three rivals. Imbuko {type}DEV’s A and B squads, as well as the Valley Electrical Titan Racing team followed Arno du Toit and Keagan Bontekoning through the rugged terrain. There was a nervous moment for HB Kruger when a large stick got lodged in his spokes, but after breaking a wheel the day before he was quick to stop before damage could be inflicted.

“I think it’s been pretty clear the last few days that my system hasn’t been firing on all cylinders,” Arno du Toit explained as to why they went out hard and were happy to set the tempo all day. “I actually wanted to ride on the front to get the mental mojo back. That said it was a relatively relaxed day at the sharp end, everyone took it a little easy, aside from a couple of attacks here and there to test the legs. I think we all appreciated the easier day with two big days coming up tomorrow and on Friday.”

The Insect Science Pro rider opened up the sprint early, but with his teammate, Bontekoning, unable to match his effort Imbuko {type}DEV A had a relatively easy run at the line. They managed to cross the line behind Arno du Toit but well ahead of Bontekoning, extending their general classification lead in the process. Marco Joubert and Pieter du Toit now lead Insect Science Pro by 3 minutes and 51 seconds. Imbuko {type}DEV B’s Wessel Botha and Rudi Koen remain third.

Where the men had enjoyed a relatively drama free day the women’s race was a different matter entirely. Having climbed strongly in the early phases Stephanie Wohlters and Yolande de Villiers were able to keep pressure on Theresa Ralph and Kim le Court. “We had them in sight for most of the day and then caught them on the district roads leading to water point 2” Wohlters said. “I was just getting set for a sprint and then a stick got caught in my derailleur,” De Villiers picked up the tale. “I had to stop to get it out and we lost the group with the Efficient Insure Infiniti women in it.”

With the stage win all but sewn up Ralph snapped her chain on the entrance to the final singletrack. “I thought we were a lot closer to the finish,” Ralph explained. “But it felt like we had to run 5 kilometres! The singletracks were too narrow for Kim [le Court] to push me; so, I ran, then Kim gave me her bike and she ran. On the last climb up to the finish Yolande [de Villiers] and Steph [Wohlters] caught us. Fortunately, we only lost a handful of seconds.”

Having made the turn into the finishing straight the Efficient Insure Infiniti team were able to freewheel across the line. They may have conceded the stage to Madmacs/Coopetto/Bester Performance but their time loss was negligible. As a result, they now lead the overall standings by 16 minutes and 24 seconds. Clickatell’s Ila Stow and Robyn Williams are in third overall, with a comfortable 23 minute advantage on Echotel Communications’ Tarryn Povey and Kylie Hanekom.

Thursday’s Stage 4 takes the race from the Langkloof to Oudtshoorn, in the heart of the Klein Karoo, via the fabled Kammanassie Mountains. The 92 kilometre long route includes 1 650 metres of climbing. It will undoubtedly be a difficult day, especially for those who went too deep on the previous stages. To follow the action as it unfolds like the Momentum Medical Scheme Cape Pioneer Trek, presented by Biogen, Facebook page, follow @CapePioneerTrek on Twitter and follow @capepioneer on Instagram. For more information visit www.capepioneer.co.za .

Momentum Medical Scheme Cape Pioneer Trek, presented by Biogen, Results Elite Men | Stage 3: 1. Imbuko {type}DEV A: Marco Joubert & Pieter du Toit (2:27:48) 2. Insect Science Pro: Arno du Toit & Keagan Bontekoning (2:27:52|+04) 3. Valley Electrical Titan Racing: Matthew Keyser & HB Kruger (2:27:57 | +09) 4. Imbuko {type}DEV B: Wessel Botha & Rudi Koen (2:28:05| +17) 5. INMOunited-mtbs.cz: Milan Damek & Lukas Kaufmann (2:32:22 | +04:34)

Elite Women | Stage 3: 1. Madmacs/Coopetto/Bester Performance: Yolande de Villiers & Stephanie Wohlters (3:03:02) 2. Efficient Insure Infiniti Racing: Theresa Ralph & Kim le Court (3:03:38 | +38) 3. Clickatell: Ila Stow & Robyn Williams (3:17:32 | +14:30) 4. Action Cycles Scotrho Brokers: Nicola Freitas & Juanita Mackenzie (3:26:20 | +23:18) 5. Echotel Communications: Tarryn Povey & Kylie Hanekom (3:26:26 | +23:24)

