sandia travel center

Bien Mur Travel Center

Services Offered

Verified by Business

Location & Hours

Suggest an edit

100 Bien Mur Dr NE

Albuquerque, NM 87122

Business Parkway/Academy Acres

You Might Also Consider

Spear’s Automotive Service

12.7 miles away from Bien Mur Travel Center

Spear's Automotive Center is a Family owned and operated , full-service preventive maintenance and auto repairs center in the Cedar Crest, NM 87008 area, specializing in Diesel Repair and Foreign and Domestic Cars & Trucks. 4x4… read more

in Auto Repair

Maverik Adventure’s First Stop

4.5 miles away from Bien Mur Travel Center

Berlinda A. said "This is the best service you could have added. The fresh food is delicious. And the different selections of everything. The parking lot is huge. I live a block from circle K and refuse to go in there anymore. The employees are the…" read more

in Gas Stations, Fast Food, Convenience Stores

Amenities and More

2 More Attributes

Ask the Community

Ask a question

Yelp users haven’t asked any questions yet about Bien Mur Travel Center .

Recommended Reviews

• 1 star rating Not good
• 2 star rating Could’ve been better
• 3 star rating OK
• 4 star rating Good
• 5 star rating Great

Select your rating

Overall rating

Fuels prices apparently are very competitive. Car wash; DO NOT! Don't even. You are very welcome. I just saved you from a waste of time. If you have any respect for your car, don't.

1/3/2019 Bien Mur Travel Center.... is a decently priced gas station and convenience store. While your driving north on I-25 before you get to the tramway exit there is usually a billboard with the daily gas price. When I see a good price I pull off the exit and fill up. Most times Ill stop in the store for a snack or two. There is also a Subway inside. So if you're into those subs you can be in and out pretty quickly. Overall its decent. Good gas prices, extensive variety of road trip snacks, clean bathrooms and in case you all are wondering... they have a DONUT Display! **** yup you all know i've tried them**** ehh i've had a better however each donut comes along with a guaranteed smile!!! There is also the Bien Mur Gift Shop located directly behind the gas station. So if youre looking for local gifts you can stop there!

See all photos from Karla M. for Bien Mur Travel Center

Annoying as Hell when the pump tells you "You're receipt is inside" ESP when you're running late & don't trust the stations to chrg your credit card correctly

Cheap gas ($1.82 Dec 2014), guzzle guzzle. Expect long lines for the pumps. Pay attention, automatic shut off doesn't always work. Subway in the travel center. Standard gas station conveniences.

Waiting in line to fill up

The gas prices are much cheaper than in town but sometimes the lines to wait for gas isn't worth the savings. The car wash is not one of the better choices either due to it needing to be serviced.

I would give this place a negative star if I could. Well, I would give Jareson a negative star. He shouldn't be in customer service. I am appalled at his behavior. He argued with me and my friend. As customers, we should be right no matter how wrong we could have been. Terrible service. I am in customer service and I have been my whole adult life, and I would have fired him in a heartbeat.

On I-25, near Tramway and need gas? I suggest a stop at the station with the flagstone. It has most things you're going to need. Let's start with the location. It sees a great deal of traffic due to it being right off the freeway, near the casino and on the way of those headed further up Tramway. Gas Prices? GasBuddy will assure you that the gas here is sometimes the cheapest in town or within cents of that price. When that happens, and gas is high, you may see cones and a guard directing people to the pumps in an effort to keep order and move things along. Is that a guard? Ok, it's out there now so we'll talk about security. You'll always see a guard in a white shirt watching the place and unless you're going on a crime spree, this should feel reassuring. Food? Why, yes they have that. In the form of a potentially healthy Subway sub! So cyclists that need a quick refuel or anyone else craving a tuna on wheat (my fav) can pop in and grab one. If you want to eat there, you may chose between indoor seating or outdoor tables. If you need road snacks, you'll find the usual suspects in the form of jerky, chips and candy on the shelf. Drinks? You'll find the regular convenience store variety and the type that has a percentage of alcohol by volume label on it. Cold beer, some wines and most hard liquors await you. (Tip: If you're staying next door you'll need to be smooth. If they know you're headed back to the casino, you'll be checked for booze when you enter. Cameras and the staff all tie in to Sandia.) Stuff? They have basic things like snacks and meds, but you can get a few small fixes for your auto here too. Grab a paper, and your lotto tix with those shades. Many people stop here for the tax-free smokes. Santa Ana smoke shop actually adds a .75 cent tax on every pack, so many people stop here instead. Smokers can walk in or use the drive up Wash? Sure there is a car wash. It's a drive-thru variety and you can pay at the pump, indoors or at the wash itself. Issues? Yes, it has those too. Sometimes it has long lines & dirty bathrooms. Prices of some things inside are not the cheapest in town. Otherwise a great stop. What else ya got? Are you just really picky about your station needing something catchy? You've found your Valhalla. This place has beautiful BUFFALO next door! I don't recommend getting too close, but cameras have zoom. So... Finally, if you're in their lot reading this, you may be wondering what that round building was just as you drove in. That is the Bien Mur Indian Market Center. Stop in, look around and then let the rest of us know what you thought! I haven't been everywhere, but it's on my list. -- Travel Quote

