pokemmo hoenn safari zone

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[Hunt Guide] Safari Zone Guide

By CaptainGrey February 21, 2015 in Guide Tavern

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Captaingrey.

This guide is made to help you know which Pokemon are available in the Safari Zone in Kanto & Hoenn ; What their encounter rates are ( Very Common / Common / Average / Rare / Very rare ) , what items they can hold, and what items you can find inside.

• Zehkar , Bestfriends , Bestfriendss and 3 others

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The Safari Zone in Kanto is located at Fuchsia City

Entry fees : 500 $$

Safari balls : 30

Steps : 600

>>> ENTRANCE <<<

Nidoran m -> common

Nidoran f -> common

Rhyhorn -> common

Exeggcute -> common

Venonat -> average

Nidorino -> average

Nidorina -> average

Parasect -> rare (Can hold Big & Tiny Mushroom)

Pinsir / Scyther -> rare

Chansey -> very rare (Can hold Lucky Egg)

Slowpoke/Psyduck -> very commons (day and night)

Magikarp -> 100%

Goldeen -> common

Poliwag -> average

Magikarp -> average

Seaking -> common

Dratini  ->average (Can hold Dragon Fang & Dragon Scale)

Psyduck -> rare

Slowpoke -> rare

Dragonair -> very rare (Can hold Dragon Fang & Dragon Scale)

Nugget  : On the island (requires Surf )

Leaf Stone  : on the island (requires Surf ) (hidden)

>>> AREA 1 <<<

Nidoran m -> common

Nidoran f --> common

Doduo -> common

Paras -> average (Can hold Tiny & Big Mushroom)

Parasect -> rare (Can hold Tiny & Big Mushroom)

Kangaskhan -> rare

Scyther / Pinsir -> very rare

Psyduck / Slowpoke -> very common

Magikarp -> very commons

Poliwag -> common

Magikarp -> common

Dratini -> average (Can hold Dragon Fang & Dragon Scale)

Leaf Stone  : On the upper pathway near the rest house

TM 11 (Sunny Day)  : On the ledge beside the pond

Max Potion  : Far west of the small mountain

Full Restore  : Near the rest house

>>> AREA 2 <<<

Nidoran f -> common


Paras -> average (Can hold Tiny & Big mushroom)

Lickitung -> average

Venomoth -> rare

Nidorina -> rare

Chansey -> rare (Can Hold Lucky Egg)

Tauros -> very rare

Psyduck / Slowpoke -> very commons

Protein  : On the upper pathway near the rest house

TM 47 (Steel Wing)  : Beside a tree west of the rest house

Quick Claw  : On a grassless patch in the middle of the area

>>> AREA 3 <<<

Exeggcute -> average

Nidorin f -> rare

Tauros -> rare

Kangaskhan -> very rare

Max revive  : in a corner at the southeast base of the mountain

Max potion  : in the grass at the southwest base of the mountain

Gold Teeth  : south of the sign asking to find them (obligatory for obtain HM 04 Strength)

TM 32 (Double team)  : southeast of the Secret House

Revive  : on the southeast statue near the Secret House (hidden)

HM 03 (SURF)  : from the man in the Secret House

• Bestfriendss , Bilburt and Bestfriends

The Safari Zone in Hoenn is located Route 121 before Lilycove City

>>> AREA 1 / ENTRANCE <<<

Oddish -> common

Kakuna -> common

Girafarig -> common

Wobbuffet -> average

Doduo -> average

Natu -> average

Pikachu -> rare (can hold Light Ball)

Gloom -> rare

Gloom-> rare

Psyduck -> 100%

Magikarp -> very common

Goldeen -> commmon

Goldeen -> very common

Max revive  : Far southwest of the Area, beyond the pond (requires Surf )

Gloom -> average

Pinsir -> rare

Dodrio -> rare

Psyduck -> very common

Golduck -> rare

TM 22 (Solar Beam)  : Far northeast of the area, beyond the pond (requires Surf and Mach Bike )

>>> AREA 4 <<<

Geodude (Rock Smash) -> 100% (can hold e verstone)

Phanpy / Donphan -> common

Heracross -> rare

Xatu -> rare

Calcium  : In the far northwest part of the area (requires Acro Bike )

>>> AREA 5 <<<

Mareep -> common

Sunkern -> common

Spinarak -> average

Aipom -> average

HootHoot -> rare

Snubull -> rare

Gligar -> rare

Stantler -> rare

Chikorita -> very rare

Wooper -> common

Marill -> common

Totodile -> very rare

Quagsire -> very rare

Remoraid -> common

Octillery -> very rare

PP up  : Three squares south of the southernmost Pokéblock stand (hidden)

Full Restore  : In the furthest southeast patch of grass (hidden)

Big Pearl  : East in a patch of grass beyond the top of the waterfall

>>> AREA 6 <<<

Shuckle (Rock Smash) -> 100% (can hold Root or Claw Fossils)

Aipom -> common

Teddiursa -> common

Sunkern -> average

Ledyba -> average

Houndour -> rare

Miltank -> rare

Pineco -> rare

Cyndaquil -> very rare

Rare Candy : In the southeast portion of the area there is a 2×3 patch of light green grass in the lower right portion of it (hidden)

Zinc  : In a small nook among the wall in the rocky path to the north (hidden)

Nugget  : Between two ledges at the end of the rocky path to the west

• Noad , RayUwU , Bestfriendss and 3 others

will u include something about catchrate and best way to catch diffrents pokes?