Elite Men | General Classification after Stage 3: 1. Imbuko {type}DEV A: Marco Joubert & Pieter du Toit (8:39:11) 2. Insect Science Pro: Arno du Toit & Keagan Bontekoning (8:43:01 | +03:50) 3. Imbuko {type}DEV B: Wessel Botha & Rudi Koen (8:47:37 | +08:26) 4. Valley Electrical Titan Racing: Matthew Keyser & HB Kruger (8:53:51| +14:39) 5. KMC: Teus Ruijter & Gerben Mos (9:08:08 | +28:57)

Elite Women | General Classification after Stage 3: 1. Efficient Insure Infiniti Racing: Theresa Ralph & Kim le Court (10:56:09) 2. Madmacs/Coopetto/Bester Performance: Yolande de Villiers & Stephanie Wohlters (11:12:33 | +16:24) 3. Clickatell: Ila Stow & Robyn Williams (11:53:01 | +56:52) 4. Echotel Communications: Tarryn Povey & Kylie Hanekom (12:16:08 | +1:19:59) 5. Action Cycles Scotrho Brokers: Nicola Freitas & Juanita Mackenzie (12:23:34 | +1:27:25)

For the full results from the 2022 Momentum Medical Scheme Cape Pioneer Trek, presented by Biogen, click here .

Bike Check: Matt Beer’s Cape Epic Winning S-Works Epic

No reason for an Offseason with these savings from Trek

Cannondale Takes Positive Step To Get More Bikes On The Trails & Road

Dryland Launch a Revised, Shorter and Tougher Cape Pioneer Trek Route

Imbuko Giant and Efficient Infiniti Insure Win the 2023 Cape Pioneer Trek

Imbuko Giant and Efficient Infiniti Insure Claim Emphatic Queen Stage Victories

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Russ Cook reacts after becoming the first person to run the entire length of Africa.

‘I’m a little bit tired’: Briton becomes first person to run the length of Africa

Russ Cook from Worthing reaches Ras Angela, Tunisia, after covering more than 9,900 miles in 352 days

After more than 9,940 miles (16,000km) over 352 days across 16 countries, Russ Cook, aka the “Hardest Geezer”, has completed the mammoth challenge of running the length of Africa .

The 27-year-old endurance athlete from Worthing, West Sussex, crossed the finish line in Tunisia on Sunday afternoon, and planned to celebrate with a party – as well as a strawberry daiquiri – having raised more than £600,000 for charity.

His achievement, believed to be the first person to run tip to tip from southern to northern Africa, was the more extraordinary given several setbacks including a robbery at gunpoint in Angola, being held by men with machetes in Republic of the Congo, health scares and visa complications.

On 22 April 2023 he set off from South Africa’s most southerly point, Cape Agulhas. By the time he crossed the line at Tunisia’s most northerly point, Ras Angela, he had run the distance of about 376 marathons.

Cook was accompanied on the final leg by supporters who had flown out after following his journey on social media, as he documented his odyssey on X, Instagram and YouTube, with posts amassing millions of views.

He finished to cheers of “Geezer, Geezer” and took a well-deserved dip in the sea, telling Sky News: “I’m a little bit tired.”

On the eve of his final leg, Cook told Sky News: “It’s quite hard to put into words: 352 days on the road, long time without seeing my family, my girlfriend, my body is in a lot of pain but one more day, I’m not about to complain.”

Money raised will go to the Running Charity , which provides running and mental health programmes to young people experiencing homelessness and complex needs, and Sandblast , which promotes awareness of the Saharawi people.

During Cook’s feat he ran through rainforests, across mountain ranges and traversed the Sahara. On day 200, he reduced his daily mileage on doctors’ advice in Nigeria. “I took a couple of days to get some scans. No bone damage so figured the only option left was to stop mincing about like a little weasel, get the strongest painkillers available and zombie stomp road again,” he said at the time.

Visa problems getting into Algeria were overcome after his appeal video on X was seen by 11 million people and the Algerian embassy in the UK announced he would be given a courtesy visa.

