Printable travel guide for Russian_Federation
Travel Guide

Here you will find travel information and insider tips about Russian_Federation that has been cooperatively contributed by other friendly Hospitality Club members. Please become active as well, and share your vast budget travel and backpacking knowledge with other members and the internet community - it is very easy to edit any information here (more info in the Help File). We hope that these Travel Guides will quickly become a great and fun resource. If you want to print this guide out to take with you, we have prepared this Printer Friendly Travel Guide for you. Enjoy!
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Basic Facts

Official Country Name: Russian Federation (Rossiyskaya Federaciya) or Russia (Rossiya) - these names are both recognized official
Capital: Moscow (Moskva, about 11 million inh.)
Population: 144 526 278
Telephone Code: 7
Time Zone: there are 11 time zones weaternmost is GMT+2 (Kaliningrad), Moscow is in GMT=+3), the easternmost is GMT+12(Chukotka) Area: 17 075 400 sq. km (the biggest country in the world!)
Language(s): Russian is th official language and is spoken everywhere but there are many other natons who also speak their own langauge
Ethnic Groups: There are more than 200 national groups. Some small nations are now on the way of disparition (or assimilation)Russians (79%), Tatars (4%), Ukrainians (2%) etc.
Highest Mountain: Elbrus (5642 m)
President/Head of State: Dmitry Medvedev
Government: Republic
Currency: Rouble (Rubl', RUR) Exchange Rate: US$1=28RUR, 1 Euro=35RUR)
Electricity: 220V/50Hz
Weights & Measures:Metric

Attractions and Things to See and Do

Northern Caucasus

A beautiful piece of land and by far not as dangerous as it's amde out to be by the media. It's Russia spiced with the mentality and the traditions of the native Caucasian peoples.

Places worth visiting:
Vladikavkaz - build as a Russian forepost to the Caucasus, the city offers beautiful sights on the mountains (5 min by car only!), interesting architecture and so on.
Kislovodsk - nice little SPA ressort, wonderful architecture and parks. Come here in summer! The rose fields are worth visit. And the cafe Snezhinka is famous for its tasty coffee (turkish style) and doughnuts!
Mt Elbrus - 5.642 m high, the white twin peaks are somewhat of a symbol of the Caucasus. Day trips there can be booked in travel agencies in many cities of the Northern Caucasus and aren't all that expensive. If you are by car and not afraid of the Caucasian streets, you can also choose that way (however, be prepared of cows suddenly blocking the road!). An aerial passenger line leads you to a height of about 3.500 m. Best to go there between May and September, otherwise the weather conditions might get a bit tricky.
Dombai valley
Sochi ... more soon to come... julotschka

Maps

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Off the Beaten Path and Insider Tips

