After travelling alone in Russia for the first time, here are a few essential tips that will be helpful while planning a trip to Russia.
Russia is the largest country in the world with 11 different time zones. Even after several trips to Russia, it is impossible to cover all the places of interest. So, I shortlisted a few that I can experience during a 3-week trip.
Tourist visa for Russia
Getting a tourist visa to Russia has become quite easy with the introduction of an e-visa for Indian passport holders and many other nationalities. Check this website to apply. The electronic visa requires very little documentation, unlike when I travelled in 2019. I had to personally visit the embassy and apply for an invitation letter etc. However, the electronic visa is valid for 16 days only. The permitted period of stay in the Russian Federation is up to 16 days. The day of arrival and the day of departure are counted as two days.
Currency exchange
It is better to carry US dollars or euros and get them exchanged in any of the banks in the city. The exchange rate at the banks seemed to be reasonable. I got US dollars exchanged from VTB bank on Nevsky Avenue in Saint Petersburg.
ATMs
Withdrawing cash using your international debit card is the best option. I used an SBI debit card. Smaller stores accept only cash and all the restaurants and other major stores accept credit cards.
Language
Contrary to the general perception of Russians being cold and unfriendly, my experience has been quite positive. Language can be a barrier if you do not know any Russian but Google Translate has been greatly useful. Many youngsters can often understand English.
In restaurants and cafes, menus are usually in English too. If you know a few words of basic Russian, it can make a lot of difference, especially at railway stations during security scans. There was an incident at St. Petersburg railway station when a security person was asking me if I had my cell phone in my purse. The security person was saying ” Sotovyy”(it means cell ) and I was standing blank. Finally, another passenger helped me with that.
It will be better if you know some basic words apart from ”Privet” and ”Spasibo” 🙂 (though Spasibo helped a lot). Those were the only two words I knew but now I know a few more. Having an idea about the Cyrillic alphabet would be another plus to comprehending the signs in the malls and streets.
Moscow and Saint Petersburg have information and signs written in English too making it easy to get around these two cities. I was quite surprised to find that Murmansk despite being a smaller place was the easiest. Most of the people I came across – train co-passenger from Murmansk, shop owners, hotel staff and tour guides all spoke English very well.
Transportation
Domestic airlines
I used S7 Airlines twice and had a wonderful experience. You can book directly using their website https://www.s7-airlines.com/. The flights were on time and their prices were reasonable too. Some other airlines popular among tourists are Aeroflot, UTair and Ural.
Russian railways
Travelling by train is a great way to enjoy Russia. If you have the time and enjoy long train rides, Russian trains are wonderful.
Booking train tickets for travel within Russia
There are different ways you can book your tickets on Russian Railways. It is either online or right at the counters in the railway stations. Some people get it done through travel agents. I felt booking online was the easiest one. Here are the steps to book your tickets online:
- To book online go to https://pass.rzd.ru/main-pass/public/en.
- Type the Departure and Arrival station and the date of the journey. You can check the availability and fare for the class you select.
- Once you have decided, create an account and register
- Select the seats and pay using any international credit card. I used an SBI Credit card. It worked great.
Some useful tips while booking
- Check for the facilities on that particular train. There will be signs for wifi, bio-toilet, air conditioner, meals etc.
- From my observation, train numbers with lesser digits have better facilities. Usually, premium trains have numbers like 1, 2, 16 ….
- If you are allergic to certain pets, look out for that sign if pets are allowed in that coach.
- Some cabins are for females only, some are mixed and some are for men. If there is a green sign for the seat number, you can assign a gender for that cabin, Red is for mixed(males or females can book that seat)
- E-tickets are accepted, if they are not, then it will be specified.
- Time zones may vary. So make sure to check the local time of your arrival in the city. Departure time is Moscow time
Another way to book online is by using https://www.tutu.ru/ which is much easier to navigate but they charge a nominal amount towards the service fee. I tried that website first but had issues with my Indian credit card. I prefer the government website https://pass.rzd.ru/main-pass/public/en.
Suitcases vs Backpacks for train journeys
There is enough space for a suitcase and a trolley or a big-sized backpack on the train. Moscow, St. Petersburg and Murmansk stations did not have stairs to climb. So, carrying a suitcase was fine and easy to carry. Irkutsk station has some steep stairs to climb. Luckily, I had requested a pickup. So, the driver helped me with my luggage.
I had a wonderful trip. If you would like to know the details, read my posts 3 days in Trans-Siberian railways as a solo traveller and Murmansk, a city beyond the Arctic circle
Local SIM
Whether you are planning a short trip or a long one, having a local number is useful especially while booking a taxi or using data for Google Maps etc. There are a few popular cell phone service providers like MTS, Megafon and Beeline. I went for an MTS prepaid sim with a month’s validity and unlimited data and calls within Russia. The total cost was 550 rubles. Their customer service is great. I had no issues throughout my stay. The network was good in all the cities including the trains.
All you have to do is, visit the nearest MTS store, choose your plan and present your passport. Your new number will be activated. SIM cards can also be purchased from supermarkets, some stores and also at international airports.
Food
Another misconception about Russia is it is difficult to get vegetarian food. I disagree since there are options for even vegans in many restaurants. Vegetarian and vegan cafes are in plenty in bigger cities. Georgian, Indian and Italian restaurants have many options for vegetarians. Having said that, it was a challenge to find an exclusive vegetarian restaurant in Murmansk but there are supermarkets and even small convenience stores where you can buy fruits, bread, cheese etc. Even on Russian trains, there are a few vegetarian options marked with a green sign.
Immigration card
Upon arrival, you will be given an immigration card during your passport stamping. This is a very important document and should be kept safe along with the passport until you leave the country.
Shopping
Shopping can be interesting in Russia. If you have good negotiating skills, you can bargain in most places. Stores in the malls have fixed prices.
Safety
Follow safety precautions like you do in your home country or elsewhere and most of all, trust your intuition. Do not venture out at night alone on lonely streets and watch out for pickpockets in crowded places especially in bigger cities. With all that said, I felt safe and did not experience any problems throughout my stay in Russia.
Packing essential things
Warm clothes
Carrying a warm jacket is a must since it can become cold and windy and you can also expect some occasional rains in St. Petersburg. October/ November is the beginning of winter and the end of fall. It was cold. Carrying a warm snow jacket and a nice pair of gloves is a good idea.
Walking shoes
Comfortable walking shoes are good especially if you have plans to take a walking tour or explore the city on your own. If you plan on visiting the North or the Siberian region, winter boots having a sole with good grip are highly recommended especially if you plan on hiking.
Electric plugs
Russia uses 220-volt electricity which is similar to what we use in India but you will need an adapter since Russia uses 2 round European outlets. Universal adapters are easily available on www.amazon.in
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