Is it safe to travel to Russia now?

I want to ask if it is safe to travel to Russia now? I am traveling on my own for 6 days so I want to consult some more notes.

I would like to ask if it is possible to travel to Russia at this time or in the near future? If anyone has recently returned, please give me some reviews. Are there still yellow leaves in Russia?

Also, I hope everyone can advise me on how to get a visa.

Thanks.

Hong Hanh

Reply

Mr. Ha Nguyen, a tourist from Hanoi , just returned from Russia after a trip in mid-October, and Mr. Phan Duc Ngoc, a tour guide to Russia for a travel company in Hanoi, provided some information:

Autumn in St. Petersburg (Russia) in mid-October. Photo: Ha Nguyen — Autumn in St. Petersburg (Russia) in mid-October. Photo: *Ha Nguyen*

Visa

Russia has opened evisa for tourists. Tourists usually only take 4-5 days to get a visa. (Detailed instructions)

Security

"Tourists traveling in the capital Moscow and St. Petersburg do not face any restrictions or security warnings. Tourist attractions are open to all normal visitors. People's lives are stable," said Mr. Ha.

Travel

After Covid-19 and due to the Russia-Ukraine military conflict, there are currently no direct flights from Vietnam to Russia. Previously, Vietnam Airlines and Aeroflot had this route. Tourists who want to go to Russia will have to transit in a third country. Currently, there are two airlines that many Vietnamese people and travel companies in Vietnam choose: Emirates Airlines (transit in Dubai), Qatar Airways (transit in Doha).

You should buy a Russian sim card right at the airport, you can install VPN to use applications like Google, Facebook.

Traveling domestically, especially in the capital Moscow, for independent travelers, it is important to note that world-famous navigation applications are mostly unusable or inaccurate. The most ideal way to travel is by subway or bus. For those who are not used to finding their own way, it is best to go with a tour. Russia does not use much English, and most road signs are also in Russian.

Three apps (mobile applications) that should be installed for use in Russia are Yandex Metro (subway), Yandex Go (use to book a car like Grab) and Yandex Maps (use to use like Google Maps).

Spending

Credit cards such as Visa or MasterCard are almost impossible to use in Russia. Therefore, visitors should bring cash such as USD or Euro. 100 USD can be exchanged for nearly 10,000 rubles.

Russia Tour

The current popular Russian tour price ranges around 60 million VND for an 8-day, 7-night trip to the two major cities of Moscow and St. Petersburg and their suburbs. Travel between cities by train (high-speed or regular). In addition, there are high-end tours priced from 20 to 30 million VND.

Weather

It is now late autumn in Russia, the weather is quite cold, there are almost no yellow leaves. Temperatures in Moscow range from 0 to 10 degrees Celsius (highest and lowest during the day), St. Petersburg ranges from -2 to 8 degrees Celsius.

Tam Anh

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