Russia


Location

Flag

Quick Facts
Capital	Moscow
Government	Federation
Currency	Russian ruble (RUB)
Area	total: 17,075,200 km²
Population	143,420,309 (2005 est.)
Language	Russian
Religion	Russian Orthodox, Muslim, other

Calling Code	+7
Internet TLD	.ru
Time Zone	UTC +2 to +12

Russia (Russian Росси́я, transliteration Rossiya) - more fully known as the Russian Federation (Russian Росси́йская Федера́ция, transliteration Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) - is a vast country in Eastern Europe and northern Asia. Russia has both extensive Arctic Ocean and North Pacific Ocean coastlines, as well as smaller coastlines on the Baltic, Black and Caspian Seas. Russia is bordered by Norway and Finland to the northwest, Estonia, Latvia, Belarus and Ukraine to the west, Georgia and Azerbaijan to the southwest, Kazakhstan, China and Mongolia to the south, and China and North Korea to the southeast. The American state of Alaska lies opposite the easternmost point of Russia across the Bering Strait.

Russia is the largest country in the world in terms of area. Despite its size, much of the country lacks proper soils and climates (either too cold or too dry) for agriculture. Mount Elbrus (Gora El'brus), at 5,633 m, is Europe's tallest peak.

Regions

Cities

Some of the best known Russian cities with their Anglicised and Russian Cyrillic names.

Other destinations

Understand

History

The defeat of the Russian Empire in World War I led to the seizure of power by the Communists and the formation of the USSR. The brutal rule of Josef Stalin (1924-53) strengthened Russian dominance of the Soviet Union. The Soviet economy continued to grow at high rates under Malenkov and Khrushchev, and political and social controls were loosened. The Soviet Union eventually reached its peak and became stagnant under Leonid Brezhnev, and the crisis would continue until General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev (1985-91) introduced glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring) in an attempt to modernize Communism, but his initiatives inadvertently released forces that by December 1991 splintered the USSR into 15 independent republics. Since then, Russia has struggled in its efforts to build a democratic political system and market economy to replace the strict social, political, and economic controls of the Communist period. A determined guerrilla conflict still plagues Russia in Chechnya.

Climate

Climate ranges from steppes in the south through humid continental in much of European Russia; subarctic in Siberia to tundra climate in the polar north; winters vary from cool along Black Sea coast to frigid in Siberia; summers vary from warm in the steppes to cool along the Arctic coast.

Terrain

The terrain consists of broad plain with low hills west of the Urals; vast coniferous forest and tundra in Siberia; uplands and mountains along southern border regions.

Get in

Passports, Visas, and other documents

Visas

Citizens of most non-Russia or CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) countries must obtain a visa prior to arriving to Russia. Obtaining a Russian visa is a costly, time-consuming, and sometimes frustrating process. Most visitors should start the process at least two months in advance.

There are two terms, invitation (or voucher for tourist visa) and the visa itself. Invitation is the paper in exchange of which one gets the actual visa. Visa is a sticker to one's passport. There are several types of invitations and visas.

The tourist invitation is a letter of confirmation of booking and pre-payment of your accommodation and travel arrangements in Russia. Can be obtained from a government approved hotel in Russia, on-line hotel booking service or Russian travel agency. The sign of government approval is so called "consular reference" the number of government registration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia. Only hotels and travel agencies that have consular reference can issue the confirmations valid for visa purposes. Using a local Visa Service to obtain a Russian Visa will streamline the process. They will double check your application and invitation, go to the embassy for you and return your passport to you. This saves time and frustration.

It should be noted that tricks like booking one night of a hotel and getting a visa for 30 days with the paper received from the hotel for one night booking won't work, as the visa will be granted for one day only in such a case.

However, some travel agencies will issue a confirmation for a fee, without actually collecting the accommodation pre-payment. The legality of such actions are in question and there is a bit of controversy about this.

Tourist confirmation and the accommodation voucher are normally accepted as a faxed/e-mailed copy, though the consular official has a right to ask for the original if fraud is suspected.

