Tips about Moscow

[chivo]

After discussing Moscow on another thread, i thought it would be of service to post some information about Moscow for anyone who might be headed this way to visit, meet a lady (one who lives here or from another town), transferring to another city, etc.

just a little background, i have been coming to Russia since 2000. i made 3 visits to Moscow before i decided i would live here. without getting into all the reasons why, it was a decision that ill never regret. ive been here for almost 2 years and this is what i have come to find.

1) where to stay, well its up to you. some, as you might have notice, like hotels, while others chose to go the apt route. very decent apts can be had for $60-75 per night, cheaper by the month of course (around $1500) should you stay this long. there are many websites advertising this. most of your better hotels will be in excess of $100 per night and in this writers opinion, you dont quite get what you pay for in quality.

as far as the pros and cons, the biggest advantage with apts is money. youll spend less in an apt, have a bigger place to stay, live like a local, usually have internet and satellite TV included, come and go as you please with your choice of woman should you be entertaining more than one, cook your own meals and wash your own clothes (your lady can and usually will help with this graciously , i love RW, and not just because of this fact), and still be close to the center or at least within the Garden Ring.

of course in a hotel you are catered to a little more, have your room cleaned and you clothes washed (for a price) have cable TV included and pay up the ass for internet, but you can always visit a internet cafe, and then what you would expect at any hotel only with stronger security enforce. either way, of course you do whats comfortable for you.

2) the Metro: the Moscow metro is simply the best in the world. its an experience that should be taken for anyone visiting. if you plan on using it consistently, i strongly recommend buying a multiple pass. currently the metro costs 15ru per entrance. your discount comes if you buy 3+ tickets at once. for example, 1=15, 2=30, 3=40, 4=50ru, etc. i get a 3 month pass (1300ru) and as much as i use it, i basically get the 3rd month free. if youre headed this way and plan to use the metro, let me know ahead of time and i can price a ticket for you depending on your length of your stay.

also, all the vagons (train cars) have numerous maps in them. they are both in Russian and English so it is very accommodating even for the first time traveller. do not be intimidated by the metro, it relatively easy to use, and even if you get lost its easy to recover and return to the center. remember too that every station had postings of all the stations where the train pulls up and, although in Russian, it will show you where you are, what transfers stations connect to each other, and what direction you should go to get to your destination. there are 9 lines all color coded to help you, all connect or head to the center or relatively close so if you do get lost you can always back track. again, just a great way to get around town.

on a side note: remember that the metro has a rush hr too. millions of people use it daily. i would avoid the hrs between 8-10am and 5-730pm if possible. also remember that from 7am till around 11pm, trains come at a rate of about once a minute, so dont worry if you just missed one, another will arrive shortly.

3) entertainment and attractions: of course most of you regardless of it being your first time will know about the Kremlin, Red Square, The Treytekov and Pushkin Museums, Bolshoi (original closed at the moment for renovation ), Lenin's tomb, etc. heres a couple of websites to help for everything else.

http://www.expat.ru/

http://www.stilit.com/mos_entertainment.htm

http://www.domecinema.ru/

sorry have to go but i will continue with more about Moscow, ins and outs (good places to go for free, crime, the airports and how to deal with them, things to look out for etc.), in the near future. hope its useful. good luck and peace out.

chivo

[vlxv]

You can see lots of photos of Moscow and other cities here. And practice your Russian too, as many of the posts are in Russian.

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/forumdisplay.php?f=439

[Turboguy]

I think you made a great post there Chivo.   Since I had chimed in on your other post about the metro I will add on thing here.  Your metro ticket will look like a minature IBM card.  There is a slot in the turnstyles where you slide it in and it pops back out another slot.  There will be a green light appear.  Do not get in a hurry.  If you try to rush through after the ticket comes out and before the green light comes on bars will jump out and a buzzer rings.  You will then be riding the metro with a smell coming from your pants and no one will want to stand near you.   Wait for the green light.  It only takes a second or two.  Chivo is right.  Ride the Metro in Moscow.  It is great.

[PeeWee]

I think you made a great post there Chivo.   Since I had chimed in on your other post about the metro I will add on thing here.  Your metro ticket will look like a minature IBM card.  There is a slot in the turnstyles where you slide it in and it pops back out another slot.  There will be a green light appear.  Do not get in a hurry.  If you try to rush through after the ticket comes out and before the green light comes on bars will jump out and a buzzer rings.  You will then be riding the metro with a smell coming from your pants and no one will want to stand near you.   Wait for the green light.  It only takes a second or two.  Chivo is right.  Ride the Metro in Moscow.  It is great.

