busiest car travel days around thanksgiving

Thanksgiving travel tips: Best and worst days to fly or drive

Some airlines are expecting their busiest Thanksgiving ever.

As Thanksgiving approaches, millions of Americans are gearing up to hit the highway or head to the airport -- and some airlines are expecting their busiest Thanksgiving ever.

Here's what you need to know:

Thanksgiving travel by air

AAA projects 4.7 million travelers will fly over Thanksgiving -- a 6.6% increase from last year. This would mark the highest number of people flying for Thanksgiving since 2005.

The busiest and most expensive days to fly before Thanksgiving will be Tuesday, Nov. 21, and Wednesday, Nov. 22, according to AAA.

The best day to go to the airport for Thanksgiving is Monday, Nov. 20, when flights will be 12% cheaper than on Nov. 22, according to Expedia.

MORE: Thanksgiving food price forecast, retailers with early deals and expert savings tips

The Transportation Security Administration said it expects to screen 30 million passengers during its Thanksgiving travel period, which runs from Nov. 17 to Nov. 28.

"We expect this holiday season to be our busiest ever. In 2023, we have already seen seven of the top 10 busiest travel days in TSA's history," TSA Administrator David Pekoske said in a statement. "We are ready for the anticipated volumes and are working closely with our airline and airport partners to make sure we are prepared for this busy holiday travel season. We will also do our best to maintain wait time standards of under 10 minutes for TSA PreCheck® lanes and under 30 minutes for standard screening lanes."

The most popular domestic destinations for Thanksgiving this year are New York City, Los Angeles and Orlando, Florida, according to Hopper. Internationally, the most popular cities are London, Tokyo and Paris.

The cheapest days to return home will be Friday, Nov. 24, or Monday, Nov. 27, according to Hopper.

United Airlines said it expects to have its busiest Thanksgiving ever, with over 5.9 million passengers -- a 13% increase from last year.

MORE: Supermarkets like Giant, ShopRite giving free turkeys for Thanksgiving again

United anticipates that Sunday, Nov. 26, will be one of its busiest days since before the pandemic, with more than 517,000 people expected to fly.

Due to remote work, United said its holiday travel period has extended. United said the demand for flying the Monday before Thanksgiving is up nearly 10% from 2019, while demand for flying the Wednesday before Thanksgiving is only up 3%.

American Airlines said it predicts a record 7.8 million passengers over Thanksgiving.

American said Sunday, Nov. 26, and Monday, Nov. 27, will be its busiest days.

"I think the best tip we can offer is to ask everyone to arrive early for your flights," said John Busch, TSA's federal security director at Reagan National Airport near Washington, D.C. "Recommendation is always two hours before a domestic flight, three hours before an international flight."

Thanksgiving travel by road

AAA projects that 55.4 million people will drive 50 miles or farther from home for Thanksgiving -- a 2.3% increase from last year. This marks the third-highest Thanksgiving forecast since AAA began tracking holiday travel in 2000.

The busiest day on the roads is expected to be Wednesday, Nov. 22, according to transportation analytics company INRIX. Drivers should leave home in the morning or after 6 p.m. to avoid the heaviest traffic, INRIX said.

On Sunday, Nov. 26, the worst traffic is forecast to be between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. The best time to hit the road will be before noon, according to INRIX.

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These Are the Busiest Days and Times to Travel for Thanksgiving, According to AAA

Best times to hit the road or fly during the holiday.

Paul Hennessy/Getty Images

More than 54 million people are expected to travel over the Thanksgiving holiday period, nearly matching pre-pandemic levels.

In total, 54.6 million people are forecast to travel 50 miles or more from their homes for the holiday from Wednesday, Nov. 23, to Sunday, Nov. 27, according to AAA . The holiday is projected to be the third busiest for travel since the company started tracking in 2000 and the prediction will bring travel within 98% of pre-pandemic levels.

This year is also expected to be a 1.5% increase from 2021.

“Families and friends are eager to spend time together this Thanksgiving , one of the busiest for travel in the past two decades,” Paula Twidale, AAA’s senior vice president of travel, said in a statement. “Plan ahead and pack your patience, whether you’re driving or flying.”

Most travelers who head out for the Thanksgiving holiday will hit the road, with nearly 49 million people planning to drive. But that is 2.5% lower than in 2019.

Americans who are traveling by car should travel early on Wednesday morning or before 11 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day to skip the crowds, and avoid travel between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

AAA also laid out best and worst times to travel in metro cities around the country. For example, peak congestion through New York will occur from 2:45 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. while peak time in Atlanta will occur from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

But there is good news: gas prices have decreased ahead of the holiday with the national average for a gallon sliding three cents in the past week to $3.77, AAA also noted. That is 13 cents less than a month ago, but still 36 cents more than one year ago.

When it comes to air travel, fewer Americans are expected to fly — about 4.5 million of them — but they represent nearly 99% of the 2019 volume. The increase comes as holiday flight prices are expected to reach the highest they’ve been in five years.

Department of Transportation Sec. Pete Buttigieg has said holiday air travel will likely be an improvement from the chaos of the summer , but warned it still won’t be perfect . 

Twidale said travelers should “anticipate long TSA lines . If possible, avoid checking a bag to allow for more flexibility if flights are delayed or you need to reschedule.”

Related Articles

Thanksgiving travel: The best and worst times to drive to avoid traffic

Despite record-high gas prices , drivers should prepare for hectic roads this Thanksgiving. 

As typical with Thanksgiving, most travelers will be driving to their destination, causing typical holiday traffic. After missing past holidays because of the COVID-19 pandemic, experts said, people are more than ready to see their friends and family.

"Drivers can anticipate more traffic than normal around Thanksgiving, especially the Wednesday before the holiday, where commute traffic mixes with people trying to get out of town," Bob Pishue, transportation analyst for INRIX, told USA TODAY.

For those who are traveling by car for Thanksgiving, here's what to know.

Flying with food for Thanksgiving?  What TSA says you can and can't put in a carry-on

Driving for Thanksgiving?   Here are 16 road trip essentials for a better ride

When is the worst time to leave for Thanksgiving weekend?

As usual, the worst traffic will be on Wednesday and Thanksgiving itself, according to recent data by AAA and INRIX . On Wednesday, traffic will peak between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m., as well as from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday as people prepare for dinner. 

When returning home over the weekend from Friday to Sunday, peak traffic times will be 4 p,m. to 8 p.m. 

When is the best time to leave for Thanksgiving weekend?

The key to avoiding heavy traffic will be to plan your drive accordingly. According to Google Maps data from last year, the best time to start your Thanksgiving drive is Monday after 8 p.m. 

Otherwise, drivers should try to be on the road by early Wednesday, before 8 a.m., and Thursday before 11 a.m.

Plan your drive home for the morning or after 8 p.m. on Friday, Saturday or Sunday, according to INRIX. 

Worst travel times in major US cities

Traffic in several U.S. cities could reach "more than double normal delays" over Thanksgiving weekend. Expect the busiest highways in Atlanta, Chicago, New York City and Los Angeles. 

• Worst corridor: I-85 South; Clairmont Rd to MLK Jr Dr
• Worst day: Wednesday
• Worst time: 1:30-3:30 p.m.
• Peak travel time increase: 105%
• Worst corridor: I-290 West, Morgan Street to Wolf Road
• Worst time: 3-5 p.m.
• Peak travel time increase: 99%

Los Angeles

• Worst corridor: I-5 South, Colorado Street to Florence Avenue
• Worst time: 5:30-7:30 p.m.
• Peak travel time increase: 144%
• Worst corridor: I-278 South, I-495 to 6th Ave
• Worst time: 2:45-4:45 p.m.
• Peak travel time increase: 158%

Products to improve your Thanksgiving travel 2023—plus, when to hit the road

Time in the car will fly by

Updated November 21, 2023

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When is thanksgiving 2023, when is the busiest travel day for thanksgiving, 1. a phone mount that'll help you keep your eyes on the road.