Another type of invitation is required to obtain a business visa. Business invitations are issued by the government and for many Russian consulates the original hard copy is required (though some will accept a faxed copy, always check this before applying) Obtaining the business invitation is time consuming and costly. Any registered company in Russia can apply for the business invitation for a foreign national in the visa and passport office in Russia. It normally takes 4 to 6 weeks to get one. Business visa is granted in exchange of business invitation by the Russian consulate and it is a lot more flexible than a tourist one. Can be multiple entry and valid for travel and stay in Russia for up to 12 months. Some travel agencies in Russia can help obtaining business invitation.

Some Russian local governments have a right to invite foreigners for business and cultural activities by sending a TELEX to the Embassy or Consulate of Russia overseas, requesting the visa issue to a particular foreigner or group of foreigners. Such telex messages are used instead of invitation. This is normally the way to go if you are invited by the government.

Personal invitation. Any Russian citizen can apply to invite foreign national for a visit at the passport and visa office. The process is much the same as for business invitation. Take 4 to 6 weeks. Looks exactly the same as business one, but the purpose of travel and the visa type will be stated as personal. The inviting individual is solely responsible for all your activities while in Russia and can be penalised heavily if something goes wrong. So personal invitations are usually not available for a fee through the net.

It should be noted that you will need to pay for the cost of the invitation and the visa itself, each of which can cost from $40-100 or more, usually depending on how fast you want it issued. To save money, start the process as early as possible.

Migration Card

When you go through passport control into Russia, you will give the border official a filled-in migration card. You should be given the card back, and it should be stamped. You must carry this card with you at all times in Russia, and you may be asked for it when you leave. You receive the migration card while you're en-route to Russia, either on the train or in the plane. It is a small white piece of paper nearly the size of two index cards. There are two parts: one for exit and one for entry. When you cross the border the 'entry' portion is taken and you keep 'exit' part.

By plane

Moscow and St. Petersburg are served by direct flights to most European capitals, and Moscow also has direct flights many cities in East Asia, South Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and North America. Currently the only non-stop flights from the United States to Russia are offered by Delta (from New York and Atlanta to Moscow) and Aeroflot (from New York, Chicago and Los Angeles to Moscow).

There are airports in all large cities in Russia. However, international service to destinations other than Moscow and St. Petersburg is still very limited.

DBA from Germany to Moscow [5] flies from Berlin (Tegel), Duesseldorf (Nordrhein-Westfallen), Koeln/Bonn (Konrad Adenauer), Muenchen (Franz Josef Strauss), Stuttgart (Echterdingen). Approximate one-way price - 110 Euro

Germanwings from Germany to Moscow [6] flies from Berlin-Schonefeld, Koeln/Bonn, Hamburg, Stuttgart. Approximate one-way price - 100 USD.

Wind jet from Italy to Moscow [7] flies from Forli. Approximate one-way price - 90 Euro

Evolavia from Italy to Moscow[8] flies from Ancona on Wednesdays till 27.10.2006. Approximate one-way price - 140 Euro

[9] from Norway to St. Petersburg flies from Oslo. Approximate one-way price - 94 Euro

Transfering between the international and domestic terminals at Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport (SVO) could be difficult for a non-Russian speaker. Many people arrange for a private car in advance.

By Train

Train service is usually reliable. You can get a direct train from many cities in Eastern and Central Europe to Moscow and sometimes St. Petersburg. Helsinki, Tallinn, Riga, Berlin, and Warsaw are all possible departure points with daily services to Russia. Most long distance trains have 2 to 6 passengers per room, 4 being the most common. The Trans-Siberian Railway spans the entire country and connects European Russia with Russian Far East provinces.

For details on Russian trains, see below in the Get Around: By Train section.

By Car

Travelling in Russia by car is difficult, and the roads are often intentionally unmarked.

Car rental services are only starting to develop in major cities such as Moscow or St. Petersburg, and are expensive. Crossing the border by car is also a peculiar entertainment.

There is no doubt that car travel is the best way to see the country, but it is a risky enterprise which is recommended only for the brave and capable.

Russian highways have highway patrol police (GAI) roadblock every 20 km or so. If you have an international license plate, prepare to pay a bribe ($5 -$20). Russian traffic rules are very numerous and you will be found violating some of them. If you decide not to pay, at best you should expect to spend several hours at every road block.