Consistently the worst customer service. I travel between Albuquerque and Santa fe. 9 times out of 10 when I stop there I'm made to feel like an inconvenient interruption. I've stopped going there.

2 other reviews that are not currently recommended

Quik Check Emissions, a DEKRA Company

5.0 miles away from Bien Mur Travel Center

Michelle P. said "We came to the Montgomery and Tramway location New Years Eve because my husband's car was going to expire! Thank goodness they were open. We had the same gentleman that had re-registered my car that summer. He is so nice and has…" read more

in Smog Check Stations, Registration Services

Speedy Glass

6.8 miles away from Bien Mur Travel Center

Sarah M. said "I called Dan this morning, upset that my husband hadn't handled my broken window problems. He was courteous and reassuring over the phone that he could have someone out the same day to replace my car window. When the technician came…" read more

in Auto Glass Services, Windshield Installation & Repair

Best of Albuquerque

Things to do in Albuquerque

Other Places Nearby

Find more Convenience Stores near Bien Mur Travel Center

Find more Gas Stations near Bien Mur Travel Center

People found Bien Mur Travel Center by searching for…

Cheapest Gas Station Albuquerque

Browse Nearby

Restaurants

Things to Do

Grocery Store

7-11 Near Me

Auto Car Wash Near Me

Bp Gas Near Me

Convenience Stores Near Me

Related Cost Guides

Car Window Tinting

Gas Stations

Mobile Dent Repair

Registration Services

Smog Check Stations

Vehicle Shipping

Auto Customization

Auto Repair

Car Dealers

Truck Rental

• 12 More Cost Guides

People Also Viewed

Route 66 Travel Center

Menual Shell

Hose It Car Wash

Trih Convenience Store

Four Winds Travel Center

Country Club Food Store

Diamond Shamrock

Jackssons Trailers

• Skip to main content
• Skip to footer

Tram Open Wed – Mon, TEN 3 Open Thurs – Mon

Welcome to Sandia Peak Tramway! Please purchase your Tram tickets before arriving. TEN 3 is open Thurs-Mon, 11am - 7:30pm. Visit ten3tram.com for additional info about the restaurant. If you have fine dining reservations at TEN 3, please arrive to the Tram 45 minutes to 1 hour before your DINING reservation. Sandia Peak Ski Area is NOT affiliated with the Tram. Please visit sandia.ski for ski area information.

Sandia Peak Tramway

The adventure above all

Header Right

ONLINE TICKET PURCHASE REQUIRED

Take the scenic route.

Rising from the hustle and bustle of Albuquerque, you ascend one of America’s most stunning urban peaks. Reaching the 10,378-foot crest of the Sandia Mountains, an 11,000 square mile panoramic view awaits you.

It’s an elevation of the body, mind, and soul in a mere 15 minutes.

From ranger talks to holiday celebrations, there’s always something new to learn and do at Sandia Peak Tramway.