Keep your eyes on the road with a phone mount.

2. A reusable water bottle for ice-cold water all day long

Our favorite water bottle is convenient to use on the road.

Your kids can stay happy and hydrated during the ride, too.

3. A screen-free game to keep the kids entertained

Keep your kids entertained with this game.

4. A snack and beverage cooler to avoid hanger

The contents of this cooler can stay below 40 °F for six and a half hours, the exterior of the bag is crush-resistant thanks to its padding, and nothing will spill out thanks to the cooler’s leak-proof construction.

Store your road snacks in one of our favorite lunch coolers.

5. A neck pillow for naps along the way

Anyone can benefit from a nap on the road (well, except for the driver). To avoid any kinks in your neck or back, a neck pillow can make it easier and more comfortable to fall asleep in the car.

Keep your neck comfortable with our favorite travel pillow.

6. Audiobooks for all-day entertainment

7. a car charger to keep devices powered up.

This charger can charge a smartphone in a little over an hour.

8. Hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes to stay clean

During your road trip, you'll probably be handling high-touch surfaces like gas pumps and rest-stop doors, so we recommend keeping hand sanitizer in the car during your journey. And you can always use them when you arrive at your destination, too.

Keep germs at bay with hand sanitizer.

9. A combination snow brush and ice scraper to keep your windshield clear

Snowfall makes for a magical holiday moment—except for when you have to drive through it. Don't be caught without a snowbrush and an ice scraper along your journey. This reviewer-loved snow brush and ice scraper will do just the trick with sturdy bristles to remove heavy snow and a 4-inch wide blade to break through and clear ice. It also features a thick foam grip, making it easy to handle in cold and wet conditions.

With this snow brush/ice scraper, you'll be prepared if snow falls.

10. A portable snow shovel for combatting heavier snowfall

Keep this shovel in your trunk in case you need to move snow from around your car.

11. A cozy blanket to snuggle up in

Stay warm in the car with this throw blanket.

12. Window shades to block the glare of the sun

These shades will keep the sun out of your eyes and protect you from harmful UV rays.

13. A car headrest mount for backseat movie marathons

Amazon reviewers say this mount holder is the perfect setup for kids, noting it's easy to install and can be used for front-facing riders or car seat-bound children facing the rear of the car.

Another way to keep backseat passengers entertained is to play a movie on a tablet.

14. A car organizer to keep the car clean

If you’ve ever been on a road trip, you know just how cluttered the car can get. Between car chargers, coolers, blankets and toys, we recommend something like these Uleeka backseat organizers. With tons of pockets, these organizers will keep your car in tip-top shape throughout the journey.

These organizers are easy to install—just slip them right over the front-seat headrests. Reviewers say the product feels high-quality and is well-made, so it'll last for months, or even years, of everyday use.

A car backseat organizer will keep clutter to a minimum.

15. A combination jump-starter to be prepared for emergencies

This top-rated car tool works as a jumper, a battery pack for charging electronics, and an LED flashlight that features an emergency strobe all in one. With nearly 75,000 5-star reviews, the ultra-compact pack is a must-have for your car’s glovebox, because you never know when you’ll need it.

Expect the unexpected and keep a jumper in your car.

16. A first aid kit just in case

If you haven’t already, we recommend adding a first aid kit to your stock of emergency supplies that you keep in the car—and always keeping it in there.

This first aid kit features all the essentials in a compact package.

Related content

Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.

clock This article was published more than  1 year ago

The best times to drive for Thanksgiving

Here are the best routes and days to avoid traffic ahead of Turkey Day

Nearly 49 million people plan to hit the road for Thanksgiving this year, meaning highways will be crowded if you don’t time your trip correctly, according to a projection released by AAA on Tuesday.

“Families and friends are eager to spend time together this Thanksgiving, one of the busiest for travel in the past two decades,” said Paula Twidale, AAA’s senior vice president of travel. “Plan ahead and pack your patience, whether you’re driving or flying.”

Thanksgiving is typically one of the busiest holidays for road trip s over 50 miles. This year, car travel is projected to be 0.4 percent higher than 2021, though still 2.5 percent below pre-pandemic levels in 2019, according to AAA.

Here’s what to know before getting in the car before Thanksgiving.

When should I fly or drive this holiday season? Send Post reporter your travel questions.

Best and worst times to drive

The best time to hit the road Thanksgiving week is Monday at 8 p.m. local time, according to Google , which examined its Maps data from last Thanksgiving in more than 20 major U.S. cities.

The worst traffic is expected when Thanksgiving drivers overlap with the regular evening commute on Tuesday and Wednesday, around 4 to 5 p.m. local time, per Google.

With many people unable to leave work and school until Wednesday, INRIX, a transportation analytics firm, partnered with AAA to provide congestion projections for the peak parts of Thanksgiving week.

Holiday travel prices are climbing high. Here’s how to save money.

INRIX also expects traffic to peak nationally on Wednesday afternoon. If you need to travel Wednesday, leave before 8 a.m. or after 8 p.m., the company recommends.

For those traveling by road on Turkey Day itself, the worst congestion will be from about 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., according to INRIX, so try to drive in the morning or after 6 p.m.

Traffic on the return trip should offer more flexibility, though Black Friday shopping could clog some roads, especially between noon and 4 p.m. on Friday, according to Google. Avoid driving between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, according to INRIX.

The firm recommends leaving before 11 a.m. if you’re driving on Friday or Sunday, and before 2 p.m. on Saturday. Alternatively, the roads will probably be more open after 8 p.m. on any of the three days.

Where to expect the worst traffic

The nation’s largest metro areas, especially New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago and Atlanta, will probably see significant increases over typical congestion, according to INRIX.

“Although travel times will peak on Wednesday afternoon nationally, travelers should expect much heavier than normal congestion throughout the holiday weekend,” said Bob Pishue, a transportation analyst at INRIX.

At peak Wednesday afternoon, New York City will see a 158 percent increase above typical traffic, Los Angeles 144 percent and Atlanta 105 percent. Traffic in those cities, along with Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Houston , San Francisco and Seattle, will peak Wednesday afternoon.

The only city tracked by INRIX where traffic will peak on a day other than Wednesday is D.C. Congestion in the nation’s capital is expected to be at its worst between 11:15 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. on Sunday, especially on the Capital Beltway and Interstate 95 to Route 123.

INRIX also tracked the individual highways across the country that are expected to see the biggest increases in traffic over a typical week. In New York, stay off I-278 south, where traffic will be 158 percent worse than normal. In L.A., avoid I-5 south and I-405 south, where traffic will be up 144 percent and 106 percent, respectively. Atlanta residents should avoid I-85 south, which will see 105 percent more traffic than usual.

A full list of expected traffic by corridor can be found here .

How much to budget for gas

One area where drivers should see some relief over last year: at the pump.

The national average for gas is $3.77 as of Monday, which is up 36 cents from a year ago and down 13 cents from a month ago, according to AAA . It’s also well below the $5-a-gallon peak that drivers were paying in June, thanks to steadying oil prices.

How to save on road trips

“There are now about 13 states with some stations selling gas below $3 a gallon,” said Andrew Gross, a AAA spokesperson. “More gas stations could follow, which may be a big help with road-trip budgeting as Thanksgiving approaches.”

The cheapest gas can be found in the South, especially Texas and Georgia, where average prices are below $3.20 per gallon. The Midwest saw the largest drop in prices over the past week, with Wisconsin gas prices falling 25 cents on average.

To budget for your road trip, AAA recommends its TripTik travel planner , which shows current gas prices along your route, as well as hotels, restaurants and attractions.

A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that the national average for gas is down 36 cents from a year ago. It is up 36 cents. This version has been corrected.