Service is scarce and poor, and the countryside can be quite dangerous without experience and fluency in the Russian language.

By Bus

A few bus companies, notably Eurolines, operate international coach services from a number of distinations to Moscow and St. Petersburg. Tallinn, Helsinki, Warsaw and Berlin all have regular services to Russia.

By Boat

Get around

By Train

Russia has an extensive rail network linking nearly every city and town. For intercity travel, the train is generally the most convenient option for trips that can be covered overnight. The train is an option for longer trips (many Russians continue to use it for trips of 2 days or more), but mainly if you appreciate the nuances and experience of train travel in Russia. For the complete Russian rail experience, the one-week Trans-Siberian Railway has no equal.

Russian trains are divded into types: Long-distance (DAL'nevo SLEdovaniya) trains generally cover trips more than about 4 hours or 200 kilometers (120 miles). Russian long-distance rail timetable [10] Shorter distances are covered by the commuter trains (PRIgorodniye), which are popularly called ElekTRICHkii. Most train stations (zheleznodoROZHni VokSAL) have separate areas for selling tickets for these types.

Most long-distance trains are set up for overnight travel. In these trains, three main kinds of cars are available. The third class car is called platzcart (платцкартный вагон) and is set up with unwalled compartments of four fold out beds opposite two beds on the window wall. These compartments are generally less safe than other classes, but provide for a much more immersive experience. Also, woman travellers sometimes prefer the platzcart to other classes where they might end up in a closed compartment with other male strangers (Russian trains do not have separate cars or compartments for males and females).

The second class is called coupe (купейный вагон - koupeinyi vagon) and consists of private compartments of four each. The first class is called SV, and consists of compartments for two persons.

Note that several Russian trains, including many international routes, have only 1st and 2nd class available.

The prices of these trains vary widely by class obviously, but also by train. Many trains are considerably more comfortable than others, and as a result are more expensive. Some trains provide pre-packed meals, free tea/coffee, and complementary sheets (otherwise, you'll have to pay 100-150 for your own). The more expensive trains are generally cleaner and might even have air-conditioning. It's a good idea to ask when you buy the the ticket exactly what is provided.

Conductors always provide free water in samovars in every car and will usually sell you tea and lend you a mug and spoon for about 10 rubles, or 35 cents. Most long distant trains also have dining cars.

For example, on 27 july 2006 Moscow-Vladivostok train coupe ticket was 12721.10 rub ($472.55) and SV ticket 23631.30 rub ($877.83). Travel time is 148 hours.

On 29 july 2006 Moscow-St.Petersburg train chair ticket was 400-600 rub, platzcart ticket - 600-700 rub, coupe - 1200-2000 rub (lux coupe - 2000-4000 rub), SV - 13000-18000 rub. Travel time is about 8 hours.

When going through the countryside locals will sell food and liquor at pretty reasonable prices. Often babushkas will even be selling pre-made meals! Frequently, traders will walk through the traincars between stops and sell everything from crockery to clothes to Lay's chips.

Tickets can be bought at the train station. Most stations have a large room called a Kassovi Zal where tickets are sold. Lines at the stations vary widely--some stations are much better organized than others nowadays, and it also depends on the season. If you find the lines unbearably long, it's usually not hard to find an agency that sells train tickets. Commission rates are generally not prohibitive.

The commuter trains are mostly hard-seat train cars. You don't get a designated seat number--you just find space on a bench. These trains have a notorious reputation for being overcrowded, though this has declined somewhat. The trains make very frequent stops and are rather slow. For example, a 200 KM trip to Vladimir takes about 3 1/2 hours. Also, they don't have toilets.

Tickets for commuter trains are sold in a separate room from the long-distance trains, and are sometimes sold from stalls located outside.

A few very popular routes, mostly between Moscow and nearby cities such as Vladimir, Yaroslavl, Tula, and others have an express commuter train that is considerably more comfortable. Your ticket will have a designated seat number and the seats are reasonably comfortable. The trains travel to their distination directly and are thus considerably faster.