Suggested Itineraries

1 Day, 1 Week, 2 Weeks, 1 Month ...

Transport

Getting there and away, By air - Moscow and St.Petersburg are linked by direct flights with almost all european capitals and main cities of USA. There are also many flights to Asian countries. There exist some flights to Africa and south America but generally people change plane in Europe. To go to other big cities you have to go via Moscow (but it's not always the best way, especially if you have to change airports) also big cities like Kazan, Novosibirsk, Irkutsk, are linked with direct flights to big european hub airports like Frankfurt, which are way more comfortable if you have to change plane. A regular ticket from Moscow to most european cities will cost about 450-500 euros, student fare is 300 euros. If you arrive to Moscow by plane you are most likely to arrive to Sheremetievo or Domodedevo.The second one is linked to the center (Paveletsky vokzal) by express train(100rubles, or 3 euros).
Overland. Russia has commmon borders with 14 states: Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Luthuania (only with Kaliningrad region), Poland (only Kaliningrad region), Bielorussia, Ukraine, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, China and North Korea. Except the last one you can cross all this borders overland. It is not always possible to do it by feet - you might have to be in a vehicle. With Norway - there's only one crossing point, on the road between Murmansk and Kirkenes. With Finland there is 8 points on road and 1 on railway. On the road the most used are Vaalimaa/Torfianovka and Nujamaa/Brusnichnoye. Lots of buses from Helsinki and some oher cities to St Petersburg, train link. None of road crossing points with Finland is allowed for pedestrians - ask for a ride before customs entrance. From Estonia: some points on the road, possible to cross by feet from Narve to Ivangorod. Latvia - Also some points on roads, I'm not sure if its possible to cross by feet. Lithuania: only to Kaliningrad Region, of you have a single entry visa, to go to mainland you'll have to take the plane (not less than 40 euros) or the ferry to St.Petersburg. (something like 25 euros per passenger). The same thing with Poland. If you want to take the direct road from Warszawa to Moscow via Minsk, you must have a Bielorussian transit visa! Russian visa is not enough anymore. If you cross from Bielorussia (and you have its visa :)-be careful - there is no systematic passport control on the border, and if you are in a russian or bielorussian car the might not to stop it at the border. If you are coming via Belorussia you need to take a "migration card when entering to Belorussia (it's a paper where you have to fill name, passport no, visa no., date of entry and purpose of travel. One part is kept at the border, another one is to give to the border officer when you leave. They also put the registration stamp on it). From Ukraine: also lots of roads. Borders with Georgia and Azerbaijan are open, but subject to change due to unstable situation in this region. It's not as dangerous as you might think but neither completely safe. Cross to Kazakhstan, Mongolia, China - no problem. Near Chita on the crossing point Zabaikalsk/Manchouria it's possible to get a chinese visa on the border! But i don't know how is it for non-Russians, check before. No crossing is possible to North Korea. By train Moscow is linked by trains to Warszawa, Berlin, Cologne, Prague, Budapest, Wien, Helsinki, Vilnius and Riga ona the west, the trains to western Europe are quite expensive, sometimes it's cheaper by plane. Also you can go to Many cities in Ukraine, Baku in Azerbaijan (2 days), Kazakhstan, Kyrghizstan, Mongolia and China (Moscow-Beijing costs about 150 euros and takes 6 days). If you're coming from Poland it's the same about belorussian visa By boat. There are ferries in Baltic sea (from St. Petersburg to Sweden, Germany), but they are expensive and more oriented on tourists. Also you can cross by boat the Black Sea - e.g. from Sochi to Turkey. On the Pacific - there are boats from Vladivostok, Nakhodka and Sakhalin island to Japan, and also from Vladivostok to South Korea. It will cost 100 dollars or more. Getting around by Air, There are many interior flights, as from Moscow or St Petersburg to onther cities, as between them. Many northern cities are reachable only by plane. The comfort and security lavel on interior flights is often lower than on international lines, especially if you buy avery cheap ticket of an unknown company. A ticket from Moscow to St Petersburg will cost from 50 euros, the flight takes 1 hour and something, to cities in Siberia - from 200 euros depending on the destination. Train The cheapest way to cross the country, although railway network doesn't cover it all. They are slow, but the level of comfort is acceptable. All the railways and trains becomes to the state. There are a few types of places (they are not called "class", but it's something like this). Most trains have sleeping cars because of the distances. The most expensive is a place in 2 compartment (called "SV"), the second is a 4 place comparment (kupe), the third type is when compartments are not closed, it's named "platscart", it's the cheapest on the long distances, the foruth is "Obshy" (common) where there is only sitting places. the suburban trains have only this type of wagons. There's no price discrimination for foreigners on railways. The cheapest ticket from Moscow to St.Petersburg costs 300 roubles (10 euros), from Moscow to Vladivostok - 2000 roubles in platskart.