• Angeluksdarkrose

Well done! Don't forget to include that you can find Claw & Root fossils on Shuckle in the Hoenn SZ when you add that to the guide, also a neat little trick for mass Shuckle hunting; Rock Smash all Rocks in Area -> Switch Channels & you don't have to move. :)

• kevpr , Bestfriendss and CaptainGrey

Moved to that main forum and added to the Guide Tavern Index.

Bestfriendss

I am planning on endorsing your guide when I get the chance to. Stay tuned to the RR News channel!

[spoiler]Keep up the good work! ;) [/spoiler]

less common, more %'s pls

its hard to judge percentiles, especially when the developers changed up the safari zones (lotad at night in Kanto, that is evidence of a change...).

means that they have the % as well. Besides, i'm not asking for cpt to put it in half n hour later, whenever they are accurate

I do pose this question to you Malorne, do you understand the fact that CaptainGrey is not a dev? I know that he posted where all the pokes are, but at the same time, he probably ventured out into the safari a couple of times. Captain is just giving his input from a CM's prospective. ( C M = Community Manager not Development Manager). Thus, Captain probably does not have the percentiles on top of his head. The devs have a hard job, but at the same time, they shouldn't be responsible for giving us percentiles, that is just plan silly. My conclusion to the problem, lack the percentiles (in the Emerald Guide Book, I read it and when it was showing pokemon, it didn't say "Whismer 100% " instead it stated "Whismer Very Common ." Percentiles are just plan silly and are not needed to make an effective guide. CaptainGrey made a to the point guide that I am planning to advertise on my YT channel, it is to the point, and no need for silly numbers.

I do pose this question to you Malorne, do you understand the fact that CaptainGrey is not a dev?

 CaptainGrey made a to the point guide that I am planning to advertise on my YT channel, it is to the point, and no need for silly numbers.

how is this about your channel again? i prefer numbers of rarity, gives more precise rates.

1. The devs can't give numbers because then that would be like looking into a mathematics guide of PokeMMO rather than a typical guide. Thus, if they did give exact numbers, this would ruin the fun of the game, and this would single-handedly, expose the game too much.

2. Please refrain from insulting my YouTube channel, it is not polite. I am not going to insult you although I do feel like doing it sometimes. Violates Rule 1 clause a

These are two important points I would like to express to you. Please read them. Like I said, I am going to refrain from insulting you for all the distress you are causing here on a simplistic and to the point guide.

1. The devs can't give numbers because then that would be like looking into a mathematics guide of PokeMMO rather than a typical guide. Thus, if they did give exact numbers, this would ruin the fun of the game, and this would single-handedly, expose the game too much.   2. Please refrain from insulting my YouTube channel, it is not polite. I am not going to insult you although I do feel like doing it sometimes. Violates Rule 1 clause a   These are two important points I would like to express to you. Please read them. Like I said, I am going to refrain from insulting you for all the distress you are causing here on a simplistic and to the point guide.

i didn't insult your channel lol, was simply asking what was the validity about it with the topic at hand (which is irrelivant btw) also, giving out exact encounter rates doesn't change that much of a thing with the fun of the game, coz it isn't... so i don't see why not actually, why am i even arguing with you lol. Cpt, give enc rates mate  

You should play the game itself. You are ruining fun because you are bluntly giving way number information instead of a generic Very Common . Do you want to deface hope for those that want to catch Chansey, but come to find out that there is a 5% chance of encountering it. That would ruin hope for chansey lovers and also discorage people from venturing out into the Safari Zone for that Chansey or Kangaskan. Instead of ruining people's hopes, make a genaric Very Common or Very Rare label, saves the trouble and the more generic you can be, the happier the player base.

More numbers = More stress  <---Important formula for an MMO's success

I will not give the % encounter rates, and please stop to debate about it on this topic to keep it clean. Thanks

do i need to remind you that some values are based on encounter rates?

Well done! Don't forget to include that you can find Claw & Root fossils on Shuckle in the Hoenn SZ when you add that to the guide, also a neat little trick for mass Shuckle hunting; Rock Smash all Rocks in Area -> Switch Channels & you don't have to move.  :)

I am planning on endorsing your guide when I get the chance to. Stay tuned to the RR News channel!   [spoiler]Keep up the good work! ;) [/spoiler]

Safari Zone tips...

I want to make an announcement, I endorsed your safari guide. I hope I helped in making your guide more known throughout the PokeMMO community.

• 2 weeks later...

• 5 months later...

hey quick think I noticed - in Area 4, i'm encountering a lot of Donphan (not phanphy, as the guide suggests). Otherwise this has been super helpful!

Ye I noticed this today too, i'll add it to the thread, thanks :)

Hey I cant seem to bunny hop or wheelie using the acro bike to access area 4 in Hoenn

• 4 weeks later...

DarkDragonborn

Yes! Been looking for this kind of guide.

O.o what tauros more rare then chanseys in area 2 weird cuz i was running into tauros left and right one after another more then other pokes and way more then chanseys!

I'm pretty sure for zone four in hoenn that xatu is a common, I have been encountering it more than donphan

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Hoenn Safari Zone

The Hoenn Safari Zone (Japanese: サファリゾーン Safari Zone ) is a special Pokémon preserve where Trainers can enter to catch wild Pokémon . The entrance is on Hoenn 's Route 121 .

In Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire , and Emerald , this Safari Zone is only accessible to Trainers participating in the Safari Game. In a Safari Game, players may only use Safari Balls , and rather than weaken wild Pokémon in battle, players must use non-conventional tactics to try and catch them. For $ 500, the player is granted entry and 30 Safari Balls. In Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald, the player is limited to 500 steps and the player is only allowed entry if they also have a Pokéblock Case .

In Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire , the Safari Game has been removed, and players can enter the Safari Zone area without paying a fee. Pokémon found here are now collected through normal battles. Each area also now has both tall and long grass , and while encounters between them are mostly the same, two rare Pokémon in each area can only be found in one type of grass specifically.

• 1.2 Pokéblock feeders
• 2.1 Pokéblock throw bug
• 3.1 Entrance
• 3.8 Vending Machine
• 4.1.1 Area 1
• 4.1.2 Area 2
• 4.1.3 Area 3
• 4.1.4 Area 4
• 4.1.5 Area 5
• 4.1.6 Area 6
• 4.2.1 Area 1
• 4.2.2 Area 2
• 4.2.3 Area 3
• 4.2.4 Area 4
• 7 In other languages

Certain areas of the Safari Zone can only be accessed with the Mach Bike or the Acro Bike . In Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, all areas are accessible with either Bike and Surf , but in some areas, only one type of grass will be accessible without using the other Bike. In Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald, there are also breakable rocks that can be used to encounter Pokémon. In Emerald , after the player obtains the National Pokédex , two new areas will open up to the east, featuring many Johto Pokémon not found in Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire or Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen .

• In Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, the Acro Bike and Surf are required to reach the long grass within this area.
• In Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, the Mach Bike is required to reach the long grass within this area.
• In Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald, the Mach Bike is required to access this area.
• In Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, the Mach Bike is required to reach the tall grass within this area, while the Acro Bike is required to reach the long grass.
• In Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald, the Acro Bike is required to access this area.
• In Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, the Acro Bike is required to reach the tall grass within this area, while the Mach Bike and Surf are required to reach the long grass.
• Area 5 is directly east of Area 1. It is only accessible in Emerald , and only after the player has entered the Hall of Fame .
• Area 6 is directly north of Area 5. It is only accessible in Emerald, and only after the player has entered the Hall of Fame.

Pokéblock feeders

In Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire , and Emerald , there are Pokéblock feeders throughout the Safari Zone. If a Pokéblock is placed in a feeder, 80% of wild Pokémon encountered in grass patches and water tiles up to five steps away from the feeder will be forced to have a Nature such that, if an identically flavored Pokéblock were thrown at it, the Pokémon would be enthralled (i.e. its preferred flavor dominates its disliked flavor in the Pokéblock); the feeder has no effect if no such Nature exists. Only one Pokéblock may occupy a feeder, and the feeder's effect disappears after 100 steps are taken.

Due to an oddity in the programming of Pokéblock feeders, forced natures do not have a uniform distribution. This causes natures with higher ID numbers to be more common than Natures with lower ID numbers. For example, if a green (bitter) Pokéblock is in the feeder and forces an enthralling Nature: Calm has an 8.71% chance to be forced, Gentle has a 15.61% chance to be forced, Sassy has a 27.66% chance to be forced, and Careful has a 48.02% chance to be forced (approximately).

Safari Game

In Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald, this Safari Zone is only accessible to Trainers participating in the Safari Game. In a Safari Game, players may only use Safari Balls; rather than weaken them in battle, players must use non-conventional tactics to try and catch wild Pokémon. There are four options on the battle screen: throw a Safari Ball , throw a Pokéblock , go near, and run away. Throwing Pokéblocks makes a Pokémon less likely to run, while going near makes a Pokémon easier to catch but more likely to run.

Pokémon found in the Safari Zone carry two values with them that are used for the mechanics of the Safari Game. First is the "catch factor", which starts at 100/1275 of the Pokémon's catch rate , rounded down. Furthermore, there is an "escape factor", which represents the probability that a Pokémon will escape at the end of each turn. This "escape factor" starts with a value of 3 which results in a 15% chance to flee per turn.

Depending on the action taken, the catch and escape factors are modified as follows:

If a Pokémon's "escape factor" is reduced below 0 * , it will be adjusted to a value of 1. If a Pokémon's escape factor is currently 1: Pokéblocks are unable to affect it.

Throwing a Pokéblock that the Pokémon completely ignores does not directly affect the escape factor, but does increment the Pokéblock counter used for subsequent Pokéblock throws. A Pokémon is enthralled by a Pokéblock if its preferred flavor dominates its disliked flavor, while a Pokémon completely ignores it if its disliked flavor dominates its preferred flavor. If both preferred and disliked flavors are equal (including if neither are present), the Pokémon is curious about the Pokéblock.

If a player chooses to throw a Safari Ball, the catch factor is multiplied by 1275/100 (rounded down) to obtain the modified catch rate. At the beginning of each turn, a randomly generated value from 0 to 99 (inclusive) is obtained, and if this value is less than 5 times the escape factor, the Pokémon will escape at the end of the turn unless captured. Modifications to a Pokémon's escape rate will not take effect until the following turn.

These numbers translate to a 5% change in probability of escaping for every unit change (plus or minus 1) in the escape factor, with an initial 15% chance of escape; and approximately a 2.5% change in probability of capture for every unit change in the capture factor, with an initial capture probability of approximately catch rate/510 rounded down to the nearest multiple of 0.025 (2.5%), or 0.025 if it would be less.

Pokéblock throw bug

In Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald, instead of the escape factor having a minimum value of 1 (5% chance to flee) like the catch factor, the game is coded to set the escape factor to 1 if it would become negative due to a thrown Pokéblock. This means it is possible for the player to throw Pokéblocks such that a Pokémon's escape factor becomes exactly 0, and the Pokémon will have a 0% chance to escape. Exploiting this can make it very easy to catch Hoenn Safari Zone Pokémon. Though, it is worth noting that if the "escape factor" is ever equal to 1, the game will not reduce it further regardless of which Pokéblocks are thrown by the player.