By Bus

Most Russian cities have bus links to cities as far as 5-6 hours away or further. Though generally less comfortable than the train, busses sometimes are a better option timewise and are worth looking into if the train timetables don't suit you. A small number of cities, notably Suzdal, are not served by train, and thus bus is the only option besides a car.

The Russian word for bus station is AvtovokSAL. Most cities have just one for long distance busses and the state busses depart from there. However, in Moscow and in some other Russian cities, a number of commercial busses are available, and they generally don't depart from the bus station. Quite often, you'll see commercial busses near train stations. Sometimes they run on schedules, though for popular routes (such as Moscow-Vladimir, Moscow/Yaraslavl, etc.) the busses simply wait to fill up. On these busses payment is usually to the driver.

Russian busses have luggage storage, but if it's an old Eastern-bloc bus, you may find your luggage wet at the end of the trip.

By Plane

The tremendous distances of Russia make plane travel highly desirable if you plan to travel to some of Russia's more far-flung attractions. It's worth considering for any destination that is farther than an overnight train ride. Travelling across Russia by train can sound awefully romantic, but it's also time-consuming and rather monotonous. Nearly every major destination of interest has an airport nearby. The great majority of domestic flights are to/from Moscow, but other services exist.

The Russian domestic airline industry had an abominal reputation in the 90s due to uncertain safety records, unreliable timetables, terrible service, uncomfortable airplanes, and substandard airports. Substantial improvements have been made, however. Plane travel in Russia is unlikely to be the highlight of your trip but it has become tolerable.

By thumb

Russia has a very lively hitchhiking culture, with many hitchhiking clubs, there is even an Academy of Hitchhiking. There are many competitions. Despite horror stories about bad things happening in Russia, it is relatively safe to hitchhike, especially in the countryside. In some regions Russians expect a little bit of money for a ride.

Talk

Russian is the official language, so wherever you go in Russia, you'll find someone who speaks it. English is becoming a requirement in the business world, and younger people especially will often know enough to communicate, but by no means is English universally understood and spoken. In upscale hotels almost the entire staff has a working knowledge of foreign languages (including English).

You will not learn the language in a short time; concentrate on learning some key "courtesy" phrases, and the Cyrillic alphabet (e.g. "PECTOPAH" spells "RESTAURANT") so you have a chance to recognize street names, labels and the like.

Russia has hundreds languages and supports most of them, sending linguists to document them and invent (mostly - in 1920-1960) writing systems for them (all Cyrillic, of course) and making them local official languages. The south border is lined with Turkic, Mongolian, and Tungusic; the north with Finnic and Samoyed. The southwest corner has a variety of Caucasian languages; the northeast has the few Chukotko-Kamchatkan languages.

Buy

Matryoshka - a kind of wood doll, Ushanka - a warm hat, Samovar - an indigenous design for brewing tea. Note that when purchasing samovars of value (historical, precious gems or metal, etc.), it is wise to check with customs before attempting to take it out of the country.

Money

Forget about travelers' checks (only some banks, such as Sberbank, will cash even American Express), and bring enough cash to last you for a few days, as occasionally communications networks handling ATM and credit card transactions are not available (as elsewhere in the world).

All payments in Russia are officially made in rubles. However, in many shops you may find the prices indicated in U.S. dollars or "conditional units" (х. у.е.; usually a blended dollar/euro rate, and often the exchange rate is arbitrary). This became common after the financial problems of 1998. Many shops catering to tourists as well as companies selling major items (such as cars, real estate and computers) quote their prices in dollars. The conversion rate is either posted (commonly at a slightly high rate) or understood to be the bank rate. Some private vendors, such as kiosk sellers, guides and taxis may accept payment in dollars or in rubles, although there generally is no meaningful price difference.

Many Russians keep their savings in U.S. dollars, so it's very easy to find exchange bureaus throughout Russia. Banks and small currency exchange bureaus offer very good rates; hotels and casinos are generally more expensive. Many exchange bureaus will also convert euros and other currencies, although often the rate is not as good. You will have easier time changing money if your banknotes are absolutely clean, and dollars should be the most recent updated design, as few places will accept the older versions. Don't change money on the street. Unlike during Soviet times, there is no advantage to dealing with an unofficial vendor (and consequently there is considerable incentive for the moneychanger to take advantage of you). Also, you need to show your passport.

