Fascinating cities, full of history. Immense landscapes. Folklore and traditions. And, an incredibly vast territory, which, alone, occupies about 12% of the inhabited lands on Planet Earth!
Russia is a suggestive land, full of contradictions.
It is difficult to venture into these areas, despite the call of absolutely unique cities such as Moscow and St. Petersburg. Despite the presence of the Trans-Siberian Railway, the most famous railway line in the world.

HOW TO GET

Given the vastness of the territory, the plane is, undoubtedly, the best solution to reach the country.
Moscow and St. Petersburg have important international airports, connected, with direct flights, with the main European and non-European destinations.
The Russian capital alone can boast the presence of 3 international airports: Sheremetyevo in the north-west, Vnukovo in the south-west and Domodeovo in the south.
In the other Russian airports, on the other hand, air connections are above all national, ideal for travel within the country.

From central and eastern Europe, the train is a good alternative to arrive. The capital is well connected with the Baltic regions, Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine. Excellent connections also with Finland and, in particular, in the Helsinki-St. Petersburg section.
A journey by train, or by bus, outside the country must be dealt with taking into account times, often quite long. Even from an economic point of view, train travel is not cheap at all. Given these premises, a trip on the Trans-Siberian Railway, starting from Berlin, has its timeless charm.

GETTING AROUND RUSSIA

Within the individual cities, one moves peacefully by public transport. The most important cities like Moscow, St. Petersburg, boast modern and rather efficient services. Some subway stations in St. Petersburg are known for their high artistic value.
Within the country, the crux is distance.
The country alone represents more than 10% of the land that has emerged from all of Planet Earth. This often translates into abyssal distances.
The aircraft, in this sense, represents the quickest, most convenient and sometimes economic solution.
Over the past few decades, quality and efficiency have improved considerably. Aeroflot, S7 Airlines, Yakutia, are some of the reference companies that connect the main Russian cities.

The trains, particularly used, are quite efficient, clean and always more punctual. Medium / long distance trains are the busiest. The high distance, however, can lead to sometimes interminable journeys.
Moving around with the Trans-Siberian, as mentioned, is a real travel experience, a must try, having some time available.
Landscapes of other times, places and evocative panoramas.

CURRENCY AND EXCHANGE

The official Russian currency is the RUBLE. As of 2019, the official exchange rate is 1 ruble for €0.014; on the contrary, €1 is traded at 71.3RUB.
1 ruble is divided into 100 kopeks.
In circulation you will find coins of 1, 5, 10, 50 kopeks and 1, 2, 5, and 10 rubles. The banknotes are available in denominations of 5, 10, 50, 100, 500, 1000, 2000, 5000RUB.
In the main cities, airports, railway stations, it is possible to pay directly by credit card, and withdraw cash at ATMs. Keep in mind, however, that in many small towns, and secondary locations, you may find it difficult to make payments by credit card. A cash reserve is always recommended.
Those who need to enter the bank, keep in mind that, in the main cities, large branches are open Monday to Friday, from 09:00 to 16:30; Saturdays, from 09:00 to 12:00. The other branches, and the banks of the smaller cities, remain open only on weekdays, with an afternoon break from 1 to 2 pm. Everywhere, they are closed on Sundays and public holidays.

PRACTICAL INFO

HOUR

The extension of the country also strongly affects the time zone with a range of 10 hours. We pass from Kaliningrad, with two hours ahead, compared to the Greenwich meridian (UTC/GMT +2), to the territories of Kamčatka (UTC/GMT +12).
In Moscow, the hands are placed 3 hours ahead of the Greenwich Meridian.
Daylight saving time begins on the last Sunday of March and ends on the last Sunday of October, with the hands forward an additional hour ahead of Greenwich.

ELECTRIC CURRENT

Across the country, the voltage is 220 volts, with 50Hz frequency. The electrical sockets are type C and, alternatively, F. The first is the standard 2-pole European socket. The second, instead, is the German 2-pole socket with lateral ground contacts, also known as Shuko. In any case, it is advisable to always use a special adapter. We recommend taking a look at this link for the more provident ones.

POST

Počta Rossii is the company that manages the postal system in Russia. Generally, it is identified, on the outside, with a blue color, written in Cyrillic and a symbol in evidence; the latter can be blue on a white background, or white on a blue background.
The Russian postal system has always been identified as inefficient and unreliable. For many, it is better to opt for private shippers, considered more reliable and efficient.
Post offices, almost the same time as the banks, are open on weekdays from morning until 17:00, and on Saturdays until 12:00.

SHOPS

Shops are open from morning until around 20:00.
The exercises are generally open from Monday to Saturday, while they are closed on Sundays and public holidays.
Shopping malls, widespread in large cities, close around 9.00 pm during the week.