Due to an oddity in the programming of Pokéblock Feeders, the distribution of wild Pokémon's natures is not even across each of the possibilities. This causes Calm Pokémon to only spawn in 1/10 encounters if a bitter Pokéblock is in the feeder while Careful natured Pokémon will occur in nearly 4/10 encounters. This gives players an opportunity to greatly increase the effectiveness of their Pokéblock manipulation.

The optimal catching strategy for exploiting this is as follows:

Make these three single- flavor Pokéblocks: two green * (bitter) Pokéblocks, and one red * (spicy) Pokéblock. Put the green * Pokéblock into a feeder and start a wild encounter near that feeder.

Note: this can be done with yellow * , pink * , blue * , and green * Pokéblocks in the feeder; green * is just the most effective. With any of these colors make a red * Pokéblock as well. If you would like to use a red * Pokéblock in the feeder pair it with a yellow * (sour) Pokéblock.

When the battle starts...

• If the Pokémon's catch rate is higher than 200, throw Safari Balls .
• 1) If the Pokémon is curious (escape factor = 0), throw Safari Balls .
• 2a) If the Pokémon is enthralled (escape factor = 0), throw Safari Balls .
• 2b) If the Pokémon is curious (escape factor = 1), throw Safari Balls .
• 3) If the Pokémon is enthralled (escape factor = 1), throw Safari Balls .

This strategy results in, at minimum, a 75.88% chance to catch any Pokémon that appears.

The Safari Zone Pokémon Catch Rate goes as follows:

Vending Machine

In Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire , there is a Vending Machine at the entrance to the Safari Zone.

Generation III

Generation vi.

• No Pokémon introduced in Generation III appear in this Safari Zone.
• In Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire , the entrance to the Safari Zone has a book titled "The Path of the Safari Zone" written by the founder of the Safari Zone.
• In Pokémon Emerald , the Rare Candy in Area 6 cannot be picked up if the player tries to pick it up while facing it from the north or the west.
• Hoenn Safari Zone Areas 1, 2, and 4 from Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire can be found in the internal data of Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen . However, the tileset data is missing, so the maps are glitched.
• Both Aipom and Gligar can be found in the Emerald expansion of the Safari Zone, both of which would become version exclusive Pokémon in Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violets DLC: The Teal Mask.

Hoenn Safari Zone Area 1 in FireRed and LeafGreen

Hoenn Safari Zone Area 2 in FireRed and LeafGreen

Hoenn Safari Zone Area 4 in FireRed and LeafGreen

In other languages

• Candidates for moving
• Articles needing better pictures
• Articles with accompanying video
• Safari Zones
• Hoenn locations
• Ruby and Sapphire locations
• Emerald locations
• Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire locations

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Safari Zone (Johto)

• View history

The Safari Zone is a wildlife preserve located to the north of Route 48 , which is accessed through the Gate from Cianwood City via Route 48 .

Pokémon Trainers often come here in order to catch Pokémon .

• 1.1 Fishing
• 1.2 Headbutt
• 1.9 Marshland
• 1.10 Mountain
• 1.11 Rocky Beach
• 1.12 Wasteland
• 1.13 Savannah

Pokémon [ ]

Johto's Safari Zone has different biomes in which Pokémon spawns differ. This Section is under construction and needs people to test the biomes the Pokémon can be found in.

Note: VC = Very Common, C = Common, U = Uncommon, R = Rare, VR = Very Rare, H = Horde, L = Lure

Marshland [ ]

Mountain [ ]

Rocky Beach [ ]

Wasteland [ ]

Savannah [ ].

History [ ]

• 2 Cerulean Cave

1423 Ward Rd Sequim, WA 98382

SPRING HOURS:

Open 7 days a week M - Su 9 a.m. to 4p.m.

Open all major holidays except Thanksgiving and Christmas Days .

Have a Question? Call Us! 360-683-4295

Commonly asked questions.

Since the 1940s, Olympic Game Farm in Sequim, WA has been dedicated to the welfare and well-being of animals. As a drive-through wildlife exhibit, we are entirely funded by tourists and are a fun place to experience wildlife at your own pace. We strive to be a source of wildlife education for families and tourists!

Letter from Robert Beebe, President

With over 200 animals on-site , our driving tour leaves our visitors with vivid memories of these amazing creatures; experiences which, at first are hard to imagine, become pleasantly surprising. Friendly llamas and yak eat bread from your hand, clowning bears stand up and wave, and the elk and buffalo peacefully graze in the pastures.

Olympic Game Farm worked exclusively for Walt Disney Studios for 28 years, filming here at the farm and on the Olympic Peninsula, as well as on many different set locations. A few popular titles produced with our past animal actors are “Charlie the Lonesome Cougar,” “The Incredible Journey,” “White Wilderness,” and “Grizzly Adams” television and movie series. In 2012, we had used our black bear “Kitty” and wolf “Brutus” in “Serenity Farms”. In winter of 2013, we used “Kitty” once again in a National Geographic documentary on black bear in the city. Summer of 2014, “Leland” a black tail deer was used in the filming of “Captain Fantastic” as well as Olympic Game Farm used as a filming location for a scene.

After the death of Walt and Roy Disney, Disney Studios began to move away from the nature films that had been so dear to Walt’s heart. In 1972, with the approval of the Disney Studios for using the Disney name, Olympic Game Farm, Inc. was opened to the public. Our founders Lloyd and Catherine Beebe retired from the filming industry and focused solely on caring for their animal actors, concentrating on offering “in need” captive bred animals a new and loving home. Olympic Game Farm will continue to accept in-need wildlife, as space permits and with the proper authority approvals. We cannot accept local animals from the wild without proper permission from Washington State Fish and Wildlife.

