Russia
Phone Code
+7
Capital
Moscow
Population
144 Million
Native Name
Россия
Region
Europe
Eastern Europe
Timezones
Anadyr Time[4
UTC+12:00
+25 more
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Russia is the world's largest country — spanning 11 time zones from the Baltic Sea to the Pacific Ocean, covering an area larger than Pluto's surface. Moscow and St. Petersburg alone justify the journey: the Kremlin and Red Square, St. Basil's candy-coloured domes, the Hermitage Museum with over 3 million works, Peterhof's fountains rivalling Versailles, and the White Nights of June when the sun barely sets over the Neva. Beyond the two capitals lies the Trans-Siberian Railway — 9,289 km from Moscow to Vladivostok, the longest railway journey on earth. Lake Baikal in Siberia holds 20% of the world's unfrozen fresh water and freezes into crystal-clear ice you can walk on in February. The Golden Ring's medieval towns, Kazan's Tatar culture, Kamchatka's volcanic wilderness — Russia rewards travellers who make the effort to get there. Entry has eased for tourists: citizens of more than 60 countries can now apply online for a unified e-visa valid across most of Russia — Moscow and St. Petersburg included — for stays of up to 30 days, with no invitation letter required. A traditional consular visa, backed by an invitation from a registered Russian host, is still needed for longer stays and for nationalities the e-visa does not cover. Passport must be valid 6 months beyond entry. Multiple governments advise reconsidering travel to Russia — travellers should consult their foreign ministry's current advisory before planning.
Russia Visa & Entry System
Russia has two main visa pathways. The unified e-visa lets citizens of more than 60 countries (most EU nations, Japan, China, India, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and others — but not the UK, US, Canada or Australia) apply fully online for a single-entry visa. Since the scheme was unified it is valid across most of the Russian Federation — Moscow, St. Petersburg and the regions alike, not just a handful of designated zones as under the old pilot. For applications made from 23 August 2025 it permits a stay of up to 30 days and is valid for 120 days from issue; processing takes about four calendar days, the fee is low (well under USD 100), and no invitation letter, hotel booking or other supporting documents are required. Apply at evisa.kdmid.ru no earlier than 86 and no later than 4 days before travel. A traditional consular visa is still needed for stays beyond 30 days, multiple entries, or nationalities the e-visa does not cover. It involves an invitation or tourist voucher from a registered Russian host, confirmed accommodation, travel insurance valid in Russia (minimum EUR 30,000 coverage, Cyrillic text or Russian certification often required), a detailed application form, passport photos to strict specifications, and a consular fee of USD 160-200. Processing takes 4-20 business days and the paperwork is exacting — minor errors cause rejections, so many travellers use a visa agency (USD 50-150). International payment systems including Visa and Mastercard suspended operations in Russia, making foreign credit and debit cards unusable — bring cash. Multiple governments maintain travel advisories recommending against non-essential travel.
Common Visa Types
Unified E-Visa
For tourism, business, guest or humanitarian visits. Available to citizens of more than 60 eligible countries. Apply fully online at evisa.kdmid.ru — a low fee, about four calendar days' processing, no invitation letter or hotel booking required. Valid across most of the Russian Federation, including Moscow and St. Petersburg. Single entry; no extensions once in Russia except in emergencies.
Tourist Visa (traditional)
For tourism where the e-visa does not fit — stays beyond 30 days, multiple entries, or a nationality not eligible for the e-visa. Apply at a Russian consulate or visa centre. Requires: invitation letter/tourist voucher from a registered Russian tour operator, confirmed accommodation, travel insurance (minimum EUR 30,000), passport photos, completed application form and consular fee (USD 160-200). Processing 4-20 business days. Using a visa agency (USD 50-150) simplifies the notoriously bureaucratic process.
Business Visa
For business meetings, conferences and commercial activities. Requires an official invitation from a registered Russian company issued through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Application similar to tourist visa but with business invitation. Multiple-entry options available (90 days, 180 days, 1 year). Does not authorise employment — a separate work permit is required.
Transit Visa
For transiting Russian territory to a third country. Required for land and rail transit (Trans-Siberian passengers crossing Russia to Mongolia or China need this). Some nationalities require transit visas even for airport connections without leaving the international zone. Requires onward ticket and destination country visa if applicable.
