We strongly believe that before you judge a place, you should at least visit it first. With all the stigma and prejudice surrounding Russia, we decided to put aside what we had heard from Western media and see the country for ourselves.
We did some research online, but there is still very little information available about traveling to Russia. So, we came with what we knew, kept an open mind, and decided to just take the leap.
We went there in August 2026, and this has been one of the most interesting trips of our lives — and also the most controversial.
We were in Russia for 10 days and visited 2 cities: Moscow and St. Petersburg. Here are 8 things we learned that you need to know and prepare for before your trip to Russia:
Here is what you need to know before visiting Russia
1. Prepare Cash!
Visa and Mastercard do not work in Russia, so make sure you bring enough cash with you.
You can either bring enough Russian Rubles (RUB) from your home country or bring USD or EUR. These are the 2 currencies that are widely accepted at money changers in Russia.
Also, money changers at the airport usually have the worst exchange rates. We recommend going to one in the city instead. Usually, you’ll find a lot of money changers near the major train stations, and they tend to offer better rates.
2. You Will Need a VPN
Russia has some of the strictest internet restrictions in the world, so you may not be able to access many global websites and apps during your trip.
We used Browsec VPN, which a local recommended to us. It’s free and worked perfectly for us in both Moscow and St. Petersburg.
3. You Will Need an eSIM
We couldn’t find an easy way to buy a physical SIM card in Russia, not even at the airport.
Instead, we purchased an eSIM through the Nomad eSIM app, which was much easier for us. You can also get 25% off with my code: VANESSAXN. Make sure to install the esim and activate before your flight to Russia.
Note that once you land in Russia, you may get a message like this saying that your roaming is temporarily restricted for 24 hours. You can restore your roaming by completing the identification process through the link they sent you.
4. Avoid Taxis at the Airport
Be careful when taking taxis from the airport because they can seriously overcharge tourists.
We were charged RUB 6,000, while locals told us it should only cost around RUB 2,000 from the airport to the city. Some of the drivers were also quite aggressive.
Instead, we recommend taking the local bus to the nearest Metro station. It only cost us around RUB 450. Then, use Yandex Maps to navigate to your destination.
5. Book Your Hotels Through Trip.com
Trip.com worked perfectly for us when booking hotels in Russia.
Since Trip.com is a Chinese travel app, we didn’t have any issues booking hotels through the platform. However, there was one strange thing we noticed: you need to change the language to something other than English. For some reason, when we used English or some european languages, we couldn’t find any hotels in Russia. We tried to change the language settings into Bahasa Indonesia, Melayu Malaysia and Mandarin Chinese all works well
Here are some hotel recommendations in Moscow:
- The Carlton Moscow
An ultra-luxury hotel in the Red Square area. The views are amazing — we had a view of the Kremlin from our room and also from the Executive Lounge.
This hotel was previously the Ritz-Carlton Moscow, but the name and management had to change because of the sanctions. We had an amazing experience staying here, and we also loved that it was only a 1–2 minute walk to the Kremlin and Red Square area.
- Marriott Imperial Plaza
A 5-star hotel located near the train stations that can take you to St. Petersburg. It was a great stay, and it’s also within walking distance of Komsomolskaya Station, one of the prettiest metro stations in Russia.
The hotel is luxurious and comfortable. We stayed here for a good 4 nights, and there are also so many restaurants and supermarkets around the area.
6. Book Train Tickets in Advance
If you’re planning to visit St. Petersburg from Moscow, we recommend booking your train ticket at least 1 week in advance.
The earlier you book, the better deals you can get, and sometimes the trains can also be fully booked.
7. Get the Moscow Transport Pass
When you’re in Moscow, you can purchase a 3-day transport pass for around RUB 800.
You can use it unlimited for 3 days on the Metro, buses, and trams, which we found to be the best deal.
If you buy individual tickets instead, each trip can cost around RUB 65, so the 3-day pass can save you quite a bit if you’re using public transportation frequently.
8. Apps You Need to Download in Russia
Just like in China, many of the apps we normally use don’t really work in Russia, so here are some apps you need to download to make your trip easier:
- Yandex Maps: For navigation. Google Maps doesn’t work well there.
- Browsec: For VPN access.
- Yandex Go: For ride-hailing. However, unless you have a Russian phone number, you won’t be able to use it.
Overall Thoughts on Traveling to Russia
Overall, we had such an amazing time in Russia.
The buildings are incredibly aesthetic, colonial, and historic. The streets are clean, and we felt very safe walking around. We didn’t experience or feel unsafe at all during our 10-day trip.
Russia was definitely one of the most interesting countries we’ve ever visited, and there were so many things we didn’t expect before coming here.
So, these are 7 things we wish we knew before traveling to Russia. We hope this Russia travel guide helps you prepare for your trip and makes your journey a little easier!
Explore More Hidden Gems in Russia
If you’re planning a longer trip, check out our other Russia travel blogs featuring Moscow, Saint Petersburg, and many other cities — each offering its own unique blend of nature and culture.
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