Lloyd Beebe passed along his trait, his dedication, and his love for wildlife to his grandsons Robert Beebe and James Beebe, along with their uncle Kenneth Beebe, who have taken over the daily operations of the Olympic Game Farm since 2008.

Thank you for your interest,

Robert L. Beebe

President, OGF

Recognitions

We won the Wildlife Conservation of the Year award in 1996 from the Washington Association of Conservation Districts (WACD). Lloyd and Catherine Beebe and Olympic Game Farm were honored through a Senate Resolution 8612 on January 20, 2011. Lloyd Beebe won Filmdom’s Famous Five’s 1960 from Film Daily.

Are pets allowed inside our vehicle while driving?

Yes, pets are allowed as long as they are kept inside an enclosed vehicle and unable to escape your vehicle. All pets must be on a leash when outside the vehicle in permitted areas.

Why was the game farm started?

In the 1950’s to 1972, Olympic Game Farm (then called Disney’s Wild Animal Ranch) was originally designed as a holding facility for the animal actors of Disney Studios. During breaks from filming, the animals were trained, housed, and cared for while waiting for future filming. Disney Studios had asked us to keep the public and cameras out of the Farm.

However, in the summer of 1972 after Roy Disney’s passing, we allowed people in to see what the Farm was all about. This informal opening was also a test to see if we could achieve our long-term goals in caring for the animals without a steady income from Disney Studios—to see if we could make it on our own. After that summer, we let Disney Studios know how well we did. Disney Studios ultimately held a vote from their Board of Directors and decided it was ok to continue to be open to the public and retain any earnings received. That same year, we officially opened to the public as a private wildlife organization and became incorporated in 1973.

Where do the animals come from?

Several of the animals are either rehomed, come as overflow from other licensed facilities, or have been received from other properly licensed individuals.

How do you afford to feed them?

Currently, all proceeds from tourism are put into animal care and feeding. This includes all operating costs (employees, licensing, feed, utilities, repairs, etc.) associated with caring for our animals. In the past, filmmaking and tourism was the mainstay; however, as the years and societal attitudes have evolved the film industry genre, live animal actors are no longer in high demand. We do receive donations from the local dairy farms and equestrians, or from a farm hobbyist. Income made from the summer season carries the Farm through the lean winter months. This presents tough budgeting constraints and is a tremendous struggle each year.

Do you accept random donations?

Yes, the Olympic Game Farm does accept any reasonable donations. Naturally, the best donation is monetarily, but we will consider all other types.

Are you open year round?

Olympic Game Farm is open year round but will be closed on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day in order to spend time with our families.

Do the animals come out during the rain or snow?

Yes, most if not all the animals are accustomed to our Northwest weather. All the animals have their own shelters and privacy areas if they need.

When is the best time to view the animals?

We always suggest mornings to early afternoons to be the best times, as most of our animals tend to lounge in the later afternoon times and take naps.

What is the difference between a wildlife park and a game farm?

A wildlife park/zoo is usually publicly funded by city, county, and/or state funds or a group of investors. Game farms are usually in connection with commerce, such as breeding, selling, or trading and are privately funded by the owners. Some game farms are associated with “canned” hunting but Olympic Game Farm does not practice this. In our case, “Game Farm” denotes that there are game animals located and housed here but not for hunting.

Are the animals at the Game Farm still used by the movie industry?

We have used a few of our current animals in several films, “Serenity Farms,” “Captain Fantastic,” and a National Geographic documentary on black bears and city encroachment. However, we are not actively seeking animal work in the film industry.

How long does the tour take?

Typical drive tour takes anywhere from 45 minutes to 1 hour but it is completely self-paced. The admission ticket is good for all day until closing. On major holiday weekends, wait times and lines can and do occur, thus extending drive tour time.

Are we allowed to bring our own bread to feed?

No outside bread at this time. Throughout the year (depending on the season) other food items will be available for purchase.  This is at our discretion .  Specific days, food items and other information will be available upon arrival.

Why can’t we bring in fruit or other food items to feed the animals?

You can donate fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, or fresh-caught fish to Olympic Game Farm but U.S.D.A. (APHIS) has a strict rule about customers feeding our animals. Wheat bread is the ONLY type of feed allowed to be given by the customers. Olympic Game Farm will accept fresh fruit and fresh vegetables but it will need to be inspected by us and fed out by us or under strict observation if permitted by senior management. Bread has been proven to be an excellent source of fat and fiber for our animals. Large animals differ from humans and domesticated animals tremendously, with their fat & nutritional needs. Rotten, moldy, or freezer dried items will not be accepted. We cannot accept anything from your personal freezer. Please call and check first about any other food items.

What other type of feed is given to the animals besides bread?

Each animal has a well-balanced nutritional diet based on their nutritional needs by our veterinarian care plan. Meat, poultry, fish, nuts, berries, vegetables, fruit, roots, vitamins, minerals, hay, & grain are fed daily, during business hours and after closing.

We do ask for customers to not take it upon themselves to decide what is best to feed our animals. Any food items other than the bread brought to feed will be held at the gate until the tour is over and it will be returned. Violators will be asked to leave.

We ask this, not only because of the U.S.D.A. rule, but also because each animal is carefully monitored and fed daily. Some of the animals are not allowed certain foods due to medical reasons, dental problems, allergies, being strict carnivores, etc.