(70 euros for 9000 km!!). You can buy a ticket in an agency there will be an additionnal fee. In the railway stations tis a bit cheaper, but sometimes (especially in summer and in beginning or end of holidays) there is a long queue, and the staff generally (i.e. almost never) don't speak english. To buy a long distance ticket you have to present an ID (or a copy) for each passenger, your name and ID number will appear on the ticked. You will be admitted to the train only after showing it to the controller. The schedules and signs on the stations are only in russian. When you buy a ticket you book a precise place on a precise train,and you're not allowed to take another train going the same route or to have a stop during your journey and keep going with another train. Bus is less popular than train, but common on distances less than 1000 km. There are some on almost every road and connecting even small cities. It's also a cheap way to get around. There are no passes and no difference in prices for Russians or foreigners. The bus terminals are called "avtovokzal" or "avtostantsiya". In Moscow the main one is near metro "Schiolkovskaya". Like with the trains, everything will be written only in russian, and the staff won't speak english, even in Moscow. Car or Motorcycle. To come with your own vehicle to Russia you will need many papers and it may take a few hous on the border. You will need your driving license and registration documents for the car. Since a few time a third party is obligatory. the green card is not valid, you shuld subscribe an insurancee for Russia. The road network is not wery good, due to climat and poor maintenance. The signalisation is insufficient and sometimes absent. Many drivers dont care about respecting driving rules and speed limits. Traffic organization is often illogical. There are many traffic police, but they don't care much more about security, just taking bribes from those whe exceeded speed limits. If you are in a car with foreign number plates they might bother you even if you did no infraction - asking to show your papers, requiring a certified translation of your driving lisence (that is not obligatory) or and whatever else they invent on the spot. Just don't give them money, keep polite and they will let you go. There are many road police chekpoints on the road. ("Post DPS"). fuel costs about 0.45 euro per liter, but the quality is not always excellent. In big cities, especially Moscow and St.Petersburg driving must be difficult because of frequent traffic jams, bad signalisation and strange traffic organization. Very often there is no left turn or to turn left you have to turn right and make U-turn etc. If you drive in moscow you will need a good city atlas, whith schemas of traffic organization on main streets crossings. Finding a parking place in downtown may also be a problem. In the European part most roads are paved, and it's possible to get any car repared. Since a few years it's possible to go by car from Moscow to Vladivostok - a highway is under construction between Chita and Khabarovsk (there was a 1000 km gap before - only railway!) and is already passable (only in summer or in winter yet), but be ready for 1500 of unpaved road in summer and for temperatures down to 55*C below zero in winter. Another thing - in far-eastern russia it is quasi-impossible to find parts for any car except japanese. There are also some northern areas which are connected by road to the other parts of the coutry ("The Big Land" as they say) only in winter, when the ground and the rivers are frozen. This is called "zimnik" (winter road). Temperatures fall down to 60 below zero. These roads are only pracicable with a 4x4 or truck. Boat moving around Russia by boat generally means by river. I don't know how it's possible with your own boat. In western part of the country there are many river cruises, like from Moscow to St.Petersburg, or from Moscow to Astrakhan down the Volga. In Siberia rivers are big transport arterias. There are cargo and passenger's boats going down the rivers Ob', Yennisei, Lena towards the North ocean, bronging passengers and goods to remote northern cities, where there ar only winter roads or no road at all. It's possible to take them, but there are some areas restricted for foreigners, so sometimes you risk to have problems with local police. To check out before. Also by boat you can get from Vladivostok to Magadan, to Kamchatka or Chukotka.
Hitchhiking (avtostop). Contrarily to what many people think hitch-hiking in Russia is possible and many people do it - some for travel, others just where there is not enough public tranportation. In general it is free, BUT near the big cities, on some roads with poor public transport and near some touristic spots, some passenger car drivers, may want a payment. Some ones who would ask for money from a local will carry you for free just for the interest to give a ride to a foreigner, and some who usually wouldn't may ask from you because they think you have lots of dollars. If any doubt, make this question clear, BEFORE getting in the car. If you are not sure say "bez deneg", literallly "without money", or a driver may ask you "skolko?" what means "how much?". Truck drivers normally do not ask for money, it happened me only once for 20.000 km covered, and is an exception, not rule. They often drive 20 hours a day and take someone to avoid falling asleep. Signs with your destination written are not usual, and not really helpful. Even someone who stops 20 km before your destination might not to stop because he is not going your way. Thumb will also look strange, espeially in the asian part. Normal sign is just to show your palm. The phrases are "Dobri den" = hello, "kuda edete"="where do you go", " v storonu X" = "in the direction of X", "po puti"="on your way". There is almost no motorways so you can stand and catch a ride anywhere. Often roads are going directly through small villages or towns. Don't get dropped in the center or on the entrance of them, you can get stuck. Better to get off the car 5 km before. Good spots to hitch are behind the traffic police checkpoints, because all the traffic slows, there's often a speed limit of 5-10 km/h, or even a stop sign, and people who just passed are likely to stop for you (especially if the were not stopped by the police and are in good mood for it :-)). Also during night time there are lights. Even on the few motorways, you can stand on the shoulders, the police normally doesn't care, though if there is heavy traffic it might be too dangerous, so you should prefer an entrance ramp or gas station.
BicycleIt may be very interesting to explore Russia by bike. There is not infrastructure for it, like bicycle path parallel to the road. Avoid cycling in big cities - there is no bike paths, and drivers will not care about you, it's just too dangerous. Also due to the distances, going from city to city might be difficult. The best solution is to cover big distances by train, and to cycle around on smaller roads.