SEE UPCOMING EVENTS

Dog Day at the Tram

April 17, 2024

The Sandia Peak Tram is excited to present Dog Day: Sat, May 18 from 9am till 11am! Tails, Trails and Treats Bring your furry friend and join us at the base of the Tram to enjoy a day

COVID Safety & Your Visit

June 1, 2023

TEN 3 RESTAURANT • We will continue to be a leader in safe sanitation practices with all team members certified in safe food handling and a certified manager at our restaurant. • All staff will be screened for good health prior

Summarized Media Coverage (2022-2023)

January 27, 2023

-ABQ Journal– News Memory-Viatravelers.com- Things to do in Albuquerque-New Mexico Magazine- Best Things to do in the Winter-Travel Awaits- Best Restaurants with a View-American Lifestyle Mag- American Lifestyle-New Mexico Entertains- Romantic Restaurants -Trip Trivia- The Perfect Girls Get

New Restaurant Building is Fully Accessible

March 15, 2019

Here is a video taken down the stairs of the upper tram terminal and the new restaurant. Take a look at some of the new accessibility features of the new restaurant building, the new restrooms and a view

SHARE THE TRAMWAY EXPERIENCE AND SAVE

Groups of 20 or more can receive special pricing when visiting the Tram together.

#SANDIATRAM

THE BIG PICTURE IN SMALL PHOTOS - SHARE YOUR FAVORITE MOMENTS WITH US!

• MEDIA INQUIRIES
• TRAM REFUNDS
• SKI SANTA FE

The Pueblo of Sandia

Is a federally recognized indian tribe located in central new mexico and adjacent to albuquerque, the largest metropolitan area in new mexico. the reservation covers 22,877 acres on the east side of the rio grande valley. sandia pueblo is one of 19 pueblos located throughout new mexico. the sandia people are members of the pre-columbian tiwa language group who once dominated the albuquerque area and their lineage can be traced back to the aztec civilization who later migrated to the new mexico region. the present site has been home to the sandia people, where they have cultivated the land and raised their families, since 1300 ad. the sandia mountain provides the source of their spirituality as well as plants, animals and other resources which have been critical to their survival in this desert region. once the largest pueblo in the area with over 3000 people, they currently have just under 500 members., the pueblo of sandia owns and operates several thriving enterprises to help create a broad economic base to ensure its financial future as a self reliant tribe. the pueblo of sandia employs over 2,000 residents of the albuquerque area including both indians and non-indians., in addition, the pueblo makes a significant contribution to the state economy in the way of salaries, goods and services purchased., pueblo of sandia tribal administration.

• IT Quick Start

Sandia Anywhere: Remote Access

Sandia Anywhere  helps you connect to Sandia remotely from within the U.S. Click your device type to view your remote access options.  IMPORTANT if you are or will be outside the US! International VPN connections are NEVER allowed.  Always submit an  International Travel and Hand Carry request  before traveling with any Sandia equipment or CryptoCard/YubiKey. LOFT laptops are the only Sandia computers that may be carried abroad.

Remote access options for your device type

HINT: CryptoCard/YubiKey to Sandia Anywhere: Internal (intranet site) for detailed information on working remotely, plus how-to, task-based instructions for these remote access methods.

IMPORTANT Never plug your badge or PIV-C smart card into your personally owned computer. Use CryptoCard/YubiKey only.

Connect to your DaaS virtual desktop

With your CryptoCard/Yubikey, connect to your DaaS virtual desktop via the VMWare Horizon client installed on your personally owned computer. See Using DaaS: Quick Start Guide for detailed instructions.

Check Sandia webmail

• If you have a Sandia-owned mobile device: Open and sign in to Outlook/Office 365 and authenticate with Microsoft Authenticator
• If you don’t have Sandia-owned mobile device: Webmail is not available; launch a DaaS session and check email via the Outlook app

Join a Skype/Teams meeting

• Join the meeting via the Skype web app or Teams web app link in the invitation
• Launch a DaaS session and join via the Skype or Teams apps

Open internal websites (no DaaS session needed)

Type the normal URL (if you know it), or start with INSIDE (formerly Techweb) to find what you need. When prompted, authenticate with CryptoCard/YubiKey.

Establish a VPN session

Connect to GlobalProtect VPN using your badge/PIV-C smart card or CryptoCard/YubiKey. See Sandia’s  VPN site for instructions.

With your CryptoCard/Yubikey, connect to your DaaS virtual desktop via the VMWare Horizon client installed on your Sandia computer. See Using DaaS: Quick Start Guide for detailed instructions.