Why the smell, homo boy? I too enjoyed the metro. Especially the ceiling art at the various stations. I twice got turned around but got back on track after asking first three Moscow cops and then asking a pair of Russian cuties, not gay men, as one forum lurker would suspect, but acutally women.

I've visited Moscow twice in the past three years. I think I have been there for the last time. But the sight seeing and the fashion show that goes on, especially along Old Arbat Street, is worth the price of the air fare in itself.

Peewee

[Turboguy]

Huhhhhh???????????   I was not talking about the smell in the metro.  The metro smells fine.  What i was trying to say was that if you try to rush through the turnstyles and the bar jumps out at you and the buzzers go of it will scare you so bad that you will likely shit your pants.  It was intended as a joke.  I think most of us have good enough nerves that it will not be a problem.  I was always fine with it and waited for the green light.  My former fiancee Luda always tried to rush through and always got scared to death by the bar and buzzer. 

Some of Moscow's metro stations are very beautiful.  The same applies to some of the ones in Paris.   Stations like that could not exist in NYC

[PeeWee]

Huhhhhh???????????   I was not talking about the smell in the metro.  The metro smells fine.  What i was trying to say was that if you try to rush through the turnstyles and the bar jumps out at you and the buzzers go of it will scare you so bad that you will likely *snip* your pants.  It was intended as a joke.  I think most of us have good enough nerves that it will not be a problem.  I was always fine with it and waited for the green light.  My former fiancee Luda always tried to rush through and always got scared to death by the bar and buzzer. 

Some of Moscow's metro stations are very beautiful.  The same applies to some of the ones in Paris.   Stations like that could not exist in NYC

One of my Moscow friends was telling me that the metro has 3 levels. One for government work trains, one for military trains, and one for commuters. I did not notice any entrances for those to levels but maybe they hid the doors to them kind of like they do at Disneyland. Behind a newsstand or something.

Peewee

[Turboguy]

I think if that is true there are probably entirely separate entrances that would originate and terminate at whatever destinations the government and the military think they might want to go.  Considering the struggle Russia went through in WWII the idea does not sound far fetched to me.

[JustPlaneCrazy]

2) the Metro: the Moscow metro is simply the best in the world.

I have to agree

[PeeWee]

I have to agree

Nice photos, iPod. That map was my only friend at times. I'd target my destination then count how many stops inbetwee so that I would not have to depend on trying to read the signs. It worked great.

Peewee brain

[chivo]

thanks for the feedback guys,

also Turbo, if you want, you can cross the street directly from the Ukrainia and use the bus stop. buses #2 and #44 will take you to the Arbat (5min) and the center (15 min) for about 13ru

one other thing about the metro is that it closes at 1am. so if you get there even at 12:59 you'll get in and be able to go to your desired destination. you'll see alot of drunks and derelicts at this time, but its still safe for the most part as the police are highly visable in order to get everyone out. i been on the metro many a time between 1-2am, the trains come about every 5-10 minutes at this time also. its not advisable to take your lady at this time and you still have to keep your wits should you go alone, but there is always...

4) flagging rides: one of the cool things about zipping around town is that you can just throw your hand out and someone will give you a ride for a few rubles. this is normal in Moscow and very safe. i have taken countless rides at every hour imaginable, sometimes drunk on my ass, and have had no problems whatsoever. couple of rules of thumb, 1) never accept rides from a car with more than 1 person in it, and 2) never pay more than 100ru for every 10km. if you are at or staying near the center this translates to 100ru to the kolsovaya (circle ring on the metro map, the brown line) and an extra 100ru accordingly.

if you can learn a few easy phrases in Russian, you can easily do this on your own and impress your lady. for example, when i talk to any driver, i simply say, Va Den Ha (thats the phonetic version of where i live) sto(h) rubly, and thats it, actually i throw normalna in there as well as part of my haggling. should you need to go farther, 200=dvesti, 300=thresta. you should never pay more than 300 anywhere this side of the airport and 100-200ru will get you pretty much anywhere you want to go. you'll most likely be with your lady and just hop in the back and the driver will just do his thing while you concentrate on her.