More spring travel tips

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The basics: Tip without cash | Traveling with kids | Decide where to stay | A pre-trip checklist of house chores | How to get your passport | Plan a ski trip | Eat without feeling terrible | Budget for your next trip | Plan a cheaper Disney trip

Flying: Fly like a decent human being | How to set airfare price alerts | Flying with an injury | PreCheck vs. Global Entry vs. CLEAR | Can I fly with weed? | AirTag your luggage | Airport parking 101 | Deal with airport crowds | Why Stalk airfare after booking

Driving: 9 tips for road tripping with a baby | Try the Airbnb of rental cars | Rent an EV | Do I need an international license to drive abroad? | Avoid big rental car fees

Greener travel: Bike to the airport | How environmentalists travel | How to find ‘greener’ flights | Make your travel better for the planet

Pets: How to travel with pets | Why the pet fee? | Pet flying 101 | Alternatives to flying with your pet

In case of emergency: Manage airport disasters | Your flight is canceled | How to get a human on the phone | What to do if your car gets stuck | Find your lost luggage | How to get a refund for a canceled flight | Deal with a bad hotel room | When you’re bumped off your flight | If you get rebooked without your family | What are my rebooking rights? | Recover a lost item at TSA, the airport or your flight

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The best (and worst) times to travel for Thanksgiving 2023

Here’s how to avoid a traffic jam, according to AAA

It’s that time of year again, when plans are coming together for holiday travel. If you’re hitting the road for Thanksgiving, AAA has revealed some insightful data that could help you avoid a dreaded traffic jam on your way to a holiday gathering or vacation.

According to AAA projections, about 55.4 million travelers will head 50 miles or more from home over the Thanksgiving holidays. A whopping 88.7% of travelers plan to do so by car. This is a nearly 2% increase over 2022, partially because drivers could be paying less for gas than last Thanksgiving. While 4.7 million people are expected to fly over Thanksgiving—an increase of 6.6% compared to 2022 and the highest number of Thanksgiving air travelers since 2005—driving is still the preferred method.

Using data from INRIX, a global provider of transportation data and insights, AAA expects Wednesday, November 22 to be the busiest day on the road. Average travel times are expected to increase up to 80% in certain metro areas. If you have to travel on that day, the best time to get on the road is early morning or after 6pm to avoid the heaviest congestion. The busiest drive time is forecast to be between 2pm and 6pm.

“The day before Thanksgiving is notoriously one of the most congested days on our roadways. Travelers should be prepared for long delays, especially in and around major metros,” said Bob Pishue, transportation analyst at INRIX. “Knowing when and where congestion will build can help minimize holiday traffic frustrations. We advise drivers to use traffic apps, local DOT notifications, and 511 services for real-time updates.”

As for the return trip, Friday, November 24 is expected to be the busiest travel day. The best times to depart are before 11am or after 7pm. On Sunday, November 26, aim to hit the road before noon.

The busiest days for flying will be the Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving, as well as the Sunday following. These are also the most expensive days to fly.

If you haven’t made your plans yet, make plans to drive outside of peak travel times. Find the full report with more info on the AAA website .

• Gerrish Lopez Contributor, New Orleans

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These are the absolute worst times to drive this Thanksgiving week

• Everyone knows that Thanksgiving traffic can be hellish, whether you're traveling 10 miles or 100.
• You can help alleviate traffic troubles by leaving on the right day at the right time. 
• AAA estimated this year's absolute worst times to travel — and time slots to consider instead.

Thanksgiving is right around the corner — and with it, traffic and travel woes galore.

If you're thinking about when to leave to visit your friends, families, or loved ones, it's important to leave at the right time.

To help people avoid the worst of the holiday traffic, the American Automobile Association revealed the worst (and best) times to hop on the road this year. With a significant increase in travel from last year, per AAA, you'll want to take a look.

The absolute worst times to travel on the road

The absolute worst and busiest day to drive is Wednesday, November 22.

In some cities, average travel times could be up to 80% longer than normal, per AAA.

Though other days have lighter traffic, there are still times you should avoid Thursday through Sunday — mostly in the afternoon.

Related stories

On Thursday, the worst time to travel will be before 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.; on Friday, you shouldn't head out between noon and 4 p.m.

Over the weekend, on Saturday and Sunday, the busiest time to drive will be around normal rush hours, between 3 and 5 p.m.

Never fear — AAA also listed the best times for a car ride this week

If that list of bad times has you stressed, don't worry. There are also better times for you to leave, mostly earlier in the morning or later at night.

Wednesday, it's best to travel in the morning before 11 a.m., and Thursday's roads will be clearest before 10 a.m. or after 5 p.m.

Friday, before 11 a.m. and after 7 p.m. will be the easiest to drive on.

Saturday and Sunday mornings will be the best times to leave and head home — before noon, traffic will be less severe.

And, while you're on the road, there will be millions far above you in the sky.

The Transportation Security Administration estimated about 30 million passengers will fly between November 17 and November 28 during its "busiest ever" holiday season.

Watch: How truck driving became one of the worst jobs in the US

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Best travel days around Thanksgiving? Tips to avoid holiday traffic mayhem

Thanksgiving is just a few days away, and millions of Americans are packing their bags.

This year’s holiday is forecast to be the third busiest since 2000, according to AAA, with over 55 million travelers forecasted to travel.

“For many Americans, Thanksgiving and travel go hand in hand, and this holiday, we expect more people on the roads, skies, and seas compared to 2022,” said Paula Twidale, Senior Vice President of AAA Travel. “Travel demand has been strong all year, and AAA’s Thanksgiving forecast reflects that continued desire to get away and spend time with loved ones.”

The primary mode of transportation this Thanksgiving will be by car, which is good news since gas prices are predicted to be lower than last year.

Here’s everything you need to know about traveling this Thanksgiving.

More: Book your holiday travel now or maybe skip it this year: What you need to know

What are the busiest days to fly during Thanksgiving weekend?

Not only are the Tuesday, Nov. 21, and Wednesday, Nov. 22, before Thanksgiving the most expensive to fly, but those will also be the busiest, according to AAA.

After the holiday, most people will travel home on Sunday, Nov. 26, or Monday, Nov. 27, so expect large crowds at the airport.

What are the busiest airports likely going to be for Thanksgiving?

The most popular domestic destinations are New York, Las Vegas, Orlando and Miami, so you can expect major airports like Los Angeles International Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport to be packed, Laura Lindsay, a Global Travel Trends expert at Skyscanner, told USA TODAY.

Airports that see many connections such as Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport will also be congested, she added.

Even mid-size airports like Fresno Yosemite International will be busy.

Passengers are encouraged to arrive early and prepared for travel. With flights anticipated near or at capacity, fewer options may be available to accommodate rebooking if flights are missed.

If you do have to fly on the busy days of the holiday weekend, book an early flight, Lindsay recommended. “Flights back up throughout the day (so there’s) higher probability of disruption during the day,” she said.

If you have flexibility, look into traveling to a smaller, nearby airport such as to Long Beach Airport instead of Los Angeles International Airport, Lindsay suggested. “It could be cheaper and more convenient,” she said.

Airline travel tips

Passengers are strongly encouraged to arrive early at the airport up to two hours prior to domestic flight departures and up to three hours prior to international flights.

Check with your airline on flight status before leaving for the airport. Convenient flights status links are available on most  airline websites  and mobile apps, or passengers may telephone their airline for flight status information.

What are the best and worst times for driving?

“The day before Thanksgiving is notoriously one of the most congested days on our roadways,” said Bob Pishue, transportation analyst at INRIX, in a statement.

The roads are forecasted to be most crowded between 2 and 6 p.m. on this day, according to INRIX data. Consider leaving before 11 a.m. instead.

Roads will be busiest on Thanksgiving day between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Opt to travel before 10 a.m. or after 5 p.m.

