Basics

Time: Russia is divided into 11 time zones ranging from GMT +2 in the east to GMT +12 in the west. In summer the time is +1 from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in September. The local time in Moscow and St Petersburg is GMT +3 (GMT +4 in summer).
Electricity: Electrical current is 220 volts, 50Hz. Round two-pin plugs are standard.
Money: The official currency is the Ruble (RUB) or Rouble, divided into 100 kopeks. Most major credit cards are accepted in the larger hotels and at places that deal with foreign tourists. Currency can be changed at banks, currency exchange booths and hotels. Travelers cheques are difficult and expensive to cash, but if necessary it is advised to take them in US Dollars or Euro. ATMs are widely available in major cities. It is hard to get rubles outside Russia and travelers are advised to take good condition US dollars or Euro notes to change once there. It is illegal to pay for goods or services in hard currency, though it is often accepted.

 

Note: This is not updated daily and should be used as a guide only.

Language: Russian is the official language. Some people speak English, French or German.
Entry Requirements for Americans: United States passport holders must have passport valid for the length of their stay. A visa is required.
Passport/Visa Note: Visitors must carry ID at all times whilst in Russia; a photocopy of your passport and visa will suffice. An Immigrant Card will be issued on board the aircraft or on arrival. All visitors staying for longer than three days must register their Immigrant Cards with their hotel or sponsor. Anyone traveling on a tourist visa must hold hotel vouchers. Exit permits are required on departure. These are usually issued with the visa, or can be obtained at hotels not less than two days before departure. Passports must be valid for period of intended stay.
Health: Travelers to Russia are advised to have up-to-date vaccinations for hepatitis A, typhoid fever and tetanus-diphtheria, as well as medications for travelers' diarrhea. Water for drinking and brushing teeth should be treated; bottled water is readily available. There is a reciprocal health care agreement with the UK entitling citizens to free health treatment in hospital. Local state medical facilities are of a low standard, however, and visitors are strongly advised to have full insurance for medical treatment and accidents should they require private care. There have been outbreaks of bird flu in regions of Russia, including Tula, Tambov, Kurgan, Chelyabinsk and Novosibirsk, but there have been no reports of human infection. Travelers are advised to avoid contact with domestic, caged and wild birds and ensure that all poultry and egg dishes are well cooked.
Tipping: A 10% tip is expected at restaurants, if a service charge hasn't been added. Hotel bills in the large cities include a 10 to 15% service charge; otherwise 10% is usual. Tipping in bars and nightclubs is common.
Safety: The areas in North Caucasus of Chechnya, Ingushetia, Dagestan, and the eastern and southern parts of Stavropol Krai are highly volatile at present and visitors are strongly advised against travel in those regions. Only essential travel to North Ossetia, Karachai-Cherkessia, Kabardino-Balkaria (including the Elbrus area) should be undertaken. There is a high risk of domestic terrorism throughout Russia, particularly in Moscow and North Caucasus, with suicide bombings and explosions in public areas and on public transport, and hostage-taking are serious threats. The Russian authorities are also concerned about a possible threat to Western interests in Moscow and the threat of terrorist attacks in major cities. Visitors are advised to be vigilant, particularly in tourist areas, and also to watch out for pickpockets and street crime, especially in large cities. There has been an increase in crime, specifically targeting tourists, in St Petersburg and visitors are advised to be cautious on the metro and buses, and should insist on seeing official ID from police officers.
Business: Russian business is structured and conducted in a fashion similar to Western countries with elements of the Russian character, or stereotype, instigating subtle differences. A formal dress sense is important as Russians enjoy and appreciate style. A good firm handshake and eye contact indicates strength. Business cards are exchanged and it is advisable to have, in Russian, a translation of details on the alternate side. The giving of gifts is common and should be localized or display the company logo. It is impolite to refuse a gift or a drink. Although meetings may occur over lunches, decisions are often only finalized in the office. Regular business hours are 9am to 6pm Monday to Friday with one hour taken at lunch.
Communications: The international access code for Russia is +7. When calling Russia from abroad the initial zero on the area code must not be omitted. The outgoing code is 810 followed by the relevant country code (e.g. 81044 for the United Kingdom). City/area codes are in use, e.g. 095 for Moscow and 812 for St. Petersburg. Public phones are good for local and international calls; they take phone cards, which can be bought at newspaper kiosks and post offices. Phone booths in airports and major hotels usually take Amex or Visa cards but are generally much more expensive than street phones. Mobile phones work in most large towns and cities. There are numerous local operators using GSM networks, each covering relatively small areas. Visitors are required to declare mobile phones at customs when entering Russia. Email and Internet access is available at Internet cafes throughout the major towns and cities.
Duty Free: Customs inspections on entering Russia are stringent. Visitors have to declare on a form items such as currency and valuables, which they are bringing in for their own use. Duty free allowances change often and at short notice, but in general travelers can bring 400 cigarettes, 50 cigars, 200 cigarillos 0r 500g tobacco products; 2 litres of alcohol (for those over 21 years of age); perfume for personal use; 250g caviar (provided this is factory packed) and gifts to the value of 65,000 rubles.
 