sometimes i travel alone and get in the front and the driver will want to talk, but my Russian is decent so its not a big deal, but for you, if your Russian is not that good, just keep silent, they'll understand and stop talking to you. or just jump in the back, he'll understand.

typical conversation, me, va den ha sto rubly, driver, va den ha! sto pedishat(150), me, sto normalna (means 100 is normal for here), driver horosho, davai.

haggle and be strong about what you'll pay. remember that most drivers will ask for 50-150ru more than what you should pay for a ride initially.

believe me, after doing this for a few times, you'll enjoy it, and you'll always, for the most part, have your lady there to help. but think how much cooler it would be if you can do this without your lady's help. learn the name of the metro station close to the place where you staying, how to say stoh rubly(100), stoh pedishat(150), and dvesti rubly(200) and then the name of the metro your headed to along with the word normalno and your in. its as easy as that.

5)crime: as in any big city, Moscow has its share of crime. as for me, all i can say is that i feel very comfortable walking around the city, even at night. Ive been many places around town at 2,3,4am, drunk sometimes and have had no problems. this doesn't mean that you shouldn't understand your environment and use common sense. it just means that your relatively safe. Moscow is a 24hr town, its open day and night. you'll find people wandering around at all times, in most areas, its normal. again, use common sense, relax and enjoy.   

6)how to dress: dress as you would in your own town. every type of clothing is worn here including shorts in the summer. one thing about shorts though, your lady might not like you wearing them so know your lady. i see shorts on men when I'm running around town (notice that most if not all are without female company ), but many a lady friend has all balked at the notion when i suggest (only jokingly) that I'm wearing mine when we go out. most women here don't like them on men in public, sorry, just the way it is. i wear shorts only one place, at the gym, tread gently with this.

i would also recommend you bring at least one dressed up outfit if not more. while Moscow is pretty much casual for the most part, there will be times you'll need to spruce up and your lady will be most appreciative, trust me. good luck and peace out....more to come later

chivo

[BillyB]

Not that I'll need it but there are many newbies probably reading this and would be interested in tips on how to approach women and some good Russian pickup lines. What works for you Chivo?

As far as wearing shorts go, my fiancee actually likes me wearing shorts. I wear them all the time at home in the States and when I'm living at my apartment in Tashkent or hotel in Moscow. I have yet to wear them in public in the FSU but I heard that's a no-no with most women.

[chivo]

can't really help you about pickup lines, but i will say that if you speak some Russian, or get lucky and meet a lady who speaks English (and theres more around than you think), that the ladies are very approachable here, and i mean very approachable .

I can safely say that they're a lot of single ladies in Moscow and many are looking to hook up with a man. one other thing, don't be fooled into thinking that Moscow is a bad place to meet prospective women. they're many, i mean many ladies here who are wonderful people and not money hungry gold diggers that many have labeled them. i have met many, but again they are big city girls who like the energy of a big city.


7)your attitude: i would recommend that if you come to Moscow bring things that will be useful in your stay here, i.e., medications from America, clothes fitting the season, ATM card, credit card, and a little cash, small gifts for your friends, etc....but

a couple of things NOT to bring with you is an attitude that you're someone special here because you're a foreigner, and your personal space, because you have none here.

while they're a few ladies who will be intrigued by you being a foreigner, do not go out of your way to let everyone know. you think this is strange, but i cant tell you how many times Ive seen people (yes usually Americans) making sure that everyone knows they speak English and are from another country. thing is you don't want to attract attention here because more bad than good will come from it.

also, leave your personal space, aura, or whatever you want to call it behind because there is none here, and we know Americans need their "space". Russians will bump you, grind you, get in your face on the metro, cut in line in front of you like you're invisible, and so on. it took me awhile to get used to it, but its just the way it is.

understand that you can do pretty much the same if you want, people are just used to it here. i used to get a little irritated by it at first, but noticed that when i did it, it wasn't a big deal (well most of the time) and if i bumped, grinded, got in your face, it was just business as usual. sometimes it works in your favor (a pretty woman grinded me on the metro and, well, she looked,felt and smelled wonderful, and couldn't have been any closer unless we were making love. lets just say it was the most fun i had riding the metro in awhile ). just don't sweat it when the bumping starts, its normal.