Accommodation

If you do not want to stay with other HC members, or noone is available, here is what other members suggest. Hostels Hotels Camping Other Options

Food and Drinks and Local Specialties

Restaurants, Supermarkets, Street Food, Local Specialties ...

Money and Costs

Currency, Exchanging Money, Credit Cards, Tipping, Bargaining, Costs...

Visa and Documents and Embassies

Most of foreigners need a visa. It is IMPOSSIBLE to get one at te border - you should apply in a consulate. In theory it costs about 80 US$ but it is hard to obtain without invitation. The best way is to apply via an agency (but they will also charge an additional fee). Check out to be sure that they will register your visa when you are in the country. Only the person/organization who delivered the invitation can do it. On arrival you must fill in a "migration card" in 2 parts, the first is kept on your point of arrival, the second - you must carry it together with the visa and give it back to authorities leaving the country. It's better to register your visa, because they put a stamp about this on the migration card, and if you don't have one you are likely to be annoyed on the border when you leave (in general - bribe harassement, sometimes that they dont care and just let you go, sometimes not). addresses of foreign embassies in Moscow are here links to some russian consulates' web pages are here

Borders and Customs

Post and Communications and Internet

Post, is very slow and inefficient. A letter sent from Moscow to EU may take more than a week to arrive. Price for send a postcard to Europe is 10 roubles (0.30 Euro). Parcels are even more slower. If you want your letter/card to arrive faster post it from a big city and in a postbox of its central post office. If you need to send get something in urgence the only way is to send it via UPS/DHl or similar services, which exist in most big cities.
Telephone, network iss well developed only in cities, but is not always modern, so the connection quality is not always good too. Actually there are already more mobile numbers in use then fixed ones. Even in Moscow suburbs there are whole towns, where most people do't have a fix number, but only a mobile. The most common standart is GSM 900/1800. There are different operators in different regions. Roaming with foreign companies generally works (check out with your operator). It's also possible to buy a local number. (It will be around 10 euros, which will be on your account). In general, a call to a phone within your tariff zone costs about 20 cents. Be aware that sometimes you have to pay for incoming calls,especially if they are not from a mobile. There are also card payphones, but in general there are different paycards in each region. Another strange thing - when you hear the answer you have to press a button (generally showing a phone tube), otherwise your correspondant won't hear you. To call from a public or fixed phone to another city or a mobile dial 8, after tonality dial city/area/cell. network code and the nuber. To call abroad it's 8-tonality-10-country code-city code-##. from a mobile its better to dial in internationl format - +(country code)(area code)(number). The cheapest solution to call abroad is to use scratch cards (i.e. IP telephony cards), there are many different ones. There are some in computer stores, CD stores, photo stores, and supermarkets. The code of russia is 7.
Internet Access There are internet cafes in most main cities, if not you can generally find internet access at the main post&telegraph office of the city. It's not especielly cheap or expensive - usually it costs from 30 to 60 roubles per hour (mostly about 30), i.e. 1-2 euro. From home the most wide spread is dial-up access, generally also payed by scratch cards. In Moscow it generally costs 0.20 Us$ per hour night time, 0.60-0.80 US$ day or evening time.

Questions and Answers or Forum

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Hospitality Club Meetings

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Travelogues

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Photos

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Activities and Sports

Nightlife and Entertainment

Bars, Cafes, Discos, Cinemas...

Population and People

Culture and Conduct or Local Customs

Language and Useful Phrases

Events and Holidays

Festivals, Sports, Concerts, Public Holidays...

Climate and When to Go

There is a big climat diversity, due to the big territory. In general, the climat is mostly continental, or rough-continental, so it's hot in summer (which is it's cold in which is short in some areas) and cold in winter. Don't be afraid to come in winter. It's not so terrible as many paople think and if you take good winter clothes with you you will see it. the country in winter may look very beatiful, althugh it's a bit sinister. The worst time to come is early spring. All snow begins to melt, the air is humid and there's a lot of dirt evrywhere. In moscow it's end of march - beginning of april, in siberia - a bit later.

Geography

Environment and Flora and Fauna

Dangers and Warnings

Tourist Traps

Health

History

Government and Politics

Economy

GDP, GDP per head, Annual growth, inflation, Major Industries, Major trading partners...

Arts

Music, Literature, Theater, Movies ...

Media

Newspapers, Radio and TV, Magazines ...

Religion

Volunteer Opportunities and Work

Organized Tours

What to Bring or Packing List

Shopping

Books and Further Reading

Guidebooks, Travel, History and Politics
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Other Information

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External Links

Official Country Website:
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Offtopic Messages

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