All travel arrangements for Russia can be done online with some peace of mind and patience.
I recommend starting your preparations for a trip to Russia around 2-3 months in advance to avoid last-minute rushes. It’s also possible to start planning with less notice, but I personally like to prepare everything ahead of time. I guess this depends on each person.
I’ve arranged chronologically all the preparations needed to organize a trip to Russia in 10 steps. Beforehand, it’s a good idea to check if there is any restriction.
Visas to Russia: issued normally (traditional or electronic). More info.
Ukraine conflict: life is completely normal in Russia (Moscow, St. Petersburg, and other cities), though it’s recommended not to travel to border areas with Ukraine. More info.
Payments in Russia: foreign Visa, MasterCard, JCB, or American Express cards don’t work, so you must carry cash or buy a card upon arrival in Russia. More info.
Internet: there are restrictions on accessing certain Russian websites (like RZD.ru), so you must use a VPN. More info.
Flights to Russia: there are no direct flights, but you can travel through third-country connections. More info.
Accommodation in Russia: Western websites (Booking, Agoda, etc.) are not operational in Russia, but you can book without problems through the Russian platform Triphotels. More info.
STEP 1. Decide the itinerary and the time of year to travel to Russia
When planning a trip to Russia (or any other destination), the first important decision you have to make is the itinerary.
For that, you need to answer questions like: When to go? Summer, fall, winter, or spring? How long will my trip be? 4 days? 7 days? 10 days? 1 month? Which route will I take? Visiting Moscow and St. Petersburg? How many days in Moscow and how many in St. Petersburg? Also visit Russia’s Golden Ring? Travel on the Trans-Siberian route? How much will the trip cost? Travel on my own or via a travel agency?
I provide answers to all these questions so you can choose your ideal route according to your budget and preferences. I also detail the holidays and main celebrations that take place in Russia so you know if you’re going to coincide with any of them during your trip.
Articles to decide the itinerary and the best time to travel
Currently, you can travel to Russia by plane, though due to international sanctions there are no direct connections between Russia and the European Union, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, or South Korea, among others. For this reason, there are two options to travel to Russia:
Option 1: Use flight connections through third countries that do have direct connections with Russia, such as Turkey, Serbia, Morocco, Armenia, or Uzbekistan.
Option 2: First take a flight near the Russian border (for example, to Finland, Estonia, Latvia, or Lithuania) and then take a direct bus to St. Petersburg.
I explain the different existing flight combinations to get to Moscow or St. Petersburg, tips on getting the best price, and how to get from the airport to the city center.
The next step to organize your trip to Russia will be buying online tickets for Russian long-distance trains, since it’s very likely you will use this means of transport to travel between Moscow and St. Petersburg or with other Russian cities.
In fact, traveling between different Russian cities by train is the best option. Trains in Russia are very safe (probably the safest mode of transportation) and quite affordable given the great distances they cover.
In this section of the blog, I explain everything about Russian trains: how to buy Russian train tickets online, how to travel from Moscow to St. Petersburg, how to travel from Helsinki to St. Petersburg, which services the train stations offer (luggage storage, Wi-Fi, etc.).
Warning: due to international sanctions, it’s currently not possible to buy train tickets on RZD or Tutu with foreign cards, so you have to use intermediaries such as Russiantrain.
In Russia, you can find excellent accommodations but also terrible ones (I think more frequently than in other Western countries). Fortunately, large online booking platforms include many traveler reviews that make it easy to avoid choosing a bad accommodation.
In this section, I discuss the main types of accommodation available in Russia that I believe are most interesting for independent tourism, the criteria to follow when choosing and booking accommodation in Russia, the neighborhoods and areas I recommend booking in, etc.
After international sanctions due to the Ukraine conflict, it’s not possible to book accommodation in Russia through Booking.com, Airbnb, or other Western platforms. The best alternative currently is the Russian platform Zenhotels.
When planning a tour of Moscow and St. Petersburg, and to avoid lines during high season, it’s advisable to buy online tickets in advance for some museums or palaces such as the Kremlin Armory in Moscow or Peterhof and the Catherine Palace in St. Petersburg.
Another option is to take guided tours in the main museums and palaces, tickets included, so you can skip the lines.
This section includes articles on how to purchase tickets for the main museums in Moscow and St. Petersburg and on the range of guided tours available.
STEP 6. Tickets to Shows: Opera, Ballet, Folklore, Music, or Circus
The next step when organizing a trip to Russia is buying tickets for shows: opera, ballet, music concerts, circus, Russian folklore, or sporting events (soccer, basketball, or ice hockey).
In this section, I explain how, where, and when to buy tickets to get the best price, whether for the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow, the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg, or for the Russian National Dance Show “Kostroma,” to name a few examples.
When traveling to Russia, it’s important to know where it’s best to exchange rubles, since not all operators apply the same commissions.
It’s also important to know the best way to pay in Russia and to be familiar with prices and the cost of living, so you have an idea of how much your trip will cost: hotels, restaurants, shops, museums, public transportation, etc.
In this section, I explain where it’s best to exchange rubles, how to pay in Russia, and the prices you will find there.
Articles about Rubles Exchange and Paying in Russia
I must admit that packing for a trip to Russia always makes me feel lazy. That’s why, some time ago, I decided to make a checklist of everything that shouldn’t be missing in a trip to Russia, so all I need to do is cross off each item I put in my suitcase.
In this section, I explain everything you shouldn’t forget to bring in your suitcase.
Once you’ve organized your trip to Russia, all that’s left is to take your flight and arrive at your accommodation. Therefore, in this section I’ll explain:
The procedures at the airport upon your arrival in Russia, such as passport and visa control, where you must fill out the immigration card, and customs control.
The different options for getting from the airport to downtown Moscow or St. Petersburg, either by public transport or by booking a taxi online in advance with companies like Intui Travel.
Completing the registration process upon arrival at your accommodation, the last procedure to carry out in Russia.
