Where to Buy Russian Rubles Before Traveling to Russia: A Practical Country-by-Country Guide

If you’re planning a trip to Russia, one of the first practical questions is where to get rubles before you leave home. Since 2022, with international sanctions and the withdrawal of Visa and Mastercard from the country, carrying some cash in rubles has become almost essential.

It’s worth knowing from the start that the best option is always to exchange euros or dollars once you’re in Russia, where the exchange rate is significantly more favourable than at any currency exchange abroad (the difference can be 15% or more). Euros and dollars are the two currencies that can be exchanged without any issues at virtually any Russian bank or exchange office; other currencies are difficult to change. I explain this in detail in the article where to exchange euros or dollars for rubles in Russia.

But if you want to arrive in Russia with some rubles for your first expenses (taxi, metro, food, a Russian SIM card) or if your stay is going to be short and you prefer to bring everything already exchanged, this article explains how and where to get them. The problem is that getting rubles outside Russia is no longer straightforward: many exchange offices have removed the ruble from their catalogue, and those that still sell it may apply wide margins.

Here I explain, country by country, what options exist and, most importantly, what to do in practice depending on your travel route: whether you can buy online from home, whether it’s worth exchanging during a layover in Istanbul or Dubai, or whether it’s better to do it just before crossing the Russian border overland. If you need general information about payment methods in Russia, check the guide how to pay in Russia.

Why it’s easy in some countries and very difficult in others

How easy it is to find rubles in each country depends on four factors:

1. Whether the country imposes sanctions on Russia or not. Countries that don’t sanction (Turkey, the UAE, the entire CIS) keep their ruble market intact. Those that do have seen their exchange offices left without wholesale banknote suppliers.

2. Whether there’s a real flow of people between the country and Russia. Where there has historically been significant Russian tourism, a Russian diaspora, direct flights or stable trade relations, someone still sells rubles. This is the case for Spain (which was one of the main tourist destinations for Russians in Europe for over a decade), France (with a historic Russian community in Paris), Italy (with a significant Russian tourist flow towards Rome, Milan and northern cities), Turkey and the UAE (transit hubs with a massive Russian presence) or the former USSR countries (with constant migration and trade flows with Russia).

3. The structure of the local currency exchange market. Countries with many medium-sized independent exchange offices (Spain, France) have retained the currency better than countries dominated by large chains (the UK, Germany), where the ruble was withdrawn as a corporate decision.

4. The local interpretation of sanctions. The European Union does not prohibit selling rubles to private individuals (it only prohibits exporting euro banknotes to Russia, as I explain in the article can you bring euros in cash to Russia?). But some countries adopted an ultra-conservative interpretation and cut things off entirely, while others stuck to the literal interpretation and continue selling.

Option 1: buy rubles online from your country before travelling

This is the most convenient option if you live in a country where exchange offices still sell rubles online. You order online, pay by bank transfer or card, and receive the banknotes at home or collect them from a nearby office. The exchange rate will be worse than what you’d get inside Russia, but for having rubles from the very first moment it’s a practical solution.

United Kingdom

The British market is very restricted. Post Office, Travelex UK, Moneycorp and most major chains have suspended the ruble. The confirmed exception is Manor FX, with thousands of positive reviews on Trustpilot. They sell rubles with delivery via Royal Mail Special Delivery (free from £750) or collection from their office in Datchet, near Heathrow. The spread over the interbank rate is wide — around 20% — but it’s practically the only option consistently available in the UK.

United States and Canada

In the US the situation is difficult but not entirely impossible. Major specialist exchange houses such as Currency Exchange International (CXI) show the ruble as “Out of Stock” on their website, and Travelex USA no longer operates retail stores. However, some major banks such as Chase, Wells Fargo and US Bank may be able to process ruble orders for their existing customers: you need to visit a branch or, in the case of Wells Fargo, you can order online. The process takes several days, the rates are unfavourable and you need to be a customer of the bank, but it’s an avenue that can work if there’s no other alternative. It’s worth calling your branch to ask before ruling it out.