• If you don’t have a Sandia-owned mobile device: Webmail is not available; launch a VPN or DaaS session and join via the Skype or Teams apps
• Launch a DaaS or VPN session and join via the Skype or Teams apps

Open internal websites (no VPN or DaaS session needed)

Connect to your DaaS virtual desktop (iPad recommended)

Install and configure  the VMWare Horizon client on your iOS device. With the Horizon client connect to your DaaS virtual desktop with your CryptoCard/YubiKey and Kerberos.

Join a Skype meeting

Install and configure  the Skype for Business app on your mobile device. Open the Skype for Business app and join your meeting (audio only or audio and video).

Join a Teams meeting

Join the Teams meeting via the Teams web app and authenticate with Microsoft Authenticator.

Check Sandia email

Open the Outlook app and authenticate with Microsoft Authenticator.

Access documents stored in OneDrive for Business

Open  MySite/OneDrive for Business  and sign in with your  Mobile Credential  or CryptoCard/YubiKey.

Open internal websites

From your mobile browser, type the normal URL (if you know it), or start with INSIDE (formerly Techweb) to find what you need. When prompted, authenticate with Mobile Credential  or CryptoCard/YubiKey.

CryptoCard/YubiKey to these additional resources for detailed instruction and how-tos. Or contact CCHD ( chat  or 505-845-2243) M – F, 7 am to 5 pm MT.

• INSIDE (formerly Techweb)
• HR Self Service
• Hybrid Work Options
• What do I need to work remotely/from home?  (CCHD Self Help)
• SharePoint on the restricted network (site index)
• SharePoint on the external collaboration network

International Business Travel Clinic

What you need to know.

Sandia’s International Travel Clinic (ITC) can help with your business-related international travel needs, including preventive vaccines.

When to Work with the ITC

When planning a business-related international trip, the ITC can support you with the following services and support:

• A health risk readout for the country to which you’ll be traveling
• Required and recommended immunizations
• Tuberculosis surveillance (TB skin tests)
• Counseling to minimize the risk of disease
• Malaria chemoprophylaxis, if appropriate for your destination country
• Medication packs with supplies to treat common illnesses associated with the country to which you’ll be traveling
• An International SOS (ISOS) card for worldwide emergency assistance
• Compliance with national and state reporting requirements and continued monitoring of your health status upon return to the U.S. (for example, monitoring for Ebola symptoms)

Be sure to notify the ITC at least six to eight weeks before you begin business-related international travel. Some preventive vaccines must be completed early for full effect.

See your PCP for personal travel

The ITC does not provide services and support for personal international travel. Be sure to check in with your personal doctor as you plan your next adventure.

Scheduling an Appointment with the ITC

International travel clinic (new mexico).

Building 831 (south side of Frost Avenue one block east of Wyoming) 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. MT, Monday through Friday 505-284-4700, Option 1 (phone lines open at 7 a.m.) Also, a satellite office is located in the international programs building on Tuesdays (8 a.m. to 12 p.m.) and Thursdays (1 p.m. to 4 p.m.).

International Travel Clinic (California)

Building 925 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. PT, Monday through Friday 505-284-4700, Option 3 (phone lines open at 7:30 a.m.)

Complete your health assessment

In less than 30 minutes you can receive an insightful report on your health status and potential health risks. Knowing your status is the first step in improving your health!

Coverage for just in case

High-risk foreign travel benefits – up to $950,000 – are payable to your estate if you die or become disabled as a direct result of your business-related international travel. 

Contact HR Solutions to learn more.

Currently Shipping within the United States

Plan Your Next Visit

Indian Market, Travel Center, Gift Shop , Sandia Fuel and Tiwa Mart

 Sandia Resort and Casino

Entertainment and fun!

Sandia Golf Club

Award-Winning Golf Resort!

Sandia Lakes Recreation Area

Event Pavillion, Fishing and Bait Shop !

Temporarily Closed

Pin It on Pinterest

Your security is our top priority! Due to automated security in our system, your transactions may be declined if they’re coming from a location outside your normal spending pattern. Enjoy uninterrupted shopping by submitting a travel notice before you go!

A travel notice is an alert to Sandia Area that you’ll be going on a trip and may be making purchases from another state or country.

