See Russia#Get in for visa requirements to Russia.

By plane

Moscow (MOW IATA for all airports) has four commercial passenger airports. The ones foreign visitors are most likely to arrive in are Sheremetyevo and Domodedovo.

1 Sheremetyevo International Airport (SVO IATA) (32 km (20 mi) northwest of the centre of Moscow, in the city of Khimki), ☏ +7 495 232-65-65. The main hub of Russian flag carrier Aeroflot. There are multiple terminals - check your departure terminal before arriving at the airport.

To travel between the airport and the city:

Aeroexpress is the only rail link to the airport. Trains operate between the airport and the Belorussky Railway Terminal in the northwest section of the city centre. It also makes additional stops at Okruznaya, Savelovsky train station and Begovaya, where you can connect to the metro. Trains stop every 30 or 60 minutes from 05:00 to 00:30. The journey takes 50 minutes and costs 525 руб; tickets can be purchased online. Keep your paper or mobile ticket for the entire Aeroexpress journey. From the Belorussky Railway Terminal, the journey to the city center takes an additional 20 minutes by metro.

Bus #851 (57 руб for a 90-minute transfer ticket purchased from the driver) and Bus #949 (80 руб) operate service between the terminals and the Rechnoy Vokzal Metro Station of Metro Line 2 (dark green). If taking a cheaper regular bus #851 or #817 (see below), the driver hands you a red card, which you then have to validate at the scanner, or you can purchase a ticket or Troika transport card at the ticket machine right at the bus stop in front of Terminal D arrival hall's exit. The majority of drivers don't speak any English, so don't depend on them for assistance. Once you get off the bus, continue by foot a few steps in the direction the bus was going in, and you'll see the metro station on your right in the first opening between the buildings. When returning to the airport, after leaving the Rechnoy Vokzal metro station, cross the street, go around the fence on the other side of the street and look for the bus under the orange-colored shopping center.

Bus #817 (61 руб for a 90-minute transfer ticket purchased from the driver) or Bus #948 (85 руб) operate service between the terminals and the Planernaya metro station, at the northwest terminus of Metro Line 7 (purple). The journey by bus to the metro stations takes approximately 40 minutes and the journey to the city centre by metro takes an additional 40 minutes. Buses operate from approximately 05:30 to 00:45.

Bus #1195 (300 руб one-way or 500 руб round-trip), operated by Aeroexpress, connects terminals B and C with Khovrino metro station. Runs every 10 minutes between 6AM and 11:30PM, the journey lasts 20 minutes. Tickets can be bought online and in the bus.

Night Bus H1 (61 руб) operates every 30 minutes between 00:30 and 05:30. The bus operates between the airport, city center (including Kitay-Gorod Transport Hub, where you can change to other night routes), and Yugo-Zapadnaya metro station.

Yandex Taxi is the official taxi mobile app serving the airport. Prices to the city center are approximately 1,000 руб.

Driving past the toll bar should be avoided whenever possible as there are fees to do so. In addition to entry charge of 100 руб/hour (rounded up to the next hour), after entering the toll bar, there is an extra charge from 100 руб/hour to 300 руб/hour, depending on the distance from the entrance and the comfort of parking—with an unofficial option of an unlimited-time stay for 300 руб. However, there are unofficial parking lots near the airport, with daily rates starting at 200 руб.

2 Domodedovo International Airport (DME IATA) (45 km (28 mi) southeast of the centre of Moscow), ☏ +7 495 933-66-66. It carries slightly more passengers than Sheremetyevo International Airport on an annual basis. The airport is the base of S7 Airlines, and is also the preferred airport for most foreign airlines serving Moscow. Free WiFi is available throughout the airport. There are plenty of cafes, bars, restaurants, and shops in the airport.

To travel between the airport and the city:

Aeroexpress trains operate between the airport and the Paveletsky Railway Terminal in the southeast section of the city centre. Trains depart every 30 minutes from 06:00 to 00:30. The journey takes 50 minutes and costs 525 руб one-way; tickets can be purchased online.. Keep your paper or mobile ticket for the entire Aeroexpress journey. From the Paveletsky Railway Terminal, the journey to the city center takes an additional 20 minutes by metro.

Commuter trains are a cheaper method of traveling between the airport and the Paveletsky Railway Terminal. The journey by commuter train takes 75 minutes and costs 120 руб.

Bus #308 100 руб operates 24 hours/day between the airport and the Domodedovskaya Metro Station near the southeastern end of Metro Line 2 (dark green). There is plenty of space on the buses for luggage. The buses operate every 15 minutes, but every 40 minutes between 00:00 and 06:00. The trip takes 30 minutes. From the Domodedovskaya Metro Station, the journey to the center takes another 40 minutes by metro. When headed towards the airport, at Domodedovskaya Metro station, take the exit to the south (downtown side) turn right in the underpass, and follow it to the end, then take the stairs. There are crude stencilled signs of Bus 308 on the pillars to guide you. When you get to street level you will see a tall building across the street with blue words reading "Орехово-Борисово Северное". The bus stop is next to this building.

Yandex Taxi is the official taxi mobile app serving the airport. Prices to the city center are approximately RUB1,000.

3 Vnukovo International Airport (VKO IATA) (30 km (19 mi) southwest from the centre of Moscow), ☏ +7 495 937-55-55 (Head Office). Vnukovo International Airport serves approximately 12 million passengers per year.

To travel between the airport and the city:

Metro Line 8A serves Vnukovo International Airport. The ride to the city center takes just over an hour.

Bus #911 and Night Bus #H11 operate between the airport terminal and the Salaryevo Metro Station. The bus journey takes 35-40 minutes and costs 36 руб if using Troyka transport card or 55 руб if paid to the driver. From the metro stations, the journey to the city center takes an additional 40 minutes.

Yandex Taxi is the official taxi mobile app serving the airport. Prices to the city center are approximately RUB1,000.

4 Zhukovsky International Airport (ZIA IATA) (40km southeast from the centre of Moscow). Opened in 2016 and has flights to/from Turkey, Sochi, and Central Asian countries.

To travel between the airport and the city:

Bus #441э (92 руб) operates between airport and Kotelniki metro station. The bus journey can take from 30 to 60 minutes, dependent on traffic jams.

Yandex Taxi is the official taxi mobile app serving the airport. Prices to the city center are approximately RUB1,000.

Bus+Train service, more information can be found on airport's official website

By train

Moscow is a railway hub, with connections to all parts of Russia as well as Asia. Due to its hub status, Moscow's train stations are always crowded, and pickpocketing is an issue, however police patrols and CCTV cameras are abundant, and violent crime is unlikely. Train travel is the predominant mode of intercity transportation for the majority of Russians.

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

From Saint Petersburg

Saint Petersburg can be reached in 4 hours via the high-speed Sapsan trains. There are many daily departures each way, with some trains stopping at Tver, Vyshniy Volochek, Bologoye, and Okulovka. Fares vary and are cheaper if bought well in advance but usually start at 3,500 руб for economy class, if purchased 2 months in advance or 7,500 руб closer to the date of travel, if seats are even available. Trains almost always sells out.

There are also 13 overnight trains that travel between Moscow and Saint Petersburg and overnight trains are generally cheaper than the Sapsan. The most famous is the luxurious Red Arrow (Красная стрела), a train painted in bright red that departs Saint Petersburg daily at 23:55 while the song Hymn to the Great City plays on its loudspeakers.

From Eastern Russia and Asia

Tickets for the Trans-Siberian Railway sell out and it is cheapest to buy tickets at least 2 months in advance. Tickets can be bought online

The main line of the Trans-Siberian Railway runs between Moscow and Vladivostok, the biggest Russian city on the Pacific Coast. The Rossiya train leaves Moscow every other day at 13:20, while the slower but cheaper trains #44 or #100 leave every day around midnight. Major stops include Yekaterinburg (24-31 hours; 4000 руб for Platzkart class, 7,000 руб for 2nd class), Omsk (35-48 hours), Novosibirsk (46-54 hours), Krasnoyarsk (54-66 hours), Irkutsk (68-81 hours; 9,000 руб for Platzkart class, 11,000 руб for 2nd class), Ulan Ude (75-89 hours), and Vladivostok (7 days; 14,000 руб for Platzkart class, 25,000 руб for 2nd class}}).