He was due to celebrate with a finish-line party at a hotel in Bizerte, Tunisia. “Get your daiquiris ready, girls and boys, this is gonna be mega,” he wrote.

Before setting off on his challenge, Cook revealed he wanted to make a difference, saying: “I’m a totally normal bloke, so if I can do this, hopefully people can apply this to their own lives in whichever way they choose. For 99% of people, it’s not going to be running across Africa, but it might look like chasing their dreams a little bit more.”

He has called the challenge “the toughest in my life but an immense honour”, adding: “We have met incredible people in every single country we’ve been to that have welcomed us with love and kindness. The human spirit is a beautiful thing.”

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Cook is not new to challenges: previous ones have included running from Istanbul to London, being buried alive for a week, and the fastest marathon pulling a car.

Alex Eagle, a friend and the co-founder of the Running Charity, where Cook worked as an adventure coach for young people before embarking on Project Africa, told the Guardian when Cook first suggested the African odyssey, “obviously it was outlandish, but we all thought he could do it”.

“He is a determined man, and he’s a man that has overcome things like a lot of the young people that we work with have overcome difficult challenges in their lives,” he added.

Eagle did worry at times for Cook going into the unknown, but whenever they spoke he was “positive, always positive, always one step ahead in the moment, really grateful for the experience, really grateful for the people he’s met … That is his personality.”

“If you are squeamish, the images of his feet are quite horrific at times,” Eagle added. Of the challenges, he said: “The scale of it. You hear it, but you don’t really comprehend it. He’s just consistently been able to bring his mind to it, to get up every day and do that. It’s just awe-inspiring.”

The charity plans a group run on his return and Cook will also be running the London Marathon with young people from the charity. “I think that will be a walk in the park for him,” Eagle said.

More on this story

‘Hardest Geezer’ Russ Cook enjoys a day off running after epic Africa journey

‘I never thought I would get this far’: London man runs 365 marathons in 365 days

Hallucinations and no sleep: Jasmin Paris on her historic ultramarathon

Did Tigist Assefa’s ‘super shoes’ make her a record-breaking marathon winner?

Ultrarunner Harvey Lewis reaches the end of Lazarus Lake’s endless backyard

Mexico City Marathon expels 11,000 runners for cutting sections of course

Midnight runners: the athletes up late to beat the scorching heat

British ultrarunner Jasmin Paris is first woman to finish Barkley Marathons

The Barkley Marathons: the hellish 100-mile race with 15 finishers in 36 years

The slow running revolution: how to move at a ‘sexy’ pace – and really enjoy the race

In Transit: Notes from the Underground

Jun 06 2018.

Spend some time in one of Moscow’s finest museums.

Subterranean commuting might not be anyone’s idea of a good time, but even in a city packing the war-games treasures and priceless bejeweled eggs of the Kremlin Armoury and the colossal Soviet pavilions of the VDNKh , the Metro holds up as one of Moscow’s finest museums. Just avoid rush hour.

The Metro is stunning and provides an unrivaled insight into the city’s psyche, past and present, but it also happens to be the best way to get around. Moscow has Uber, and the Russian version called Yandex Taxi , but also some nasty traffic. Metro trains come around every 90 seconds or so, at a more than 99 percent on-time rate. It’s also reasonably priced, with a single ride at 55 cents (and cheaper in bulk). From history to tickets to rules — official and not — here’s what you need to know to get started.

A Brief Introduction Buying Tickets Know Before You Go (Down) Rules An Easy Tour

A Brief Introduction

Moscow’s Metro was a long time coming. Plans for rapid transit to relieve the city’s beleaguered tram system date back to the Imperial era, but a couple of wars and a revolution held up its development. Stalin revived it as part of his grand plan to modernize the Soviet Union in the 1920s and 30s. The first lines and tunnels were constructed with help from engineers from the London Underground, although Stalin’s secret police decided that they had learned too much about Moscow’s layout and had them arrested on espionage charges and deported.