Navigate to Travel Notices within Online and Mobile Banking.

Let us know the locations you’ll be in. Choose one or more!

Select your travel dates for each of those locations.

That’s it! Happy travels!

Sandia National Laboratories

• Partnerships

Data Center

Launch tour ».

In 1961, President Kennedy made a bold promise to the nation; the United States would be the first nation to land a man on the moon. Eight years later, Neil Armstrong made his famous first step for all mankind on Earth’s orbiting satellite. In order to get there, however, it required a lot of work, a lot of sacrifice, and a lot of calculations. Those calculations were mostly done by hand, but to help achieve Kennedy’s lofty goal, IBM provided NASA with one of its 7090 mainframe computers, which was capable of doing around 24,000 calculations per second. And thus, computers became indelibly tied to the advancement of technology and discovery in the public mind.

Fast-forward forty years, and most people have devices in their pockets capable of around five trillion calculation per second, though we rarely use our smartphones just as a calculator. However, in Sandia’s Data Center, home to much of its high performance computing (HPC) power, even a smartphone would feel a little dumb in the presence of some of the mightiest and fastest computing machines on Earth. These machines are used for a variety of purposes, from modeling and simulations, to providing the raw computing power necessary to help tackle some of the world’s toughest problems in the areas of environmental, military, and even medical.

Yet, despite how they’ve grown and changed, these mighty machines, though several orders of magnitude more powerful than their predecessors, still serve the same purpose they did back when they were helping humanity get to the moon; they’re aiding us in exploring new frontiers.

Unsupported Browser

Some sandia.gov site features may not work properly. Please update your browser to the latest version for the best viewing experience.

• Tour Account ›
• Travel Forum ›
• Travel Forum
• Independent Trave...

Independent Travel to Moscow and St. Petersburg

My wife and I have traveled independently to many European countries and, after reading many of the comments in this forum, feel like we may be able to do so in Moscow and St. Petersburg as well, although we feel somewhat less comfortable than the other countries where we have traveled in Europe.

My biggest question is how much we will miss by visiting the main sites without a tour guide. In the other European countries we have visited on our own we have been comfortable and satisfied with the level of knowledge we have gained by studying and visiting on our own, although we believe a tour guide or tour company in any country would normally be able to provide greater insight than visiting a site on our own, but about in Moscow and St. Petersburg?

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Unless you speak at least some Russian and read the alphabet it would be difficult without a guide. Very few signs in English especially in Moscow. Also not too many people speak English there.

I visited St Petersburg last Autumn for a protracted period , and did not find it anymore daunting than any other European city . As Ilja says , learning the Cyrillic alphabet is a big plus . I also found that it was fairly easy to grasp . It will , among other things , enable you to read signs with relative ease . I would answer the main part or your question ( about tour guides ) thus - I am not enamored of tour guides or tours. While I only use a tour under duress ( A sites rules prohibiting an independent visit - ie Glasgow School of Art , Municipal House in Prague , etc ) . Doing your own preparation and homework is the best way , in my opinion . My wife and I ventured through St Petersburg with nary a concern ,and made two day trips outside of the central district ( one was twenty five miles away , and no English speakers in sight ) Figuring out the logistical details , did not present any difficulties . While I never use tours , I am an inveterate eavesdropper , have done so many times , and find , that on balance , the information that they impart is fairly elementary . If you want greater detail , they are unlikely to supply it . I also prefer to go at my own pace , not being rushed and being able to dwell on things that most other visitors barely give a passing glance . If you are interested , let me know . I would be happy to provide you with information that will enable you to travel independently

Thank you, Steven. I am encouraged by your comments and feel the same way you do about tour groups. We are very much willing to prepare in advance and learn the basics of the Cyrillic alphabet to help us have a better experience.

I would be very interested in learning more about your experience in Russia and receiving any additional information you can provide on independent travel there, starting perhaps with obtaining the visa.

I am not opposed to hiring a private or small group guide for a specific site or for a day trip outside St Petersburg and Moscow, but, like you said, I much prefer the freedom of staying at places as long or short as I want and seeing the sites that interest me most. For example, neither my wife nor I are big into shopping, yet most tour itineraries leave afternoon time for just that. Not interested!