On Friday, avoid the road between noon and 4 p.m. Travel before 11 a.m. or after 7 p.m. instead.

Many people will hit the road on Saturday and Sunday between 3 and 5 p.m. Early birds who travel before noon will avoid the traffic.

Worst times to travel in these major California cities

Los Angeles

◾ Worst route: Los Angeles to Bakersfield via Interstate 5 North.

◾ Worst day: Wednesday.

◾ Worst time: 4:30 p.m.

◾ Estimated travel time: 2 hours, 59 minutes.

San Francisco

◾ Worst route: Monterey to San Francisco via Santa Cruz Highway North.

◾ Worst day: Sunday.

◾ Worst time: 7 p.m.

◾ Estimated travel time: 3 hours, 10 minutes.

Visalia Times-Delta reporter Sheyanne Romero contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Thanksgiving travel can be a nightmare. Here's how to hack it

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The Busiest Travel Days For Thanksgiving To Avoid In 2022

Early birds get the open road.

Pack your bags and take those vacation days, because Thanksgiving is almost here. As the holiday season kicks off, so does the season of over-crowded roads and airports. To make sure you get to your dinner on time, you’ll want to avoid the most congested travel times. Take note of the busiest Thanksgiving travel days and times for 2022 to help make your trip a little less stressful.

If you thought summer travels were busy, then you better prepare yourself for the holiday travel surge. AAA’s Thanksgiving Holiday Travel Forecast for 2022 predicts 54.6 million people will travel over 50 miles or more between Wednesday, Nov. 23 and Sunday, Nov. 27. That’s 1.5% more than in 2021, and it’s “just shy” of pre-pandemic travel volumes, per the motor club federation’s 2022 press release. If you’re one of millions traveling to get your turkey dinner and pumpkin pie, crowded airport trams and bumper-to-bumper traffic might seem inevitable, but you can try to outsmart the holiday chaos.

It may seem like a fool’s errand with traffic-filled highways and packed grocery stores and shopping centers , but a little planning could go a long way. With so many places to go — and so many people out and about — you’ll want to steer clear of the absolute worst travel times during Thanksgiving.

What Are The Busiest Travel Days Around Thanksgiving?

People are on the move this season in “one of the busiest [times] for travel in the past two decades,” AAA’s senior vice president of travel Paula Twidale said in a Nov. 15 press release. For Thanksgiving, 89.1% of travelers will be driving, while 8.3% of holiday travelers will be flying to their destination. Catch the other 2.6% of travelers on a bus, a train, or a cruise ship.

Busiest Times To Drive During Thanksgiving Week:

AAA reported “INRIX expects severe congestion in several U.S. metro areas, with some drivers experiencing more than double normal delays.” So, have those road trip playlists and podcasts saved. According to AAA’s predictions for Thanksgiving 2022 and Google data looking at traffic patterns in 20 U.S. cities, these are the busiest times on the road (all hours are local time):

• Tuesday, Nov. 22: Traffic peaks between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. early in the week.
• Wednesday, Nov. 23: The worst time to travel is between 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., with the height of congestion coming between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m.
• Thursday, Nov. 24 (Thanksgiving): The worst time to travel is between 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and the traffic will continue to be a factor from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
• Friday, Nov. 25 (Black Friday): Traffic will start to get heavy around noon, and the worst time to travel is between 4p.m. and 8 p.m. Although, according to Google, the traffic at the end of night will be less than during the early evening.
• Saturday, Nov. 26: The worst time to travel is between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.
• Sunday, Nov. 27: Same as the day before, traffic will be the worst between 4p.m. and 8 p.m.

Oof, that’s a lot of traffic. The rule of thumb this Thanksgiving week is to avoid traveling in the late morning into the early evening.

Busiest Times At Airports During Thanksgiving Week:

Wednesday, Nov. 23 is expected to be the busiest day for Thanksgiving travel in 2022, per KAYAK, with Friday, Nov. 18 as the second busiest day. Data from Expedia shared with Elite Daily confirms Nov. 23 as the most popular 2022 Thanksgiving travel day, and Tuesday, Nov. 22 is right behind it.

For your return trip, airports will be packed on Sunday, Nov. 27 and Friday, Nov. 24, per Expedia.

Busiest Times At Train Stations During Thanksgiving Week:

According to intel from Amtrak shared with Elite Daily in a Nov. 18 email, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the Sunday after will be the most crowded. So, if you’re hopping on a train Nov. 23 or Nov. 27, remember to pack your patience.

The Best Time To Travel During Thanksgiving

Before you let a sea of brake lights ruin your appetite, check out the best times to get to your Thanksgiving destination.

Best Time To Drive During Thanksgiving Week:

AAA’s 2022 Thanksgiving data and Google’s road traffic predictions also highlight when the roads will be the least congested (all hours are local time):

• Monday, Nov. 21 : Beat all the traffic by leaving at 8 p.m. the Monday before the holiday.
• Wednesday, Nov. 23: The best time to travel on Thanksgiving Eve is before 8 a.m. or after 8 p.m.
• Thursday, Nov. 24 (Thanksgiving): Hit the road early, before 11 a.m., to make it to your holiday meal, and stay off the roads until after 6 p.m.
• Friday, Nov. 25 (Black Friday): Start your shopping before 11 a.m. or after 8 p.m. Very early risers will see clear roads at 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. as well.
• Saturday, Nov. 26: The best time to travel is before 2 p.m. or after 8 p.m. Set your alarm clock for open roads at 6 a.m.
• Sunday, Nov. 27: The best time to travel is before 11 a.m. or after 8 p.m. Again, the earlier the better, with 6 a.m. being the best time to leave, according to Google.

Overall, early birds and night owls will likely see the least amount of traffic.

Best Time To Fly During Thanksgiving Week:

To avoid crowds, steer clear of Nov. 23 and Nov. 27. That’s not to say you won’t encounter crowds on other days, but it will certainly be fewer.

Best Time To Take The Train During Thanksgiving Week:

While Amtrak didn’t provide specifics on the optimal time for train travel, you can expect slightly lighter traffic by avoiding the day before and after Thanksgiving. Amtrak’s travel tips suggest getting to the train station at least 30 minutes before your departure time — and always check your train status to make sure it’s on time.

Staying Safe While Traveling For Thanksgiving

Take a cue from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) tips “for a healthy and safe holiday travel season .” As of Oct. 6, 2022, the CDC recommends you are up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines and a seasonal flu vaccine. You can check on the CDC website what that means for you . As of Nov. 1, 2022, the CDC says, “You are up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines if you have completed a COVID-19 vaccine primary series and received the most recent booster dose recommended for you by CDC.” The latest updated (bivalent) booster became available on Sept. 2 for people 12 or older, and can protect you from the original virus and Omicron variant BA.4 and BA.5.

The CDC emphasizes delaying travel if you test positive for COVID-19 and to isolate for at least five days. Testing is not required to fly domestically, but it’s recommended you test “as close to the time of departure as possible (no more than 3 days) before travel,” per the CDC. Similarly, masks are no longer required on public transportation, but it’s still recommended to wear masks “in indoor public transportation settings.”

If you’re traveling internationally , check local requirements as each country’s COVID protocols may differ from the U.S.

It can be overwhelming to think of all the travel prep and figure out when to leave as to not get caught in a traffic jam. There’s no exact science to make sure you won’t run into any holiday crowds — even with all the intel, there’s a chance your “not-busy” Thanksgiving travel time period will be a little slower than you want — but it still doesn’t hurt to plan for off-peak travel times. So, set your alarm and hope for the best. A slice of pumpkin pie is waiting for you on the other side.

