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The Travolin Mandolin Fits in a Carry-On!

Travolin - The Mandolin That Fits in a Carry-On!

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Travolin -Travel Mandolin

The travolin mandolin, travolin - the mandolin that fits in a carry-on.

The only travel mandolin that fits in a carry-on (roll-aboard), strapped to or in a backpack! 

Built-In Arm Rest Protects Bridge in Transit

This travel mandolin has an arm rest that sits higher than than the bridge and allows playability without a strap

Rugged One Piece Unibody Construction

Carved out of one piece of Maple the Travolin mandolin will eliminate the flex created at the neck joint when packed 

Hear and See The Travolin!

These videos demonstrate the resonation, sound quality and projection from the unique design and construction of the Travolin!

The Travolin Mandolin is Built for Travelin'

The mandolin built for travelin’, now you don't have to give up great sound and great action when you travel with your mandolin  , the travolin represents a new class for a travel mandolin. with its rugged one piece construction it is designed to go where you go and still give you the great sound and feel you would expect from a high end mandolin.  designed with the traveler in mind the travolin: .

• Fits in a Carry-On 
• Solid Maple Construction 
• Extra Stiff Soundboard 
• Built-in Arm Rest Protects Bridge  
• Produces a Big Clear Sound 
• Easy to Play with Great Action 
• Handmade in the USA with local hardwoods and softwoods 

The Travolin is expertly crafted to give you years of enjoyment.   Whether you are a seasoned professional or a beginning student this mandolin is a great choice. If it’s slung over your shoulder, put in your backpack or in your carry-on, it is easy to bring almost anywhere.

Most mandolin players play their mandolins every day.  But when you travel you are reluctant to take your good mandolin on the road with you because you don’t want it to get damaged. You know that if you buy a cheap mandolin to go on the road with it is not road worthy and the sound and action won’t be what you are used to. The designers at Silverleaf Instruments realized this and went to work designing a mandolin that will not only fit in a carry on but also will perform, sound and feel like a “real” mandolin.

The results of their research produced a rugged mandolin that has a one piece body. The new patent pending Unibody construction of the instrument is one piece of maple from the headstock to the tailpiece . Since there is no joint between the neck and body you will not have to worry about the instrument being flexed when it is packed for travel. The soundboard is hollowed out on the inside even though the outside looks flat. This internal arc allows for dynamic resonance while giving the soundboard extra stiffness for further road worthy robustness.  This resulted in a sleek design with great appeal and a ruggedness that lends itself to travel. 

The Travolin is designed to handle wide temperature ranges, be stuffed in a suitcase or backpack for long periods of time and survive miles of rough terrain and travel. When you finally arrive at your destination you can pull it out of its gig bag and it will play and perform as you would expect.

What's In Your Carry-On (Roll-Aboard) Or Backpack?

What's in your carry-on (roll-aboard).

Now you can realize the full potential of your playing capabilities no matter where you go. Whether you are a seasoned professional or a beginning student this mandolin is a great choice.  Most mandolin players like the idea of bringing there mandolin with them when they travel and most young students will appreciate the size as they begin to learn to play. The easy playing neck action and great tone will enhance the learning experience.  The Travolin is designed to handle wide temperature ranges and can be stuffed in a suitcase or backpack for long periods of time and survive miles of rough terrain and travel. When you finally arrive at your destination you can pull it out of its gig bag and it will play and perform as you would expect.  If it is slung over your shoulder, put in your backpack or in your carry-on, it is easy to bring almost anywhere.  As you know when you travel by plane you are allowed one carry-on bag and one personal item. If you pack the Travolin into your carry-on and they have to check your bag because there is no room in the overhead bin then all you have to do is take out your Travolin and carry it with you.

Rugged Unibody One Piece Construction

The results of their research produced a rugged mandolin that has a one piece body. the new patent pending unibody construction of the instrument is one piece of maple from the headstock to the tailpiece . since there is no joint between the neck and body you will not have to worry about the instrument being flexed when it is packed for travel. the soundboard is hollowed out on the inside even though the outside looks flat. this internal arc allows for dynamic resonance while giving the soundboard extra stiffness for further road worthy robustness.  this resulted in a sleek design with great appeal and a ruggedness that lends itself to travel. , built-in arm rest protects bridge, built-in arm rest protects bridge while in transit.

• Protects your bridge and soundboard from damage while in transit..  
• Allows you to play your Travolin standing up without the need for a strap.  
• Gives you a place to rest your arm, wrist or palm while you strum and pick.  

The key advantage is the fact that the arm rest  is a solid  piece of maple and acts to protect the bridge and soudboad when it is in your carry-on, backpack or camper. This adds to the rugged reliability the instruments' design and proves once again that the Travolin is Built for Travelin".  The Travolin's arm rest allows you to hold the instrument against you while you play. This makes it easy to strum and pick while you are standing or sitting and you can go from sitting to standing without the need for a strap.  Depending on your playing style you may find that your forearm sits well on the rest  and some of you will use it as a place to put your palm while you play and you may find that resting your wrist works for you. Many players actually move from wrist to palm as they play and find it very comfortable. Silverleaf Instruemnts realized this and went to work designing a mandolin that will not only fit in a carry on but also will perform, sound and feel like a “real” mandolin.

Easy Action Great Projection and Perfect Intonation

Listen closely and you will hear a banjo in the background and you can hear the Travolin mandolin projecting though it.

International Bluegrass Museum Review

"Great Sound in the Open and Closed Positions!"

Sounds Great when Accompanying a Guitar!

Pricing and availability, currently sold out contact us for pricing and availability.

• Order yours today to be added to the build list! 
• Travolins should be available in a few months. 

All of the Travolins in the current production run are sold. Most of the time all the Travolins in a run are spoken for before they are finished. Therefore they have never been in stock and have not been available except by reserving one.  For price and availability send an email to [email protected] or call us at 207-877-4798 and we will you send a PayPal link for the model you would like. Thanks!   