Essential Information for Russia Travellers
Travel Guide
Russia offers experiences available nowhere else on earth. The Trans-Siberian Railway — 9,289 km from Moscow to Vladivostok through 8 time zones — is one of the world's great train journeys, passing through Yekaterinburg (the Europe-Asia border), Novosibirsk (Siberia's largest city), Irkutsk (gateway to Lake Baikal) and Ulan-Ude (Buddhist temples, Buryat culture). The full journey takes 6-7 days non-stop, but most travellers break it with stops. Lake Baikal — the world's deepest (1,642 m) and oldest (25-30 million years) freshwater lake — holds 20% of Earth's unfrozen surface fresh water. In summer: boat trips, kayaking, the Great Baikal Trail. In February-March: the lake freezes into crystal-clear ice allowing skating, hovercraft trips and ice cave exploration. Moscow's Kremlin, Red Square and St. Basil's Cathedral need no introduction; the Moscow Metro's ornate stations — chandeliers, mosaics, sculptures — are themselves a museum. St. Petersburg's Hermitage in the Winter Palace is one of the world's greatest museums (over 3 million items). The White Nights of June-July bring near 24-hour daylight and cultural festivals. Peterhof's fountains rival Versailles. The Golden Ring — Suzdal, Vladimir, Sergiev Posad — preserves medieval Russian towns with onion-domed churches. Kazan blends Russian and Tatar culture. Kamchatka offers volcanic wilderness and brown bears in one of the planet's most remote inhabited regions.
Ways to Experience This Destination
9,289 km from Moscow to Vladivostok — the world's longest railway journey through 8 time zones. Three routes: Trans-Siberian (Moscow-Vladivostok), Trans-Manchurian (Moscow-Beijing via Harbin), Trans-Mongolian (Moscow-Beijing via Ulaanbaatar). Classes range from open dormitory (platskartny, USD 200-400) to 4-berth compartments (kupe, USD 400-800) to luxury 2-berth (SV, USD 800-1,500+). Best June-September.
Moscow's Kremlin, Red Square and St. Basil's Cathedral, the Bolshoi Theatre, Tretyakov Gallery and ornate Metro stations. St. Petersburg's Hermitage Museum (Winter Palace, 3 million+ items), Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, Peterhof Palace fountains, Catherine Palace and the recreated Amber Room. June-July White Nights in St. Petersburg bring near-24-hour daylight.
The world's deepest and oldest freshwater lake (1,642 m deep, 25-30 million years old). Summer: boat trips, hiking the Great Baikal Trail, Olkhon Island's dramatic cliffs. Winter (February-March): walking and skating on crystal-clear frozen ice, ice caves, hovercraft trips. Gateway city Irkutsk retains historic Siberian wooden architecture.
A circuit of ancient Russian towns northeast of Moscow preserving onion-domed churches, monasteries and kremlins from the 12th-18th centuries. Suzdal (open-air museum town), Vladimir (UNESCO cathedrals), Sergiev Posad (spiritual heart of Russian Orthodoxy), Yaroslavl and Rostov Veliky. Day trips or 2-3 day circuits from Moscow.
The Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia's far east — active volcanoes, brown bears fishing for salmon, geysers, hot springs, and pristine wilderness. One of the planet's most remote inhabited regions. Accessible by air from Moscow or Vladivostok. Guided expeditions required for most areas. A serious adventure destination.
Bolshoi Theatre ballet and opera in Moscow, Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg (tickets USD 30-300), world-class symphony orchestras, the Tretyakov Gallery (Russian art), the Russian Museum (St. Petersburg), and Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff and Stravinsky performed in the concert halls where their music premiered.
Money & Currency
Russian Ruble (RUB)
Currency code: RUB
Practical Money Tips
Foreign Cards Do Not Work — Cash Only
Visa and Mastercard suspended operations in Russia. Foreign credit and debit cards — including contactless payments (Apple Pay, Google Pay) linked to foreign-issued cards — do not work at ATMs, shops, restaurants or anywhere else in Russia. This is the single most important money fact for visitors. Bring sufficient Euros or US dollars in cash to exchange on arrival. The Russian Mir payment system works only with Russian-issued cards.
Exchange Cash at Official Bureaux — Never on the Street
Licensed exchange offices (обмен валюты / obmen valyuty) are found throughout Russian cities — in airports, shopping centres, banks and standalone offices. Rates vary significantly: airport and hotel desks offer the worst rates, city-centre bureaux the best. Bring clean, undamaged notes — torn or heavily worn bills may be refused. US dollars and Euros get the best rates. GBP, CHF and other currencies may not be accepted at smaller offices. Never exchange money with unofficial street changers — scams are common.
ATMs Exist but Don't Accept Foreign Cards
Russian ATMs (банкомат / bankomat) are widespread in cities but do not process foreign-issued Visa, Mastercard or other international cards since the suspension of international payment networks. ATMs operated by Sberbank, VTB, Alfa-Bank and Tinkoff are functional only for Russian bank cards. Your only option for obtaining Rubles is exchanging cash at official exchange offices or banks.
Budget for Cash-Only Travel Throughout
Plan your entire trip as a cash-only journey. Estimate daily costs, add a generous buffer, and bring it all in Euros or USD. Do not rely on wire transfers or crypto as fallback. Distribute cash across your luggage and person for security. Use hotel safes where available. Keep small denominations (100 and 500 RUB notes) for taxis, markets, metro tickets and street food. Large purchases at upmarket hotels and restaurants may accept Mir cards from Russian banks — but not your foreign cards.
Note: Always check current exchange rates before traveling. Currency exchange is available at airports, banks, and authorized money changers.
Russia — Embassies worldwide
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