Bank machines are common and convenient in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Other large cities also have them but many times there are restrictions on foreign cards. They usually offer services in multiple languages, and some give out U.S. dollars or local currency. In smaller towns and villages they are often difficult to find or non-existent. Russian ATMs will often limits withdrawls to about US$100 per day.

In Moscow and St. Petersburg more and more shops, restaurants, and services take credit cards. Visa/MasterCard are more accepted than American Express; Discover, Diners Club and other cards are rarely accepted. Most upscale establishments will accept credit cards, but beyond these it is pure chance.

Costs

Eat

Russian cuisine is world-renowned (caviar and beef Stroganoff are but two examples), and there are now many restaurants in Moscow and St. Petersburg that cater to an educated palate.

Drink

Vodka, imported liquors (rum, gin, etc), international soft-drinks (Pepsi, Coca- Cola, Fanta, etc), local soft drinks (Tarhun, Buratino, Baikal, etc.), distilled water, kvas (sour-sweet non-alcoholic naturaly carbonized drink made from fermented dark bread) and mors (traditional wild berry drink). Beer in Russia is cheap and the varieties are endless of both Russian and international brands. It is found for sale (warm) at any street vendor in the centere of any city and costs (costs double and triple the closer you are to the center) from about 13 Rubles (about 25 US cents) to 60 Rubles (about 3 US Dollars) Popular local brands are Baltika, Stary Melnik, Bochkareff, Zolotaya Bochka, Tinkoff and many others.

Mixed alcoholic beverages as well as beers at nightclubs are extremly expensive and are served without ice, with the mix (for example, coke) and alcohol charged for separatley. It is advisable to drink your heart out beforhand, as drinking in public is legal.

Wines from Georgia and Moldova are quite popular. In Moscow and St. Petersburg, most restaurants have a selection of European wines--generally at a high price.

Soviet champagne is also served everywhere in the former Soviet Union at a reasonable price, but the quality is lacking.

Sleep

Hotels in Russia are extremly expensive and if you do speak a bit of Russian and are not entirely culture shocked it is much smarter to seek out and rent a room in a private residence. Most Russians are looking to make extra money and, having space to spare, will rent it out to a tourist gladly. It is strange to find that native Moscovites or residents of St. Petersburg would rather rent out to tourists than their own countrymen. Such websites as www.unclepasha.com help connect tourists and those willing to rent out their apartment space for a couple of nights. Expect to pay 60-70 US Dollars a night (usually with breakfast prepared by your host) and the accomodations will certainly be very clean and proper if not modern. When it comes to home/family life, Russian culture is very warm and inviting.

Learn

Russia has a long-standing tradition in high-quality education for all citizens. It probably has also one of the best mass-eduction systems in the world producing a literacy rate (98%) exceeding most Western European countries.

Basic general education lasts for nine years. Graduates of this level may continue their education at senior high school to receive secondary general education. They may also enter an initial vocational school or non-university level higher education institutions.

Due in great part to demands of the international educational organizations, the system of education in Russia began to adopt a system similar to that of Britain and the US: 4 years for the Bachelor's degree and 2 years for a Master's degree. The universities are still in the process of these changes; some of them offer the new system and others still work according to the prior 5-year system, particularly in programs such as law.

Russia's top universities have very competitive entry requirements, and special entry exams are held each year. One of the great attractions of education in Russia is the cost, especially when compared to the quality. Degree study tuition can range from $2000 to $8000 per year, with other costs (room & board, books, etc.) ranging from $1500 to $5000 per year, depending on location and spending habits.

The academic year lasts from Sept 1 to Mid June everywhere, with long summer vacations from July 1st to Aug 31.

Several universities and private schools offer Russian language courses (individual and group tuition).

Work

Stay safe

Largely because of the difficult transition from police state to democracy, Russia did experience a rise in criminal activity during the 1990's. The truth is that crime was greatly exaggerated in the media, and for the average tourist Moscow, St. Petersburg and the rest of Russia remain safe as safe as any major Western city, and likewise common sense goes far in protecting oneself against problems.