   The Travolin by Silverleaf Instruments

Hear What the Growing Number of Travolin Users Have to Say

Surprised at the volume and tone.

 "I received my new Travolin today.  I'm surprised at the volume and tone of this instrument. I couldn't believe the size.  Its perfect for take along, actually I'm planning on going on vacation next week and the Travolin will be going with me.  Great fun to pick. The service with Silverleaf is second to none."  -- Charles Hubbard, Virginia.  

The Action is Real Smooth

"Very Nice! The Action is real smooth (the strings) are not raised whatsoever. It is nice in the first position and up here (in the second position). I can even cross pick with it. Nice!" -- Danny Clark  International Bluegrass Museum, Kentucky

I was Sold the Minute I Laid Eyes on it

 "I just received my new Travel Mandolin "Travolin" by Silverleaf. I was sold the minute I laid eyes on it. It is small enough to fit in an airplane carryon bag but it has the feel of a much larger instrument." -- Salvatore Sciandra, 

It Packs a Lot of Sound for its Size

“I have been playing my new Travolin for several days now and I am thoroughly enjoying myself. The action is great and it packs a lot of sound for its size. Doing business with you was also a pleasure.” -- Salvatore Sciandra, California  

Blown Away by the Action and Sound

“ I am blown away by the action and sound” -- John Heaton-Jones Mandolinist, Maine 

All I had Hoped For and More!

“Just to say that my Travolin arrived today and it is beautiful - all that I hoped and more."-- Lyn Bruce England 

Exactly What I was Looking For!

"Lovely little instrument and exactly what I was looking for. Thanks!"- -Dan Welch   

The Neck has a Great Feel to it!

 “ The neck has a great feel to it” - - Dave Surette Mandolin Recording Artist    

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Has anyone modified a mandolin for travelling?

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I am thinking of modifying a mandolin to make a traveller. ideas: 1. Just saw off both sides in a straight line, straighten the surplus sides or just use some thin plywood strips and glue them back. 2. Bend the sides in and cut off the overhanging top and bottom. needs a way of straightening the bottom though. 3. Making a foldable mandolin with a hinge where the neck meets the body. Secured with a wingnut or a clamping latch. 4. Removable neck. Connected with just to steelrods going into two steel tubes and held on by string tension 5. Removable neck, held with two through bolts with wing nuts. Or a tap and one bolt. Has anyone done such a (crazy) thing ?

Kentucky KM-805..........2 Hora M1086 Portuguese II(1 in car) Hora M1088 Mandola..... Richmond RMA-110..... .Noname Bearclaw Pochette Franz Janisch...5 Pocket............Alfredo Privitera pocket Puglisi Pocket 1908........Puglisi 1912.......Puglisi 1917 3 Mandolinetto ..............C.Garozzo 1 Mandriola...................Cannelo G. Mandriola...Böhm Waldzither 1921 Johs Møller 1945............Luigi Embergher Studio 1933 Marma Seashell back......Luigi Embergher 5bis 1909

Re: Has anyone modified a mandolin for travelling?

The Folks at Martin Guitar have done such a (crazy?) thing, maybe 15 years ago. https://reverb.com/item/564124-marti...acker-mandolin The Backpacker mandolin didn't sell well because of less-than-wonderful sound, and mandolins are fairly portable anyway. But they are around. I'd suspect that sawing off body parts will give a sound not much different from the Martin's.

- Ed "Then one day we weren't as young as before Our mistakes weren't quite so easy to undo But by all those roads, my friend, we've travelled down I'm a better man for just the knowin' of you." - Ian Tyson

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Originally Posted by EdHanrahan The Folks at Martin Guitar have done such a (crazy?) thing. https://reverb.com/item/564124-marti...acker-mandolin They didn't sell well because of less-than-wonderful sound, and mandolins are already fairly portable. But they are around. I'd suspect sawing off much of a body will give a sound not much different from the Martin's. Yes I know them but I never understood the rationale behind the triangular body.

Poul: you have some travel mandolins already: “two unknown pocket mandolins”

Jim My Stream on Soundcloud Facebook 19th Century Tunes Playing lately: 1924 Gibson A4 - 2018 Campanella A-5 - 2007 Brentrup A4C - 1915 Frank Merwin Ashley violin - Huss & Dalton DS - 1923 Gibson A2 black snakehead - '83 Flatiron A5-2 - 1939 Gibson L-00 - 1936 Epiphone Deluxe - 1928 Gibson L-5 - ca. 1890s Fairbanks Senator Banjo - ca. 1923 Vega Style M tenor banjo - ca. 1920 Weymann Style 25 Mandolin-Banjo - National RM-1

Originally Posted by Jim Garber Poul: you have some travel mandolins already: “two unknown pocket mandolins” Yes I have three although two are bowlbacks. But I can't stop thinking out new projects even when prior projects aren't finished There is also a chance that some of my ideas might produce a better sounding mandolin.

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DavidKOS  

Well, just glue a neck and fingerboard to a stick plus tailpiece and bridge, add a pickup and your phone, and you’ve got it.

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Stoneman travel mandolins seem to be a lot like what you're talking about; of course, you forego the pleasure of sawing up an existing instrument! This 2011 thread discusses customizing one, and evaluates its sound etc.

Allen Hopkins Gibsn: '54 F5 3pt F2 A-N Custm K1 m'cello Natl Triolian Dobro mando Victoria b-back Merrill alumnm b-back H-O mandolinetto Stradolin Vega banjolin Sobell'dola Washburn b-back'dola Eastmn: 615'dola 805 m'cello Flatiron 3K OM

I have definitely modified a mandolin due to traveling, unintentionally.

But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong. - Dennis Miller Furthering Mandolin Consciousness Finders Keepers, my duo with the astoundingly talented and versatile Patti Rothberg. Our EP is finally done, and available! PM me, while they last!

