Practical Information for visiting Northwestern Russia

Coverage for mobile networks is good in the cities and along the main routes, with 4G widespread and cheap data.

Buying a local SIM requires a passport and registration, and rules for foreign visitors have tightened; some operators now require biometric registration.

Wi-Fi is widely available in hotels and cafes, though public networks often require a Russian phone number to authenticate, which is a real obstacle for visitors.

Many Western services are blocked or degraded, including several social platforms, and some foreign apps have been removed from Russian app stores. Equally, foreign card payments do not work, so app-based taxis and deliveries need a local payment method.

Signal thins considerably in Karelia’s forests and on the White Sea.

The overriding consideration is the current situation. Many governments advise against travel to Russia, warn of the risk of arbitrary detention of foreign nationals, and note that consular assistance is severely limited. Dual nationals face particular risk. This should be assessed before any other consideration.

• Payment: foreign cards do not work. Carry cash for the whole trip, which creates its own security problem.
• Photography of military, transport and government installations is prohibited and taken seriously.
• Documents: carry your passport, visa and migration card; police checks occur.
• Political discussion carries legal risk for locals and for visitors.
• Winter hazards: ice underfoot, and falling ice and snow from roofs, which causes injuries every year.
• Petty theft on the Nevsky Prospekt and in the metro.

Insurance is the first problem. Many policies are void for travel against government advice, and Russia formally requires visitors to hold medical insurance valid there. Establish what you actually have before travelling.

Medical facilities: Saint Petersburg has good private clinics used to foreign patients, paid in cash. Provision thins rapidly outside the cities.

Vaccinations: routine cover plus hepatitis A; tick-borne encephalitis is a genuine recommendation for anyone spending time in forest between spring and autumn, as this region is endemic. Ticks here also carry Lyme disease.

Tap water in Saint Petersburg is not recommended for drinking; giardia has historically been a problem. Use bottled.

Winter: frostbite risk in the north, and the darkness affects some people considerably.

Pharmacies are widespread; bring your own prescription medication.

Remove shoes when entering a home; slippers are usually offered.

In churches, women often cover their heads and men remove hats, and photography is frequently prohibited. Do not turn your back on the iconostasis when leaving.

Toasting at a shared table is expected, and refusing to drink at all is easier if you give a reason.

Flowers are given in odd numbers; even numbers are for funerals.

Smiling at strangers is not customary and can read as odd rather than friendly; formality softens quickly once introduced.

Photography restrictions around military and transport infrastructure are legally enforced.

Registration: your accommodation must register your stay with the authorities, and hotels do this automatically.

Emergency number: 112 across Russia, with 102 for police, 103 for ambulance and 101 for fire. English-speaking operators are not guaranteed.

Medical. Private clinics in Saint Petersburg treat foreign patients and expect cash payment, since foreign cards do not work. Public hospitals will treat emergencies.

Consular assistance is severely limited for citizens of many countries, and some embassies operate with reduced staff. Know where your embassy is and what it can actually do before you go.

Carry cash in reserve, in more than one place, since there is no card fallback.

Documents: keep a copy of your passport, visa and migration card separately; losing the migration card creates serious difficulties on exit.

In winter, watch for ice falling from roofs, which is a real and annual cause of injury.