Moscow is not only the capital city of Russia, it is the heart of the country’s political, economic, and cultural life. Perched on the banks of the Moscow River, the city of 15+ million is known for its rich architecture — from the colorful domes of St. Basil’s Cathedral to the Federation Tower, the largest skyscraper in Europe, reflecting a mix of Moscow’s colorful history. Our guide to running in Moscow reflects the grand scale of the city’s layout, which features a series of ‘ring roads’ and a ‘ring’ subway, radiating from the Kremlin.
Running in Moscow has its contrasts: it is one of the greenest cities in Europe, with many parks, but can also be a challenge due to the air pollution, traffic, busy streets lacking a shoulder, and tough surfaces in winter. But there are actually some wonderful running spots. The most popular is Gorky Park and the adjoining Moscow River embankment paths. We’ve also designed two ‘runseeing’ tours: one highlighting the Red Square area, and the other a lovely 10k through a series of linear parks along the inner ring road, passing many important Moscow sites. In the more modern Presnensky business district, there’s some nice running on river paths and some linear parks. For some real green space, there are some great parks for running: extensive Solniki and Pokrovskoye Streshnevo parks; Filevsky and Suvorov parks in western Moscow; and Severnoye Tushino, Riverport, and Druzhby parks in the northwestern part of the city.
Public transport in Moscow is excellent, with an extensive metro, bus, and light rail system. One other note about running in Moscow: the city is famous for its harsh, snowy winters. This can make running beautiful or unpleasant and challenging, depending on conditions and your perspective!
