Jacobus Möller travelled to Russia from South Africa at the end of June 2026 with his wife and their three teenage children, and came back on 11 July. Two weeks, two cities — Moscow and St Petersburg — no visa needed, and an itinerary built around a question most guides ignore: what do you actually do in Russia when half your group is a teenager?
His account is one of the most useful I have received. It is full of concrete detail: what worked at the border, which payment methods failed in supermarkets, why his VPNs were useless, how long the airport security queues really are, and which day-by-day plan kept five people happy for two weeks. Here it is, in his own words, with his own photos.
Trip at a glance
| Traveller | Jacobus Möller, with his wife and three teenage children |
| Where he lives | South Africa |
| Dates | 28 June – 11 July 2026 (14 days) |
| Route | Abu Dhabi → Moscow (7 days) → St Petersburg by Sapsan (4 days) → back to Moscow by plane → home |
| Entry | Visa-free (South African passport) |
| Flights | Etihad via Abu Dhabi, both ways. Aeroflot on the St Petersburg → Moscow leg |
| Trains | Sapsan, Moscow → St Petersburg |
| Accommodation | Garden Ring hotel (Moscow), Vasilievsky hotel (St Petersburg) |
| Money | US dollars and some euros in cash. Virtual MIR card (payrus) for part of it |
| Connectivity | eSIM plus international roaming from his South African operator |
Approximate route. Outbound flight from South Africa via Abu Dhabi (dashed), then the legs inside Russia (solid).
What follows is Jacobus’s account, with his tips and his own photos. Thank you, Jacobus, for taking the trouble to write it all down.
Getting ready: what I sorted out before leaving
As South Africans we did not need a visa, which is a relief when you consider that we need one for most of Europe, North America and Asia. I registered in advance on gosuslugi.ru but never received a code, either beforehand or after entry — whether that had something to do with mobile network compatibility, I honestly don’t know. In the end it was never specifically mentioned or requested by passport control.
We also carried a notarised translation of our medication script and health insurance documents. Nobody asked to see either of them at any stage, but I would take them again.
The rest of my preparation looked like this:
- I downloaded the apps recommended on this blog — Yandex Go and Yandex Maps — and both proved very helpful.
- I had two paid VPNs on my phone, Surfshark and Proton, plus an Ubigi eSIM. I also activated international roaming with my South African provider, Vodacom.
- All our accommodation was booked and paid for through Zenhotels without a single glitch.
- We flew Etihad via Abu Dhabi to Moscow and back, with no delays or cancellations. I subscribed to Sheremetyevo airport’s Telegram channel, where they post updates on airspace restrictions.
- Sapsan tickets between Moscow and St Petersburg were booked on russiantrain.
- For the return leg we flew St Petersburg → Moscow with Aeroflot, booked through kupi.com.
- The payrus app and its virtual MIR card worked well for some payments — metro cards, online tickets — but I could not get it to work in supermarkets or souvenir shops. Getting a Yoomoney card from South Africa proved impossible.
- We took US dollars in cash plus a limited amount of euros, and I inspected every single bill for flaws beforehand.
We landed in Moscow on time and were warmly greeted by our guide, Anna Samartseva, with whom we spent our first five days in the city. She also helped us book tickets to several events before we even left home, including the opera and the circus. Thank you, Anna.
The practical stuff, once we were in Russia
Airport security is strict and tedious. Allow extra time before your flight. There are also security checks at every event we attended, and some of them verify your identity — better to have your passport on you.
On money: it is much easier to exchange amounts up to $500 at a time. Below that threshold no passport and no forms are needed. Go above it and the process becomes noticeably more complicated and time-consuming. And even though I had personally inspected every dollar bill before we left, a few of them were still rejected for imperfections I could barely see.
Neither of my VPNs worked well — in fact they were blocked most of the time. Telegram was completely blocked. WhatsApp worked for messages only, with no photos and no voice calls. The Ubigi eSIM worked about 80% of the time, with occasional dead spots; for the rest I fell back on roaming from my home network or on hotel Wi-Fi.
Yandex Maps suffered from GPS signal blocking in Moscow, which made finding directions confusing at times. In St Petersburg it worked without fault.
Both cities are enormous, so travel time is significant. Group the attractions you plan to visit by area. And I can wholeheartedly recommend the public transport: the metro, buses and trams are spotless, safe, punctual and cheap. We bought the 3- and 5-day unlimited cards — Ediny in Moscow and Podorozhnik in St Petersburg. Many metro stations are worth a visit in themselves.
I learned basic Russian before coming, and it proved really useful. Outside the hospitality industry the level of English is not advanced, even among young people and taxi drivers. People appreciate the effort and tend to warm up to you when you address them in Russian. And once you reach the limit of your abilities, the translator on your phone takes over.
Even though there were news reports of drone attacks on Moscow and St Petersburg while we were there, we never noticed any disruption on the ground. No sirens, no deserted streets. It seemed like business as usual.
