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Save Big With Online Travel Deals and Auctions

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You can buy pretty much anything online, and in many cases name your price ... or find a different seller. With travel auction sites, travelers have the ultimate platform to name their prices on airfare, cruises, hotels, restaurants, show tickets and even complete vacation packages.

Here are some tips and tricks to get you started.

Luxury Link Auctions

Luxury Link is a well-known vacation auction site with a user-friendly app. It's best known for its vacation auctions and also offers numerous discounted luxury hotel vacations to buy right away, not bid.

As the name indicates, they specialize in luxury accommodations: 3,000+ hotels, resorts, inns, villas and even castles. Hotels are four- or five-star and located all over the world.

Its prices are at least as good as a hotel's own website. Sometimes it’s slightly discounted and other times it can be 60% or more off published rates. It not only saves money, but also saves time and the stress of planning a vacation from scratch.

How does it work?

Luxury Link works mostly like any other auction site. You search for the hotel or resort. Hotel/resort stays are sold in two ways, like on eBay: in auctions and as "buy it now" purchases. In Luxury Link auctions, the hotel is set, and the dates may or may not be. Customers can bid on set packages or specify dates and room category.

There's no fee to join or use Luxury Link. You can browse without even providing your e-mail address. There is no credit card required for the initial bids. To successfully pay for your auction a credit card is required for purchase once the bid you submit is accepted.

» Learn more: How to score luxury travel for less

Apple Vacations, Square Deals

Apple Vacations, Square Deals is not exactly an auction. It sells vacation package where you do not know the name of the property until just prior to departure.

Apple Vacations offer great value with the lowest prices you'll find for the promised hotel Apple rating. You choose the destination, departure date and the hotel rating. Apple informs you of your hotel just prior to departure and in return for being flexible, you'll save hundreds.

Square Deal apple ratings:

6 Golden Apples: Exceptional Luxury

6 Apples: Luxury

5 Apples: Deluxe

4 Apples: First Class

These deals are kind of last-minute with available date choices in next one week to next one month. If you are flexible with dates and OK with not knowing the name of the hotel you can save about 30% on Apples normal rate.

Be familiar with Apple’s Square Deal rating and decide what is acceptable for you. Start with its deals tab, enter your departure city and look at all the deals (including Square Deals). If you are flexible with dates, Apple can offer some good discounts.

» Learn more: Use one of the best travel credit cards to get rewarded for enjoying your vacation

Tips on saving big with online travel deals and auctions

Read the fine print: Lookout for catches like blackout dates, commissions, fees, surcharges and taxes.

Compare the deal with what you could get directly from the airline or hotel website or through other travel websites such as Expedia, Orbitz and Travelocity.

Explore your options using Google Flights. Once you enter your departure city, Google Flights’ Explore Map will show you flight prices on the map for destinations around you, as well as around the world.

Planning a trip? Check out these articles for more inspiration and advice: Cheap things to do in any city Find the best travel credit card for your needs Landing the best airfare is a matter of timing

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How do online travel auction sites work?

What’s an online travel auction site, and are they legitimate.

There are quite a few online travel auction sites that have come out in recent years.   These auction sites allow you to bid on hotel rooms, vacations, and sometimes even cruises.   According to travel auction site Luxury Link , you can save up to 65% off the retail travel cost by using their service.   Due to the huge amount of savings that you can get, many people are wary to bid and fear that travel auctions are scams.   It is not that legitimate online travel auction sites are scams, it’s just that they do have restrictions and fees that you need to be aware of before you start bidding. That being said, there are scammers out there.   To find out if an online auction site is legit, do a little research.   Any travel auction site worth its weight should be registered with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) .   You can also read customer reviews of auction sites to get a real feel for the business and how they treat their customers.

Where can I bid on hotel rooms?