8)the police and bribes: it might sound strange, but if you're a foreigner, especially from an English speaking country such as America or England, the police just don't mess with you that much once they see your passport. if your papers are in order you should feel confident in knowing this.

i remember when i first arrived and befriended who is now my good firend and business partner Boris. he told me that the police really don't bother Americans so much mainly because the Americans are known to bitch (quite a lot BTW) to the embassy and many a bribe taking officer has lost his job over a few hundred rubles, and believe me word spreads fast here as well. Ive been stopped here and there as usual, but when they see that I'm an American, they just either pass my documents quickly back, or check to see that everything is in order and I'm on my merry way. remember though not to push your luck and make sure you are within your right to not pay.

I'll give you 2 examples of this:1) i was stopped one time inside the metro and my documents were NOT in order. the officer took me to the back police area of the metro (all metros have them) where there was a holding room and a jail cell. i thought for sure i was in deep do do and at the very least, would have to pay my way out of this. after listening to my story of why things were not in order and how i planned to correct it ( i also ask him if i could make a phone call and i think he thought i was going to call the American Embassy but i was just going to call my friend), the officer handed me back my passport and told me just to go. i was soooo happy that i offered him money for his kindness...he refused....REFUSED...MONEY... a Russian police officer, well i couldn't believe it myself, but thought what Boris had told me was true.

another example was when i was riding with some people in a car (an Englishman was driving) and we were pulled over by an officer standing on the side of the road as they always do. well his papers were in order and everything was fine but for some reason or another the officer wanted money from him. the other guy in the car was Russian and doing the translating and told the Brit that he had to pay because of this and that, all bogus crap. well the Brit starts complaning and threatens to call the British Embassy and no sooner than he does this the officer tells him everything is suddenly ok and have a nice day .

now remember, this can be a trump card for you if push comes to shove, but keep in mind your situation and your surroundings before you put this measure to work for you. in other words sometimes its better just to pay the 100-200 ru and move on. this should be used only when they ask for crazy money because you're an unsuspecting, frightened toursit, or they're harassing you in public for absolutely no reason. more later...good luck and peace out.

chivo

[DKMM]

This is all much appreciated.  I'm arriving in Moscow in 2 months with no experience in EE and no girl to show me around. . . am I better off just finding one there or should I spend my precious time and money on trying to find one online beforehand?

Thanks!

[Turboguy]

Why not try a little of both.  Write some gals in advance and use an agency to meet some there.  My suggestion is to always have a back up plan.   I have met gals who in their letters seemed like they were everything I ever dreamed of and vice versa and when we met there was nothing.   I can put you in touch with a good interpeter there if you want so if you need help with language she can help and she also has a little black book with hundreds of gals looking for a husband.  She can also arrange a fairly descent apartment for you for about $ 65.00 a night.  If you want her e-mail PM me and I will give it to you or PM me with yours and I will have her contact you. 

Chivo did a great job with his tips.  I will give you one more.  Look at the cash you take very carefully.  If it is an old bill or in anyway defective it is useless in the FSU.   Even a minor crease will make it unspendable in Russia.   Hope you have a nice trip.  I will be in Moscow myself in a couple of weeks.   It is a great city to visit and I think you will have a great trip.   Read through the posts here.  There is a wealth of information.

[Turboguy]

Another suggestion for you.  Some of the guys are feeling that the big towns like Moscow are getting a little farmed out because they are so easy to get to.  There are still lots of available gals there but you might want to think about a side trip to Tver.  It is not that far and there are a couple of good agenys there.  One is new and small but run by a really good guy.  The other has been around a while longer and would also be a good choice.   There are some posts in the agency section about them but a side trip to Tver might be a good choice.

[DKMM]

I appreciate the offer but I'm not sure yet about going that route.  Writing campaigns seem to work at first then the letters stop without much reason.  I guess I suck at being a keyboard Romeo.  I'm either not coming on strong enough or probably too strong (i'm guessing the latter).

$65 for an apartment sounds very reasonable.  Anybody know how much it costs to eat there?  I'm talking decent places but nothing fancy.  Also, if anyone has any particular places to go I'd appreciate knowing the must see sights.  Thx.

[Turboguy]

I have noticed that the guys want to write long enough to know the gal is serious and about the time the guys start thinking that the girls dump them because they think the guy is not serious because he has not come to visit them.   A lot of guys have experienced the same thing.  It is not that you are coming on too strong or not strong enough.