The cities are safe. Women and children walk around with phones and purses in hand, day or night. Mugging and street crime are simply not a thing here. We saw the occasional alcoholic or drug addict, but never anyone behaving aggressively.
Most tourists we came across were from the Far East or India — we did not hear many European languages. Russians were the predominant visitors at almost every attraction, and it was never crowded except at the Hermitage. Most museums, cathedrals and attractions only open between 10:00 and 12:00, though they stay open late, until 20:00 or beyond. That was highly unusual for us: it felt like the best hours of the day were going to waste. If you are an early riser, find something else to do — walk the streets, photograph the monuments.
One last observation: Moscow is exceptionally neat and sophisticated. We saw almost no graffiti and almost no litter. It is a pity that you can still come across people spitting in the street in full view of everyone else.
Our seven days in Moscow, day by day
Day 1 — Kremlin, St Basil’s, GUM and Zaryadye
We started with the Kremlin, St Basil’s Cathedral, GUM and Zaryadye park. When we visited the cathedral a male choir was performing inside. The acoustics were incredible.
Day 2 — VDNH
VDNH was one of the highlights for us. The scale and the monumental architecture are overwhelming. The space museum and the Moscow Model are both worth visiting.
One very practical tip: leave the wine-buying at the Armenia hall for last. Otherwise you might be turned away at security at one of the other pavilions, because glass bottles are not allowed inside.
Day 3 — New Arbat, a Georgian feast and the opera
New Arbat Street for souvenirs: touristy and a bit repetitive, but your friends and family back home will thank you for it.
We then had a wonderful meal with our guide Anna and her friend Andrey at the Gennatsvale Georgian restaurant, and finished the evening with The Barber of Seville at the Novaya Opera.
Day 4 — The day we built for the teenagers
Since we were travelling with teenagers, we deliberately looked for activities that would appeal to them too. We did three: an escape room (an adventure quest at Cubiculum), wall climbing at the Luzhniki centre, and flying in a wind tunnel at FlowMoscow.
We ended the day with a music concert at the Kremlin State Palace. That one really felt like a first-hand experience of Russian culture, with the whole hall singing along to their favourite tunes.
Day 5 — Moscow City and the view from 354 metres
Moscow City and the “Only Love Above” viewing deck in the OKO building, at an altitude of 354 metres.
Day 6 — Tretyakov and Sparrow Hills
The Tretyakov Gallery is worth it, if only to stand in front of the haunting eyes of Ivan the Terrible after killing his son. Then Sparrow Hills.
Day 7 — Nikulin Circus and The Nutcracker
The Nikulin Circus and then The Nutcracker at the RAMT theatre. The circus was incredible — it is truly an art form. I have never seen performers engage with their audience like that.
Four days in St Petersburg
Day 1 — Peterhof, hidden courtyards and the drawbridges
We went to Peterhof and took the hydrofoil, which I recommend. In the afternoon we did a “hidden courtyards and panoramic rooftop” tour of the city, which was quite interesting. And after midnight, we watched the drawbridges open.
Do not forget your umbrella or raincoat.
Day 2 — The Hermitage and the Church of the Savior on Blood
The Hermitage is magnificent, but it was crowded on the day of our visit and the whole thing felt a bit rushed. Go early.
The Church of the Savior on Blood is as spectacular as you would expect, though it was partially obscured by ongoing renovation work when we were there.
Day 3 — Sailing on the Neva
A sailing excursion on the Neva river, with great views of the Lakhta Center and the massive flags of the Russian Empire, the Soviet Union and the Russian Federation flying next to it.
Day 4 — Nevsky Prospect and the Annenkirche
Nevsky Prospect, and then the Annenkirche — a Lutheran church whose interior was partially destroyed by fire and deliberately left unrestored. There was a service in progress when we arrived, and the congregation kindly let us join in. Another highlight for me.
One thing I could not manage: I really tried to book a Russian folk show in St Petersburg — even the hotel concierge tried to help — but none was playing at the time. Neither Bagatitsa nor Feel Yourself Russian.
In conclusion
Our journey exceeded our expectations. We had the time of our lives — experiencing the modern and sophisticated next to the historical and the sacred, touching history and catching a glimpse of the Russian soul. Highly recommended.
We did not get into political discussions. The intention of our trip was not to make any kind of statement, but to explore the culture and the history of the country.
Planning does matter, because of the sanctions and restrictions currently in place. My unbiased opinion: use russiable.com. Thank you, Irena.
And one last thing. On our final day in St Petersburg, my daughter left her phone in a taxi. We had resigned ourselves to the loss of all her precious photos — and then the driver, Michael, came looking for us in the security line at the airport to hand it back to her. Michael, if you ever read this: you are an angel. We cherish that moment.
Have you been to Russia recently?
If you have travelled to Russia recently and want to share your experience, tell me about your trip here and I will publish it in this section — with your name or anonymously, whichever you prefer. Accounts like Jacobus’s are the ones that genuinely help the people who are planning their own trip right now.