LuxuryLink.com  travel auctions are primarily for bidding on luxury resort and hotel room stays.    Additionally, Luxury Link auctions off select cruises, but these are rare.   Auctions are generally between 3 to 14 nights.   Thousands of hotel auctions are taking place right now, and several have current bids under $500 for 2+ nights  for 2 people.   In addition to their regular hotel room auctions, Luxury Link offers a daily “Mystery” travel auction with a $1 starting bid .   Know that the bidding escalates quickly and does not stay at $1 for very long.   A vague destination is disclosed, but the hotels name is a “mystery” and may not be what you bargained for.    Nonetheless, you can sometimes snag cheap luxury hotel deals by bidding on these $1 mystery auctions.   To save even more, Luxury Link will give you $100 off your first reservation if you use coupon code LUXLINK100 (which may expire any time).

What if I have a large group or family?

FamilyGetaway.com is a new website, by Luxury Link, that auctions off hotel deals for families, even large ones.  Simply plug in the number of kids in your family to view hotel auctions that will accommodate your entire family.  You can bid on deals for families in popular vacation spots such as Disneyland and Florida.  It’s owned and operated by the same guys over at LuxuryLink.com.   FamilyGetaway.com has their own coupon code: FG100 , which will save you $100 off your first reservation (may expire at any time).

Where can I bid on airfare?

I’ll note that SkyAuction.com (Sky Auction) has airfare-only auctions that do not include a hotel stay.  However, I notice that they currently have an unfavorable BBB rating .   To bid on airfare, there are also what I call pseudo auction sites, like Priceline and Hotwire .

With Hotwire you don’t actually bid at all… so it’s not really a travel auction.  It’s still worth mentioning that Hotwire claims to sell last-minite unsold seats, which they call Hotwire Hot Rates .   These Hot Rates disclose the fare price prior to booking, but the airline’s name is hidden until after purchase.  These flights are not refundable, but they can be great deals on par with auctions.

Priceline claims that you can save up to 40%* off lowest published airfare prices when you choose your own price.   Bidding on Priceline is extremely simple.  You just enter in the price you are willing to pay for your flight , without taxes or fees.   The exact airline and flight times are disclosed only after your “bid” is accepted (and that is, if your bid is accepted).   All “ Name Your Own Price ” sales are final, but Priceline’s best price guarantee helps to protect you.   Priceline’s “ Name Your Own Price ” guarantees that if you notify them of an exact flight that’s cheaper within 24 hours, you get a 100% refund and a $50 coupon off a vacation package booking*.    Each of these sites have their own policies, fees and penalties that you need to be aware of before bidding, which takes us to….

What do I need to be cautious of on online travel auction sites?

First and foremost, there will be restrictions on when you may travel and blackout dates apply.  You can win an auction, but if your desired travel dates are not available you will be forced to choose new travel dates.   Even if your desired travel dates are not “blacked out”, your travel is still subject to availability.  On top of that, travel auctions are typically not refundable.   I really recommend that you only bid on a travel auction if your dates are very flexible, otherwise you may find yourself winning a trip that you cannot take.   You must be willing to read through the policies on the travel auction site prior to bidding, because every site is different.

Do you have tips to begin bidding for travel online?

As every auction site is different and the type of auction may vary, these are just some general auction bidding tips to get you started:

1.     Search for travel auctions in which the bidding is set to expire in less than 24 hours . You can do this by filtering the search results by “ending time”.   These last minute auctions are close to closing and give you a better idea of the real price you may pay in the end.

2.    Scroll down and see if you are interested in any of these last minute auctions. If so, pull up the full details. Make note of blackout dates, travel dates, full name of hotel, and any added perks that you get with your reservation.   Many of Luxury Link’s auctions give you extra perks such as massages, free dinners, tax included, ect. .   Of course, you will want to choose an auction that will give you at least an hour or so to move on to step three…

3.    Visit the hotels own website (make sure you are on the hotels corporate booking site, and not an agency site), and see how much it would cost to book this exact deal directly with them.   Trust me; you don’t want to skip this step. Usually the price is less on Luxury Link, but you need to double-check.   Make note of how much the extras (perks) that Luxury Link is giving you cost in addition to the hotel rate, and weigh the difference.   I mean, if Luxury Link’s price is the same as the hotel but I also get a free massage with Luxury Link, then I’m going with them.

