Discover Russia

The Russian Federation is the largest country in the world by a wide margin — about 17 million square kilometres, roughly an eighth of the world's inhabited land, nearly twice the size of the next largest, spanning eleven time zones and bordering fourteen countries. The Ural mountains form the conventional divide between its European and Asian halves, and the great majority of the population lives west of them, on the East European Plain, where Moscow and Saint Petersburg are.

East of the Urals is Siberia: the West Siberian Plain, one of the largest areas of flat land and wetland on earth, then the Central Siberian Plateau, then the mountains of the far east and the volcanoes of Kamchatka. About two thirds of the country is permafrost. The vegetation runs in bands from Arctic tundra through the taiga — the largest forest on earth — to steppe in the south, and the Volga, the longest river in Europe, drains not to an ocean but to the Caspian Sea.

Historically this is the country of Kievan Rus' and its conversion to Orthodox Christianity in 988, of two centuries under the Golden Horde, of an expansion that reached the Pacific within a hundred years of Ivan IV's coronation, of Peter the Great's deliberate turn to face Europe, of 1917, of a war that killed 26.6 million Soviet citizens, and of the first satellite and the first human in space. Culturally it produced, in about a single century, a body of novels, ballet and music that changed all three forms internationally.

The practical position now is exceptional and it governs everything else on this page. The British government advises against all travel to Russia because of the continuing invasion of Ukraine: drone attacks and Russian air-defence activity, no flights back to the UK, and severely limited capacity for any Western government to help a national in trouble. There is an increased risk of foreign nationals being detained, including over activities that took place outside Russia. Read the practical sections below before treating any of the above as an itinerary.

Can I travel to Russia? The British government advises against all travel to Russia because of the invasion of Ukraine, and travelling against that advice is likely to invalidate your insurance. It also advises anyone who does not need to be in Russia to consider leaving.

Will my cards work? No, if they are Visa or Mastercard issued outside Russia — those do not work in Russian shops or ATMs. Other cards may; tell the provider you are travelling so they are not blocked. Note it is illegal to pay for general transactions directly in foreign currency, and illegal to change money with street traders, so carry US dollars or euros and change them at a bank, hotel or bureau.

I have Russian and British citizenship. Is that a problem? It is the most serious problem on this page. Russia will treat you as Russian: no consular access, possible arrest or detention, and your government may not even be told. You must notify Russia of the second nationality within 60 days or face criminal liability, a fine and confiscation of the British passport. Men aged 18 to 30 may be conscripted for two years, partial mobilisation means anyone with Russian citizenship may be drafted, and once a draft notice is on the federal register you are barred from leaving the country.

Can I post about the war on social media? No. Publishing information considered "fake" or from non-official Russian sources carries up to 15 years, explicitly including social-media posts, and restrictions on anything about the armed forces are severe. Expressing support for Ukraine on social media is one of the advisory's own examples of activity that can get a foreigner detained — including where it happened outside Russia.

Will my phone work? Probably not as expected. A foreign SIM may get no data or SMS; a Russian one needs a passport and biometrics and up to two weeks; any SIM off the Russian network for 72 hours will not connect when switched on. Meta, X and LinkedIn are blocked.

What is the emergency number? 112 for ambulance, fire and police; 101, 102 and 103 individually. English is unlikely. The FCDO 24-hour consular helpline is +7 495 956 7200.

Do I need to carry my passport? Yes, always — police run random checks, copies are not accepted, and failing to produce it can mean a fine or 48 hours' detention. You must also be registered at your address, which a hotel does for you and a private host must do.

Can I bring my prescription? Only with paperwork. Anything containing narcotic or psychoactive substances needs a prescription in your name translated into Russian and notarised, arranged before you travel. Codeine-containing medicines have caused arrests at the border.

Is the train really worth it? Yes — it is the best part of travelling in Russia. Under four hours Moscow to Saint Petersburg, sleepers between most cities, and 9,289 kilometres to Vladivostok in about six days.