Activities

Trans-Siberian Railway

The Trans-Siberian Railway is one of the most famous of the world's great train journeys, a six-day trip covering 5,869 miles (9,446km) and eight time zones, from Moscow in Europe to Vladivostok on the Asian Pacific Coast. It is the longest continuous railway on earth and is the best way to experience the vast expanse of Russia, passing small isolated farmhouses and pastoral lands, churches and brightly painted log-cabin settlements, rolling hills and forests, steppes, rivers and lakes. The train only stops briefly several times a day, but it is possible to arrange a stopover at any of the main cities or towns along the way. After the appealing city of Irkutsk, the 'capital of Siberia', the route passes the magnificent Lake Baikal, with a surface area as large as Belgium and the Netherlands combined, and its pure crystal-clear waters are the deepest in the world. This is the most attractive part of the journey, running along the shores of the 25-million year old lake and passing through numerous tunnels blasted into the cliffs, beneath arches and over bridges. Vladivostok, the final destination, with its picturesque hills overlooking the impressive natural harbor is Russia's major international trading port, and is a lively and interesting city. The Trans-Siberian Railway was started in 1891 to link the western cities in European Russia to its Far Eastern provinces and the important Pacific port of Vladivostok. It took 26 years to build and remains one of the most outstanding engineering achievements of its time. Other popular routes are branches of the Trans-Siberian Railway, the Trans-Mongolian or Trans-Manchurian railways, which travel from Moscow to Beijing.

 

Moscow

Moscow is the capital of the world's biggest country, situated in the centre of the European part of Russia. At the very heart of the city, and indeed the country, is the Kremlin, the Russian place of command for almost eight centuries, and the religious centre. Red Square and the exquisite, colorful domes of Saint Basil's Cathedral, and the jeweled, Fabergé Easter eggs of the Tsars are images that have long been associated with the Soviet Union in the minds of Westerners. The city of Moscow is a fusion of both splendor and ugliness that is evident in the massive concrete slabs and high-rise apartments of the Stalinist era, and in the ornate churches, beautiful neo-classical houses, and the impressive architecture of the old city. Wide grey thoroughfares give way to narrow winding inner city streets, and golden church domes gleam between the looming skyscrapers. It attracts not only those eager to embrace new business and free enterprise, but also the poor from across the country, and the extremes of affluence and impoverishment are evident everywhere. Since the fall of communism Moscow has been injected with a sense of urgency to change the face of the 'Mother City', embracing capitalism and shaking off the years of communist-imposed atheism, with flashy shop fronts housing western franchises, new restaurants and glossy hotels, and the restoration of lavish Orthodox churches. The once dreary streets are now a vibrant commotion of life with markets and eager vendors offering an assortment of goods that were unavailable during the Soviet years. It is also a city of entertainment, with theatres and the renowned Moscow Circus, museums and art galleries. It boasts the world's largest and most efficient metro system with gleaming stations deep underground, astonishingly decorated in elegant marble, glittering chandeliers and gilded works of art and magnificent mosaics. It is the soul of the new Russia and an intriguing mix of history and politics, business and culture.

