Visit Russia

Do you plan to take a peek behind what was once the Iron Curtain, and visit such famed cities as Moscow, St. Petersburg and Vladivostok? If so, read on for some top tips ahead of visiting Mother Russia:

• The language of Russia is (you guessed it) Russian. Key words and phrases to remember include ‘da’ (‘yes’), ‘nyet’ (‘no’), ‘zdravstvuyte’ (formal ‘hello’), ‘privyet’ (informal ‘hello’) and ‘spasiba’ (‘thank you’).
• English is spoken in the tourist areas of Russia’s biggest cities, as well as in major hotels, restaurants and shops. If you head to more rural areas, it’s worth learning some basic Russian phrases in advance.
• Russia has a whopping 11 time zones, stretching from Kalingrad’s GMT+2 in the west to the Bering Sea’s GMT+12 in the east. So be sure to factor in the correct time difference, depending on where you’re travelling to!

• The currency in this country is the rouble (currency code: RUB). If you plan to buy your rouble once you arrive here, it’s best to take US dollars or euros, as these are the most widely-accepted foreign currencies.
• Russia’s winters are famously chilly, with temperatures falling as low as -30°C (-22°F), although its brief summers can be warm and bright, even in Siberia! So it’s worthwhile considering what time of year you plan to visit.

Find out more about visiting the home of the Kremlin, Red Square and the Hermitage in our top articles below.