In Canada the situation is similar: major banks (TD, RBC, Scotiabank) could potentially process orders on request, but availability is not guaranteed.

India

India offers probably the best online ruble service in the world outside the former USSR. BookMyForex, authorised by the Reserve Bank of India, offers same-day home delivery of rubles in numerous Indian cities, with live updated rates. Thomas Cook India is another solid alternative with home delivery and a nationwide network of branches.

Spain

Spain is one of the EU countries where buying rubles online is easiest, thanks to the massive Russian tourism it received for years, which left behind a network of exchange offices accustomed to handling this currency.

ExactChange is the most reliable option. It has a dedicated EUR→RUB exchange page, allows online purchases with home delivery in 24–48 hours (free from €500) and offices in Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Malaga, Marbella, Alicante, Gran Canaria and other cities. It offers a buyback guarantee at the same rate for a portion of unused rubles, subject to standard terms. It is registered with the Bank of Spain. Payment via bank transfer, card or Bizum.

Global Exchange is another alternative, with a presence in Spanish airports and cities and a wide currency catalogue. It allows online booking with collection at their offices and home delivery.

Italy

Forexchange (forexchange.it), operated by Maccorp Italiana, is Italy’s largest exchange office network with over 70 locations in airports, train stations and city centres such as Rome, Milan, Florence, Venice, Naples and Turin. The ruble features in their currency catalogue and their website has a dedicated EUR→RUB page. However, you must call ahead to book (freephone: 800 305 357, Monday to Friday 8:00–19:00), as rubles are not permanently available at all offices and require at least 48 hours’ notice. Forexchange offers a locked rate at the time of booking, no commission, and a buyback service (Fx BuyBack) for leftover rubles at the same exchange rate.

France

Change Magenta is the clearest confirmed option in Paris: it publishes live EUR/RUB rates daily and allows online booking with a guaranteed rate for same-day collection at their office, with no commission. Travelex does not sell rubles in France or any other European market.

Australia, New Zealand and Japan

These are the most difficult markets. Travelex Australia lists the ruble as “unavailable” and Travelex New Zealand states it no longer offers rubles. In Japan, the main exchange service of the JR East group suspended ruble exchanges. In these countries, the most practical approach is to bring US dollars or euros in cash and exchange them once inside Russia, or take advantage of a layover en route.

Germany, Switzerland and the Nordic countries

These are markets that are virtually closed for rubles in cash. Major Swiss banks stopped dealing in rubles in 2022. FOREX Bank, which operates in Sweden, Norway and Denmark, states this explicitly on all its websites. In Germany, no reliable supplier has been confirmed. From these countries, the realistic alternative is to bring euros in cash and take advantage of a layover in a transit hub (Istanbul, Dubai, Belgrade) or acquire rubles before entering Russia overland.

Option 2: exchange during a layover at a transit hub

If your flight to Russia connects through a city where the ruble is available, the layover can be your best opportunity to get rubles at a better rate than in Western Europe or North America. This is particularly useful for travellers departing from countries where buying rubles is very difficult or impossible.

Istanbul (Turkey)

Turkey has not imposed sanctions on Russia, maintains daily direct flights and hosts a large community of Russian tourists and expats. The ruble is available at numerous exchange offices throughout the city.

What to do in practice: if you have time to leave the airport, the best rates are at exchange offices in the city centre, especially around the Grand Bazaar and Laleli areas. If your layover is short and you can’t leave the terminal, Istanbul Airport (IST) has 24-hour exchange offices that handle rubles, though at noticeably worse rates than in the centre.