For the best interest of our animals, it is important only wheat or whole grain bread from the Game Farm is fed to them. Produce or meat could make the animals sick.

Are convertibles/open vehicles permitted?

All vehicles must be fully enclosed at all times for your safety. Jeeps, Broncos, etc. must have sides and tops on, making it fully enclosed. NO MOTORCYCLES, SCOOTERS, MOPEDS, OR BICYCLES ARE PERMITTED on drive tour.

Can R.V’S or buses drive through the farm?

Yes. We have a delegated road for larger vehicle. The only animals you will not see are the prairie dogs and sika deer.

What was the difference between the original walk tour and the new “Mini Tour”?

The difference between the original walk and the new mini-tour is: • In the original tour, a tour guide would walk visitors through the predator area in addition to the barn and aquarium and was only offered to groups of 10 people or more when scheduled in advance at an additional charge. • In the “mini-tour,” all visitors can enjoy the experience at their own leisure but the predator compound is not included as this area is included in our driving tour.

When are the busiest times? Or what times/days to avoid long lines and traffic congestion inside OGF?

PLEASE plan your trip to Olympic Game Farm prior to your arrival here.

The busiest weekends are Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day weekend. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday are the busiest days of those two holiday weekends. Saturday and Sunday can see over 500 cars each day with peak times from ranging from 11 a.m. to 4-5 p.m. Traffic congestion throughout the Farm is always a concern during this time and we ask that all visitors be conscious and courteous to other visitors who are also trying to enjoy themselves as they drive around the Farm. Remember, your receipt is good all day until closing so that you can go around multiple times as needed. Also, our animals do get tired towards the afternoon/evening and can/will start to ignore people as the day wears on.

On a typical summer week, Saturday would be the busiest day and slowly tapers to the lowest day of Wednesday, then building back up each day. Beginning from 11 a.m., the peak traffic begins and eventually lessens after 3 p.m. as the animals grow tired and head to their sleeping areas for the evening.

Our employees do work as fast as possible to keep the entry traffic lines moving smoothly and quickly; however, the lines move as fast as our patrons allow us to work. We encourage that our visitors already have family plans/arrangements (such as who is paying and with what form of payment, also to know the ages of children, any discounts, etc.) made prior to entering the Farm.

Have questions about the history of our farm or admission ? Contact us today at (360) 683-4295 and we will be happy to help

Visitors, please note:.

Farm hours for the Spring effective February 19th 2024.

Hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m Monday – Sunday

We ask visitors to arrive  NO LATER  than 45 mins before closing time to ensure entry and have time to fully enjoy the park.   

The Farm, on occasion, does close for inclement snowy weather.  Please be sure to call ahead to speak with a team member and ensure that we are open.  Thank you, stay safe!!

Effective June 5, 2020 In compliance to U.S.D.A federal regulation 4.12.4 NO OUTSIDE BREAD PERMITTED. NO EXCEPTIONS. THIS IS PERMANENTLY IN EFFECT. Bread can be purchased onsite, and we will limit bread purchases as needed and appropriate. Anyone sneaking in and feeding outside bread or other food items will be asked to leave with no refund.

NO RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED. WE OPERATE ON A FIRST COME FIRST SERVE BASIS. TICKETS SALES ARE ONSITE AT THE TICKET OFFICE UPON ARRIVAL (NO ONLINE TICKET SALES) Cash or card payments only, we do not accept Apple Pay.

We are looking forward to your visit!

Get the most of your stay in Moscow

TOP-11 Moscow Parks to Visit

I have chosen the best 11 Moscow parks to visit and spend a beautiful time for you. Do not miss and choose one that you like the most – cycling, festivals, flowers, panoramic views and many other things are waiting for you!

Gorky Park (The Central Park of Culture and Leisure) – The main one of the Moscow Parks

In my opinion this park could be called the main park of the city. Why? Because of its huge territory, the central location and the amount of people visiting the park daily.  It was founded in 1928 and in 2011 it was totally reconstructed. Now it pleases visitors with modern objects and soft green lawns.

• Oktybrskaya or Park Kultuty metro station, Krimsky Val, 9

The Gorky park is a the right choice for everyone! The youth will like a free WiFi, bicycles, skateboards and other rentals; the couples will enjoy spending time near the river, watching a sunset; parents will appreciate colorful playgrounds and a room for mother and child. Everyone can find something for themselves: from yoga classes  to watching movies in a cozy summer cinema, from dance classes to volleyball playground. Gorky Park is also the venue for all kinds of exhibitions, festivals, events for children and adults. During the winter there is one of the biggest skating rinks in the park.

Museon Art Park – A Second Gorky they say

“Museon” is located on the opposite side of Krimsky Val street. And right now some people believe that Gorky and Museon together is a one space sharing the same beauty.

• Oktybrskaya or Park Kultuty metro station, Krimsky Val, 2

The Park of Arts was named this way because there is the largest composition of open-air sculptures in Russia. In its territory there are already more than 1000 unique exhibits: from monuments of the socialist realism era to various kinds of contemporary art. But this is not all the attractions of the park. In recent years, “Museon” has become an important cultural site of the city. The park regularly hold many different concerts, festivals, educational projects in the field of art and design. There is a Central House of the Artist, a comfortable summer cinema and other attractions on territory. Be sure to stroll pedestrian Crimean embankment, which looks like a modern park.

Neskuchny Garden – True Russian Nature is Here

Neskuchny garden is located on the right bank of the Moscow River. Today it is also seen as a part of the Gorky Park. This landscape park is one of the oldest in the city and is protected by the state. Its name was received from the Neskuchnoye Estate of  Prince Trubetskoi which is still located in the park.