4.    If the price is right, it’s time to watch.   And… wait.   Don’t bid right away, because you do not want to alert other auction bidders that someone else is in.   There are many different theories on how long you should wait, in my personal opinion you should wait until the last 30 minutes to bid.   This will give you just enough time to re-bid if necessary, but it’s not so long that you can’t watch the auction closely.

Do you have some online travel auction tips of your own?  Post them in the comments below.

Quick Links :  Priceline , Hotwire , Luxury Link , Family Getaway , Sky Auction .

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Luxury Link Online Vacation Auctions: Are They a Good Deal?

Luxury Link Is the Original Vacation Auction Site

In 1997, Luxury Link became the first vacation auctions and discount site on the web. Today it is the best-known, and now has a popular app. Luxury Link is best known for its vacation auctions. But it also offers thousands of discounted luxury hotel vacations at their price, so you buy, not bid

Luxury Link's 3,000+ available luxury accommodations cover hotels, resorts, inns, villas, and even castles. Hotels are four-star or five-star and located all over the world. You can find every kind of hotel in Luxury Link: traditional or  all-inclusive resorts ; romantic, kid-friendly,  pet-friendly , grand hotels, boutique hotels, wellness retreats, culinary magnets, golf or ski resorts, ranches, nature lodges, eco-resorts. Settings range from beach to city to mountains to overwater bungalows. What they all have in common is that these vacations are a deal.

How Good of a Deal Is Luxury Link?

Luxury Link prices are at least as good a deal as you'll find elsewhere, whether on a hotel's own website or on "flash sale" sites such as Jetsetter. Sometimes Luxury Link's deals are only slightly discounted, but sometimes the price can be 60% or more off published rates. You can save big, and Luxury Link is one of the many ways to get luxury vacations for less . 

Luxury Link saves users money, but it also saves them time and frustration. The site makes it easy to search for the hotel or resort that's perfect for your vacation, or to find a new destination and then a hotel.

Luxury Link Works Similar to an Auction Site

Luxury Link hotel stays are sold in two ways, just like on eBay: in auctions and it "buy it now" purchase. In Luxury Link auctions., the hotel is set, and the dates may or may not be. Auctions last several days. Customers can keep bidding, or submit maximum bids. Bids are legally binding; bidders must submit credit card info. In "buy it now" purchases, some packages are set, but in others, you can specify dates and room category.

You're Bidding on Hotel Nights

Luxury Link combines forces with its many partner hotels to offer hotel stays from one night to a week or more. The hotel name is disclosed in the auction listing, so users are not bidding blind, as they do on "name your price" vacation websites. Most auctions are for flexible dates.

Each auction package has a range of valid travel dates. Some even include holiday weekends, and there are few blackout dates. While Luxury Link can't guarantee there will be rooms available for the exact dates you want, nearly everyone gets their first or second choice of dates.

Luxury Link Costs Nothing to Use

There's no fee to join or use Luxury Link: no membership charges , closing fees, commissions, or other costs. Still, whether you buy once or once a month, Luxury Link does not offer a loyalty program or frequent-user perks.

Luxury Link's Travel Network

Luxury Link partners with many revered luxury hotel brands to offer nights in their famous properties . These include Amanresorts, Belmond,  Four Seasons , Langham, Oberoi, One&Only, Peninsula, Relais & Chateaux ,  Ritz-Carlton , Rosewood, Sandals, and others.

Luxury Link also works with several travel companies to provide further discounts and services. These include Dunhill Travel Deals (Luxury Link's parent company and online provider of discounted budget vacations) and also Online Vacation Center (cruise bargains), Expedia CruiseShipCenter, and tour specialist Enrichment Journeys.

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Not all travelling purposes are enjoyable. Still, everybody definitely enjoys travelling for fun and relaxation. Go online for your travel ticket for two or more. A number of bargains are out there and lots of great places await. Theres no need to spend much. Theres also wisdom in preparing for your travel months ahead. You get to work within your set budget as you map out your itinerary.