This article was originally published on 11.17.20

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• Distracted Driving

Thanksgiving 2023: Best And Worst Times To Travel By Car And By Air

• November 20, 2023
• American Automobile Association (AAA) says 4.7 million people are expected to fly over Thanksgiving
• AAA predicts about 55.4 million travelers will head 50 miles or more from home over the Thanksgiving holidays. 88.7% of travelers plan to do so by car
• Wednesday, November 22 will be the busiest day on the road; early morning or after 6PM is best for driving
• For return trip back home, Friday, November 24th will be the busiest with the worst of congestion between 4PM and 8PM
• The friendly skies know that the busiest day at airports nationwide will be Tuesday November 21 and Wednesday the 22nd

The Thanksgiving holiday is right around the corner, you can practically smell the pumpkin pie in the air. For millions of Americans, turkey day means travel planning as their family and loved ones live in another state. In fact, American Automobile Association (AAA) says 4.7 million people are expected to fly over Thanksgiving. That’s 6.6% more people than last year and the highest number of Thanksgiving air travelers since 2005.

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Millions will travel for Thanksgiving meal by car

But driving is still the preferred method to get to family and loved ones for an unforgettable meal. AAA predicts about 55.4 million travelers will head 50 miles or more from home over the Thanksgiving holidays. 88.7% of travelers plan to do so by car.

Best and worst times to drive

AAA used transportation data and insights to find useful information about the best and worst times to travel; by car and flight. Wednesday, November 22 will be the busiest day on the road, so if you’re driving to spend time with loved ones make sure to prepare accordingly. That means early morning or after 6PM to avoid the worst of traffic, as average travel times are expected to go up by 80% in some metro areas. The worst time to drive is between 2PM and 6PM on that Wednesday.

Make sure your tires are properly inflated, your fluid is topped off, and your battery is in good shape

If you’re traveling by car, you also want to know the best time to drive back home. Friday, November 24 th will be the busiest. But if you still want to travel back home on Black Friday, the best time is to be on the road before 11AM or after 7PM. If you’re staying through the weekend before traveling back home, drive back on Sunday November 26 before noon. The worst time to travel back will be between 4PM and 8PM.

Best and worst times to fly the friendly skies

If family and loved ones live further away, and you choose to brave the friendly skies know that the busiest day at airports nationwide will be Tuesday November 21 and Wednesday the 22nd. In other words, right before the Thanksgiving holiday. Obviously high demand ushers in higher prices, so airfare is most expensive on these two days.

Save time and make flying more convenient by reserving airport parking ahead of time or use a rideshare service so you don’t have to drive there yourself

If you must fly on Thanksgiving Day, do so early morning as airports are a little more empty. The best return dates by flight are Friday November 24, November 27 or November 28. Try not to fly on Sunday as it’s the busiest travel day of the weekend.

Have a happy and safe Thanksgiving!

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Watch CBS News

Traffic, weather — what's ahead for travelers during Thanksgiving 2023

By Allison Elyse Gualtieri , Kathryn Krupnik

Updated on: November 22, 2023 / 8:48 PM EST / CBS News

More people travel for Thanksgiving than any other U.S. holiday, and they get on the road or board planes starting nearly a week ahead of time. Friday — Nov. 17 this year — is generally regarded as the start of the holiday travel season, which stretches to the Tuesday following the holiday, Nov. 28 this year.

It's already been a record year for travel: The Transportation Security Administration saw seven of the 10 busiest days in its history in 2023, said then-Administrator David Pekoske. The TSA expects to screen more than 30 million travelers over the period, according to a news release, noting the three busiest days have historically been the Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the Sunday after.

And don't expect a reprieve on the roads — most Americans will get to their holiday destination by automobile. More than 55 million people are expected to head at least 50 miles to their Thanksgiving destination between Wednesday, Nov. 22 and Sunday, Nov. 26, and more than 49 million of them will drive, according to AAA . The organization predicts this year will see the third-highest travel numbers for the holiday stretch since 2000, marking a return to pre-pandemic levels. 

But all that travel could be complicated by the week's weather . Some parts of the country are seeing storms, including rain in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast during some of the heaviest travel times. 

Here's what to expect — and when.

The day before Thanksgiving: Wednesday, Nov. 22

If you're traveling the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, you'll have a lot of company. The Federal Aviation Administration says that's the day the most flights are scheduled — 49,606 of them in the U.S., to be exact.

Oh, my gourd, Thanksgiving is here! We’re forecasting a peak of 49,606 flights on Wednesday, November 22. If you’re flying somewhere, we hope your flight is gravy. Carve out some time to fill up on tips to help you prepare at https://t.co/PKpvH0f8D2 . #Thanksgiving2023 🦃 ✈️ pic.twitter.com/Mj9bnuWoSy — The FAA ✈️ (@FAANews) November 13, 2023

The TSA expects to screen 2.7 million passengers on Wednesday, and trade group Airlines for America says it will be the second-busiest day of the holiday period for flyers.

Wednesday is also the day the most drivers will be hitting the road, according to AAA , citing data from transportation data company Inrix. If you're loading up the car that day, try to get moving before 11 a.m., the group said — the busiest time for auto travelers will be between 2–6 p.m.

"The day before Thanksgiving is notoriously one of the most congested days on our roadways. Travelers should be prepared for long delays, especially in and around major metros," said Bob Pishue, transportation analyst at INRIX. "Knowing when and where congestion will build can help minimize holiday traffic frustrations. We advise drivers to use traffic apps, local DOT notifications and 511 services for real-time updates."

Some areas of New England were hit with snow that will turn to rain, potentially affecting Wednesday morning travelers, CBS Boston reports . Tuesday's rain was causing headaches Wednesday morning in the New York area, as some highways flooded, according to CBS New York . Heavy rain was expected to continue into the morning.

Thanksgiving, Thursday, Nov. 23 and Black Friday, Nov. 24

Thanksgiving itself is one of the easier days to travel over the holiday stretch: Airlines for America pegs it as the lightest travel day of the period for flyers. If you're planning to drive, AAA recommends doing so before 10 a.m. or after 5 p.m., with the busiest time on the roads expected to be between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.

And while the FAA forecasts more flights on Friday than Saturday — 44,744, nearly as many as Sunday, versus 41,640 on Saturday — Airlines for America projects Saturday will be the fifth busiest of the Thanksgiving stretch.

If you're planning to hit early brick-and-mortar Black Friday sales at your holiday destination, give yourself a break before getting back on the road for home. INRIX says the most congested times to drive will be between 12–4 p.m., and roads will be less crowded before 11 a.m. and after 7 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 25, Sunday, Nov. 26 and Monday, Nov. 27

Nearly 42,000 flights are scheduled for Saturday and almost 45,000 on Sunday, according to the FAA. Overall, Airlines for America said to expect Sunday to be the busiest travel day, with more than 3.2 million passengers flying. 

That's an expectation shared by the TSA, which anticipates 2.9 million airline passengers will be screened Sunday, Nov. 26, according to the TSA. United Airlines also announced Sunday will be one of the company's busiest travel days since before the pandemic. More than 517,000 people are expected to fly on a United flight that day, according to a news release from the company, 60,000 more than last year.

While data company Cirium projects Sunday to be the biggest travel day of the year, passengers will still be making their way on Monday — according to AAA, "While Sunday is typically the busiest day to return home, AAA data shows Monday is also a popular day to fly back after Thanksgiving."

American Airlines said Sunday will be its busiest travel day and Monday the second busiest with 6,100 and 6,000 departures, respectively. Delta said it expects peak travel days over the period will include Sunday and Monday, and Airlines for America said the two days will be the first and third busiest, respectively, for air travel during the Thanksgiving travel period.

And if you're hauling dinner supplies to Thanksgiving or leftovers home afterward , the TSA said to be prepared for likely additional screening if you have food in your carry-on and know what needs to go in a checked bag instead.

"If you can spill it, spread it, spray it, pump it or pour it, and it's larger than 3.4 ounces, then it should go in a checked bag," the TSA said on its website. "If you need to keep items cold during your trip, ice packs are permissible, but they must be frozen solid and not melted when they go through security screening."

