One thing worth knowing about the metro here: it only has one line, so it's honestly more of a curiosity than a practical way to get around. I usually just walk or grab a tram. If you're near Ploshchad 1905 Goda, the underpass there doubles as a pedestrian crossing under the busy intersection, which saves you a lot of waiting at lights.

On the food side, everyone mentions Rakovarnya but I'd point you to Shokoladnitsa on Lenina for a cheap breakfast, or the stolovaya inside the Dom Knigi building if you want a proper canteen lunch for under 300 RUB. Pelmeni are everywhere, but the ones at Ural Pelmeni on Gagarina are better than the chain spots.

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The guide covers the main stuff well. One thing I'd add about the Aeroexpress: it actually goes to Koltsovo Airport station, which is not the terminal itself. You then take a free shuttle bus or walk about 10 minutes to the departures hall, so factor in an extra 15 minutes if you're cutting it close for a flight. Also, the last train from the city leaves around 22:30, not 23:00, so check the schedule if you have a late arrival.

For the border marker day trip, most people just take a taxi or an organized tour. But if you want to do it cheaply, marshrutka 150 goes toward Pervouralsk and you can ask the driver to drop you near the marker. It's a bit of a walk from the road though, so wear decent shoes.

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solid writeup, covers more than most guides do. one thing i'd add on the sim card front: megaFon & beeline shops in the center often refuse tourist sims without a local registration, so if you get turned away just try the small kiosks inside the airport arrivals hall, they're pricier but they don't ask questions. also the 20GB for 500 RUB figure is optimistic these days, expect closer to 700-900.

on the border marker, skip the tour buses. rent a bike in the center & ride out along the Moscow highway, its like 25km but flat, takes 2 hours & the road shoulder is fine. way better than sitting in traffic on a marshrutka

for coffee, engels is good but i'd send you to Kofeynya na Pushkina near the literary quarter instead, less crowded & the syrniki there are unreal

one last thing, the metro token machines only take coins or a card, so break a bill before you go down or you'll be stuck

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good list but you're missing the afterparty scene. if you end up at pravda or griboyedov and it's like 4 am and the lights come on, don't head straight home. ask around for "kvartirnik", someone always knows a flat party in the center, usually near ploshchad 1905 goda. bring your own bottle, 500 rubles cover at most, and it goes till 8 am easy. way more fun than the clubs tbh, just sketchier to find.

also, everjazz is great but check if they have a "jam night" on sundays. it's 300 rubles entry and local musicians just show up and play, way more raw than the ticketed shows. i've seen some random sax player blow the roof off there on a random tuesday. and if you're hungry after, skip the shawarma and hit the 24/7 pelmeni place on malysheva, near the swan. it's called "pelmeny", no fancy name, and it's basically a hole in the wall but the dumplings with sour cream fix everything at 5 am.

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ok so the guide is solid but honestly the real move is skipping vaynera entirely on fridays and starting at 'the swan' around 8 pm, before it gets packed. get a seat by the window, order their smoked old fashioned, and watch the crowd stumble in. that place has the best bartenders in the city, they'll remember u after one visit and pour heavier the second time.

for something the guide missed, check out 'sverdlovsk bar' on lenina 38, it's tucked in a courtyard near the opera house. looks like a soviet waiting room from the outside but inside it's all neon and vinyl records, they play funk and soul till 2 am and the negroni is like 350 rubles. no cover, mostly locals who work in design or music, way more interesting conversation than the club crowd.

also if ur doing plotinka, the riverside bars are nice but the real hidden spot is the boat dock behind the sevastyanov house. in summer they turn it into a pop-up bar with deckchairs and a tiny grill, you can smoke and watch the city lights reflect off the iset. closes at midnight but it's the best pregame spot if u wanna chat before the chaos. just bring cash, they don't take cards.

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solid list, ngl you nailed the main spots. one thing i'd add: check out the rooftop bars at the Vysotsky tower if you want a view, the sky lounge on the 52nd floor is pricey but worth it once for the sunset over the Iset. also, for a proper local night, skip the center on fridays and hit 'Bar Ulet' like you said, but go later, around 1 AM, when the crowd gets rowdy and someone usually breaks out a guitar. that's the real Uralmash energy.

also, heads up on getting home: yandex taxi is fine but at 3 AM on weekends the surge can double, so walk a few blocks away from the club before ordering. saves u like 200 rubles easy. and if you're near Plotinka, the 24/7 shawarma stand on Lenina, right by the dam, is the classic post-party move. cheap, greasy, perfect.

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