The other routes of the Trans-Siberian Railway, between Moscow and China, are more popular among tourists. There are two weekly trains to/from Beijing, the Trans-Mongolian (Train #4) via Ulaanbaatar and the Trans-Manchurian (Vostok/Train #20) via Manchuria. Both journeys take six nights but the ride via Mongolia offers more scenery.

Train stations in Moscow

Moscow has 10 train stations, 9 of which are near metro stations close to the center of Moscow. Be sure to note the station from which your train is departing, which will be indicated on the ticket, or online. Three stations (Leningradsky, Yaroslavsky, and Kazansky) are on one huge square, informally known as the "Three Stations' Square". Be prepared for enormous queues trying to enter or exit the Metro at peak times, as people are getting off or on the commuter trains.

By car

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

From Europe

Foreign cars, especially expensive cars, might attract unwelcome attention, and there is cumbersome paperwork involved to enter Russia by car. The direct way to drive from Belarus is along the road, although it requires having permission to enter Belarus. Russian Federal Highway is another popular route. Traffic on the is heavy.

By bus

It is generally easier to travel via plane or train so most visitors to Moscow will not use the intercity buses.

Ecolines operates coach service between Moscow and various cities in Europe, crossing at the border with Latvia. Buses arrive to and depart from the Severnye Vorota Bus Station next to the Khovrino Metro Station on Metro Line 2 (green) in the northern section of Moscow. Destinations include Riga (20 hours, RUB14,000), Tallinn (28 hours, RUB14,000), Vilnius (22 hours, RUB14,000), Warsaw (31 hours, RUB18,000), Minsk (9 hours, RUB2,100), Amsterdam (51 hours, RUB30,000), Prague (48 hours, RUB24,000), and Berlin (38 hours, RUB24,000).

Many domestic intercity buses stop at the Moscow Intercity Bus Terminal, next to the Shchelkovskaya Metro Station at the eastern terminus of Metro Line 3 (dark blue). Buses to the popular tourist destination of Suzdal operate from this station.

There are also several small bus stops and stations with buses to/from small towns that are not commonly visited by tourists.

5 Moscow Central (Schyolkovskiy) Bus Terminal aka Intercity bus station (Центральный Автовокзал, Московский междугородный автовокзал) (Shelkovskaya Metro station (the last station of the (3) line, in northeast Moscow). Under highway overpass), ☏ +7 499 748-8029. Daily 04:00-23:15. Intercity buses to Russian and some former Soviet Union cities depart from here. This is the only place in Moscow from which public transport is available directly to Suzdal.

6 Intercity buses Krasnogvardeiskaya (Krasnogvardeiskaya Metro station). Southern way.

7 Regional buses, Proezd Stratonavtov (пр. Стратонавтов), 9 (Tushinskaya Metro station), ☏ +7 495 491-8215. To west/northwest direction within the Moscow region, Volokolamsk, Zvenigorod, Ruza.

8 Intercity bus station Yuznye Vorota (Автостанция Южные Ворота). Southeastern direction toward Ryazan. Voskresensk, Yegoryevsk, Bronnitsy, Lukhovitsy.

9 Intercity bus station Kotelniki (Автостанция Котельники) ((7) Kotelniki Metro station). Southeastern direction toward Ryazan. Voskresensk, Yegoryevsk, Bronnitsy, Lukhovitsy.

10 International bus station Severnye Vorota (Автовокзал Северные Ворота) ((2) Khovrino Metro station). Northern direction toward St. Petersburg, northeastern toward Riga, Tartu, Pskov, western toward Mariampole, Smolensk.

By boat

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

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

By bicycle

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