Please provide whatever you may feel would be helpful for us.

Russ , I see you are quite near San Francisco - you can start by looking at the VISA procedure , it's fairly straightforward . Since there is a consulate in San Francisco - look here http://www.consulrussia.org/eng/visa-sub1.html

And here - http://ils-usa.com/main.php

Having always traveled independently, we thought we could do a better job than any tour. How misguided (pun intended) we were. Now that we have had the experience of having someone native to the area walk us around and explain things through a personal perspective we realize how much we missed. For St. Petersburg I highly recommend http://www.peterswalk.com/tours.html . This is not a traditional guided tour, but an opportunity to receive some orientation to the area as well as insight into the "Russian soul". I think if you did this upon arrival the rest of your time would be much more meaningful. We really liked the http://www.pushka-inn.com . The location is superb (just around the corner from the Hermitage square), the rooms lovely, the included breakfast at the restaurant next door ample and overall an excellent value. We used this company to get our visa: https://www.passportvisasexpress.com/site/san_francisco_customer_service Note that it costs about the same for a 3-year visa as a one-year, and you never know if you might want to return within that more extended window of time. It is not cheap, so factor that into your planning.

If you like traveling without a guide in other countries and find this satisfying, the same will be true in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Of course it's not either/or - you can certainly take a guided walk or boat tour, for instance.

I cannot emphasize enough the importance of learning Cyrillic if you're going on your own. The book I used was Teach Yourself Beginner's Russian Script, which was great. It breaks down the alphabet into letters that are the same as English, letters that look the same but are pronounced differently, etc. It's out of print, but you can get used copies on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Teach-Yourself-Beginners-Russian-Script/dp/0071419861/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1459701143&sr=8-2&keywords=teach+yourself+russian+script

Russia is indeed a bit more "foreign" than say, Italy. However, in Moscow and St. Petersburg, I found enough English to be able to get by. Many restaurants had English menus and/or English speaking staff, for instance. This was most emphatically not true in Vladimir and Suzdal (two cities in the Golden Ring outside Moscow). I went with my sister, a Russian speaker, and if she hadn't been there, I would have been in big trouble. So, if you want to see places outside these two big cities, use a guided tour (even if just for that part). Also, Moscow and St. Petersburg are huge cities. Coming from New York, I wasn't intimidated, but those not used to a megacity may not be so cavalier (even I found them overwhelming at times, especially Moscow).

I found both Lonely Planet and Rough Guide to be helpful, and both to have various errors. Look at both, buy whichever one has a more recent edition, and then be prepared to have to discard some of the advice therein. Also, these places change more quickly than places in Western Europe. Be very careful of outdated advice. For instance, I was there in 2001 and 2010, so I won't give you any specifics on getting a visa - that changes constantly.

Just as a teaser, two things I saw and loved that I doubt would be included in any escorted tour are the Gorky House in Moscow (an Art Nouveau wonder) and the Sheremyetov Palace in St. Petersburg (it's now a museum of musical instruments, and the decor is amazing, particularly in the Etruscan Room).

Thanks for all the good advice. Any additional thoughts are welcomed.

One of history's seminal works pertaining to Russian history and culture and a MUST for anyone contemplating a visit or simply interested , is this fine work from 1980 - http://www.amazon.com/Land-Firebird-The-Beauty-Russia/dp/096441841X

This is about you and not about Petersburg. Do you like guided tours? We don't and didn't find that a guide added to our experience in China where we did hire private guides mostly for the logistics; it was easy to have someone drive us places. But once at a site, we didn't need the guide. I felt the same way about our 9 nights in Petersburg. We did hire a guide for the trip to the Catherine Palace again for the ease of logistics for us Olds. Here is our visit: https://janettravels.wordpress.com/2016/01/23/an-easy-trip-to-the-catherine-palace/ There are also snapshots of the Church on Spilled Blood in this photo journal. Having someone pick us up at the apartment and get us in without line ups and shepherd us through the palace steering clear of the tour groups was lovely. But we didn't need commentary because we can read and prepare.