Pie, turkey and stuffing can be carried on, the TSA noted, but cranberry sauce, gravy and wine have to be checked. And if you are carrying on, the agency recommends packing them so they're easy to take out of your bag and putting them in a bin for screening when it's your turn at the checkpoint.

• Transportation Security Administration
• Thanksgiving

Allison Elyse Gualtieri is a senior news editor for CBSNews.com, working on a wide variety of subjects including crime, longer-form features and feel-good news. She previously worked for the Washington Examiner and U.S. News and World Report, among other outlets.

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These Are the Busiest Travel Days of the Year, According to TSA

The holidays and holiday weekends often bring with them some of the most congested days at the country’s airports and on the roads..

• Copy Link copied

The Tuesday and Wednesday just before Thanksgiving and the Sunday after Thanksgiving are often among the busiest travel days of the year.

Photo by Jim Lambert / Shutterstock

Every year, millions of people embark on journeys, whether for business or leisure. After a few years of much less crowded airports due to the pandemic, the International Air Transport Association is reporting that passenger numbers are just about what they were prepandemic levels.

However, there have already been a number of days that have surpassed prepandemic levels and they’ve largely fallen right before or after holidays.

Take Independence Day, for example. In 2023, AAA projected that 4.17 million people flew over the July Fourth holiday period, surpassing the previous air travel record of 3.91 million travelers, set in 2019. Similarly, TSA screened a record number of passengers on the Sunday following Thanksgiving in 2022, with more than 2.56 million passengers.

According to the TSA, the busiest travel days of the year are usually the Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the Sunday after Thanksgiving . TSA recorded its highest passenger screening volume in its history on the Sunday after Thanksgiving in 2019, when nearly 2.9 million passengers passed through TSA checkpoints. But Thanksgiving and Christmas aren’t the only times we can expect busy airports. Here are the busiest travel day of the year.

Busiest travel days of the year

Thanksgiving and Christmas tend to be the busiest travel days of the year, but other holidays like Memorial Day, July Fourth, and Labor Day also see some of the highest volumes of air passengers.

So far this year, daily passenger numbers have been growing each month. In all of 2022, only one day had more than 2.5 million air passengers in the United States: November 27 (the Sunday after Thanksgiving), with 2.560 million. As of August 20, 2023, there had already been more than 75 days in the calendar year that had surpassed 2.5 million air passengers, according to TSA checkpoint data .

These have been the five busiest travel days in the last full year:

• July 30: 2.793 million passengers
• July 28: 2.785 million passengers
• July 23: 2.789 million passengers
• June 30: 2.884 million passengers (the new record for the busiest air travel day ever in the United States)
• June 16: 2.785 million passengers

For reference, the busiest travel day in all of 2019 was November 27, with 2.882 million passengers.

The busiest travel days around Christmas and New Year’s, historically

As for Christmas and New Year’s Eve, the number of travelers is likely to ramp up during the end of December and into early January as well. In 2019, the highest number of travelers during the Christmas and New Year period was on Friday, December 17 (one week before Christmas), when 2.6 million travelers passed through TSA checkpoints. The second busiest day was Christmas Eve, with 2.58 million travelers, followed by the day after Christmas with 2.57 million travelers.

New York City consistently ranks as one of the top domestic travel destinations for the holidays.

Photo by Elias Andres Jose/Unsplash

Tips for flying during the busiest times of the year

There are a few ways to make travel easier and clear busy TSA checkpoints more quickly, this holiday season.

Get TSA PreCheck, Clear, and/or Global Entry

Never have these security expediting services been more valuable than during the current congestion happening at U.S. airports. TSA PreCheck recently reduced its prices from $85 to $78 for a five-year membership, and it’s only $70 to renew . Clear costs $189 per year. International travelers should consider the $100 Global Entry, which includes TSA PreCheck, for expedited customs screening upon arrival in the United States—and there’s a secret way to speed up the application process .

Check to see if your airport has a fast-pass security lane you can book in advance—for free

No TSA PreCheck or Clear? Select U.S. airports are giving travelers the option to make an advance “fast pass” reservation to head to the front of the security line—free of charge. We’ve compiled the full list of airports that offer this service .

Consider traveling with carry-on only

For those who don’t want to risk their luggage getting lost during a busy travel time when airports remain understaffed, traveling with carry-on may be your best bet. Another alternative? Luggage-shipping services .

Know what you can bring through security

If you’re traveling with carry-on, know what you can and cannot pack in said carry-on. By now, you know you can only carry on liquids in containers 3.4 ounces or smaller, so be sure that holiday items such as gravy, cranberry sauce, or wine are either left behind or packed in a checked bag as they are considered liquids and could otherwise be confiscated (and create delays). Check AFAR’s in-depth guide to what foods you can bring through TSA to make sure that what you’ve packed in your carry-on can pass through security.

Thoroughly check your bags before leaving the house

TSA recommends that travelers fully empty their bags prior to packing to make sure that they don’t accidentally bring something to the airport that they didn’t intend to bring, which could cause further delays.

Monitor the weather

Check the weather and forecasts that are available on sites such as the National Weather Service , the Weather Channel , and AccuWeather so that you can be prepared for possible disruptions and establish back-up plans for delayed travel.

Get to the airport earlier than you’d think

The lines and wait times at the country’s airports (and abroad, too) are longer than they’ve been in years. Best to arrive early and have some extra time postsecurity than risk missing your flight waiting in an hours-long check-in or security line. Aim for at least two hours before domestic flights and at least three for international flights.

Know if and when you are due a refund because of a delayed or canceled flight

On September 1, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) launched a new Aviation Consumer Protection website to help travelers track down what kind of refunds or compensation their airline should provide when there is a cancellation or delay.

Airlines aren’t required to compensate passengers when flights are delayed or canceled due to problems deemed beyond the company’s control, like bad weather. They also aren’t required to provide a refund when the passenger initiates the cancellation or flight change. But a refund is required by U.S. law when the airline cancels, delays, or alters a flight, or passengers are involuntarily bumped from a flight that is oversold or due to issues originating from the airline, such as operational or staffing problems.

Additionally, after the federal government began cracking down on airlines this year, all of the major U.S. airlines vowed to provide meal vouchers for delays of more than three hours and to provide transfers and hotel stays to passengers affected by an overnight cancellation. They have all also agreed to rebook travelers on an alternate flight at no added cost due to a delay or cancellation and most will also rebook on a partner airline.

This article originally appeared online in 2018; it was most recently updated in August 2023 to include current information.

2018 Primetime Emmy & James Beard Award Winner

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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The best days to fly around the Fourth of July this year

( NerdWallet ) – For folks planning July Fourth vacations, prepare for crowds. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screened a record number of passengers in 2023, and those records are likely to be broken in 2024. In fact, in the first two months of 2024, travel volumes were roughly 6% higher than the same period in 2023, according to the TSA.

With the expected big crowds in mind, are some days better for air travel than others?

In 2024, July Fourth falls on a Thursday, which puts a wrench in predicting travel crowds. Will folks take the Friday after off to enjoy the long weekend? Or will they decide their vacation time is best used for another holiday?

Here’s some guidance around booking July Fourth weekend air travel in 2024, how you might be able to avoid the crowds — and potentially save money on airfare .

The best and worst days to fly July Fourth weekend

Are airports busy on July Fourth? NerdWallet analyzed TSA data showing the number of passengers screened at its U.S. checkpoints over the past three years, homing in on the seven days before and after July Fourth, to find the busiest days to fly.

The worst days to fly: To avoid crowds, don’t fly the Friday before July Fourth. In each of the past three years, the Friday before July Fourth was the busiest travel day before the Fourth of July weekend.

For post-holiday travel, the Sunday after ranks as the busiest day to fly.

