1. The 'German' type
In MGU and some other places, the toilets are of the same kind as most toilets in Germany - that is, they have a kind of 'shelf' in the toilet bowl. German-haters claim that this is because of the German wish to 'examine' everything in closest detail. Apparently there are certain similar tendencies in Russians. Still, there are some often overlooked advantages in the 'German' toilet: no splashing, for instance!

2. The 'Normal West European' type
There are also many buildings that have the type of toilets that are common in most of Western Europe - water closets without shelf, but with free fall down to the water-filled bottom.

3. Variations on the 'Normal West European' type: the MFTI dorm toilets In the beginnings of time, the common toilets in the MFTI dorms had regular toilets of type '2'. But over time, most plastic seats apparently got broken, and were not replaced. Instead, the toilets were made into squat-toilets: two 'ledges'/footholds were built on each side of the toilet bowls and covered with tiles. With some practise and certain agility, it should be quite possible to use them without making too much of a mess. However, as becomes obvious from the, hrm, not very clean state of the toilets, this isn't always so easy ... And that's not only due to the lack of toilet brushes.

4. Siberian squat toilets The further into Asian Russia you travel, the higher the percentage of real, 'Asian' type squat toilets becomes. In common toilets, the size of the door also gets smaller: In Irkutsk Central Station, the door only covers the lower 2/3. I personally (as someone quite used to rough conditions - my mother's water pipes have frozen sometimes, so that we had to use the surrounding forests as our toilet instead) actually find the squat toilets quite nice and hygienic, since you don't touch the toilet with any other part of your body than the soles of your shoes. (I don't have much understanding for Derek Kirk Kim's ranting about Korean toilets of the same type, either - you're not supposed to let your pants further down than to your knees, silly!)

5. Train toilets
a) Passazhirskie/skorie poezda ('normal passenger trains')
The toilets on these slightly slower and cheaper trains have specially built metal seats: the sides are broader than the front, and there are a few strategically positioned handles on the walls. After a few days (or hours) you will understand why. It's actually a squat toilet. Very convenient in trains, when males are *particularly* unable to direct their urine into the right place ...
b) Firmennie poezda ('fast trains')
These most comfortable, fast and expensive trains on the Russian railway tracks naturally have quite clean and comfortable toilets. (Even with toilet paper most of the time!) There are different variations to allow people to sit down on the toilet - the 'Enisei' has a simple plastic seat that you can fold down, while the 'Baikal' has 'hygienic' plastic bag covers that you can roll over the seat.

6. The traditional outhouses
Most village houses have their toilets in a little hut on the yard. This is quite nice in terms of privacy, nature, fresh air, poetic inspiration, etc. But it can get a bit chilly in the winters, since styrox seats are quite uncommon in Russia.