Gold Coast Travel Tickets

In scouting for good hangout places, youre sure to find resort travel offers in and around Gold Coast, Queensland. Bring your motorcycle or rent one for a scenic drive on the roads of Canungra. You could even relax over a cup of coffee at the famous Outpost Cafe, a favourite pit stop of many motorcyclists. Immerse yourself in the wonder of nature that Gondwana Rainforest offers visitors. Choose your stay at Surfers Paradise, an iconic holiday destination mostly frequented by foreigners and locals. Schedule it in time for regularly scheduled happenings in the area, some of which are: Surf Life Saving competitions, and the Castrol Gold Coast 600 V8 Supercars racing events. Surfers Paradise also has beachfront markets happening on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays from 3:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. Enjoy skateboarders and cyclists gliding by. See awesome surfers execute their moves or do your beachside shopping. Consider getting Gold Coast travel tickets. Whatever you fancy, its all there for you to enjoy at Gold Coast.

Noosa Travel Tickets

Noosa is another top choice among Queensland travel offers . Beach lovers will enjoy beach hopping at over 12 beaches in the area. Remember to check out Coolum beach. Its stretch of beachside boardwalks will surely please and the coastline goes on for kilometres. Get great views up and down the Sunshine Coast. Swim and surf, walk your pets and more. Noosa Spit and Castaways Beach are also there for pet lovers. These are off-leash dog beaches. Your pets will surely enjoy a scenic walk and swim. For those who want to learn how to surf, Noosa Groyne is the perfect place for you. Classes may be scheduled via phone call. Dont fail to visit Noosa National Park when youre there. Enjoy a leisurely walk or run around the coastline. Reward yourself with an awesome view up Hells Gates. It is worth every footstep!

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Ebay and auctions – Bidding for a slice of travel

Ebay’s first forays into the travel market have not lived up to inital expectations. However, with the launch of a dynamic pcakaging option and a change in strategy, all this could be about to change. Tricia Holly Davis reports Last summer online auctioneer eBay revealed plans to bid for a share of the UK’s £10…

Ebay’s first forays into the travel market have not lived up to inital expectations. However, with the launch of a dynamic pcakaging option and a change in strategy, all this could be about to change. Tricia Holly Davis reports

Last summer online auctioneer eBay revealed plans to bid for a share of the UK’s £10 billion online travel market.

At the time, Karim Lankarany, eBay’s senior category manager for travel, had said the company would initially focus on selling short breaks and hotels, eventually expanding its offering to flights and other content.

The travel business media jumped on the news with varying degrees of gusto, although it soon transpired that Lankarany’s comments were being dismissed by eBay officials.

One year on, eBay is still dodging questions about its intentions for the travel sector. In fact, industry analysts and suppliers say eBay’s travel division is still very much a fledgling business.

“EBay Travel never quite took off,” observes Scott Kessler, an analyst at Standard and Poor’s, who tracks the auction site’s financial performance.

EBay’s first foray into travel was in 2002, when it launched a partnership with Priceline.com. That same year, eBay appealed to high-street retailers to distribute their distressed packaged inventory on the site and unveiled a scheme to allow customers to use their airline miles and points as currency.

Early numbers suggested eBay Travel should have been a massive success. In 2001, an eBay research study concluded that 42% of its 55 million customers made travel-related purchases online, worth $8 billion, or roughly 40% of the then value of the US online market.

With eBay traffic figures rising at an exponential rate year-on-year, logic says eBay Travel should have far surpassed the leading online travel portals both in terms of sales and visitors.

However, apart from some success in the US and certain European countries, such as Germany, the eBay travel model never really lived up to initial expectations, says Kessler.

“The Priceline alliance never amounted to much and there has been no subsequent evidence to indicate that travel is a priority for eBay,” he says.

Indeed, the word ‘travel’ doesn’t even warrant a footnote on eBay’s balance sheets and quarterly investors’ reports.