 

The Kremlin The oldest part of Moscow dating back to the city's foundation in 1147, and situated at the very heart of the city on top of a hill, the Kremlin is a fortress surrounded by a thick red wall interspersed with 20 towers. The complex consists of a number of glittering, golden-domed churches and palaces, museums, residences, offices, assembly halls and monuments. It was the royal regime during the Tsarist rule and from 1918, the seat of the Communist government. Cathedral Square is the religious centre of Moscow and the historic heart of the Kremlin, and is home to numerous churches. The attractive Annunciation Cathedral was set aside for the private use of royalty and contains beautifully painted murals and icons on the interior walls. The throne of Ivan the Terrible can be found in the Cathedral of the Assumption, which was used for the coronation of tsars; most of the leaders of the Russian Orthodox Church were buried here and their tombs line the walls of the spacious, richly colored interior. The Belfry of Ivan the Great is the tallest structure within the walls and a visible city landmark. At its foot lies the world's biggest bell, broken in a fall from its bell tower in 1701, and nearby is the world's largest cannon, the Tsar Cannon. Also within the Kremlin is the Armory Palace, the richest and oldest museum housing a staggering collection of treasures gathered over the years by the church and Russian state, including jewel-studded coronation capes, thrones encrusted with diamonds, royal coaches and sleighs and the renowned jeweled Fabergé Easter eggs, each containing an exquisitely detailed miniature object of precious metal inside. The Diamond Fund Exhibition in the same building contains the 180-carat diamond given to Catherine the Great by Count Orlov. Opening Time: Daily except Thursdays from 10am to 5pm. Admission: 300 rubles; Armoury Museum 350 rubles. Concessions available.

Red Square Red Square is a dramatic open cobbled space in the centre of Moscow, originally the city's market place that served as a public gathering place to celebrate festivals, listen to government announcements or to witness executions, especially common during the reign of Ivan the Terrible. The Soviet state turned it into a memorial cemetery, and constructed Lenin's Mausoleum to one side - a crystal casket containing the preserved body of the founder of the Soviet Union that is still open to public viewing today. The communist government destroyed several ancient buildings around Red Square, including the Resurrection Gate and chapel, to make space for and to allow easy tank access to the demonstrations and military parades that frequented the area. The current Resurrection Gate and chapel are replicas that were built in the 1990s. Its most impressive parade involved the gathering of thousands of Russian soldiers ready to march to war against the Nazis in 1941, the rumble of tanks a demonstration of Soviet might during the Cold War. The word 'red' doesn't apply to the color of the brickwork, neither is it a reference to communism. The meaning of the word 'krasny' originally meant 'beautiful' in Old Russian, referring to St Basil's Cathedral at the southern end, but over the centuries the word changed to mean 'red' too, thus the square's present name. St Basil's Cathedral is the city's most well known building and is crowned by the bulbous multicolored domes that have made it an instantly recognizable landmark. Address: Krasnaya Ploshchad. Transport: Metro stop Ploshchad Revolutsii.

St Basil's Cathedral St Basil's Cathedral with its multicolored domes is the most famous image of Russia, standing on the edge of Moscow's Red Square, a striking design that was commissioned by Ivan the Terrible to commemorate his victorious military campaign against the Tartar Mongols at Kazan in 1552. Legend has it that Ivan was so overwhelmed by its beauty that he had the architect blinded to prevent him from creating anything to rival it. It comprises a central chapel surrounded by eight red brick tower-like chapels, each crowned with a different colored and uniquely patterned onion-shaped dome. The church escaped demolition many times during the city's turbulent history and with the beginning of the Soviet regime the cathedral was closed and later turned into a museum. The interior is a dimly lit maze of corridors and delicately decorated chapels, one of them housing a priceless 16th century screen decorated with icons that shields the inner sanctuary. In comparison to the exquisite exterior, the interior can seem disappointing. Opening Time: Daily except Tuesdays between 11am and 5.30pm. Admission: 100 rubles, concessions 50 rubles.

Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theatre Moscow's oldest theatre, the Bolshoi dates from 1824 and is Russia's most famous theatre, with its world-renowned opera and ballet companies in residence. Completely rebuilt after a fire in 1856, the grand building is a masterpiece of Russian neoclassicism, including an eight-columned entrance porch topped by a horse-drawn chariot of Apollo, patron of the arts. The glittering five-tiered interior is richly adorned with red velvet furnishings, gold decoration and chandeliers, and the size of the auditorium makes it the largest theatre in the world. The Bolshoi Theatre has hosted some of the world's most celebrated premieres and performers, including Swan Lake, Spartacus and concerts by Richard Wagner, and an evening performance at the Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theatre constitutes one of Moscow's best nights out. Transport: Metro stop Teatralnaya. Admission: Ticket prices for performances vary.

Airports

Sheremetyevo International Airport (SVO)

Location: The airport is situated 16 miles (26km) northwest of Moscow. Time: Local time is GMT +3 (GMT +4 from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in September). Contacts: Tel: +7 095 234 3130. Transfer between terminals: Most international flights will arrive at Sheremetyevo II. Sheremetyevo I, about 15 miles (24km) away, serves domestic flights. Public and Express buses, taxis and free airline shuttles are available between the terminals. Transfer to the city: Taxis are available from outside both terminals; passengers should avoid the renegade taxi drivers and go to the official taxi counter. Rates are fixed. There is an express bus services, which leaves from outside Sheremetyevo 1 and 2 for the nearby metro stations that connect to the city centre. Minibuses are also available. Car rental: Car rental companies include Avis, Hertz, National and Budget. Facilities: Moscow Airport is a soulless, dimly lit, grey building and long stopovers here should be avoided if possible. The staff are slow and inefficient and the queues for passport control and check-in are long. Once through check-in, however, the facilities are fine, including bureaux de change, restaurants, bars, duty-free shopping and a post office. Disabled facilities are limited but wheelchair transfer from the aircraft to the terminal building can be arranged in advance. Left luggage counters, a business conference centre and ATMs are available in Terminal 2. Departure tax: None. Website: www.sheremetyevo-airport.ru

Pulkovo International Airport (LED)

Location: The airport is situated 10 miles (16km) south of St Petersburg. Time: Local time is GMT +3 (GMT +4 from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in September). Contacts: Tel: +7 812 104 3450. Transfer between terminals: The two airport terminals are a considerable distance apart and are only connected by taxi; fares are usually exorbitant. Transfer to the city: Bus No.13 leaves for Moskovskaya Metro Station from outside Terminal 2, from where metros go to the city centre. Taxis are also available from both terminals; prebooking a taxi is far cheaper. Passengers who are staying in a major hotel can arrange to be picked up. Car rental: Hertz car rental is represented at both terminals. Facilities: Pulkovo is a 'no frills' airport. There are some services available however, including a few duty-free shops, a bureau de change, snack bars, restaurants, a post office, Internet access and an ATM. Parking: Short- and long-term parking is available. Departure tax: None.

 

Climate

The main holiday season for Russians and foreigners is during the warmest months of July and August, but it also rains a lot at this time. The best times to visit are May and June or September and October, avoiding most of the crowds and the rain. Winters are very cold and bitter, especially in Siberia.