You certainly don't need a guide for the Hermitage (we spent 4 days there), the Russian Museum, the Kazan Cathedral or Church on Spilled Blood or the Faberge Museum. We enjoyed a number of self guided walking tours including a couple from Rick Steves guidebooks. We took the canal cruise suggested by RS that had an English commentator. I would not take one without that as you will be totally clueless. The commentator was not all that good but at least we had some idea what we were seeing. So for people like us who like to do our own thing and can read a guidebook and don't particularly like to be led about, a tour is not needed. If you enjoy tour groups, then go for it. Petersburg is easy to negotiate. It helps if you can read the cyrillic alphabet and it is also useful to have the google translate ap on your phone. We found ourselves translating packages in grocery stores with it and the occasional museum sign or menu. I have one food I need to avoid and so it was handy to have the translator to talk with waiters (I could either show them the sentence, or play it for them or play it to myself and then repeat it to the waiter -- that all worked well)

Dear Russ, I cannot help you with Moscow, but about four years ago, my husband and I went to St Petersburg on our own. But, we did use a private guide for 4 half days. We both feel that our guide absolutely made our trip (we stayed 6 or 7 nights). We used a company owned by Tatyana Chiurikova, www.tour-stpetersburg.com I cannot say enough good things about her and our experience. I emailed her and we worked out a schedule/ sights that was tailored to our interests. She also offered some recommendations, which we took. The guide will meet you at your hotel. And frequently, at certain places, with the guide, we were able to skip the long entrance lines. We had an half day driving tour of the city (car, driver, & guide). You are taken to & go in places such as Peter & Paul Fortress, some of the cathedrals, etc. We had a half day with the guide at the Hermitage which ensured that we would see the major sights there. And, of course, you can stay after your guide leaves or return another day. Also, we had the guide for Peterhof (a must & go by boat) and Catherine's Palace. I hope that you will go to the website. As I said, our guide made our trip. I am positive that we would have missed quite a bit on our own everyday. And I'm sure we would have wasted a lot of time trying to get to various place.This was the best of both worlds, a guide where needed and plenty of time on our own. Whatever you do, I'm sure that you will love St Petersburg! Ashley

I am curious about the lines as we encountered no lines on our trip -- but it was in September. We got tickets for the Hermitage at machines and skipped those lines and our guide for the Catherine Palace which was our only guided experience (as noted before, chosen for the logistics of getting there) had arranged tickets and we didn't have a line, but then we also didn't see lines. We did not find lines at any other site.

Both Moscow and St Petersburg I've done on my own, that is together with the Dear Partner. I can't remember any problem getting where we wanted to go. The Metro systems are well signed, and with a little exercise and patience you can recognize the station names. With a good map and a good guide - we had the Rough Guides - that part of the logistics is solved. The language is a major problem, but the usual tricks of pointing, looking helpless, and making a joke of it all do wonders. I would hate to be led by a guide, but for others it is a comfortable thought.

We also did both cities on our own. I found the DK Eyewitness guide for Moscow has the best map. I used the one from our library (kept the book at home). Took the smaller RS book for St. Petersburg ( his book on northern cities). His map and restaurant ideas were all good. We also downloaded the Google maps in our Android Samsung tablets/phones for both cities and then could get directions to any place we typed in. The blue ball guided us everywhere. I'm sure we missed somethings by not having a guide, but we just enjoy walking around and getting a sense of a place. If you like art, The Hermitage is great. We went 3 times and still missed alot. In St. Peterburg we stayed at the 3 Mosta which we loved (quite and not far from the Church of Spilled Blood.) We also loved the Georgian food in both cities. There's a great Georgian restaurant near the 3 Mosta hotel. We're now in Belarus- very scenic. Enjoy your trip!!

This topic has been automatically closed due to a period of inactivity.

Sandia National Laboratories

• About Sandia
• Partnerships

Please take the appropriate social distancing precautions to avoid the potential spread of the Coronavirus

Emergency Alerts  

Work & travel information, covid-19 site guidance.

For the latest information on masking and testing protocols at Sandia’s sites for all members of the workforce, see the current COVID-19 Community Risk Levels .

Kirtland Air Force Base Access

For the latest information on KAFB access, visit the coronavirus section of their website .

Unsupported Browser

Some sandia.gov site features may not work properly. Please update your browser to the latest version for the best viewing experience.

We serve our travel industry partners in the most efficient way by providing superb quality service, competitive rates and a constantly expanding range of services.