Travel to Russia the easiest way

I’ll tell you everything you need to plan your trip to Russia: visa, accommodation, tickets, and attraction passes quickly, easily, and stress-free.

QUICK GUIDE TO TRAVELING TO RUSSIA IN 2025

Electronic visa, regular visa, or visa-free?

A Russian visa is an authorization allowing a foreign citizen to enter the territory of the Russian Federation. Currently, citizens of 142 countries require a visa to enter Russia.

This visa can be of two types: electronic visa or regular visa. Additionally, some nationalities do not require a visa to travel to Russia.

Electronic visa (maximum stay of 30 days):

Regular visa (for stays longer than 30 days):

Visa-free travel to Russia:

Vibrant and historic Izmaylovo Kremlin in Moscow, showcasing traditional Russian architecture.
A beautiful aerial view of Moscow's iconic architecture and historic landmarks at dawn.
Explore the historic architecture of Red Square in Moscow, Russia, bustling with tourists.

Preparations in 10 steps

All preparations for traveling to Russia can be made online with a bit of patience and peace of mind.

I recommend starting preparations for your trip to Russia around 2-3 months in advance to avoid last-minute rushes. Planning your trip with less lead time is also possible, but personally, I prefer taking things slowly. I suppose this depends on each person.

I’ve arranged chronologically the steps needed to organize your trip to Russia into 10 clear steps. Before beginning, it’s advisable to check if there are any travel restrictions.

Destinations in Russia

The vast majority of tourists traveling to Russia visit Moscow (and its Golden Ring) and St. Petersburg. Following these two major cities, highlights include the Trans-Siberian route and a visit to Lake Baikal.

Moscow

St. Petersburg

Trans-Siberian

Hi, I’m Irena Domingo

I was born in Russia in 1974 during the Soviet era. I worked as a Russian teacher and as a translator and interpreter for the past 30 years.

One of my main hobbies is traveling. I started this blog with one aim: to create the most comprehensive guide ever written for traveling to Russia and beyond.

With a Russian father, I carry the surnames of my Spanish mother, who was also born in Russia and is the daughter of Spanish exiles from the Basque Country during the Spanish Civil War.

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  • A space for support and discussion for those traveling to Russia or who have ties to the country.
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Planning your first trip to Russia?

Articles with travel tips, itineraries, gastronomy, culture, and more to help you explore Russia like a true expert traveler.

Russiable Guide (Web + PDF)

The most comprehensive guide to traveling to Russia.

The guide to planning your trip to Russia after international sanctions.

  • Russiable Guide provides a structured and up-to-date resource with all the information you need to plan, organize, and carry out your trip to Russia more easily after international sanctions.
  • The guide includes a highly valuable source of information: feedback collected over more than 10 years through the Russiable blog from many travelers who have visited Russia in recent years.
RUSSIABLE GUIDE

What other travelers say

  • Thank you very much for creating such a well-organized resource!

    Thank you very much for creating such a well-organized and informative resource. For those who have doubts about traveling due to the current situation with the war in Ukraine, I just returned from Russia, and life for Russians continues as normal. Don’t pay too much attention to what the TV says.
    KATERYNA G.
    Spain

  • Fantastic guide, I found it very useful!

    I found it very useful on my recent trip to Moscow and Saint Petersburg, especially given the unclear information available after the international sanctions.
    It’s clear, interesting, and detailed without overwhelming with excessive data and locations, which often makes other guides tedious and boring.
    Excellent idea to have it in PDF format, making it easy to highlight and mark the most important details!
    ALEJANDRO FERNÁNDEZ.
    Spain

  • A wonderful experience!

    I’m very grateful for the support you provided for my trip to Russia (Moscow and Saint Petersburg); it was a wonderful experience.
    At first, I had some doubts, but my desire to visit places like the Bolshoi Theatre, the Hermitage Museum, Dostoevsky’s House Museum, and the Mariinsky complex (Concert Hall and Theatre) quickly dispelled them.
    Seeing Valery Gergiev perform at the Mariinsky Concert Hall, experiencing Boris Godunov at the Mariinsky Theatre and La Bayadère at the Bolshoi Theatre was truly unforgettable.
    The food was delicious, and the people were very kind—whenever we needed help, they assisted us warmly.
    ARMANDO DÍAZ
    Argentina