The beauty of its stations (if not its trains) is well-documented, and certainly no accident. In its illustrious first phases and particularly after the Second World War, the greatest architects of Soviet era were recruited to create gleaming temples celebrating the Revolution, the USSR, and the war triumph. No two stations are exactly alike, and each of the classic showpieces has a theme. There are world-famous shrines to Futurist architecture, a celebration of electricity, tributes to individuals and regions of the former Soviet Union. Each marble slab, mosaic tile, or light fixture was placed with intent, all in service to a station’s aesthetic; each element, f rom the smallest brass ear of corn to a large blood-spattered sword on a World War II mural, is an essential part of the whole.

The Metro is a monument to the Soviet propaganda project it was intended to be when it opened in 1935 with the slogan “Building a Palace for the People”. It brought the grand interiors of Imperial Russia to ordinary Muscovites, celebrated the Soviet Union’s past achievements while promising its citizens a bright Soviet future, and of course, it was a show-piece for the world to witness the might and sophistication of life in the Soviet Union.

It may be a museum, but it’s no relic. U p to nine million people use it daily, more than the London Underground and New York Subway combined. (Along with, at one time, about 20 stray dogs that learned to commute on the Metro.)

In its 80+ year history, the Metro has expanded in phases and fits and starts, in step with the fortunes of Moscow and Russia. Now, partly in preparation for the World Cup 2018, it’s also modernizing. New trains allow passengers to walk the entire length of the train without having to change carriages. The system is becoming more visitor-friendly. (There are helpful stickers on the floor marking out the best selfie spots .) But there’s a price to modernity: it’s phasing out one of its beloved institutions, the escalator attendants. Often they are middle-aged or elderly women—“ escalator grandmas ” in news accounts—who have held the post for decades, sitting in their tiny kiosks, scolding commuters for bad escalator etiquette or even bad posture, or telling jokes . They are slated to be replaced, when at all, by members of the escalator maintenance staff.

For all its achievements, the Metro lags behind Moscow’s above-ground growth, as Russia’s capital sprawls ever outwards, generating some of the world’s worst traffic jams . But since 2011, the Metro has been in the middle of an ambitious and long-overdue enlargement; 60 new stations are opening by 2020. If all goes to plan, the 2011-2020 period will have brought 125 miles of new tracks and over 100 new stations — a 40 percent increase — the fastest and largest expansion phase in any period in the Metro’s history.

Facts: 14 lines Opening hours: 5 a.m-1 a.m. Rush hour(s): 8-10 a.m, 4-8 p.m. Single ride: 55₽ (about 85 cents) Wi-Fi network-wide

Buying Tickets

Ticket machines have a button to switch to English.
You can buy specific numbers of rides: 1, 2, 5, 11, 20, or 60. Hold up fingers to show how many rides you want to buy.
There is also a 90-minute ticket , which gets you 1 trip on the metro plus an unlimited number of transfers on other transport (bus, tram, etc) within 90 minutes.
Or, you can buy day tickets with unlimited rides: one day (218₽/ US$4), three days (415₽/US$7) or seven days (830₽/US$15). Check the rates here to stay up-to-date.
If you’re going to be using the Metro regularly over a few days, it’s worth getting a Troika card , a contactless, refillable card you can use on all public transport. Using the Metro is cheaper with one of these: a single ride is 36₽, not 55₽. Buy them and refill them in the Metro stations, and they’re valid for 5 years, so you can keep it for next time. Or, if you have a lot of cash left on it when you leave, you can get it refunded at the Metro Service Centers at Ulitsa 1905 Goda, 25 or at Staraya Basmannaya 20, Building 1.
You can also buy silicone bracelets and keychains with built-in transport chips that you can use as a Troika card. (A Moscow Metro Fitbit!) So far, you can only get these at the Pushkinskaya metro station Live Helpdesk and souvenir shops in the Mayakovskaya and Trubnaya metro stations. The fare is the same as for the Troika card.
You can also use Apple Pay and Samsung Pay.

Rules, spoken and unspoken

No smoking, no drinking, no filming, no littering. Photography is allowed, although it used to be banned.

Stand to the right on the escalator. Break this rule and you risk the wrath of the legendary escalator attendants. (No shenanigans on the escalators in general.)

Get out of the way. Find an empty corner to hide in when you get off a train and need to stare at your phone. Watch out getting out of the train in general; when your train doors open, people tend to appear from nowhere or from behind ornate marble columns, walking full-speed.

Always offer your seat to elderly ladies (what are you, a monster?).

