Russia Travel Guide

• Moscow: Visit Red Square and the Kremlin, ride the ornate metro, see the Tretyakov Gallery, sample Georgian and Russian cuisine around Arbat.
• Saint Petersburg: Tour the Hermitage, cruise canals, visit Peterhof and attend a ballet or classical concert.
• The Trans-Siberian & Siberia: Ride the Trans‑Siberian Railway, explore Lake Baikal, visit Irkutsk, and see Siberian taiga and national parks.
• Golden Ring & Northwest: Visit medieval kremlins and churches in Suzdal and Vladimir, and explore Veliky Novgorod’s ancient sites.
• Southern coast & Resorts: Relax on the Black Sea in Sochi, hike nearby mountains, and use Krasnodar as a regional base.

Most international passengers fly into Moscow (SVO, DME, VKO) or Saint Petersburg (LED). There are no direct flights from the EU, UK, US or Canada: their airspace is closed to Russian airlines and Western airlines no longer fly to Russia, so the usual routes are one-stop connections through Istanbul, the Gulf, Belgrade, Yerevan, Baku or Central Asia (journey times in the boxes above assume one stop). Western booking sites often won’t sell these tickets, so you may need to book through a Turkish, Gulf or Asian airline directly, or a site such as Trip.com. Passenger trains from the EU are suspended; overland routes now run mainly via Belarus, the Caucasus, Central Asia, Mongolia and China.

Typical daily spend is $40-130 depending on city and season, with Moscow and Saint Petersburg at the expensive end and regional towns much cheaper.

• Dorm bed: 600-1,200 RUB
• Budget private room: 1,500-4,000 RUB
• Mid-range hotel: 4,000-10,000 RUB
• Upscale hotel: 8,400-21,000 RUB
• Street food meal: 200-500 RUB
• Bottle of local beer: 150-350 RUB
• Organised tour or activity: 500-1,500 RUB
• Local public transport ride: 40-100 RUB

For current prices on hundreds of everyday items, see Numbeo’s Russia cost of living, a crowd-sourced database that is updated often.

Ways to save

• Use trains for long distances: Sleeping and express trains save on night hotels and show more countryside than flights.
• Eat where locals go: Cafeterias, market stalls and canteens offer cheaper, authentic meals than tourist restaurants.
• Carry some cash: Keep rubles for smaller towns and markets where cards may be unreliable or surcharges high.

Full trip budgets are in Russia Itineraries.

Russia uses the Russian ruble (RUB). Because of sanctions, foreign-issued Visa, Mastercard, Amex or JCB cards do not work in shops, online or at ATMs, and Apple Pay and Google Pay are unavailable. Carry enough cash for your whole trip, ideally clean, recent US dollar or euro notes, and change it at a bank (take your passport). Some places accept China’s UnionPay, but don’t rely on it. Bank transfers from abroad are not possible either.

• Tipping: Tipping is common for good service-around 5-10% in restaurants; a small tip for porters, drivers and guides is normal.
• Cards & Cash: locals pay by card everywhere, but foreign-issued cards are blocked, so visitors pay in cash. Russian law requires payment in rubles.
• ATMs & Exchange: Russian ATMs will not accept most foreign cards. Exchange US dollars or euros at banks or exchange offices, count your money at the counter, and never change money on the street. Change leftover rubles before you leave, as they are hard to sell abroad.
• Banknotes: ₽5, ₽10, ₽50, ₽100, ₽200, ₽500, ₽1000, ₽2000, ₽5000
• Coins: ₽0.01, ₽0.05, ₽0.10, ₽0.50, ₽1, ₽2, ₽5, ₽10

Formal greeting norms and respect for age and status shape social interaction; handshake or brief nods are common in introductions. Locals can be reserved with strangers but are warm and generous once relationships form.

Russia’s connectivity is excellent in major cities with fast mobile and fixed networks, but service quality varies widely across its vast territory. Urban areas have high speeds and many provider choices; remote regions can be much less connected. Many foreign services are blocked or throttled, including Instagram, Facebook, X and YouTube, and voice calls over WhatsApp and Telegram have been restricted, so set up any VPN before you arrive. Mobile internet is also switched off in many regions for hours or days at a time during drone alerts, so download offline maps and keep tickets and bookings saved on your phone.

• Electricity: 230V, 50 Hz; plug types C, F.

Not entirely - parts of Russia are safe for tourists, but the overall security and political situation raises real risks, especially where advisories warn against travel.

Staying healthy is straightforward in cities but rural and regional risks exist, notably tick‑borne illness and rabies, and medical access can be limited far from major centres.

A vast nation shaped by regional variety, imperial history and Soviet legacies; public rituals, strong family ties and Orthodox traditions are common reference points for visitors.

Eating out is good value outside the most fashionable places in Moscow and Saint Petersburg, and paying in cash is normal for visitors because foreign cards don’t work.

• Cheap and quick: a stolovaya (canteen) serves soups, salads and hot dishes from a counter at low prices. Chains such as Teremok do bliny (pancakes), and bakeries sell pirozhki (filled buns).
• Business lunch: on weekdays many restaurants offer a fixed-price lunch of soup, main and drink, the cheapest way to eat in a sit-down restaurant.
• What to try: borscht and shchi (cabbage soup), pelmeni dumplings (a Siberian and Ural staple), golubtsy (cabbage rolls), herring “under a fur coat”, and cold okroshka soup in summer. Georgian and Uzbek restaurants are everywhere and often the best meals in town.
• Menus: outside the big cities menus are usually only in Cyrillic and staff may not speak English; a translation app with camera mode helps.
• Western chains: McDonald’s, KFC and Starbucks left in 2022 and were replaced by Russian brands such as Vkusno i Tochka and Rostic’s.
• Water: drink bottled water rather than tap water, and go easy on ice.
• Drinking: hosts may press repeated vodka toasts on you. A firm, friendly refusal (for example, saying you’re on medication) is accepted. Shops stop selling alcohol in the late evening, and the exact hours vary by region.
• Tipping: about 10% in restaurants, left in cash or by rounding up; none at canteens and counters.

Russia’s vastness contains many fragile ecosystems and strict legal regimes-adhere to visa and photography rules, use licensed guides in wilderness areas like Baikal and Kamchatka, and follow museum etiquette in cities.

• Follow Local Laws & Photo Restrictions: Russia has strict visa and entry rules; avoid photographing military or government sites and check local signage for restricted zones to prevent legal trouble.
• Protect Lake Baikal & Fragile Ecosystems: When visiting Lake Baikal and surrounding reserves follow waste rules, use licensed guides and avoid bringing non‑native species-see UNESCO guidance at the Lake Baikal World Heritage listing.
• Respect Cultural Institutions: Observe museum rules in St. Petersburg and Moscow (for example the State Hermitage and Kremlin), avoid flash photography where prohibited, and follow queueing and etiquette norms.
• Responsible Far‑North & Far‑East Travel: In Kamchatka, the Arctic and remote regions choose accredited operators for wildlife viewing (bears, seabirds) and follow strict safety and non‑disturbance protocols to protect fragile habitats.

Long-term life in Russia suits people drawn to deep culture, big-city opportunity, or lower-cost regional living. Expats often move for specialized jobs, teaching, IT or research, and those who can navigate visa sponsorship and language barriers tend to settle more easily.

Long-Term Visas: Main routes are employer-sponsored work visas, the Highly Qualified Specialist (HQS) program, and Temporary Residence Permits (TRP).

Working There: Most work visas require employer sponsorship; HQS simplifies permits for high earners and helps bring family.

Cost of Living: Moscow one-bedroom central typically US$1,200-1,500/month; many regional cities offer comfortable living under US$600/month.

Health & Wellness: Public healthcare exists but quality varies; expats often use private clinics and carry private insurance.

Banking & Finance: Open a bank account with passport and migration documents; international payments can be limited due to sanctions-related restrictions.

Taxes: Tax residents (>183 days) taxed at 13% (15% on income above 5 million RUB); non-residents taxed 30% on Russian-source income.

Popular Places to Live in Russia

The choice comes down to whether you want big-city infrastructure, coastal resort life, or quieter regional centres. For city amenities head to Moscow or St. Petersburg; for milder climate and outdoors choose Sochi or the Volga region.

• Moscow - Economic and cultural centre, best services and events, tradeoff is high cost and fast pace.
• St. Petersburg - Artistic, walkable city with rich culture, suits museum lovers and creatives, cooler weather year-round.
• Sochi - Coastal and mountain access, great for outdoors and milder winters, seasonal crowds and tourist prices.
• Kazan - Historic, multicultural regional capital, growing tech and education scene, lower prices than Russian megacities.
• Vladivostok - Far-east port city with Asia links, suited to those wanting remoteness or Asia travel connections.

Russia’s remote-work scene is limited by visa rules but supported by top-tier infrastructure in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Coworking, fast internet and tech meetups exist in major cities, but long-term nomad life requires navigating work or residency permits.

Nomad Visa: None - no dedicated digital-nomad visa; tourists or work visas are the typical workaround for remote workers.

Long Term Rentals: Long-term rentals typically require registration; one-year leases common, short-term Airbnbs abundant in cities.

Internet: Fast and reliable in cities, fiber common; rural and far-eastern areas can see much slower or sporadic connections.

Monthly Cost: Moscow ~US$1,200-1,500/month for central one-bedroom; provincial cities can be under US$600/month for similar comfort.

Coworking: Coworking plentiful in Moscow and St. Petersburg, fewer formal spaces in smaller cities but growing independent hubs.

Fitness & Wellness: Gyms and wellness centers common in major cities; outdoor sports abundant in many regions, private insurance recommended.

Community: Small but active international and local remote-worker communities in big cities; language often a barrier outside hubs.

Time Zone: UTC+2 to UTC+12 across the country, choose base carefully for overlap with clients or teams.

Popular Nomad Hubs in Russia

Choice of base depends on whether you want big-city infrastructure or quieter coastal/remote living. Cities offer best internet, coworking and services; farther east or coastal areas give more space but fewer expat services.

• Moscow - Business and culture hub, best services and coworking, highest cost and busiest pace.
• St. Petersburg - Cultural, relaxed feel, strong expat community, cheaper than Moscow but still urban convenience.
• Sochi - Coastal resort, summer lifestyle and outdoors, seasonal tourist crowds and higher prices in peak season.
• Kazan - Cultural mix, growing tech scene, cheaper than Moscow, good regional transport links.
• Vladivostok - Far East gateway, good for Asia connections, remote feel and fewer Western services.