Sawed part of the peghead off "The Awful" to fit in a dry bag for a river trip, worked great!

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I think you have to be clear what the criteria for a "travel mandolin" is. If you just mean smaller, there are many available options. If you just mean not so valuable that you won't get agitated if the mandolin is damaged in traveling, there are other options. If I put so much effort in making an object, as you describe, I would be very agitated if it was damaged in travel!

A talent for trivializin' the momentous and complicatin' the obvious. The entire staff funny ....

The mandolin is already a travel instrument.

www.condino.com Crafted by hand in a workshop powered by the sun.

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Originally Posted by oldwave maker Sawed part of the peghead off "The Awful" to fit in a dry bag for a river trip, worked great! Yes, I have often thought that would work. Personally, I might look at a Seagull. It's very narrow and good for travelling. I can get it into an smallish backpack along with a change of clothes, couple of books etc, which enables me to fly with one one article of luggage, which I find is very useful. https://worldfolk.org/seagull-s8-mandolin-review/ This is a video of me playing shortly after I got it 4 years ago. It's loud, and really pretty good. Note how small it is. https://www.facebook.com/daggergordo...27459270712795

David A. Gordon

Originally Posted by j. condino The mandolin is already a travel instrument. Bingo. A mandolin in a soft case or gig bag takes up so little room, trying to make it smaller isn't necessary. Plus it will sound so much better than a sawed-off sawed-up one. I'm sure you've thought about that already, but are still intrigued by the prospect. Wish you well, though advise against. BTW, I used to put my F-12 in my soft full-size rucksack and take it everywhere - hiking, camping, tree-climbing. Never hurt it a bit, and was always glad to have a decent-sounding instrument whenever and wherever I stopped to play.

Could always get a piccolo mando

I have one of these, called a Travolin. I've taken it backpacking, it fits in my 40l backpack just fine. Its plenty loud enough for campfire singalongs and general noodling. Not much lighter than a mandolin, but very sturdy.

IMO a non-resonated banjo-uke tuned in fifths makes a great travel mandolin. Sturdy and usually lightweight. Loud too! And you’ve got instant volume control: just “put a sock in it” (between the dowel stick and head) to tone it down a bit.

Originally Posted by mjbee IMO a non-resonated banjo-uke tuned in fifths makes a great travel mandolin. Sturdy and usually lightweight. Loud too! And you’ve got instant volume control: just “put a sock in it” (between the dowel stick and head) to tone it down a bit. Hey MJB, I'm intrigued by this. What size banjo-uke do you think works best? More details please!

Originally Posted by Silverbeige;[URL="tel:1854801" 1854801[/URL]]Hey MJB, I'm intrigued by this. What size banjo-uke do you think works best? More details please! I have several, but my favorite overall, and best for travel, is a 1920s Bacon. 13.5” scale length, 8” pot. Aquila makes a set of uke strings designed for 5ths tuning (set 30U). There are many other vintage brands that would work as well. Bacons are noted for a nice tone, but stromberg-voisinette, slingerland, Vega, may be good affordable options. I swap out the friction tuners on these old ones with gotoh geared replacements which makes tuning easier on these short-scale instruments.

I believe this is the droid you're looking for. https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...t-Mandolin-V-2

Jacobson Instruments - martinjacobson.com - https://www.instagram.com/jacobsoninstruments/

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poul hansen  

Really nice design, there. I think the price point is a bit high for what the OP is after, though.

I played a banjo uke a very long time ago, it was a fun instrument. I changed the tuners to geared tuners, cheap ones will do. I used steel strings, with about an 8" pot. It sounded good and had lots of volume, but not overbearing. Gave it to my grandson last year.

THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE JUST FOR YOUR SMILE!

I’ve used my Flatiron pancake (Army Navy) as a travel mando. I’ve had a Martin, a travolin and tried the trick with a uke - the Flatiron is by far the best option. A big muddy in a soft case would be good too. I really wish someone would make an army navy style carbon fiber - that would be the ultimate.

Originally Posted by poul hansen I am thinking of modifying a mandolin to make a traveller. ideas: 1. Just saw off both sides in a straight line, straighten the surplus sides or just use some thin plywood strips and glue them back. 2. Bend the sides in and cut off the overhanging top and bottom. needs a way of straightening the bottom though. 3. Making a foldable mandolin with a hinge where the neck meets the body. Secured with a wingnut or a clamping latch. 4. Removable neck. Connected with just to steelrods going into two steel tubes and held on by string tension 5. Removable neck, held with two through bolts with wing nuts. Or a tap and one bolt. Has anyone done such a (crazy) thing ? Someone a few years ago cut off the sides of an inexpensive A style mandolin and made a travel mandolin. I'll see if I can find the thread. The foldable part has been done but I cant remember where I saw that part. Here's the thread where they cut down the body.

"It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer." --M. Stillion "Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them" --J. Garber

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Originally Posted by oldwave maker Sawed part of the peghead off "The Awful" to fit in a dry bag for a river trip, worked great! That's actually great. It kind of reminds me of my neighbor that had an old pickup truck known affectionately as "Old Dangerous".

This may be bending the subject a bit, and I don't want to hijack the post, but... Years back I was traveling a lot for business ( Pickin' and FRETS ) and wanted to take a mandolin on the road with me so I could practice while sitting in my hotel room. Rather than carrying a separate case, I built a rather durable mando that would fit in my hanging garment bag when the bag was folded in half (before the time of the now popular roll-boards). The body is basically a piece of 3/4˝ maple with a portion of the body - about 3˝ in diameter - routed out to act as a mini air chamber (what was remaining as "soundboard" wood is, I think, about 1/8˝ thick). The back of the air chamber was enclosed with a plastic plate (so I'd have an "air chamber") and I made a singular f -hole in the front. It had an absolutely necessary pre-embargo Brazilian rosewood peghead veneer and a carefully profiled neck (so it would feel right). And, of course, it had the absolutely necessary F-style peghead. It probably accompanied me on about 20-30 trips and never got broken. It now hangs on my wall but is still together and playable. And, in case you are curious, it sounded much more like a piece of wood than a Loar-signed F5! R

Straight Up Strings

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Live updates, american airlines changes passenger rules for earning miles — and travel agencies are pissed.