• Leninsky Prospekt metro station, Leninsky Prospect, 30

This park is famous mostly for its location close to the Gorky park. It is a quite place with true nature, lots of trees and squirrels and also ancient architecture. As in every park, there are sports and playgrounds, cafes and even a football field.

Zaryadye Park – 5 Steps Away From The Red Square

The area of this brand new park was opened only in September 2017 and located in the very heart of Moscow – right near the Red Square.

• Open from 10AM to 10PM
• Teatralnaya, Okhotnyi ryad, Ploschad Revolutsii

The park has 4 zones, each of them represent different parts of Russian landscapes. Above the river there is a floating bridge from where you get to see one of the best panoramic views on Moscow. Other attractions of the park are 5D cinema where you can take a flight above Moscow, few cafes and restaurants, pretty lakes with fishes and old preserved churches. In addition there is still being built a  philharmonic hall, covered with a huge dome and an Ice cage where the temperature will always stay below zero degrees.

When you are on the Red Square do not miss it!

All-Russia Exhibition Center (VDNKh) – The Soviet Style Moscow Park

Park VDNKh – one of the most famous parks in Moscow. This park is one of the sights of the city as it hasn’t changed much since the Soviet era.

• VDNKh metro station, Prospect Mira, 119

The symbol of VDNKh is a fountain with 16 women symbolizing the friendship of the nations of the USSR. Around this fountain there are all the pavilions representing 16 republics. Now inside the pavilions you find various shops, cafes and exhibitions. If you go deep inside the park you will find a rocket Vostok and and an aircraft. What is funny the inside of the aircraft there is actually a photo exhibition. Near the northern entrance you there is a famous sculpture “Worker and Kolkhoz Woman”. It is extremely famous among Russians as all the movies by Mosfilm corporation used to start with the picture of this statue. But if you go further inside the park you will reach a very calm area. A lake is there, forest and birds singing. Since the park occupies a large area I suggest you to rent a bicycle.

Sokolniki Park – A Place For A Hunt Or For Leisure?

The park got its name because of the royal falconry, which took place there in the past when there was a dense forest. (Sokol means a falcon.) In 2011 it was significantly transformed: updated lawns, landscaped ponds and picnic areas, restored summer cinema and theater, a large rose garden, sports grounds, bicycle paths and other things.

• Sokolniki metro station, Sokolnichesky Val, 1, p. 1

From the main entrance along the alley you can walk to the Sokolniki circle, where 8 alleys form 9 sectors, in each of them you will find trees of the same breed.  The park is famous for its rosary, as well as flower decoration. On the territory of the park there are concert halls, a library, amusement zone, dances zone and many many other attractions. In winter the park has a skating rink (a free of charge one) and ski runs. During the warm season you can rent a bicycle.

Tsaritsino Park – A Different World Inside Moscow

Here you can walk for hours, admiring the most beautiful nature and magnificent architecture.

• Open from 6AM to 12AM
• Tsaritsyno metro station, Dolsky, 1

The most amazing part of the park is the lake with a light and musical fountain. Every evening the fountain starts the show. Lights and music combined make you feel like you are not in Moscow but in a fairy tale. The park is also well equipped for sports lovers and healthy lifestyle. There are volleyball and basketball courts, a tennis court, sports facilities for acrobatics, bodybuilding equipment.

What I personally like about this park is the atmosphere. This place is actually far from the city center but I love going there anyway. Whenever I go there I feel like I left Moscow with all its hectic lifestyle. It is the place where I relax, enjoy myself or a company of my friends and feel kind of different. By the way totally suggested for a date!

Kolomenskoye Park – Combination Of Reserve and Architecture

The Kolomenskoye park is actually a Museum-Reserve. It is a former residence of Russian tsars and one of the most scenic places in Moscow.

• May to September – open from 8AM to 12AM, October to April – from 8AM to 9PM
• Kolomenskoye metro station, Andropov Ave, 39

 Alike with Tsaritsino park Kolomenskoye park has its own special atmosphere with all the architecture, trees, ponds and even a river bank. The park regularly hosts various folk festivals and different fairs. In summer time you can play with kites or rent a bicycle and ride around the huge area of the park.

I love the view that you get on the city from one of the hills near the river. I love the apple trees alleys and the beautiful churches. It is also a bit far from the city center but yet worth going there. One of my best friends even celebrated her wedding there.

Aptekarsky Garden or Botanical garden of the Moscow State University – The Best Botanical Garden in The World

Aptekar in Russian language means a pharmacist so basically it is a pharmacist’s garden. It was founded in 1706 by Peter The Great for growing medicinal plants for the royal family. But later they moved it from under the walls of the Kremlin to the current location.

• Open from 10AM to 8PM
• Prospect Mira metro station, Prospekt Mira, 26

In the botanical garden there are no attractions and noisy crowds of tourists. The area of the garden is not as big as any other park in Moscow. And the entrance is not free. But this exactly what makes this park one of the most comfortable in the city. In the Aptekarsky garden they grow thousands of different plants, flowers and trees. Some of the trees are more than 300 years old. They held different festivals there: flowers festivals, sand and ice sculptures expositions.

For me it is one of the most beautiful parks not only in Moscow but in the world. I have never seen so many different flowers and plants anywhere else. And trust me I am a real park lover. And what is more the staff really takes care about every single tree or plant there, some of the trees have names and stories. I love it there and I think the price is really worth what you get.

Victory Park – A Park That Makes Us Remember The War

The park is located on the Poklonnaya Hill and it has one of the world’s largest memorial complexes dedicated to the World War II. The park was opened for the 50th anniversary of the Victory on May 9, 1995. It is also one of the main venues in the city for holding a variety of mass events.

