Moscow Metro: Paying for your Ride with a Cell Phone

by Neil Woodburn on

On my first visit to Moscow in 1991, there was really only one thing that worked. And it worked better than anywhere else in the world: The Moscow Metro.

This underground treasure was not only loaded with artwork, fine architecture, and trains that came every two minutes, but the whole thing cost less than a penny. The Soviets kicked the West’s sorry ass when it came to subways.

And now, nearly twenty years later, they are continuing with the trend.

Passengers can now enter the system by merely scanning their cell phones. No more tokens, tickets, or passes for those who opt in to this convenient idea.

Using cell phones to purchase small items which are then added to your phone bill has become increasingly common in Europe these days; it was only natural that the next step was public transport.

I’m not sure why my home country of America is so far behind the times when it comes to cellular technology, but I sure hope we catch up with the Russians soon!

Choose Your Russian Taxi Carefully!

by Justin Glow on


I’m not sure I ever had much of an interest in visiting Russia before I started reading EnglishRussia.com. I mean sure, I’d go if the opportunity presented itself, but once my favorite Russian blog hit the scene and they started covering all sorts of “largest country in the world” oddities did I realize this was truly a place I wanted to go.

Take this video for instance, simply titled Moscow Taxi. “When you travel to Russia, choose your taxi carefully!” EnglishRussia.com reads. “Or you might get a ride with anybody like this Moscow taxi cab…” How could I watch this video and not want to visit Russia someday?

The embedded version above is actually an edited version. For the full video, head to EnglishRussia.com.

Floating down the Desna River on Trash

by Justin Glow on

In parts of Russia on the Desna River, where pollution is a major problem, some quick-thinking environmentalists/travelers/campers have devised a way to kill two birds with one stone: clean the banks of the river while building a raft to float it.

EnglishRussia — one of my favorite blogs — has a photo gallery showing a group of kids stuffing rubbish into trash bags and attaching them to the bottom of a large, flat, wooden boat-like contraption. The bags filled with trash give the wood enough buoyancy to support the weight of five people and a tent. This makes me feel all warm inside.

Check out EnglishRussia for the full gallery.

Virtual Tour aboard the Trans-Siberian

by Neil Woodburn on

The trans-Siberian is one of the world’s epic journeys.

This six-day jaunt from Moscow to Vladivostok covers eight time zones and nearly a quarter of the globe’s surface. Riding it the entire distance is something which every one should do once in their life.

As a motivation to do so, Russian Railways has put together a rather cool interactive journey on their website.

The flash display begins at the train station in Moscow where visitors can look up and down the tracks before stepping into the first or second class carriage. Virtual passengers can then check out the cabins, the dining car, and various features throughout the train–such the TV in first class. The toilet, which is shared for a week with other passengers, can only be partially glimpsed through an open door. This is probably a good thing. As you might imagine, this nasty room was the low point of my journey a number of years ago.

The site is very cool and I highly recommend checking it out if you are planning a trip on the trans-Siberian any time soon. But keep in mind, the train featured is the Rossiya. If you book another train, things might not be as nice. But, you’ll love it anyway.

Amazing Photography Gallery of Russian Countryside

by Neil Woodburn on

Russia can be a very beautiful place but I’ve never seen it captured in such magnificent splendor as photographer Dmitry Poliakov has managed to do.

EnglishRussia, one of our favorite sites here at Gadling, has grouped together more than 50 of Poliakov’s outstanding photos of the Russian countryside that simply blow me away. Scrolling through this fine collection is like sitting on the trans-Siberian and watching the landscape slip by (without having to share a toilet for seven days with your fellow passengers).

So, take a moment out of your busy day and check out the fine handiwork of Poliakov and let your mind wander to greener pastures and sunny days.