An Easy Tour

This is no Metro Marathon ( 199 stations in 20 hours ). It’s an easy tour, taking in most—though not all—of the notable stations, the bulk of it going clockwise along the Circle line, with a couple of short detours. These stations are within minutes of one another, and the whole tour should take about 1-2 hours.

Start at Mayakovskaya Metro station , at the corner of Tverskaya and Garden Ring, Triumfalnaya Square, Moskva, Russia, 125047.

1. Mayakovskaya. Named for Russian Futurist Movement poet Vladimir Mayakovsky and an attempt to bring to life the future he imagined in his poems. (The Futurist Movement, natch, was all about a rejecting the past and celebrating all things speed, industry, modern machines, youth, modernity.) The result: an Art Deco masterpiece that won the National Grand Prix for architecture at the New York World’s Fair in 1939. It’s all smooth, rounded shine and light, and gentle arches supported by columns of dark pink marble and stainless aircraft steel. Each of its 34 ceiling niches has a mosaic. During World War II, the station was used as an air-raid shelter and, at one point, a bunker for Stalin. He gave a subdued but rousing speech here in Nov. 6, 1941 as the Nazis bombed the city above.

Take the 3/Green line one station to:

2. Belorusskaya. Opened in 1952, named after the connected Belarussky Rail Terminal, which runs trains between Moscow and Belarus. This is a light marble affair with a white, cake-like ceiling, lined with Belorussian patterns and 12 Florentine ceiling mosaics depicting life in Belarussia when it was built.

Transfer onto the 1/Brown line. Then, one stop (clockwise) t o:

3. Novoslobodskaya. This station was designed around the stained-glass panels, which were made in Latvia, because Alexey Dushkin, the Soviet starchitect who dreamed it up (and also designed Mayakovskaya station) couldn’t find the glass and craft locally. The stained glass is the same used for Riga’s Cathedral, and the panels feature plants, flowers, members of the Soviet intelligentsia (musician, artist, architect) and geometric shapes.

Go two stops east on the 1/Circle line to:

4. Komsomolskaya. Named after the Komsomol, or the Young Communist League, this might just be peak Stalin Metro style. Underneath the hub for three regional railways, it was intended to be a grand gateway to Moscow and is today its busiest station. It has chandeliers; a yellow ceiling with Baroque embellishments; and in the main hall, a colossal red star overlaid on golden, shimmering tiles. Designer Alexey Shchusev designed it as an homage to the speech Stalin gave at Red Square on Nov. 7, 1941, in which he invoked Russia’s illustrious military leaders as a pep talk to Soviet soldiers through the first catastrophic year of the war. The station’s eight large mosaics are of the leaders referenced in the speech, such as Alexander Nevsky, a 13th-century prince and military commander who bested German and Swedish invading armies.

One more stop clockwise to Kurskaya station, and change onto the 3/Blue line, and go one stop to:

5. Baumanskaya. Opened in 1944. Named for the Bolshevik Revolutionary Nikolai Bauman , whose monument and namesake district are aboveground here. Though he seemed like a nasty piece of work (he apparently once publicly mocked a woman he had impregnated, who later hung herself), he became a Revolutionary martyr when he was killed in 1905 in a skirmish with a monarchist, who hit him on the head with part of a steel pipe. The station is in Art Deco style with atmospherically dim lighting, and a series of bronze sculptures of soldiers and homefront heroes during the War. At one end, there is a large mosaic portrait of Lenin.

Stay on that train direction one more east to:

6. Elektrozavodskaya. As you may have guessed from the name, this station is the Metro’s tribute to all thing electrical, built in 1944 and named after a nearby lightbulb factory. It has marble bas-relief sculptures of important figures in electrical engineering, and others illustrating the Soviet Union’s war-time struggles at home. The ceiling’s recurring rows of circular lamps give the station’s main tunnel a comforting glow, and a pleasing visual effect.