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American Airlines has multiple travel advisors up in arms after it announced plans to restrict AAdvantage Miles earnings for certain booking agencies.

The airline behemoth  announced  in February that flyers hoping to earn AAdvantage miles for their flights will have to do so directly through American, their airline partners, or preferred travel agencies recognized by the company.

The change will take effect on May 1, but American has yet to reveal which agencies will be included in its “preferred agencies.”

The change comes as part of the airline’s effort to minimize costs for agencies using older technology booking systems.

The airline has tried to convince agencies using the older booking systems to upgrade to newer platforms like the one American uses on its website.

While American  announced  a list would be shared in “late April,” agencies unsure if they’ll make the cut are expressing their distaste for the major change.

The American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA), Association of Canadian Travel Agencies and Advisors (ACTA), Foro Latinoamericano de Turismo (FOLATUR), and World Travel Agents Associations Alliance (WTAA) emphasized that any plans to restrict their clients’ earning miles could be detrimental to their agencies.

“It’s clear from the consensus among WTAAA, ACTA and FOLATUR, representing travel professionals around the world, the detriment that American’s decision will have on the travel industry globally,” President and CEO of ASTA, Zane Kerby, told  Travel and Tour World .

Kerby called out American for “operating in bad faith” and was “looking to pad its bottom line at the expense of our valued clients and the millions of consumers who rely on their trusted travel advisor.”

Henry Harteveldt, president of the travel industry market research firm Atmosphere Research Group, told  Fodor’s Travel  the move is a “very inward-looking” perspective on American Airlines.

“It’s not a very consumer-friendly approach, and American is being a bit of a bully here,” Harteveldt explained — adding the move will put loyalty airline members in the crossfire of the company’s dispute with agencies.

Harteveldt believes the move is also being monitored by the company’s competitors, who may adopt the change if it’s a success or whose sales teams may swoop in to poach any American flyers unpleased with the new method.

“As risky as American’s actions are, a lot of airlines are watching to see if it works out well for them, because if it does, I would not be surprised to see United and Delta copy it in certain ways,” he told the outlet.

While the airline is deadset on the change, Brett Snyder — author of the popular travel industry blog Crankyflier and CEO of the travel assistance service Cranky Concierge — said the move could cause “confusion” for the company’s flyers who already are trying to navigate their “frequent changes.”

“The biggest impact will likely be on business travelers who may not have a choice of where to book depending upon company policy,” Snyder told the outlet.

“The fact that American still hasn’t told everyone who is or is not preferred adds more to the confusion.”

As the airline industry waits to hear who American will list as their “preferred agencies,” occasional travelers may also feel the weight of the change, Snyder explained.

He worries that some agencies may not disclose that to their customers during the booking process.

Also, the move could affect cruise lines that book airfares as part of their packages, who may opt against using certain agencies not listed as one of American’s preferred agencies.

The changes will only affect travelers who collect AAdvantage Miles for their flights on American.

Flyers using corporate accounts with American will continue to earn miles for their flights no matter which booking channel they use unless they book a Basic Economy fare.

Travelers collecting miles from other Oneworld partners—the global airline alliance American is a member of with 13 other Airlines, such as British Airways, Qatar Airways, and Malaysia Airlines—will continue to earn miles for American Airlines flights regardless of booking channel.

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Israel Faced a Sophisticated Attack From Iran

The weapons Iran employed this weekend travel farther and are more precise than those Hamas and other allies have used against Israel in the past six months.

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By Jin Yu Young

• April 14, 2024

Late Saturday, Iran began firing hundreds of drones and missiles at Israel, including weapons that experts say are more sophisticated than anything Israel had encountered until now in six months of fighting with Hamas and its allies in the region.

Previously, Israel had faced aerial attacks from Hamas and Islamic Jihad, whose rocket arsenal includes short-range (12 to 25 miles) and somewhat inaccurate 122-milimeter rockets of the Grad family, as well as Syrian-made M-302 rockets with a range of about 100 miles. Hamas also has Fajr-5 rockets from Iran and a similar, locally made version of the Fajr-5, both with a range of about 50 miles.

The weapons Iran used on Saturday can travel much farther, and some of them can travel much faster. Still, Israel said that nearly all of the missiles and drones that Iran fired were intercepted, many with help from U.S. forces.

In the attack, 185 drones, 36 cruise missiles and 110 surface-to-surface missiles were fired toward Israel, according to Israeli military officials. Most of the launches were from Iran, though a small portion came from Iraq and Yemen, the officials said.

Fabian Hinz, an expert on Iran’s military at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in Berlin, said in a post on X that Iran was probably using a cruise missile developed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, the Paveh 351. It has a range of more than 1,200 miles — plenty to reach Israel from Iran.

According to his post, different versions of that missile have also been provided to the Houthis in Yemen and to the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces.

And Jeffrey Lewis, a member of the International Security Advisory Board at the U.S. State Department, said in a post on X that Iran was using land-attack cruise missiles that could carry around a ton of explosives.

He also noted that much of Iran’s ballistic missile arsenal has a long enough range to reach Israel. And though Iran’s drones carry much smaller explosive payloads than missiles, they have the advantage of being able to hover and shift targets.

In recent decades, Iran has largely been focused on deterrence, long-range missiles, drones and air defenses. It has one of the largest ballistic missile and drone arsenals across the Middle East, according to weapons experts, and is also becoming a major arms exporter globally.

Last year, after the attack by Hamas in October, Israel asked the United States for more precision-guided munitions for its combat aircraft and more interceptors for its Iron Dome missile defense system. Israel’s weapons arsenal includes Vietnam-era missiles, some of which have a failure rate as high as 15 percent.