Dubai (United Arab Emirates)

The UAE doesn’t apply sanctions either and has a highly developed foreign exchange market. Al Ansari Exchange, the country’s largest network with over a hundred branches in Dubai, keeps the ruble in its catalogue. Other chains such as LuLu Exchange and UAE Exchange/Unimoni also list it. Stock can vary from one branch to another, so it’s worth calling ahead to confirm availability.

Belgrade (Serbia)

Serbia doesn’t apply sanctions and maintains direct Belgrade–Moscow flights with Air Serbia. However, the practical availability of rubles at exchange offices (menjačnice) in Belgrade is surprisingly limited, despite there being no legal restrictions. It’s worth asking at several menjačnice in the city centre or at bank branches. Serbia is nonetheless a useful stopover because, as it doesn’t apply sanctions, there are no restrictions on the amount of euros you can carry with you towards Russia.

Option 3: exchange just before entering Russia overland

If you’re arriving in Russia by land — crossing from Estonia, Latvia, Georgia or a CIS country — the situation varies greatly depending on where you cross. If you’re planning to enter by road, you’ll find the guide to travelling to Russia by car, motorbike or motorhome useful.

From Estonia

The Estonia–Russia border (Narva–Ivangorod) is one of the busiest crossings for European travellers heading to Russia. There’s an important point to bear in mind: the EU prohibits the export of euro banknotes to Russia, and at the Estonian border this rule is enforced strictly. In practice, travellers report that customs authorities do not allow crossing with euros in cash into Russia.

That’s why the best strategy when crossing at Narva is to exchange your euros for rubles before passing the border. In Narva there are exchange offices near the border post where you can do this without any problems, and the exchange rate is better than what you’d get buying rubles in your home country. It’s not as good as exchanging once inside Russia, but it allows you to enter with rubles and without the risk of having your euros confiscated at customs.

From Latvia

The Latvia–Russia border presents a similar situation to Estonia regarding restrictions on exporting euros. It’s advisable to check the current border status and consider exchanging to rubles before crossing.

From CIS countries (Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Belarus)

If you’re arriving in Russia from any former Soviet country, exchanging rubles before crossing the border is easy and is one of the best options on the entire global map:

• Belarus: Belarusbank and virtually any bank or exchange office handles rubles without the slightest friction. The aggregator MyFin.by shows live rates from all banks and offices in Minsk and across the country.
• Kazakhstan: hundreds of exchange points in Almaty and Astana. Bank CenterCredit and private networks like MiG Exchange operate throughout the country. Aggregators like Kurs.kz allow you to compare rates in real time.
• Armenia: widely available through VTB Bank Armenia and local exchange offices, especially in central Yerevan.
• Azerbaijan: 24/7 exchange offices in Baku handle rubles at competitive rates.
• Georgia: available at TBC Bank and Bank of Georgia branches, though ruble rates tend to be slightly worse than for USD or EUR.
• Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan: banks and exchange offices handle rubles as a matter of routine.

In all these countries, the ruble is not an “exotic currency” but an everyday one: there are constant remittances, intense bilateral trade and daily direct flights to Russia. Exchange rates are reasonable and there are no special restrictions.

Option 4: exchange directly upon arrival in Russia

Whatever your country of origin, the exchange rate for euros and dollars inside Russia is significantly better than abroad. This is the main reason why most experienced travellers only buy rubles abroad for their most immediate expenses and exchange the bulk of their budget once inside Russia. You’ll find all the detailed information in the guide where to exchange euros or dollars for rubles in Russia.

If you go this route, remember that exchange offices in the city centre offer much better rates than those at the airport. And that in Russia they’re strict about the condition of foreign banknotes: torn, marked, folded or heavily worn euro or dollar notes may be rejected or exchanged at a penalised rate. Bringing crisp, well-kept banknotes is always a good idea.

Another increasingly popular alternative is to get a T-Bank card (formerly Tinkoff) once in Russia or even get a MIR card before travelling, which allows you to top it up and pay normally without relying solely on cash.

Summary table by country

Frequently asked questions