Double back two stops to Kurskaya station , and change back to the 1/Circle line. Sit tight for six stations to:

7. Kiyevskaya. This was the last station on the Circle line to be built, in 1954, completed under Nikita Khrushchev’ s guidance, as a tribute to his homeland, Ukraine. Its three large station halls feature images celebrating Ukraine’s contributions to the Soviet Union and Russo-Ukrainian unity, depicting musicians, textile-working, soldiers, farmers. (One hall has frescoes, one mosaics, and the third murals.) Shortly after it was completed, Khrushchev condemned the architectural excesses and unnecessary luxury of the Stalin era, which ushered in an epoch of more austere Metro stations. According to the legend at least, he timed the policy in part to ensure no Metro station built after could outshine Kiyevskaya.

Change to the 3/Blue line and go one stop west.

8. Park Pobedy. This is the deepest station on the Metro, with one of the world’s longest escalators, at 413 feet. If you stand still, the escalator ride to the surface takes about three minutes .) Opened in 2003 at Victory Park, the station celebrates two of Russia’s great military victories. Each end has a mural by Georgian artist Zurab Tsereteli, who also designed the “ Good Defeats Evil ” statue at the UN headquarters in New York. One mural depicts the Russian generals’ victory over the French in 1812 and the other, the German surrender of 1945. The latter is particularly striking; equal parts dramatic, triumphant, and gruesome. To the side, Red Army soldiers trample Nazi flags, and if you look closely there’s some blood spatter among the detail. Still, the biggest impressions here are the marble shine of the chessboard floor pattern and the pleasingly geometric effect if you view from one end to the other.

Keep going one more stop west to:

9. Slavyansky Bulvar. One of the Metro’s youngest stations, it opened in 2008. With far higher ceilings than many other stations—which tend to have covered central tunnels on the platforms—it has an “open-air” feel (or as close to it as you can get, one hundred feet under). It’s an homage to French architect Hector Guimard, he of the Art Nouveau entrances for the Paris M é tro, and that’s precisely what this looks like: A Moscow homage to the Paris M é tro, with an additional forest theme. A Cyrillic twist on Guimard’s Metro-style lettering over the benches, furnished with t rees and branch motifs, including creeping vines as towering lamp-posts.

Stay on the 3/Blue line and double back four stations to:

10. Arbatskaya. Its first iteration, Arbatskaya-Smolenskaya station, was damaged by German bombs in 1941. It was rebuilt in 1953, and designed to double as a bomb shelter in the event of nuclear war, although unusually for stations built in the post-war phase, this one doesn’t have a war theme. It may also be one of the system’s most elegant: Baroque, but toned down a little, with red marble floors and white ceilings with gilded bronze c handeliers.

Jump back on the 3/Blue line in the same direction and take it one more stop:

11. Ploshchad Revolyutsii (Revolution Square). Opened in 1938, and serving Red Square and the Kremlin . Its renowned central hall has marble columns flanked by 76 bronze statues of Soviet heroes: soldiers, students, farmers, athletes, writers, parents. Some of these statues’ appendages have a yellow sheen from decades of Moscow’s commuters rubbing them for good luck. Among the most popular for a superstitious walk-by rub: the snout of a frontier guard’s dog, a soldier’s gun (where the touch of millions of human hands have tapered the gun barrel into a fine, pointy blade), a baby’s foot, and a woman’s knee. (A brass rooster also sports the telltale gold sheen, though I am told that rubbing the rooster is thought to bring bad luck. )

Now take the escalator up, and get some fresh air.

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21 Things to Know Before You Go to Moscow

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The “Race With Soul” is not just a race; it’s a celebration of the indomitable human spirit, a convergence of nature’s grandeur, and the epitome of luxury seamlessly interwoven with adventure. After fifteen years we’re riding into a new era of mountain biking majesty that has evolved, transcending the ordinary to become an extraordinary experience bringing you the best of #CapePioneer condensed into 5 days.

Stage 1 #OuteniquaOdessey

Stage 1 will take riders through the amazing Jonkersberg Nature Reserve, riding on exquisite trails, some newly built, some legendary in the area. This is a stage everyone will look forward to and will leave with great memories, the true essence of mountain biking personified. This primarily single-track-stage can easily be underestimated due to the relatively short distance, don’t be fooled this day will keep you very busy. Truly a spectacular stage with views of George and the ocean close by, this promises to be the highlight for those purists among us. Spectators can once again join in the fun with various points along the route accessible for friends and family.