• Park Pobedy metro station, Brothers Fonchenko, 7

On the main avenue of the park there are with 1418 fountains – exactly as long as the war lasted. Fountains make five water terraces, symbolizing five years of military operations. And in the center of the park there is the Museum of the Great Patriotic War. If you are interested in the history of the war do not miss it. The Poklonnaya Hill is a part of the park and from the hill you get one of the best views on the city of Moscow. And I could say this is the best place for watching the fireworks during the mass celebrations. But be aware it gets too crowded then. As in most of the other big parks you can rent a bicycle or rollers there.

Izmailovsky Park – A Mix of a Big Forest and Attractions

Izmaylovsky Park occupies a huge green territory, making up a large part of the Izmailovo district. The park consists of two parts: Izmaylovsky Park of Culture and Rest and the forest park of Izmailovo. First part is full of attractions and restaurants while the second one is like a real forest with pine trees, birch groves, beautiful clearings and ponds.

• Izmaylovskaya, Shosse Entuziastov or Partizanskaya metro stations, Izmaylovsky Park

It is easy to spend there a whole day. A large landscaped area and a lot of various entertainments for children and adults will help you not to get bored. An observation wheel, a boat station, children’s playgrounds, a dance floor, sports grounds, a skate park – all this is only a small part of the possible leisure activities. In the park there are bike paths and a rental services.

I don’t go there often to be honest. But the park is very very close whenever to a souvenir market on Partizanskaya metro station. And whenever the weather is nice and I have enough of free time I stroll through the alleys of the park and enjoy the nature. So if you are going to the souvenir market too and you have enough free time then do go to the park too.

5 thoughts on “TOP-11 Moscow Parks to Visit”

Pingback: Places to visit in Moscow – Sheran Bhattacharyya

Yes, sure 🙂 This is my top list 🙂

Yes, sure. These are my favorites!

I like this blog very much. Please keep sharing it in future too.

Thanks for sharing.

Thank you! 🙂

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Moscow Tours & Travel Packages 2024/2025

Our 60 most popular moscow trips. compare tour itineraries from 45 tour companies. 308 reviews. 4.7/5 avg rating., popular moscow tours.

St Petersburg & Moscow in Style - Winter

• Explore the majestic St Petersburg & Moscow on private city tours
• Admire the rich Russian history, art and architecture
• Travel to Moscow on a highspeed train
• Enjoy the local cuisine in stylish restaurants

Lower Volga Voyage

• Visit magnificent Red Square and Kremlin and examine the collection at theKremlin’s State Armory.
• Experience Russia’s diverse musical traditions at lively folk music performances
• Explore Volgograd, the site of the decisive battle of World War II’s eastern front

Volga Dream Russian River Cruise

St Petersburg & Moscow in Style - Summer

White Russian - 7 days

• Discover Moscow's UNESCO-listed Red Square, home to spectacular St Basil’s Cathedral, Lenin's Mausoleum and the historic GUM Department store
• Explore the grounds of Moscow's mighty Kremlin, with its numerous governmentbuildings, gold-domed cathedrals and the giant tsar bell
• Celebrate New Year's Eve in Moscow!
• Take in the highlights of St Petersburg including a guided tour of the exquisite Church on Spilled Blood, Peter & Paul Fortress and Cathedral
• Take a guided tour of the remarkable Hermitage Museum at the Winter Palace

Vodka Shot - 6 days

• Explore the beautiful city of St Petersburg, including the exquisite Church on Spilled Blood, Peter & Paul Fortress and Nevsky Prospekt
• Marvel at the dazzling array of art and exhibits in the world-famous Hermitage Museum, at the Winter Palace in St Petersburg
• Discover a lavish residence of the tsars on a day trip to Catherine Palace at Tsarkoe Selo (winter: mid-October to April) or Peterhof Palace and gardens (summer: May to mid-October)
• Take in the highlights of the capital on a walking tour, visiting Moscow's famous Red Square, home to the historic GUM Department Store, Lenin’s Mausoleum and spectacular St Basil’s Cathedral
• Take a guided tour of the Moscow Kremlin, Russia’s political power house. Stroll around the grounds of this fortified complex, visit the Kremlin's cathedrals and see the mighty Tsar Bell

Route of the Romanovs - 10 days

• Learn about the last days of the Romanovs in Yekaterinburg, visiting the sites where Tsar Nicolas II and his family were assassinated and buried
• Straddle two continents at the famous obelisk Europe/Asia border marker in Yekaterinburg
• Experience the Trans-Siberian railway on an overnight train journey from Moscow to Yekaterinburg

New Year's in Moscow - 9 days

• Visit Catherine Palace at Tsarkoe Selo on Christmas Day and marvel at the incredible Amber Room
• Spend a night in Novgorod, an ancient city by the Volkhov River - explore the kremlin, cathedral and other sights and enjoy a traditional Russian banya (sauna)

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• Visit historic Novgorod, an ancient city which straddles the Volkhov River. Explore the attractive riverside kremlin and experience a traditional Russian banya (sauna)

The Snowball - 6 days

• Visit Catherine Palace at Tsarkoe Selo and marvel at the incredible Amber Room

Mood for Moscow - 4 days

• Head underground to visit a Stalinist-era Soviet Bunker on an optional excursion
• Stroll to the vibrant Izmailovo Market, which lies behind the walls of an ancient Kremlin, and shop for an array of souvenirs

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Good hotels, some better than others. Interesting itinerary

Too rushed. Optional tour rather too short

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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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