Jin Yu Young reports on South Korea, the Asia Pacific region and global breaking news from Seoul. More about Jin Yu Young

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The Moscow Metro Museum of Art: 10 Must-See Stations

There are few times one can claim having been on the subway all afternoon and loving it, but the Moscow Metro provides just that opportunity.  While many cities boast famous public transport systems—New York’s subway, London’s underground, San Salvador’s chicken buses—few warrant hours of exploration.  Moscow is different: Take one ride on the Metro, and you’ll find out that this network of railways can be so much more than point A to B drudgery.

The Metro began operating in 1935 with just thirteen stations, covering less than seven miles, but it has since grown into the world’s third busiest transit system ( Tokyo is first ), spanning about 200 miles and offering over 180 stops along the way.  The construction of the Metro began under Joseph Stalin’s command, and being one of the USSR’s most ambitious building projects, the iron-fisted leader instructed designers to create a place full of svet (radiance) and svetloe budushchee (a radiant future), a palace for the people and a tribute to the Mother nation.

Consequently, the Metro is among the most memorable attractions in Moscow.  The stations provide a unique collection of public art, comparable to anything the city’s galleries have to offer and providing a sense of the Soviet era, which is absent from the State National History Museum.  Even better, touring the Metro delivers palpable, experiential moments, which many of us don’t get standing in front of painting or a case of coins.

Though tours are available , discovering the Moscow Metro on your own provides a much more comprehensive, truer experience, something much less sterile than following a guide.  What better place is there to see the “real” Moscow than on mass transit: A few hours will expose you to characters and caricatures you’ll be hard-pressed to find dining near the Bolshoi Theater.  You become part of the attraction, hear it in the screech of the train, feel it as hurried commuters brush by: The Metro sucks you beneath the city and churns you into the mix.

With the recommendations of our born-and-bred Muscovite students, my wife Emma and I have just taken a self-guided tour of what some locals consider the top ten stations of the Moscow Metro. What most satisfied me about our Metro tour was the sense of adventure .  I loved following our route on the maps of the wagon walls as we circled the city, plotting out the course to the subsequent stops; having the weird sensation of being underground for nearly four hours; and discovering the next cavern of treasures, playing Indiana Jones for the afternoon, piecing together fragments of Russia’s mysterious history.  It’s the ultimate interactive museum.

Top Ten Stations (In order of appearance)

Kievskaya station.

Kievskaya Station went public in March of 1937, the rails between it and Park Kultury Station being the first to cross the Moscow River.  Kievskaya is full of mosaics depicting aristocratic scenes of Russian life, with great cameo appearances by Lenin, Trotsky, and Stalin.  Each work has a Cyrillic title/explanation etched in the marble beneath it; however, if your Russian is rusty, you can just appreciate seeing familiar revolutionary dates like 1905 ( the Russian Revolution ) and 1917 ( the October Revolution ).

Mayakovskaya Station

Mayakovskaya Station ranks in my top three most notable Metro stations. Mayakovskaya just feels right, done Art Deco but no sense of gaudiness or pretention.  The arches are adorned with rounded chrome piping and create feeling of being in a jukebox, but the roof’s expansive mosaics of the sky are the real showstopper.  Subjects cleverly range from looking up at a high jumper, workers atop a building, spires of Orthodox cathedrals, to nimble aircraft humming by, a fleet of prop planes spelling out CCCP in the bluest of skies.

Novoslobodskaya Station

Novoslobodskaya is the Metro’s unique stained glass station.  Each column has its own distinctive panels of colorful glass, most of them with a floral theme, some of them capturing the odd sailor, musician, artist, gardener, or stenographer in action.  The glass is framed in Art Deco metalwork, and there is the lovely aspect of discovering panels in the less frequented haunches of the hall (on the trackside, between the incoming staircases).  Novosblod is, I’ve been told, the favorite amongst out-of-town visitors.

Komsomolskaya Station

Komsomolskaya Station is one of palatial grandeur.  It seems both magnificent and obligatory, like the presidential palace of a colonial city.  The yellow ceiling has leafy, white concrete garland and a series of golden military mosaics accenting the tile mosaics of glorified Russian life.  Switching lines here, the hallway has an Alice-in-Wonderland feel, impossibly long with decorative tile walls, culminating in a very old station left in a remarkable state of disrepair, offering a really tangible glimpse behind the palace walls.

Dostoevskaya Station

Dostoevskaya is a tribute to the late, great hero of Russian literature .  The station at first glance seems bare and unimpressive, a stark marble platform without a whiff of reassembled chips of tile.  However, two columns have eerie stone inlay collages of scenes from Dostoevsky’s work, including The Idiot , The Brothers Karamazov , and Crime and Punishment.   Then, standing at the center of the platform, the marble creates a kaleidoscope of reflections.  At the entrance, there is a large, inlay portrait of the author.

Chkalovskaya Station

Chkalovskaya does space Art Deco style (yet again).  Chrome borders all.  Passageways with curvy overhangs create the illusion of walking through the belly of a chic, new-age spacecraft.  There are two (kos)mosaics, one at each end, with planetary subjects.  Transferring here brings you above ground, where some rather elaborate metalwork is on display.  By name similarity only, I’d expected Komsolskaya Station to deliver some kosmonaut décor; instead, it was Chkalovskaya that took us up to the space station.

Elektrozavodskaya Station

Elektrozavodskaya is full of marble reliefs of workers, men and women, laboring through the different stages of industry.  The superhuman figures are round with muscles, Hollywood fit, and seemingly undeterred by each Herculean task they respectively perform.  The station is chocked with brass, from hammer and sickle light fixtures to beautiful, angular framework up the innards of the columns.  The station’s art pieces are less clever or extravagant than others, but identifying the different stages of industry is entertaining.