START: Glenwood House School, George FINISH: Glenwood House School, George Distance: 55 km Vertical ascent: 1750 meters

Stage 2 #DuiwelskopDash

We leave the coast and head towards the interior, the route taking riders in a north-easterly direction towards Louvain, our hosts for the next two days. This stage is brand new and boasts a challenge of note. Loads of marvellous single-track riding for the first 5 kilometres in the Saasveld area, and then onto the iconic Seven Passes Road towards the east, steep climbs and unforgiving descends mark the way towards Duiwelskop towering 1000 meters above the ocean. Then they descend into Louvain, which boasts a surprise or two, caps the hardest day in this years race. Enjoy your stay, tomorrow we leave for the Karoo!

START: Glenwood House School, George FINISH: Louvain Guest Farm, Herold Distance: 77 km Vertical ascent: 2 300 meters

Stage 3 #KharismaticKaroo

We have an absolute treat in store for you on stage 3, revealing the charisma of our beloved Karoo. Sections of this stage were used during the days of Katot, the route founder of the initial Pioneer, an uncomplicated uncompromising man with a love for the land. The transition to Oudtshoorn is a challenging one, with fast dangerous jeep tracks and rough single tracks. This day is where diversity is at, leaving the mild coastal climate and replacing it with something less compromising – that of the Karoo. The difference in climate and terrain is evident as we enter the arid desert-like Karoo; riders approach Oudtshoorn from a different angle as we find our way towards Langenhoven Gymnasium, our hosts for the next couple of days.

START: Louvain Guest Farm, Herold. FINISH: Langenhoven Gimnasium, Oudtshoorn Distance: 102 km Vertical ascent: 1 950 meters

Stage 4 #SwartbergShowdown

The icon of the Pioneer will always remain, even though rated as one of the most challenging it has often been praised as the best. The mighty Swartberg Mountain is not accommodating, often not allowing riders to the top, treacherous and extreme weather always in play. The Queen stage will be challenging, but those views make up for the effort. It will elevate riders more than 2000 meters vertically finishing at close to 2000m above the sea. At the start, this stage leaves Oudtshoorn in an easterly direction negotiating the foothills of this great mountain as riders slowly find their way to the top. The final 8km is straight up to the best finish of any mountain bike race – the World Heritage site of Swartberg Mountain welcomes everyone to its beauty and splendour. The overall yellow and pink jersey wearers should be decided here, tomorrow is another day.

START: Langenhoven Gimnasium, Oudtshoorn. FINISH: Swartberg Mountain, Oudtshoorn. Distance: 83 km Vertical ascent: 1 750 meters

Stage 5 #KingOfQueens

This stage, often regarded as one of the best, capping a week of fabulous riding is completely revisited for 2024. Most notably is the start, a climb will separate the field and could determine the overall outcome. Of course, Chandelier is still on the cards, but with a twist, enough said, it is all about having fun and celebrating the achievements of the week gone by. 60 km of jeep-track up, single-track down! A fast race to the finish at the Queens Hotel caps a brilliant week in the saddle – until 2025.

START: Langenhoven Gimnasium, Oudtshoorn FINISH: Queens Hotel, Oudtshoorn Distance 64 km Vertical ascent 1 2000 meters

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Moscow Travel Guide

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Why travel to Moscow

Contrasts: 12th century monasteries and some of the tallest skyscrapers in Europe can be found side-by-side in this complex and captivating city. The diversity of this mega-city is astounding. Only a few steps away from the solemn red facade of the Kremlin and the sounds of righteous church bells, a buzzing night scene and alternative-fashion boutiques can be found.

Culture: In Moscow only the best goes. Be it a theatre, restaurant or gallery, the standards are certain to be world-class. The Bolshoi ballet company is reputed to be even better than the Mariinsky’s and “MMOMA” (Moscow’s museum of modern art) exhibits works of art as profound as any that could be found in the famed MOMA.

Convenience: Unlike the rest of Russia, it’s easy enough to get by with just English in Moscow and, driving excepted, it is surprisingly safe: the murder rate is lower than in some of America’s major cities.