As far as eating there you can spend whatever you want.  If I am not with a gal I tend to eat a lot at MickeyD's or Sibarro Pizza.   There is a chain of restaurants.  I that you can have some nice atmosphere and a good dinner for $ 20-30.   I also spend $ 550.00 for one dinner (for 2)in January (my share was 80)

Humm, must see sights.  The Kremlin and Red Square for sure.  Bolshoi is closed.  I loved the Moscow Circus.  The zoo sucks but not bigtime.  If you are into amusement parks keep you self in check until you are somewhere else Gorky Park is like something out of the 50's.   The best must see sights.  You will see that everywhere walking around in mini skirts.

[DKMM]

Actually the emails slowed way down after I bought my ticket to visit them.  They say they still want to meet me, but I get a one paragraph emailed reply once every 2 weeks whereas before it was daily communication, sometimes more than once a day.  So now I have a ticket to visit 2 gals that don't really care that I exist. . . now the feeling is mutual I suppose.

So what about getting to st. petersburg from moscow.  Take a train or can i hire someone to drive me there?  I'd rather be driven if I had a good guide but not if its 200 bucks or more.  I figured I'd ask while I have you around.   

[Turboguy]

It is a long train ride and if you don't know Russian finding the right train might be a challenge.   The train rides there are intersting but I think you would find the easiest way taking a plane.

[PeeWee]

I have noticed that the guys want to write long enough to know the gal is serious and about the time the guys start thinking that the girls dump them because they think the guy is not serious because he has not come to visit them.   A lot of guys have experienced the same thing.  It is not that you are coming on too strong or not strong enough.

As far as eating there you can spend whatever you want.  If I am not with a gal I tend to eat a lot at MickeyD's or Sibarro Pizza.   There is a chain of restaurants.  I that you can have some nice atmosphere and a good dinner for $ 20-30.   I also spend $ 550.00 for one dinner (for 2)in January (my share was 80)

Humm, must see sights.  The Kremlin and Red Square for sure.  Bolshoi is closed.  I loved the Moscow Circus.  The zoo sucks but not bigtime.  If you are into amusement parks keep you self in check until you are somewhere else Gorky Park is like something out of the 50's.   The best must see sights.  You will see that everywhere walking around in mini skirts.

The diamond collection and the history museum. I did not get to visit Lenin either time I traveled to Moscow. Old Arbat Street is the best place, in my opinion to watch the skirts.

I don't like Russian food so Sibarro was a nice find for me, as was McDonald's. I also noticed that sandwiches are much the same as everywhere. I could find those almost everywhere.

Peewee

[Turboguy]

Yes on all that.  Old Arabat street is sort of a typical tourist street with shops, sidewalk cafe's artists sketching portraits, and lots of beautiful gals.   If you want to hit McDonald's, and you think you have seen a busy one you have not seen anything till you see the one on old Arabat.  The last I heard it was the busiest in the world. 

I have not seen Lenin yet either and I am on probably my 16+ trip to moscow when and if I get there.   He keeps hiding from me. 

GUM is sort of a tourist landmark.  It is a big shopping center right across from Red Square.  (maybe they keep it close to Lenins tomb in case he ever wants to go shopping.   It is a city block long and has multiple levels and passages.   It used to be "the" shopping area.  Now I think there are nicer but it is still something to experience.

Riding the metro to me is an experience of its own.  I think someone who visited Moscow and never got near it missed something.

There is a shopping park I like up near the VDHK metro stop.  I found it staying across the street at the Cosmos.   I always like to wander out that way and shop in that area.  It is mostly small stores and Kiosks.  Also the Space museum is right there.   It just dawned on me that I have a photo of the space museum right here so I will post it.  It is the closest structure jutting up into the sky.  The other one you see is the Moscow TV tower.   I liked the space museum but some people would find it boring.  I was big into Amateur Rocketry in my teen years which was the time a lot of memorable things were happening.

[PeeWee]

Yes on all that.  Old Arabat street is sort of a typical tourist street with shops, sidewalk cafe's artists sketching portraits, and lots of beautiful gals.   If you want to hit McDonald's, and you think you have seen a busy one you have not seen anything till you see the one on old Arabat.  The last I heard it was the busiest in the world. 

I have not seen Lenin yet either and I am on probably my 16+ trip to moscow when and if I get there.   He keeps hiding from me. 

GUM is sort of a tourist landmark.  It is a big shopping center right across from Red Square.  (maybe they keep it close to Lenins tomb in case he ever wants to go shopping.   It is a city block long and has multiple levels and passages.   It used to be "the" shopping area.  Now I think there are nicer but it is still something to experience.