Michael Hughes, head of sales and marketing for Cultuzz , the main accommodation content provider to eBay, concedes that the travel division has not met suppliers’ expectations. “The model is not as aggressive as we had anticipated,” says Hughes. 

Megan Lawrence of Leonardo Media, a supplier of rich media content for hotels, says she gets the impression that eBay’s travel plans have been put on the “back burner”.

Last year Leonardo inked a deal with Cultuzz to upload rich images on to the eBay Travel site. At the time, Lankarany said: “We expect this to have a positive impact on the buying experience in the short-breaks category of eBay”.

But Lawrence says the deal never came to fruition. “Everyone was really excited last year but nothing ever happened. We’re still hopeful, but we haven’t heard anything for a while.”

EBay maintains its travel strategy has not changed. A spokesperson for the site says that at any one time there are in excess of 10,000 listings in the travel category on eBay.co.uk.

EBay claims: “EBay continues to be a site for larger operators such as Thomson, as well as smaller independent travel firms and individuals to sell holidays, accommodation and related items.”

Thomson tells a different story. “We get the impression that travel isn’t part of eBay’s core strategy,” says Nathan Timmins, head of online marketing for TUI, Thomson ’s parent company.

Contrary to what eBay maintains, Timmins says Thomson actually only sells a “handful” of holidays on eBay.

The scores of ‘Thomson’ holidays that one might see on the site are not coming directly from Thomson, but rather from individuals who are selling on a discount code, explains Timmins.

“EBay is not a big channel for us,” says Timmins. Part of the challenge of working with eBay is that the auction model does not necessarily lend itself to travel, says Timmins. He says eBay’s Best Rate, fixed-price option, is a better choice, at least for packages.

 “Even if we thought we could just cover our costs by shifting loads of holidays to eBay then we would do it, but that’s not the case.”

The main problem, says Timmins, is that eBay is not engaging the consumer to think about the site as a source for travel. He adds: “EBay is not recognised as a travel channel, so even though it has these huge traffic volumes, it’s not translating into travel sales. It’s a hugely untapped market. Even if a small percentage of eBay’s traffic visits the travel site, that’s still a lot of people.”

He says Thomson recently approached eBay with the hope of finding a way to make the channel work, and has launched a display banner ad campaign on the site to test consumers’ receptiveness to eBay as a travel source.

“There is a huge opportunity there. The question is just how to exploit it,” he says.

Cultuzz’s Hughes echoes Timmins’ observations. “One of the biggest challenges for eBay is that it doesn’t have a global travel strategy,” he says.

But that may be about to change. “EBay is planning to globalise travel in the foreseeable future,” says Hughes, who is travelling to eBay’s headquarters in San Jose, California, this summer to discuss Cultuzz’s role in the strategy.

A significant signal of eBay’s travel intentions is the launch of a dynamic packaging option, which will go live on the German site in the fourth quarter of this year and will be available on the UK site next year, says Hughes, who is developing the technology.

He says there are also plans to add car hire and flights in the near future.

“The door to the head office is now open and several industry players have been invited to advise eBay on how to adjust the model to be more travel friendly,” says Hughes.

Kessler says that if eBay is planning a big push into the travel space, then it is keeping it very quiet from market analysts. “I’m not aware of any new decision to prioritise travel.”

However, Kessler observes that eBay has been straying further afield into businesses that are not part of its core competency, such as Skype, so the prospect of a formalised, global travel strategy would not be entirely far-fetched.

There are a few reasons why eBay Travel could work this time around.

Firstly, there are more people buying online. “Even though eBay has tried to make an impact in the travel space in the past without much success, it did so at a time when people were a lot less comfortable buying online,” says Kessler. “Today that barrier no longer exists.”

Secondly, eBay is realising more of its revenues from the fixed pricing model, which is more suitable for many travel products than an auction model. Kessler says about 50% of eBay’s gross merchandise volume is now related to fixed prices. There are also potential synergies between a travel business and eBay’s other assets, namely event ticket distributor, StubHub, and community marketplace site Kigigi.