A note about police: Although they do have a bad reputation, the majority of Russian police officers are respectful of position as public servants. Most accounts of bribery stem from the civilian not following common rules, such as carrying identification papers at all times, or drinking excessively in public.

Note that everyone in Russia must carry state-issued identification papers, which means that foreigners should carry their passport and visa at all times and present it to police officers if asked, however a very wise policy is to carry a photocopy of each. This can seem intimidating to people who grew up in the West but it is the law in Russia. If a police officer stops you, they normally salute you and ask for your passport and papers (generally in Russian). Hand these to them, they will look at it, hand it back and salute you. This can be an odd and frightening experience on the train into Russia in the middle of the night.

Juvenile delinquency, organized crime and corruption may occur in Russia. The murder rate per 100 000 is one of the world's highest, at 21. The Russian Mafia is infamous, and has a business of smuggling drugs from and in the country.

The police are widely regarded as corrupt, and (may) take bribes. They may hassle you for your travel documents (passport, immigrations card and residence registration), actively hunting for bribes. Stay friendly and act like everything is fine. If they're just fishing for bribes, it's a real hassle for them to take you to the station. In tight situations, a 500 ruble bribe is really the most you should give in metropolitan areas.

Many Russians are ranging from nationalist to xenophobe to racist to militant fascist. Isolated acts of random violence have been recorded against people with darker complexions, but also against people with a "leftist" look like punks.

When buying items, make sure money is folded backwards with small bills on the outside and larger on the inside. Try to get bills in 50-500 ruble amounts to keep the numbers on the bills small.

Also, don't take your money out to pay before the total is told to you. This is considered stupid or odd. It also helps to keep your money from being snatched from you.

Stay healthy

Ensure that all of your vaccinations are up to date, and you have sufficient amounts of any prescription medicine you may be taking. Pharmacies are common in major cities and carry a large supply of quality western medications.

You are recommended to buy only bottled water in Russia, readily available in any hotel's shop or in neighborhood stores. In St. Petersburg you should not brush your teeth with the tap water, nor open your mouth during showers.

The further you get from Moscow or St. Petersburg, the worse the water condition gets. If you can't afford to buy bottled water, boil water before drinking even in Moscow and St. Petersburg. You should have no problem with affording it, though - it costs only about 20-30 rubles ($0.8-$1.1 USD) for 2 liters.

Besides local doctors (generally good quality but often working in poor facilities) there are several Western-run medical centers in major Russian cities. These all have different policies for payment (some take credit cards, some require payment in cash up front, even if you have insurance) so make sure you know what you are paying for (and when and how) before you agree to any services.

Be careful not to buy fake vodka (could be very dangerous). Buy only vodka in large stores or specialized one's like Aromatnyi Mir in Moscow with the sticker over the cap and/or the region's barcode on the side (Sakhalin, Kamchatka, etc).

Some kiosks could sell meals of bad quality. If you are not confident, just throw it away. Although most of them are quite good, take note of who buys and what they buy. That could help to make a good choice.

Respect

It should be noted that paying the bills at restaurants may often be very frustrating. You will sometimes not be given a proper receipt, and if you leave more money than the exact total, it is automatically interpreted as a tip, and you have to be very persistent in order to get your change back. While tipping traditionally is frowned upon in Russia (many will probably tell you otherwise), it is a recent phenomenon, emerging after the fall of communism, and very few understand that it's up to the guest to decide how much he or she wants to tip. Be persistent in your demands, and look out for attempts of fraud. What most tourists do is to give up, because they are tired, and they can easily spare a few rubles. Remember, if they are successful in taking money from one tourist, they will keep harassing the next.

On the other hand, many Russians and Russian families are very welcoming and kind. The general rule in all countries is to treat people with the same respect as what you get in return.

Contents

Regions

Cities

Other destinations

Understand

History

Climate

Terrain

Get in

Passports, Visas, and other documents

Visas

Migration Card

By plane

By Train

By Car

By Bus

By Boat

Get around

By Train

By Bus

By Plane

By thumb

Talk

Buy

Money

Costs

Eat

Drink

Sleep

Learn

Work

Stay safe

Stay healthy

Respect

Contact