Riding the metro to me is an experience of its own.  I think someone who visited Moscow and never got near it missed something.

There is a shopping park I like up near the VDHK metro stop.  I found it staying across the street at the Cosmos.   I always like to wander out that way and shop in that area.  It is mostly small stores and Kiosks.  Also the Space museum is right there.   It just dawned on me that I have a photo of the space museum right here so I will post it.  It is the closest structure jutting up into the sky.  The other one you see is the Moscow TV tower.   I liked the space museum but some people would find it boring.  I was big into Amateur Rocketry in my teen years which was the time a lot of memorable things were happening.

And not to forget there is a Sibarro on the top level of the GUM and a Mc Donalds at Red Square. A 30 second walk from there and you are at the end of the line that has formed for the viewing of Lenin.

Peewee

[chivo]

9) places to eat: as mentioned there are McDonalds here everywhere it seems, Rossticks is another cheap fast food that is similar to KFC (matter of fact KFC bought them out and will be taking over their operations here), Sbarros is too expensive for what you get, especially the ones around the center, Il Patio (Ил Патио) i like better and a meal there for 2 will run about $15-30 depending on your alcohol tab. Most of the places you'll find to eat will be comparable to big cities in the USA. http://www.stilit.com/mos_restor.htm will help you with this.

also if you decide to rent an apt, which would be highly recommended, you can cook meals to save your money for other things. alternate between eating in and out will make it an affordable and pleasant experience and allow for some extravagance if so desired.

you also have US theme restaurants such as TGIF, American Bar & Grill & Hard Rock Cafe which will be along the lines as in the US. These places will have English speaking employees and be visited by English speaking ex-pats and tourists.

10)places to go: Most of the places to sightsee have been mentioned already, but let me give you a couple of places that cost little if any money that would be a cool way to spend some time with a lady.

First, the area mentioned by Turbo, VDNHk and the park that sits across from The Cosmos Hotel. Its a nice place that has finally been upgraded to make it somewhere worth going. You can rent bikes or rollerblades for around $1 an hr and its a carnival like setting where you can also have cheap food and drinks. not a bad place to spend at least a day for relatively nothing and enjoy some time with your lady.

second, the river walk out by metro воробьевы горы (vorobiyovy gory). easy to get to from the center. take metro охотный ряд (okotny ryad) 6 stops and you're there. another place to stroll along the river and enjoy with your lady. you can buy food and drink from the kiosks they set up in the summer and if you want you can take the boat ride back to the center of town.

third, is Парк Победы or Victory Park. picnic like atmosphere, again a nice place to bike, rollerblade, or just spend a pleasant time with your lady. this link will give more details from a visitors perspective. be sure to click on the Парк Победы link for information and how to get there because the station is relatively new and not on the usual metro maps, but easy to get to and not far from Hotel Ukrainia. http://web.mac.com/gavin.cruickshank/iWeb/Site/Better%20Busy%20than%20Bored%202.0/391F17A7-2D74-4958-9507-3B0DA389F587.html. more later...peace out.

chivo

[groovlstk]

on a side note: remember that the metro has a rush hr too. millions of people use it daily. i would avoid the hrs between 8-10am and 5-730pm if possible. also remember that from 7am till around 11pm, trains come at a rate of about once a minute, so dont worry if you just missed one, another will arrive shortly.

I'll second this, after telling all my NYC pals three months ago that the Moscow metro was superior to the NYC subway system, I made the mistake of using the Moscow metro last week during rush hour. Imagine emerging from your train to mill with hundreds of other Muscovites aggressively funneling towards a single escalator in 95-degree heat. Factor in the disregard Russians seem to have to bumping and grinding and you've got all the makings for a headache that would kill a cow. The NYC subway stations are ugly, smelly, and the trains are not nearly as fast or as regular as Moscow's, but the cars are air conditioned and even at rush hour the volume is easily managed. 

Also, don't be afraid to do some bumping and grinding yourself... I took the electrichka at rush hour last week and found myself unable to exit the train after arriving at my girlfriend's station in Khimki. She somehow managed to squeeze through the dozen or so people blocking the door, while I politely excused myself and waited for a path to clear, only to watch in horror as the doors closed and the train pulled away. At the next station I lowered my shoulder and angrily pushed through the people blocking the door, but it was little consolation for having to walk 4 or 5 kilometers along the tracks back to my gf's station!

[Jet]

One of the 'ring' stations: