Russia travel guide
Russia is the largest country in the world, stretching across eleven time zones from the Baltic Sea to the Pacific. It has imperial cities and world-class museums, onion-domed churches, the Trans-Siberian Railway, Lake Baikal and the volcanoes of Kamchatka. Travel conditions can change quickly, so check your government's current travel advice carefully before planning a trip.
Places worth the trip
Moscow
Red Square, the Kremlin and the colourful domes of St Basil's Cathedral form one of the world's best-known city views. The Tretyakov Gallery holds Russian art, and the metro's grand stations, decorated with mosaics, marble and chandeliers, are sights in themselves.
St Petersburg
Founded by Peter the Great in 1703 on the Neva delta, the city's canals and palaces are a UNESCO World Heritage site. The State Hermitage Museum in the Winter Palace is one of the largest museums in the world, and Peterhof's fountains lie on the Gulf of Finland.
The Golden Ring
A circuit of historic towns north-east of Moscow, including Suzdal, Vladimir, Sergiev Posad and Yaroslavl, with white-stone churches, kremlins and monasteries, some dating back to the twelfth century.
Lake Baikal
The world's deepest lake, in southern Siberia, holds a large share of the world's unfrozen surface freshwater. In summer visitors hike and swim; in winter the lake freezes into clear ice that can be walked on in places.
The Trans-Siberian Railway
The line from Moscow to Vladivostok is over 9,000 kilometres long, among the longest railway lines in the world, and the full journey takes about a week, crossing the Urals, Siberian taiga and countless rivers.
Kazan
The capital of Tatarstan on the Volga, where the UNESCO-listed Kremlin holds both the Kul Sharif Mosque and the Annunciation Cathedral, reflecting the region's mix of Tatar and Russian cultures.
Kamchatka
A remote peninsula in the far east with dozens of active volcanoes, geysers, hot springs and brown bears. It is reached mainly by air, and most trips are organised with local guides.
Kizhi
An island on Lake Onega in Karelia with a UNESCO-listed collection of wooden churches, including the twenty-two-domed Church of the Transfiguration, built without nails.
Interesting facts about Russia
- Russia spans eleven time zones, so when it is morning in Kaliningrad it is evening in Kamchatka.
- Lake Baikal is thought to be more than 25 million years old, making it one of the oldest lakes on earth.
- The Moscow Metro's early stations were designed as 'palaces for the people', and several are protected architectural monuments.
- Russia shares land borders with fourteen countries, from Norway in the north-west to North Korea in the far east.
- The Cyrillic alphabet used in Russian was developed from the Greek alphabet in the ninth and tenth centuries.
Best time to visit Russia
Late May to September is the best time for most of Russia, with warm weather and long days. In St Petersburg, the White Nights in June bring late sunsets and festivals. Autumn is short and colourful. Winter is long and very cold, especially in Siberia, though it brings snow-covered landscapes, frozen Baikal from about February and festive Moscow. Spring thaw can make rural areas muddy.
Getting around
Trains are the classic way to travel, from fast services between Moscow and St Petersburg to overnight sleeper trains across the country. Domestic flights are essential for long distances, such as to Siberia, Kamchatka and the far east. Moscow and St Petersburg have extensive metro systems, and taxis are usually booked through apps. Signs outside the big cities are often only in Cyrillic, so learning the alphabet helps. Payment arrangements for visitors can differ from other countries; many cards issued abroad have not worked in Russia in recent years, so check with your bank before you go.
Practical details
- Capital
- Moscow
- Currency
- Russian rouble (RUB)
- Languages
- Russian
- Plug types
- C, F
- Voltage
- 230 V, 50 Hz
- Emergency
- 112
- Driving side
- right
- Tipping
- Around 10% in restaurants is customary for good service. Small tips for guides and drivers are appreciated.
Staying online in Russia
Mobile coverage is good in Moscow, St Petersburg and other large cities, with fast 4G, and is generally available along major routes and in towns. It thins out or disappears across Siberia, in the far north, on long stretches of the Trans-Siberian and in mountain areas such as Kamchatka. Wi-Fi is common in cafés, hotels and the Moscow metro. Access to some foreign websites, apps and services is restricted, and mobile internet can be limited at times in some regions, so check before you travel. Install an eSIM before you fly and switch it on when you land.
Russia eSIM plans
1 GB
1GB eSIM Data for 3 Days for Russia, V2
Ilimitado
Unlimited eSIM Data for 1 Day for Russia, V2
Ilimitado
Unlimited Plus eSIM Data for 1 Day for Russia, V2
3 GB
3GB eSIM Data for 3 Days for Russia, V2
Useful apps
- Yandex Go: The main ride-hailing app in Russian cities, also used for food delivery.
- Yandex Maps: Detailed maps and public transport routes for Russian cities.
- 2GIS: Offline city maps with business listings and building entrances, useful across Russia.
- Google Translate: Russian translation with camera support for Cyrillic signs and menus; download it offline.
Russia travel FAQs
Yes. Check your government's current travel advice before you plan a trip and again before you leave, as conditions, flight routes and practical arrangements can change at short notice.
Many cards issued outside Russia have not worked there in recent years. Check with your bank before you travel and plan how you will pay before you arrive.
Mobile networks cover the cities and many towns, but some foreign apps and services are restricted. Check in advance whether the eSIM or plan you are considering covers Russia and which services you will be able to use.
English is spoken in some hotels and by younger people in Moscow and St Petersburg, but much less elsewhere. Learning the Cyrillic alphabet and using a translation app makes travel much easier.