How to Get Around Russia

The position first

The British government advises against all travel to Russia because of the invasion of Ukraine, citing drone attacks and Russian air-defence activity, the lack of flights back to the UK, and its own limited ability to provide support. It also advises anyone who does not need to be in Russia to consider leaving. Travelling against that advice may invalidate your insurance.

Getting in and out

You cannot fly directly from Russia to the UK or through EU countries. A limited number of airlines offer indirect routes through the Middle East, Serbia, Central Asia, Turkey and the South Caucasus. Drone attacks and the associated air-defence response can close airspace at short notice, which has caused frequent and unpredictable delays, diversions and cancellations at Russian airports.

Land borders may be busy or closed and exiting can involve a long wait and questioning by officials. The Finland–Russia border is closed. The Narva–Ivangorod crossing to Estonia is closed to vehicles but open to pedestrians. Several European countries have restricted or banned the entry of vehicles registered in Russia, so check before driving one into Europe. Visas are required by most nationalities and the requirements change — verify close to travel.

Trains, which is how the country is properly seen

Rail is the classic way to travel in Russia and remains the best of it. The Sapsan covers Moscow to Saint Petersburg in under four hours, overnight sleepers connect most cities, and the Trans-Siberian runs 9,289 kilometres to Vladivostok in about six days. Flights are necessary for Siberia and the far east, where the distances are continental.

Metros

Moscow's metro is vast, cheap, fast and architecturally extraordinary, with several stations decorated as palaces. Saint Petersburg's is among the deepest in the world. Both double as warm through-routes in winter.

Your phone will probably not work as you expect

A non-Russian SIM may not get mobile internet, SMS or other services. Buying a local SIM requires your passport and biometric checks and can take up to two weeks. Any SIM that has not been connected to the Russian network for 72 hours will not connect to the internet or send SMS when first switched on, and the wait can run from hours to days. Meta — Facebook and Instagram — X and LinkedIn are blocked, and access to other websites is unreliable. Make sure people at home know how to reach you if your phone does not work.

Restricted areas, photography and drones

Access to some areas, including military and border zones, is restricted and requires permission from local authorities; without it you may be arrested, fined or deported, and the list of restricted areas is published only in Russian and may not be reachable from outside the country. Photography is illegal at any military, secure or official site, including airports, and there may be no warning signs. Drone use is illegal in some regions and elsewhere requires prior permission from the Russian aviation authority, with the flight route filed at least 24 hours ahead.

Read the advisory before the timetable

The FCDO advises against all travel to Russia, citing drone attacks and Russian air-defence activity, the lack of flights back to the UK, and its own limited ability to help; it advises anyone who does not need to be in Russia to consider leaving. Travelling against that advice is likely to invalidate travel insurance, which changes the arithmetic of everything below.

Getting out is the part to plan first

There are no direct flights from Russia to the UK and none through EU countries. Indirect routes run through the Middle East, Serbia, Central Asia, Turkey and the South Caucasus on a limited number of airlines. Airspace can close at short notice during drone attacks, and delays, diversions and cancellations at Russian airports are frequent and unpredictable. Land borders may be busy or closed, exit can involve a long wait and questioning, the Finnish border is closed, and the Narva–Ivangorod crossing to Estonia takes pedestrians but not vehicles. Keep enough hard currency to leave at short notice.

Rail is genuinely the best thing about moving around Russia

The Sapsan does Moscow to Saint Petersburg in under four hours. Overnight sleepers connect most cities and are the normal way Russians travel long distances. The Trans-Siberian covers 9,289 kilometres to Vladivostok in about six days and is one of the few journeys that is itself the destination. Beyond the Urals, flying is unavoidable for anything time-limited, because the distances are continental rather than national.

Two metros worth the trip on their own

Moscow's metro is vast, cheap and fast, and several stations were built as palaces — it is a sightseeing item as much as a transport system. Saint Petersburg's is among the deepest in the world. In winter both double as heated through-routes, which is how the cities are actually crossed on foot in February.

Assume your phone does not work

A non-Russian SIM may get no mobile internet, SMS or other services. A Russian SIM needs your passport and biometric checks and can take up to two weeks to obtain. Any SIM that has been off the Russian network for 72 hours will not connect to the internet or send SMS when first switched on, and the delay can be hours or days. Meta, X and LinkedIn are blocked and other sites are unreliable. Agree a check-in schedule with someone at home and leave an itinerary outside the country.

Where you cannot go, and what you cannot photograph

Military and border zones are restricted and entering without permission from local authorities can mean arrest, a fine or deportation; the official list is in Russian and may be unreachable from abroad, so check any tour or excursion with the operator. Photography is illegal at military, secure and official sites including airports, and there may be no signs saying so. Drones are illegal in some regions and require prior permission and a filed route elsewhere.