Baumanskaya Statio

Baumanskaya Station is the only stop that wasn’t suggested by the students.  Pulling in, the network of statues was just too enticing: Out of half-circle depressions in the platform’s columns, the USSR’s proud and powerful labor force again flaunts its success.  Pilots, blacksmiths, politicians, and artists have all congregated, posing amongst more Art Deco framing.  At the far end, a massive Soviet flag dons the face of Lenin and banners for ’05, ’17, and ‘45.  Standing in front of the flag, you can play with the echoing roof.

Ploshchad Revolutsii Station

Novokuznetskaya Station

Novokuznetskaya Station finishes off this tour, more or less, where it started: beautiful mosaics.  This station recalls the skyward-facing pieces from Mayakovskaya (Station #2), only with a little larger pictures in a more cramped, very trafficked area.  Due to a line of street lamps in the center of the platform, it has the atmosphere of a bustling market.  The more inventive sky scenes include a man on a ladder, women picking fruit, and a tank-dozer being craned in.  The station’s also has a handsome black-and-white stone mural.

Here is a map and a brief description of our route:

Start at (1)Kievskaya on the “ring line” (look for the squares at the bottom of the platform signs to help you navigate—the ring line is #5, brown line) and go north to Belorusskaya, make a quick switch to the Dark Green/#2 line, and go south one stop to (2)Mayakovskaya.  Backtrack to the ring line—Brown/#5—and continue north, getting off at (3)Novosblodskaya and (4)Komsolskaya.  At Komsolskaya Station, transfer to the Red/#1 line, go south for two stops to Chistye Prudy, and get on the Light Green/#10 line going north.  Take a look at (5)Dostoevskaya Station on the northern segment of Light Green/#10 line then change directions and head south to (6)Chkalovskaya, which offers a transfer to the Dark Blue/#3 line, going west, away from the city center.  Have a look (7)Elektroskaya Station before backtracking into the center of Moscow, stopping off at (8)Baumskaya, getting off the Dark Blue/#3 line at (9)Ploschad Revolyutsii.  Change to the Dark Green/#2 line and go south one stop to see (10)Novokuznetskaya Station.

Check out our new Moscow Indie Travel Guide , book a flight to Moscow and read 10 Bars with Views Worth Blowing the Budget For

Jonathon Engels, formerly a patron saint of misadventure, has been stumbling his way across cultural borders since 2005 and is currently volunteering in the mountains outside of Antigua, Guatemala.  For more of his work, visit his website and blog .

Photo credits:   SergeyRod , all others courtesy of the author and may not be used without permission

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Why were so many metro stations in Moscow renamed?

Okhotny Ryad station in Soviet times and today.

The Moscow metro system has 275 stations, and 28 of them have been renamed at some point or other—and several times in some cases. Most of these are the oldest stations, which opened in 1935.

The politics of place names

The first station to change its name was Ulitsa Kominterna (Comintern Street). The Comintern was an international communist organization that ceased to exist in 1943, and after the war Moscow authorities decided to call the street named after it something else. In 1946, the station was renamed Kalininskaya. Then for several days in 1990, the station was called Vozdvizhenka, before eventually settling on Aleksandrovsky Sad, which is what it is called today.

The banner on the entraince reads: "Kalininskaya station." Now it's Alexandrovsky Sad.

Until 1957, Kropotkinskaya station was called Dvorets Sovetov ( Palace of Soviets ). There were plans to build a monumental Stalinist high-rise on the site of the nearby Cathedral of Christ the Saviour , which had been demolished. However, the project never got off the ground, and after Stalin's death the station was named after Kropotkinskaya Street, which passes above it.

Dvorets Sovetov station, 1935. Letters on the entrance: "Metro after Kaganovich."

Of course, politics was the main reason for changing station names. Initially, the Moscow Metro itself was named after Lazar Kaganovich, Joseph Stalin’s right-hand man. Kaganovich supervised the construction of the first metro line and was in charge of drawing up a master plan for reconstructing Moscow as the "capital of the proletariat."

In 1955, under Nikita Khrushchev's rule and during the denunciation of Stalin's personality cult, the Moscow Metro was named in honor of Vladimir Lenin.

Kropotkinskaya station, our days. Letters on the entrance: "Metropolitan after Lenin."

New Metro stations that have been opened since the collapse of the Soviet Union simply say "Moscow Metro," although the metro's affiliation with Vladimir Lenin has never officially been dropped.

Zyablikovo station. On the entrance, there are no more signs that the metro is named after Lenin.

Stations that bore the names of Stalin's associates were also renamed under Khrushchev. Additionally, some stations were named after a neighborhood or street and if these underwent name changes, the stations themselves had to be renamed as well.

Until 1961 the Moscow Metro had a Stalinskaya station that was adorned by a five-meter statue of the supreme leader. It is now called Semyonovskaya station.

Left: Stalinskaya station. Right: Now it's Semyonovskaya.

The biggest wholesale renaming of stations took place in 1990, when Moscow’s government decided to get rid of Soviet names. Overnight, 11 metro stations named after revolutionaries were given new names. Shcherbakovskaya became Alekseyevskaya, Gorkovskaya became Tverskaya, Ploshchad Nogina became Kitay-Gorod and Kirovskaya turned into Chistye Prudy. This seriously confused passengers, to put it mildly, and some older Muscovites still call Lubyanka station Dzerzhinskaya for old times' sake.

At the same time, certain stations have held onto their Soviet names. Marksistskaya and Kropotkinskaya, for instance, although there were plans to rename them too at one point.

"I still sometimes mix up Teatralnaya and Tverskaya stations,” one Moscow resident recalls .

 “Both have been renamed and both start with a ‘T.’ Vykhino still grates on the ear and, when in 1991 on the last day of my final year at school, we went to Kitay-Gorod to go on the river cruise boats, my classmates couldn’t believe that a station with that name existed."