“Do I think eBay Travel could work? Yes, but it will face some challenges,” says Kessler. “Going beyond your core competency is always an uphill battle because there is not an instant connection from consumers.” 

He points to Google as an ideal example. “When people think of Google they think of search, but Google is now challenged to break out and convince people that it can do other things.”

EBay faces a similar challenge. “The fact is that when people think about eBay they don’t think about travel.”

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How to use the Moscow Metro (PHOTOS+INFOGRAPHICS)

It’s really convenient to use the Moscow Metro and city trains. They operate from 5:30 in the morning to 1:00 at night and you can pay for them with the same ‘Troika’ ticket card. Indeed, the map of the subway looks complex. But that’s only at first glance.

For starters, let’s separate the underground metro from surface city trains. The underground map is marked by bright solid lines, while the lines of surface routes are marked by two parallel lines with a white gap in between.

Underground metro system

It has two ring lines – the brown Koltsevaya, or Circle line (5) and the new Bolshaya Koltsevaya line (Big Circle Line) colored turquoise (number 11). These rings cross all other underground metro lines, so if you need to reach another line from the outskirts – it’s convenient to use one of the ring lines.

Circle Line

We can consider that the center of the city is inside of the ring line (5). Also there’s a multitude of transfers from one line to another within the brown ring. The record holder is Biblioteka Imeni Lenina – Arbatskaya – Alexandrovsky Sad – Borovitskaya. These whole four lines crossed in one place (right next to the Moscow Kremlin). Also, you can reach the Kremlin quickly and conveniently from stations Okhotny Ryad – Teatralnaya – Ploshchad Revolyutsii, which also have transfers between each other.

Big Circle Line

You can also reach the Vnukovo Airport right by metro! The corresponding station of the Solntsevskaya Line (8A) was opened in September 2023.

How does the underground metro operate?

Pykhtino metro station, opened in 2023

The intervals between trains are really small – on average about 2 minutes; during rush hour, they run even more often. So you don’t need to run and squeeze yourself into closing doors (that’s also dangerous). Just wait for the next train, it’ll arrive quickly. Unlike the subway systems of other cities – the trains run along single lines, without branching away. So you can just board the train in the required direction without worrying that you will go somewhere you didn’t intend to.

There are only two exceptions:

• From Alexandrovsky Sad Station of the light-blue line trains run either to Mezhdunarodnaya Station (where Moscow City is located, where a lot of businessmen go) or to Pionerskaya.
• Bolshaya Koltsevaya line also has the so-called fork branching: from Savelovskaya Station to the Business Center (also to Moscow City).

Sometimes you can hear an announcement ‘This train runs to the station…’ If you need to go further, you simply need to get off at the station the train is bound for, and wait for the next train. Perhaps, this train just needs to go to the depot.

Surface routes:

Apart from the underground metro itself, the new map marks suburban trains. You can tell them apart immediately – these lines are indicated with two parallel lines with a white gap in between.

1) MCC: Moscow Central Circle (14)

Moscow Central Circle (MCC)

Let’s take a look at the map again and find a red circle, situated between the underground Koltsevaya (5) and Bolshaya Koltsevaya (11) lines. This is the Moscow Central Circle (14) or simply MCC.

This is a surface urban train that circles around the city. There are stations from where you can transfer to the underground metro. However, these transfers usually are not as short as between subway stations. Sometimes you’ll need about 10 minutes of walking to transfer.

So we don’t recommend you to use MCC purely as a transfer route. In addition, the interval between trains on MCC is longer than in the metro, and can reach 4-8 minutes, depending on the time of day.

However, a big advantage of the MCC is that it has a lot of stations that are far removed from the metro, and which are most conveniently reached specifically by the MCC.

2) Moscow Central Diameters (MCD)

Moscow Central Diameters (MCD)

Moscow diameters on the metro map are the longest lines that cross the entire city (hence, they are called diameters). They are reminiscent of urban trains, like S-Bahn in Berlin or Vienna or RER in Paris.