The best days to fly: Typically, July Fourth is the least busy day to fly. On July Fourth of last year, airport crowds averaged just 70% of what they were relative to the busiest travel day, which was the Friday before July Fourth (June 30, 2023).

But if you’d rather spend July Fourth celebrating — and not in an airport — turn to Tuesday. The Tuesdays before and after the holiday rank among the least busy days to fly during July Fourth week.

The rankings of best and worst days to fly for July Fourth follow year-round travel patterns. No matter when you’re traveling, Fridays are, on average, the busiest day to fly, and Tuesdays are, on average, the least busy days to fly.

How this year’s Thursday holiday might impact long weekends

July Fourth falls on a Thursday, so people intending to travel for the holiday will likely take the next day, Friday, off and make it a long weekend. But given how few people are willing to travel on Independence Day, when will people actually fly?

The last time July Fourth fell on a Thursday was in 2019. Here’s a look at travel crowds by day in 2019, ranked from most to least crowded:

• Sunday after, July 7 (most crowded).
• Monday after, July 8.
• Friday before, June 28.
• Thursday before, June 27.
• Sunday before, June 30.
• Thursday after, July 11.
• Wednesday before, July 3.
• Wednesday after, July 10.
• Tuesday after, July 9.
• Monday before, July 1.
• Saturday before, June 29.
• Tuesday before, July 2.
• Saturday after, July 6.
• Friday after, July 5.
• Thursday, July Fourth (least crowded).

In 2019, the July Fourth holiday was the least busy day to fly. Meanwhile, July 5, the day after the holiday, wasn’t busy either. That bucks the usual trend of Friday being the busiest travel day of the week. When it comes to July Fourth weekend travel, most people are already set in their locations by Friday.

But there’s one day that people are definitely crowding airports, and that’s the Sunday after July Fourth. Flying this day will cost you, too. According to travel booking app Hopper’s 2024 Travel Booking Hacks report, Sunday is the most expensive day to fly in the U.S., with airfares averaging 15% more than midweek departures.

The smarter, cheaper Fourth of July travel itinerary in 2024

Following typical July Fourth holiday travel patterns could mean costs in terms of airfare and time spent waiting in line at the airport. Deviate from that schedule to find lighter crowds and perhaps better July Fourth flight deals, too. Try these travel days instead:

Fly on July Fourth

If you don’t mind traveling on the holiday, you’re looking at the single emptiest air travel day of the period analyzed.

Do one better by flying early on the holiday. Hopper’s spring 2023 Flight Disruption Outlook found that flights that depart from 5 a.m. to 8 a.m. are half as likely to be delayed as flights with scheduled departure times after 9 a.m.

Plus, a morning flight improves your odds of catching the fireworks at your final destination.

Embrace Saturday travel

Rather than rush out from work on the Friday afternoon before the holiday to jump on a flight, relax at home that evening and depart Saturday morning before instead. Simply shifting your trip by one day could likely result in going from one of the busiest to lightest travel days of the July Fourth travel period.

The same goes for returning home. While it can be tempting to extend your trip as long as possible before you have to get back to work on Monday, skip the Sunday flight and fly home on Saturday instead. Bonus: You’ll have a day at home to rest and recover before the new workweek. How responsible of you.

Fly on July 5

Though Friday is typically one of the most expensive days to fly year-round, that’s unlikely to be the case this particular week.

So another option is to fly home on July 5. This allows you to still spend the holiday in your destination of choice. By returning on Friday, you’ll still have the full weekend at home to take a vacation from your vacation before Monday.

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The Best Days to Fly Around the Fourth of July in 2024

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Table of Contents

The best and worst days to fly July Fourth weekend

How this year’s thursday holiday might impact long weekends, the smarter, cheaper fourth of july travel itinerary in 2024.

For folks planning July Fourth vacations, prepare for crowds. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screened a record number of passengers in 2023, and those records are likely to be broken in 2024. In fact, in the first two months of 2024, travel volumes were roughly 6% higher than the same period in 2023, according to the TSA.

With the expected big crowds in mind, are some days better for air travel than others?

In 2024, July Fourth falls on a Thursday, which puts a wrench in predicting travel crowds. Will folks take the Friday after off to enjoy the long weekend? Or will they decide their vacation time is best used for another holiday?

Here’s some guidance around booking July Fourth weekend air travel in 2024, how you might be able to avoid the crowds — and potentially save money on airfare .

Are airports busy on July Fourth? NerdWallet analyzed TSA data showing the number of passengers screened at its U.S. checkpoints over the past three years, homing in on the seven days before and after July Fourth, to find the busiest days to fly.

The worst days to fly: To avoid crowds, don’t fly the Friday before July Fourth. In each of the past three years, the Friday before July Fourth was the busiest travel day before the Fourth of July weekend.

For post-holiday travel, the Sunday after ranks as the busiest day to fly.

The best days to fly: Typically, July Fourth is the least busy day to fly. On July Fourth of last year, airport crowds averaged just 70% of what they were relative to the busiest travel day, which was the Friday before July Fourth (June 30, 2023).

But if you’d rather spend July Fourth celebrating — and not in an airport — turn to Tuesday. The Tuesdays before and after the holiday rank among the least busy days to fly during July Fourth week.

The rankings of best and worst days to fly for July Fourth follow year-round travel patterns. No matter when you’re traveling, Fridays are, on average, the busiest day to fly, and Tuesdays are, on average, the least busy days to fly.

July Fourth falls on a Thursday, so people intending to travel for the holiday will likely take the next day, Friday, off and make it a long weekend. But given how few people are willing to travel on Independence Day, when will people actually fly?

The last time July Fourth fell on a Thursday was in 2019. Here’s a look at travel crowds by day in 2019, ranked from most to least crowded:

Sunday after, July 7 (most crowded).

Monday after, July 8.

Friday before, June 28.

Thursday before, June 27.

Sunday before, June 30.

Thursday after, July 11.

Wednesday before, July 3.

Wednesday after, July 10.

Tuesday after, July 9.

Monday before, July 1.

Saturday before, June 29.

Tuesday before, July 2.

Saturday after, July 6.

Friday after, July 5.

Thursday, July Fourth (least crowded).

In 2019, the July Fourth holiday was the least busy day to fly. Meanwhile, July 5, the day after the holiday, wasn’t busy either. That bucks the usual trend of Friday being the busiest travel day of the week. When it comes to July Fourth weekend travel, most people are already set in their locations by Friday.

But there’s one day that people are definitely crowding airports, and that’s the Sunday after July Fourth. Flying this day will cost you, too. According to travel booking app Hopper’s 2024 Travel Booking Hacks report, Sunday is the most expensive day to fly in the U.S., with airfares averaging 15% more than midweek departures.

Following typical July Fourth holiday travel patterns could mean costs in terms of airfare and time spent waiting in line at the airport. Deviate from that schedule to find lighter crowds and perhaps better July Fourth flight deals, too. Try these travel days instead:

Fly on July Fourth

If you don’t mind traveling on the holiday, you’re looking at the single emptiest air travel day of the period analyzed.

Do one better by flying early on the holiday. Hopper’s spring 2023 Flight Disruption Outlook found that flights that depart from 5 a.m. to 8 a.m. are half as likely to be delayed as flights with scheduled departure times after 9 a.m.

Plus, a morning flight improves your odds of catching the fireworks at your final destination.

Embrace Saturday travel

Rather than rush out from work on the Friday afternoon before the holiday to jump on a flight, relax at home that evening and depart Saturday morning before instead. Simply shifting your trip by one day could likely result in going from one of the busiest to lightest travel days of the July Fourth travel period.

The same goes for returning home. While it can be tempting to extend your trip as long as possible before you have to get back to work on Monday, skip the Sunday flight and fly home on Saturday instead. Bonus: You’ll have a day at home to rest and recover before the new workweek. How responsible of you.