Top Sights in Moscow

St. Basil’s

Novodevichy Convent

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Why visit Moscow

It would take more than two days to walk around the perimeter of the biggest city in Europe, Moscow. Many of its inhabitants barely know what’s beyond the few blocks around their flat and there are so many attractions that it’s almost impossible to know where to start. If there is such a thing as an antidote to boredom, Moscow City is it. The mind-boggling range and diversity of things to do, places to eat, parks, historical monuments and more means that a vacation in Moscow has a wealth of activities to offer for every type of traveler, from young families to retirees.

Reasons to Vacation in Moscow in 2022

The Bolshoi theatre is familiar to almost everyone as Russia’s grandest theatre, but what people don’t know is that there are many more bolshoi (big) sites in Moscow that are worth travelling all the way to Moscow to see. For more than 100 years, the world’s biggest bell has been hidden behind the Kremlin’s walls and inside Moscow’s main park (which is bigger than some countries!) there is the world’s largest outdoor ice-rink. Travelers that visit Moscow can stay at the Izmailovo, Europe’s biggest hotel, then eat at the largest and most historic McDonald’s in Europe and after that have fun at the largest European indoor theme park!

Ancient Past & Stunning Architecture:

As those who travel to Moscow will see, just because Moscow is a city of record-breaking, glitzy high-rises doesn’t mean that there is no history. On the famous Arbat street, time-worn, wooden storehouses and century-old churches are squashed up against grey, soviet blocks which are then towered over by 21st century office-blocks. Unlike its much younger sibling, St Petersburg, Moscow’s roots stretch way back to the 12th century. Within the walls of the Kremlin, the city’s oldest building the Cathedral of Assumption can be admired in all its 500+ years of age.

Culture & Convenience

For a foreigner who has never visited Russia, Moscow is the perfect stepping stone into this great land of mystery. From the country’s best classical ballet troupes to snow-white troikas trotting through the parks, all the highlights of Russian culture can be had in Moscow without any of the complications that would be expected in other, less developed regions of Russia.

Cheap as Caviar

In Moscow, everything is bargain when with the current foreign exchange rates being what they are. Even caviar doesn’t seem so dear when the exchange rate is at 60rub to the dollar, so go on indulge yourself! Take your 2022 vacation in Moscow and have the best of both worlds, with European luxury at very affordable prices.

Lena, our guide in Moscow was excellent. She was very knowledgable and could answer any question we had for her. We liked that she could pick up on our interests and take us places we might not have thought of to go. When we realized that one of the places we had chosen to see would probably not be that interesting to us, she was able to arrange entry to the Diamond Fund and the Armoury for us. Riding the Metro with Lena was a real adventure and a lot of fun. In Saint Petersburg we found Anna well versed in the history of the Tsars and in the Hermitage collection. Arkady in Veliky Novgorod was a very good guide and answered all of our questions with ease. Novgorod was perhaps a long way to go for a day trip, but we did enjoy it. Vasily was a great driver to have and kept us safe with good humour and skill. We enjoyed ourselves so much, my daughter says she is already planning to return. We would both have no hesistation to recommend ExpresstoRussia to anyone we know.

Just wanted to let you know that My grandson Bruno and I couldn´t have been more pleased with our week in Moscow (6/15 - 6/21). We were absolutely enchanted with the whole experience, including getting lost a couple of times in the Metro during our free time. Although both our guides (both Eleanas) were excellent, I would particularly commend the first one (she took us to the Tatiakov, the KGB tour, and to that beautiful cemetery where so many great Russian artists, authors, composers, musicians, militarists, and politicians are buried). Her knowledge is encyclopedic; and her understanding of today´s Russia as a product of its past was, for us, truly enlightening. I will be taking another tour in Russia, with my wife, within the next two or three years. I will be in touch with you when the time comes. Meanwhile, I will refer you to other potential visitors to Russia as I meet them.

We had a great time both in Moscow and St Petersburg. Your travel agency was excellent in coordinating the whole trip. Everything worked like clockwork. The guides assigned to us were very nice and friendly. They had a great knowledge of their subjects. The cars and the drivers were great. The hotels were good and the itinerary was good. All in all, it was a wonderful experience. It was nice dealing with you and your company. Thank you very much for a great Russian experience. Have a great future ahead

31 reviews of Express to Russia Moscow Tours in Moscow

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Sat. Apr 13th, 2024

2023 CAPE PIONEER TREK ROUTE GETS SINGLETRACK BOOST