Those are suburban train lines that run from suburbs (from the Moscow Region, marked as a green shadow on the map) and, crossing the entire city, are bound for suburbs on the other side of the city. At some of the stations of a diameter you can get off and transfer to the metro or the MCC. During rush hour, MCD trains run with an interval of 5-7 minutes.

D1 – Belorussko-Savyolovsky Yellow Diameter runs from Odintsovo Station south-west from Moscow through Moscow City and Belorussky railway station to Sheremetyevo Airport and to Lobnya Station in the north.

D2 – Kursko-Rizhsky Pink Diameter runs from the Moscow Region city of Podolsk in the south through Kursky railway station, Three Station Square (Leningradsky, Kazansky, Yaroslavsky), and Rizhsky railway station to the village of Nakhabino in the north-west.

D3 – Leningradsko-Kazansky Orange Diameter runs from Ippodrom Station in the south-east (the city of Ramenskoye) to Zelenograd in the north.

D4 – Kaluzhsko-Nizhegorodsky Green Diameter runs from the city of Aprelevka in the south-west through Moscow City, Belorussky, Savelovsky, and Kursky railway stations, as well as through Three Station Square (Leningradsky, Kazansky, Yaroslavsky) to Zheleznodorozhnaya Station in the city of Balashikha in the east.

A fifth MCD line is also projected, which is promised to be finished by 2028. It will connect the south (Domodedovo) and the north (Pushkino).

3) Moscow Monorail

Moscow Monorail (highlighted above) and Light metro (bottom)

Look for the only monorail line in Russia to the north from the center of Moscow. It’s not just a surface line, it’s an elevated line that stands on piles. It’s a short line (13) that operates in an excursion mode – from it, you can get a beautiful view of the Ostankino TV Tower, for example.

Once per half an hour, the train runs from Timiryazevskaya Station (which is near the station of the same name on the Serpukhovsko-Timiryazevskaya (9) line, which is the gray metro line) to Ulitsa Sergeya Eisensteina Station, which is located next to the entrance to the VDNKh park and to the VDNKh metro station of the Kaluzhsko-Rizhskaya (6) metro line.

4) Light metro

Butovskaya (12) line in the south of Moscow runs from Buninskaya Alleya Station to Bitsevsky Park Station; from it, you can make a transfer to the gray Serpukhovsko-Timiryazevskaya (9) line and the orange Kaluzhsko-Rizhskaya (6) line. This line runs mostly on the surface, entering a tunnel, but is considered a part of the subway (hence, this line is marked with a solid line as other metro lines).

A useful piece of advice

The Moscow Metro website has an interactive map with all metro lines, MCC, and diameters. With it, you can build a route from the departure station to the destination station, take a look at all travel options and where you can make necessary transfers.

How to pay the fare

The convenience of the Moscow transportation system is that you only need the Troika card for travel with any type of public transport, be it the metro, suburban trains, or buses/trams. You can purchase it in ticket offices or from machines at stations. Also in souvenir shops and in the metro internet store you can purchase keychains, bracelets, and rings that work like a Troika card, as well as Troika cards with a unique and custom design.

Troika design dedicated to the 875th anniversary of Moscow

You can top up your card by simply adding a particular amount of money – or purchase the Unified ticket for 60 travels or unified unlimited ticket for 1/3/30/90/365 days.

The deposit price of the Troika card is 80 rubles, and you can get it back when returning the card to the ticket office. The validity period of the card is 5 years, so you can save it for future travels.

One MCC, MCD (in the city center), and metro trip costs 54 rubles. Transfers in the metro, MCC, or between diameters are free within 90 minutes. The fare on MCD in the suburbs costs 71 rubles.

Important: you need to pay the fare in the metro and MCC only upon entrance. On diameters, you need to activate trips upon entrance and then tap your card again at the turnstile upon exiting.

Also almost every station has a terminal where you can pay your fare, tapping your bank card.

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