Fly on July 5

Though Friday is typically one of the most expensive days to fly year-round, that’s unlikely to be the case this particular week.

So another option is to fly home on July 5. This allows you to still spend the holiday in your destination of choice. By returning on Friday, you’ll still have the full weekend at home to take a vacation from your vacation before Monday.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

on Chase's website

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

75,000 Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's over $900 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1.5%-5% Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

Up to $300 Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!

on Capital One's website

2x-5x Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day. Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options.

75,000 Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

Moscow Metro: The Complete Guide

The Moscow Metro is busy, but easy to use

Robert Schrader

With nearly 7 million riders per day on its 16 lines, the Moscow Metro is the sixth-busiest metro system in the world as of March 2019. Riding the Moscow Metro, however, does not need to be a stressful experience. In fact, it's by far the easiest and most enjoyable way to get around Moscow, especially since many Moscow Metro stations are veritable works of art. Our guide to the public transportation will teach you how to ride the Metro and more.

How to Ride the Moscow Metro

Here is some essential practical information you need to know to easily and seamlessly ride the Moscow Metro.

• Fares: Moscow Metro fares start at 55 rubles for a one-way ticket, which is good for five days after purchase. You'll pay more if your journey takes you outside of the central Moscow zones of A and B, though this is not the case for most tourists.
• How to Pay: Cash is the only way to buy a one-way ticket. However, if you have Apple Pay or Samsung Pay, you can tap your phone directly at the ticket gate and enter using NFC technology. You can also use both mobile payments and credit cards to top-up your reloadable Troika card.
• Routes and Hours: The Moscow Metro has 13 lines that snake and criss-cross the city, plus outer and inner loop lines that string them together, as well as a monorail. The Moscow Metro is open from approximately 5:30 a.m. to 1 a.m., and trains run with a frequency that can range between 1 and 7 minutes.
• Service Alerts: Download the official MosMetro app on the AppStore or Google Play .
• Transfers: Regardless of how you pay to enter the Moscow Metro, you can transfer to any of the core lines plus the Moscow Monorail without passing through an additional ticket gate. If you wish to transfer to bus lines, airport trains or other rail services, paying with Troika or your mobile device might be more convenient.
• Accessibility: Although Moscow Metro is impressive and modern in many ways, it is not very accessible . Visitors who use wheelchairs should try to avoid the subway and take aboveground transportation instead.

Beautiful Moscow Metro Stations

The Moscow Metro has achieved internet notoriety — and not just because of how busy it is. Several Moscow Metro stations are distractingly beautiful, including:

• Aviamotornaya: Brilliant gold themed to the flight of Icarus.
• Komsomolskaya: Bright yellow ceilings and murals chronicling Russia's journey to independence.
• Mayakovskaya: Art Deco, featuring mosaic ceilings and pink marble floor
• Park Pobedy: Modern station (built in 2003) with colorful murals; one of the deepest metro stations in the world (276 feet below ground!).
• Ploschad Revolutsii: Constructed in 1938 at the height of Soviet pride, this station is home to bronze statues that locals still rub for good luck.

Although it's technically legal to take pictures within the Moscow Metro, guards might approach you if you spend too long photographing a particular station, or use professional equipment like a tripod. Be as discreet as possible to avoid an uncomfortable confrontation!

Other Moscow Public Transit

In addition to the (mostly) subterranean transport offered by the Moscow Metro, Russia's capital is home to a number of aboveground transport options. This includes a large network of buses, as well as trams and "trolley buses." While these are all cheaper than the Moscow Metro, they also require some command of Russian to use; the ordinary buses are also subject to sitting in Moscow's terrible traffic.

In terms of payment, your Moscow Metro ticket isn't valid for transit to any other form of transit, though a Troika card will allow you to do so seamlessly. Likewise, while the various Aeroexpress trains (between Sheremetyevo Airport and Belorussky Station, Domodedovo Airport and Paveletsky Station and between Vnukovo Airport and Kievsky Station) feature modern vehicles and offer fast, reliable connections to Moscow's major airports, these lines are not considered to be part of the Moscow Metro system.

As noted earlier, the Moscow Metro is technically organized by "Zone," with the center of Moscow being occupied by the "A" and "B" zone. Again, you shouldn't worry too much about this. If you're hanging out in the parts of the city, you probably speak enough Russian to be able to ask a local for advice!

Taxis and Ride Sharing Apps

The bad news? It is exceedingly unlikely that a taxi drive in Moscow will speak English. The good news? Uber works in Moscow as of March 2019, which means that if you have the app installed on your smartphone (and a Russian SIM card, which you can pick up at Moscow Airport), your next Moscow ride is basically a matter of plug-and-play.

Russia also has a number of homegrown ride sharing apps, though these aren't as ubiquitous as Uber — they also don't have good English-language interfaces. If you're interested in learning more about them, in any case, be sure to visit the websites of InDriver or Taxi Maxim . Keep in mind that many of these applications require Russian credit cards, or a Russian bank account to pay for rides.

Security-wise, the technological aspect of using ride sharing apps in Russia makes them relatively safe. On the other hand, taxis have a dodgy reputation at best. If you do end up needing to take a taxi in Moscow, make sure to use a registered car. The ones waiting at the airport stands are generally legitimate; within the city limits, try and have your hotel call a taxi to be safe.

Renting a Car in Moscow

Traffic in Moscow is reliably awful, to say nothing of how difficult navigating the city's serpentine network of ring roads and one-way streets can be. However, if you do want to rent a car in Moscow (or in Russia, more generally) there are some facts you should keep in mind.

Documentation wise, it's not officially necessary to carry an International Driving Permit (IDP) — your US driver's license will work, at least if you plan to drive in Russia for less than six months. However, it might serve you well to get an IDP (you can apply at your local AAA office) for peace of mind. In Russia as in the US, you drive on the right side of the road; gas costs about 40 rubles per liter, or about $2.40 per gallon.

Another potential downfall of renting a car of Russia is the threat of interactions with Russian traffic police. While this doesn't put you in any mortal danger, there is a chance you'll have to bribe your way out of any confrontation, which outside the center of Moscow or other Russian cities will almost certainly necessitate some Russian language or body language skills.

Tips for Getting Around Moscow

Regardless of whether you take the Moscow Metro or any of the other transportation options listed here, these general tips for getting around Moscow will serve you well:

• Moscow's city center is very walkable. Unless you're visiting on a bitterly cold day during the middle of winter, many of Moscow's attractions are close enough together that you could walk. For example, you can easily walk from Red Square to Gorky Park, Bolshoy Theatre , Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts , the Kremlin or simply along the Moskva River.
• All roads lead to Red Square. Although Moscow is not a grid-pattern city, it is relatively organized. The majority of major roads start and end at Red Square; the rest are circular ones that connect the "spokes" from Red Square. With this basic idea in mind, it's pretty difficult to get lost in Moscow!
• Moscow's awful traffic means that rail is usually the quickest option. Even if the physical distance between two places is shorter by car, traveling via the Moscow Metro is probably going to be quicker.
• English signage in Moscow has greatly improved over the years. On the other hand, familiarizing yourself with the Cyrillic alphabet before your trip to Russia probably wouldn't be a bad idea. If you need to push someone out of the way (spoiler alert: you probably will!), say izvineetye (sorry) to excuse yourself.
• Petty theft is common, especially during rush hour. Wear your backpack in front of your body, and don't keep large amounts of cash (or your smartphone!) in your back pocket. Hide any conspicuous signs of wealth to avoid being a target!

The Moscow Metro is easy to use—once you get the hang of it. After all, more than two billion trips take place across its rails every year. If it were difficult, this simply wouldn't be possible! Want to learn more about things to do in Moscow? Make sure to check out this guide to Red Square , which is both the geographical and cultural heart of Moscow (and arguably Russia).

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