Russia is the largest country in the world: 17.1 million square kilometers spread across two continents and 11 time zones. On this page I have gathered the maps of Russia you really need to plan a trip: where it is and how big it is, which cities are worth visiting, how they connect to each other and where the Trans-Siberian runs.
You will find an interactive map with the main tourist cities (each one linking to my guide for it), the real distances between cities and the map apps that work inside Russia. Let me tell you one thing up front: over there, Google Maps is not your best option.
Where is Russia? The largest country in the world
Russia occupies the entire north of Eurasia: it runs from the Kaliningrad exclave, on the Baltic Sea, to the Bering Strait, a stone’s throw from Alaska. The Ural Mountains mark the symbolic border between its European and Asian halves. Although roughly three quarters of the territory sits in Asia, most of the population (and almost everything that matters to you as a traveler) is concentrated in the European part.
To give you a sense of the scale: Russia is almost twice the size of the United States, or about 70 times the United Kingdom, and it shares a land border with 14 countries, from Norway to North Korea. Its population, however, is around 144 million, smaller than that of the United States. It is a huge and, for the most part, empty country.
If you are wondering how you actually get into the country these days, I keep an up-to-date guide on Russia’s borders: open flights and land crossings.
Interactive map of Russia: the cities that matter to travelers
I have built this interactive map with the Russian cities my readers visit most. Click each red dot to see what each city offers and open my matching guide. The dashed blue line is the Trans-Siberian route.
Tourist cities · – – – Trans-Siberian route
The vast majority of trips to Russia focus on two cities: Moscow and Saint Petersburg, just 4 hours apart by high-speed train. If it is your first trip and you are unsure how to split your days, I explain it in how many days to spend in Moscow and how many in St. Petersburg.
The Trans-Siberian route on the map
The blue line on the map is the classic Trans-Siberian route: 9,288 kilometers between Moscow and Vladivostok, the longest railway line in the world. Riding it in one go means about 7 days on the train, though almost nobody travels it that way: the usual thing is to stop along the route in Nizhny Novgorod, Yekaterinburg, Novosibirsk, Irkutsk (to see Lake Baikal) or Ulan-Ude.
If the adventure appeals to you, I have a complete step-by-step guide to organizing a Trans-Siberian trip and an article on what to see at Lake Baikal between Irkutsk and Ulan-Ude.
Russia’s time zones: 11 in a single country
Russia has 11 time zones, more than any other country in the world: when it is 12 noon in Kaliningrad, it is 10 at night in Kamchatka. On top of that, Russia does not change its clocks between summer and winter. These are the time zones of the most visited cities:
| City | Time zone | Difference from Moscow |
|---|---|---|
| Kaliningrad | UTC+2 | -1 h |
| Moscow and Saint Petersburg | UTC+3 | — |
| Yekaterinburg | UTC+5 | +2 h |
| Novosibirsk | UTC+7 | +4 h |
| Irkutsk (Lake Baikal) | UTC+8 | +5 h |
| Vladivostok | UTC+10 | +7 h |
| Kamchatka | UTC+12 | +9 h |
For reference: Moscow (UTC+3) is 3 hours ahead of London in winter and 2 hours ahead in summer, and 8 hours ahead of New York.
Distances between cities: what a small map does not tell you
The most common mistake when planning an itinerary around Russia is underestimating the distances. On the map, Kazan looks like it is right next to Moscow, but there is a whole night on the train between them. These are the real distances and the best way to cover them:
| Route | Distance | Best option |
|---|---|---|
| Moscow – Saint Petersburg | 700 km | Sapsan train (approx. 4 h) |
| Moscow – Kazan | 800 km | Overnight train (approx. 12 h) |
| Moscow – Sochi | 1,600 km | Flight (approx. 2 h 30) |
| Moscow – Yekaterinburg | 1,800 km | Flight (2 h 20) or train (25 h) |
| Moscow – Irkutsk (Baikal) | 5,200 km | Flight (approx. 6 h) |
| Moscow – Vladivostok | 9,288 km | Trans-Siberian (approx. 7 days) |
For getting around inside the country I will leave you two practical guides: how to buy train tickets in Russia (despite the sanctions) and how to book flights to Russia with a foreign card.
Which map apps work in Russia (and which one to use)
Yandex Maps is the “Russian Google Maps” and the app I always use inside the country: it has the most complete and up-to-date information on businesses, public transport and traffic, and the interface can be switched to English. By far, it is the map Russians themselves use.
Google Maps works in Russia and is fine for finding your way, but its information on opening hours, businesses and transport is considerably less current than Yandex’s. Use it as a backup, not as your main app.
To play it safe, also download offline maps before your trip: 2GIS (excellent for getting around cities, works offline) and Organic Maps (ideal for walking routes). And for the metro, the Yandex Metro app works out routes in Moscow and St. Petersburg with no internet connection.
If you prefer paper, I have put together the official tourist maps of Moscow in PDF and the official tourist maps of St. Petersburg to download and print.
One last tip: all these apps need data to work properly. To have internet from the moment you land, the easiest option is to carry an eSIM with data for Russia installed before you leave home.
Frequently asked questions about the map of Russia
Where is Russia?
Russia stretches across the entire north of Eurasia, from the Baltic Sea to the Pacific Ocean. About a quarter of the country lies in Europe and the rest in Asia, separated by the Ural Mountains. Most of the population lives in the European part.
How many time zones does Russia have?
Russia has 11 time zones, from UTC+2 in Kaliningrad to UTC+12 in Kamchatka. Moscow is 3 hours ahead of London in winter and 2 hours ahead in summer.
Which map app is best in Russia?
Yandex Maps is the most complete and up-to-date app inside Russia, and it can be used in English. Google Maps works, but with less current information. For offline maps, the best options are 2GIS and Organic Maps.
How far is it between Moscow and St. Petersburg?
About 700 kilometers. The high-speed Sapsan train covers the route in around 4 hours, and there are also overnight trains and flights of little more than an hour.
How long does the Trans-Siberian take from Moscow to Vladivostok?
The full route is 9,288 kilometers. Without getting off the train it takes about 7 days, though most travelers make stops along the way in cities such as Yekaterinburg or Irkutsk.
With the maps sorted, you are out of excuses: if you are just starting to plan your trip, carry on with my guide to organizing a trip to Russia in 10 steps and take a look at the Russia travel itineraries I suggest depending on how many days you have.