The city government submitted a station name change for public discussion for the first time in 2015. The station in question was Voykovskaya, whose name derives from the revolutionary figure Pyotr Voykov. In the end, city residents voted against the name change, evidently not out of any affection for Voykov personally, but mainly because that was the name they were used to.

What stations changed their name most frequently?

Some stations have changed names three times. Apart from the above-mentioned Aleksandrovsky Sad (Ulitsa Kominterna->Kalininskaya->Vozdvizhenka->Aleksandrovsky Sad), a similar fate befell Partizanskaya station in the east of Moscow. Opened in 1944, it initially bore the ridiculously long name Izmaylovsky PKiO im. Stalina (Izmaylovsky Park of Culture and Rest Named After Stalin). In 1947, the station was renamed and simplified for convenience to Izmaylovskaya. Then in 1963 it was renamed yet again—this time to Izmaylovsky Park, having "donated" its previous name to the next station on the line. And in 2005 it was rechristened Partizanskaya to mark the 60th anniversary of victory in World War II. 

Partizanskaya metro station, nowadays.

Another interesting story involves Alekseyevskaya metro station. This name was originally proposed for the station, which opened in 1958, since a village with this name had been located here. It was then decided to call the station Shcherbakovskaya in honor of Aleksandr Shcherbakov, a politician who had been an associate of Stalin. Nikita Khrushchev had strained relations with Shcherbakov, however, and when he got word of it literally a few days before the station opening the builders had to hastily change all the signs. It ended up with the concise and politically correct name of Mir (Peace).

The name Shcherbakovskaya was restored in 1966 after Khrushchev's fall from power. It then became Alekseyevskaya in 1990.

Alekseyevskaya metro station.

But the station that holds the record for the most name changes is Okhotny Ryad, which opened in 1935 on the site of a cluster of market shops. When the metro system was renamed in honor of Lenin in 1955, this station was renamed after Kaganovich by way of compensation. The name lasted just two years though because in 1957 Kaganovich fell out of favor with Khrushchev, and the previous name was returned. But in 1961 it was rechristened yet again, this time in honor of Prospekt Marksa, which had just been built nearby.

Okhotny Ryad station in 1954 and Prospekt Marksa in 1986.

In 1990, two historical street names—Teatralny Proyezd and Mokhovaya Street—were revived to replace Prospekt Marksa, and the station once again became Okhotny Ryad.

Okhotny Ryad in 2020.

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I Planned My Trip to the Paris Olympics to Rack Up Points and Miles—Here's How

By Harrison Pierce

All products featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

As a full-time digital nomad , I like to follow the sun: I spend part of the year enjoying summer in South America and the other part spending summer in Europe. This year, however, European summer will look slightly different, as Paris is hosting the 2024 Summer Olympics. Knowing I’d already be in Europe, there was no way I could miss an event of this caliber.

For a travel and credit card rewards writer, this felt like a challenge—how could I make a trip like this accessible with points and miles? My parents were eager to join me, and we’ve spent the last 13 months planning an unforgettable summer. Following dozens of FaceTime calls, hours of strategizing, and multiple credit cards in heavy rotation, we’ve finally solidified a month-long trip to France and Germany , with tickets to 11 Olympic Events and an Adele concert along the way.

Below, I'll outline my credit card and points and miles strategy for booking a summer in Europe around the Olympics, with tips shared along the way.

How I booked my flights to Europe for the Olympics

I am currently based in Lima, Peru . I’ve been traveling throughout South America for the past six months, but my time eating my weight in ceviche will end on May 30 when I fly nonstop on Iberia Airlines from Lima to Madrid . To book my one-way economy flight, I transferred 25,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points to the Iberia Plus frequent flyer program.

There, I’ll spend over a month and a half in the Spanish capital before flying to Paris. I’m a Capital One Venture X cardholder, so I used part of my $300 annual statement credit for travel booked through Capital One Travel to purchase a $159 nonstop flight on Transavia France from Madrid (MAD) to Paris (ORY) on July 22.

On that same day, my parents will fly from North Carolina—a nonstop overnight flight from Raleigh-Durham (RDU) to Paris (CDG) in Delta One , the airline’s business class. Rather than spend hundreds of thousands of miles (at the time of booking) to secure their tickets, they paid the cash price and used their Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card , which nets them three Delta SkyMiles per dollar spent on Delta flights. Instead of booking a round trip flight, they're making a bit of a Eurotrip out of this summer by booking a multi-city flight to squeeze in the Adele concert in Munich after the Olympics conclude. They will return to North Carolina on August 16 from Munich (MUN) with a layover in Atlanta (ATL).

Munich Marriott Hotel

How I booked lodging in Paris for the Olympics

Millions of people are flying in from around the globe to attend the Olympics, and prices for hotels and vacation rentals reflect that. Paris is an expensive city to visit to begin with, so you can imagine how expensive it is to visit during the Olympics. We are staying in an Airbnb in Rueil-Malmaison for just over three weeks. For reference, it’s about 30 minutes by car or an hour by public transport from popular attractions like the Eiffel Tower or the Louvre. Since there are three adults and my cat , Isabelle, we booked an entire home rather than a room. It costs about $600 per night, which is certainly an investment. This was an excellent opportunity to accumulate points: We used a Capital One Venture X to book this stay, as it earns two points per dollar. (For what it's worth, you'd earn three points per dollar if you used the Chase Sapphire Reserve —and you'd get over 36,000 points for a stay like this one.) Those points can be put toward future travel (or other costs on the same trip, if you book early enough), which can help offset some of the cost of such an expensive trip.

Jessica Puckett

Anna Borges

Karthika Gupta

For our short Munich stay. we chose a hotel—the Munich Marriott Hotel , which is a quick ride on public transport to old town. To maximize points earned and take advantage of his Gold Elite status, we used my dad’s Marriott Bonvoy Boundless credit card for this stay; for four nights, the nightly rate averaged at 290€ (about $308).

How I bought tickets to the Olympics

My family secured three tickets each to 11 events, for a total of 33 tickets. It was nearly impossible to get tickets to the most popular events, like diving, swimming, and gymnastics, so we diversified and are going to see football, basketball, and tennis, among other events. Though our seats for a football match each cost us 260€ (about $276), tickets to certain events like rowing and sailing were shockingly inexpensive, starting at just 24€ (about $25). The opening ceremonies are open to the public and will follow the Seine River, so we didn’t need to purchase any tickets. We used a Capital One Venture X card for these purchases, earning two points per dollar.

(As of publication, tickets to Olympic events are still available. For what it's worth, though the opening ceremony is open to the public, you can purchase seats. Available tickets start at 2,700€ per person. After that, the closing ceremony has tickets available for 1,100€ per person.)

Other things of note

This will be my parents' first time in Paris, so I want to take them to all the most famous spots. Last year, I had the opportunity to visit the Champagne region , which is just a short 45-minute high-speed train ride away from Paris. I hope to use some of my aforementioned Marriott points at La Caserne Chanzy Hotel & Spa, Autograph Collection in Reims for an overnight trip and bring my parents to Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte —right now, nights are hovering around 59,000 points per night for the property, which is to be expected for a five-star hotel. A quick escape from the hustle and bustle of Paris to sip on one of the most delicious Champagnes in the world seems like a worthy use of points.

While in Paris, we will strategize which cards we use for which purchases. For example, my Marriott Bonvoy Bevy will earn four points per dollar on dining, so I’ll likely put that down at any restaurant that accepts American Express. My Citi Premier card earns three points per dollar on transit purchases, so I’ll use that card to cover our month-long Metro pass.

The bottom line

There is no doubt that a trip like this is expensive. However, points and miles can help offset the cost. Even if you can’t use your points on a booking or purchase, you can strategize the amount you earn to help offset future travel spend.

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American Airlines is preparing for summer travel with new premium onboard amenities — take a look

• American Airlines is launching its first rotating collection of premium amenities Memorial Day Weekend.
• It includes a new front-row flagship suite, new bedding, and enhanced dining options. 
• The new amenity kit program will cycle skincare products and offer limited-edition specialty kits. 

American Airlines is gearing up for summer travel with new luxury in-flight offerings for its customers.

American is launching its first rotating collection of premium onboard amenities over Memorial Day Weekend. It will be available on 300 international and transcontinental flights.

The offerings include new bedding, dining options, and an amenity kit program that lets premium passengers sample different skincare brands and products.

"We thoughtfully curate each element of the onboard experience so every customer can look forward to the time they spend in flight," American's vice president of customer experience, Kim Cisek, said in a statement. "Part of the magic of travel is connecting our customers to the people and experiences that matter most to them."

While most of the new amenities are being offered to premium cabins, main cabin passengers will also have access to new bedding and other seat enhancements.

Passengers in the main cabin will have access to 4K seatback screens, Bluetooth connectivity, and new charging ports. All customers will have access to 1,500 free entertainment content options and can use high-speed WiFi.

Passengers can kick back in the flagship suites with new privacy doors and chaise lounge positions.

Customers traveling in American's flagship suite seat will have access to wireless charging, Bluetooth capability, and multiple storage spaces.

Passengers traveling in premium economy can also enjoy new amenities like wireless charging, additional storage space, and privacy headrest wings.

Customers looking for more luxury can sit front row on the new Boeing 787-9 and 777-300 aircraft's flagship suite preferred seat.

The new seat offers customers additional space and storage. It will offer additional amenities for passengers' comfort, like a Nest Bedding mattress pad, a throw blanket, and a memory foam lumbar pillow.

The seat will also have Nest Bedding pajamas and an exclusive amenity kit featuring additional skincare products.

American used customer research to enhance its bedding in all cabins.

American decided to offer dual-sided pillows to flagship first and business class after research indicated 75% of its customers preferred different materials on each side of their pillows. The new pillow will have cool touch fabric on one side and traditional fabric on the other.

Travelers in flagship business class can now enjoy slippers onboard.

The slippers used to only be offered on ultra-long-haul flights.

Customers in all cabins will enjoy enhanced bedding, with cabin-specific offerings like lumbar pillows, throw blankets, premium duvets, and fleece blankets.

American says the new bedding packaging will save 25 tons of plastic waste a year.

American collaborated with inflight textile company John Horsfall to create bedding from recycled materials. Nearly all the pillows, duvets, and blankets were made with recycled fibers, and filled bedding will be 100% recycled.

Customers traveling in premium cabins will also receive their bedding in a reusable zipper bag made with recycled fibers to reduce plastic waste from distribution.

International business class passengers can try out new flavors inspired by international cuisine and American Airlines destinations worldwide.

American is offering new menu offerings to business class passengers on international US inbound and outbound flights.

Some of the meals include macadamia-crusted sea bass with citrus cream sauce, quinoa, toasted orzo, and haricot verts.

American is also offering enhanced dining options to domestic travelers in first class.

Customers can also choose from new preorder options.

Preorder options will continue to roll out this spring for business class on flights from the US to international destinations.

Business class, premium economy, and first class passengers can pre-order all of the meals offered to their cabins. The main cabin doesn't have pre-ordering available but passengers receive a complimentary in-flight snack and beverage. They can also purchase food through the buy-on-board program.

Passengers in premium cabins will also have access to the new amenity kit program.

American's amenity kit includes basic comfort amenities like a toothbrush, dental kit, eye mask, and earplugs. The kit will also cycle different skincare products and offerings in premium cabins.

American collaborated with beauty retailer Thirteen Lune to curate skincare offerings in the amenity kit.

The kit will feature high-quality beauty brands from Thirteen Lune's tailored collection. Passengers can scan a QR code in the kit to learn about each brand and partner featured.

Customers will receive the Thirteen Lune kit for the first few weeks of the kickoff to the new program.

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