What You Need to Know When Traveling to Russia
19 Things I Wish I Had Known Before Going to Russia
We've but spent a month travelling throughout Russian federation visiting nearly a dozen cities without a bout. Equally memorable as our feel was, in that location are certainly a few things I wish I had known ahead of time. Whether y'all're planning for a Trans-Siberian adventure or a quick city escape to St. Petersburg, I hope these Russian federation travel tips assistance set up yous for what's coming your style!
If you're new hither, Wes and I both turned 30 last yr and nosotros decided to each choose a new country to travel to this summer. I picked Georgia and he chose Russia, a place he's been wanting to visit since every bit long every bit he can call up. I was excited most his choice only non actually expecting much of Russia to be honest. And now? I have a new sense of love and appreciation for a country that is, unfortunately, so often misrepresented. It was the beautiful cities, delicious foods and, most of all, the generous people that actually blew me away.
Our calendar month in Russian federation came and went past too fast. If information technology weren't for our Russian tourist visa limitations (30 days for Canadians), nosotros probable would have stayed longer to explore more than. I take a feeling this was just our offset of many visits to come.
1. Learning the language will exist more helpful than you lot call back
Russian is, evidently, the official language in Russia and English isn't widely spoken outside of tourist-friendly cities. Fifty-fifty if you're only planning on visiting Moscow and St. Petersburg, a little flake of Russian volition get a long way. I would recommend learning the Cyrillic alphabet and a few fundamental phrases like your usual greetings (hello, goodbye, thank you, etc.) and, "Excuse me, I don't speak Russian. Practise you speak English?"
Wes and I started learning Russian about v months before our travels with the aid of sites like Duolingo, Pimsleur and Italki. He fabricated a lot more than progress than I did and it was largely thanks to his Russian that we were able to navigate more easily in smaller cities. Practise you need to study for 5 months before going to Russian federation? Plainly not. It isn't the end of the globe if you evidence up with nothing but your best deception skills. That said, the more time and energy you put into a Russian crash course, the more benefits you'll reap once you lot land.
2. Google Translate volition come in handy
In Russia'due south ii main cities, most signs and museum info will be displayed in Russian and English language. Some menus are translated and you lot volition likely come across waiters and hotel receptionists that speak English pretty well. Other than that, yous'll be left to your own devices. Pun intended. Luckily, there are some really good (and free!) apps like Google Translate that will aid you navigate through the language barrier. It'south also worth making room on your telephone to download the Russian language within the app and so you'll be able to use it offline.
I found that I used the app's camera feature about everyday while in Russian federation. You simply align the camera with the foreign text you're trying to read and the app does a pretty decent task of translating at least some of the words. This came in really handy in cafes and restaurants with no English menus (though I'm sure I looked ridiculous holding my telephone to my confront like a magnifying glass). It doesn't work well with fancy fonts or handwritten Cyrillic. Below is a side-by-side comparing of how Google Translate's photographic camera feature works with the actual oatmeal box on the right and a decent English translation on the left:
three. Get some Rubles in advance
Whether y'all're flying straight into Russia from your home or travelling via some other land, get some local currency alee of time to agree you over when you commencement go far. This volition salvage y'all from resorting to the currency exchange office at an aerodrome or railway station that is definitely not going to give you a favourable charge per unit. The currency in Russia is the ruble. You may encounter this displayed as RUB, руб or ₽. 1 CAD is roughly 50 RUB and bills come in denominations of 50, 100, 500, 1000 and v,000.
Credit cards are widely used in Russian cities with the exception of some local markets and small, cafeteria-way eateries. Information technology can exist hard to interruption large bills (even ones that aren't really that big). Sberbank and VTB are the ii major banks we saw virtually ofttimes. I've read that y'all tin exchange money for a good rate at these banks but we opted to take out money from ATMs instead since our bank business relationship waives strange withdrawal fees.
4. Information technology's not that expensive if y'all're smart most your budget
I'd say our biggest initial expenses in Russian federation were the visa application fees, train tickets and accommodations. Aside from those, we were able to stick to a pretty conservative budget each 24-hour interval despite what we'd heard nigh Russia existence so expensive. We limited our paid tours and attractions to 1-2 per city and resorted to hostels in some of the more than expensive cities. Eating at cafeteria-style diners called stolovayas allowed the states to save a lot on food as we were able to consume comfortable for around $5 CAD per meal.
That said, your manner of travel will decide how much you spend on a daily footing. If you're very interested in the art, history and culture of Russia, and so y'all'll probable spend anywhere from $ii to $twenty+ at every museum you visit. If yous're ordering drinks and appetizers when eating out at trendy restaurants, and then you could easily spend over $twenty per meal.
5. Program as much as y'all can in advance
We really enjoy spontaneously travelling throughout Europe and Mexico only found that Russia isn't exactly the best land for those unplanned, terminal-minute type of getaways. For starters, you'll probably be travelling betwixt cities via train and buying tickets in accelerate helps ensure yous get both a skilful seat and a more than favourable fare. This is particularly truthful when travelling during peak season like summer holidays since locals are taking trains for their vacations as well. The same can be said for booking accommodations, theatre tickets and concerts or sporting events. I don't recommend booking anything until your Russian tourist visa has been canonical or at least read through the cancellation terms carefully if you determine to volume accommodations earlier getting your visa.
6. Things won't be equally foreign equally yous thought
When friends and family heard we were planning to spend an unabridged month travelling throughout Russian federation, I could sense their reservations. Some flat out called u.s.a. crazy for even wanting to go in the first identify. I didn't actually know what to look and wondered if we'd experience the stereotypes and outrageous things yous see in Reddit threads about life in Russian federation.
I know information technology's like shooting fish in a barrel to become sucked into thinking Russian federation is as bleak and depressing every bit some news outlets portray it to be but, for the most part, I would say Russia feels very European. From the cobblestone roads in the old towns to the grand churches, beautiful architecture, street performers, outdoor cafes, markets and art displays, the bulk of cities we visited had a very summertime-in-Europe feeling to them.
7. People may stare (but won't grinning)
I was built-in and raised in Toronto, a city where you would generally avert making eye contact with strangers on the street unless you're nearly to interact with them. That's why information technology didn't take long for us to notice that it seemed like everyone was staring at united states of america when we passed each other on the sidewalk. People seemed to constantly make center contact and my natural reaction would be to smile. No ane smiled back.
8. People are polite and chivalry is not dead
Despite the non-smiling notation above, I found Russians to be very courteous toward us and kind at times when it was obvious we were a couple of clueless Canadians. Elders are respected so seats are always given up for them on buses and metros. Drivers opened doors for me and even a sweet onetime man carried my (embarrassingly heavy) suitcase off the train for me.
Once I was approached by a beau in Leningrad who started walking beside me and talking to me in Russian. Later my very broken Russian answer, he switched to English and continued to say how beautiful I was and how he'd like to get to know me and went on and on before I could get a word in. When the stranger plant out I was travelling with Wes (who had been walking a few steps away), he told Wes to stand closer to me or I'd get swept away. No true cat call. No whistle. Just, I'd like to go to know you better.
9. You might get yelled at
Despite the polite note to a higher place, we got yelled at more times than I wish to remember. For filming when nosotros weren't supposed to, for not putting our luggage through security the right way, for holding up the line and walking between train carts when we weren't supposed to. It was embarrassing. And frustrating. Afterwards the outset few times, we learned not to have it personally. I know that's easier said than done but you merely have to shrug it off and move on. Now I think of it as a rite of passage and part of the Russian experience. Did yous actually become to Russia if a babushka didn't yell at yous?
x. Y'all volition probable cross a time zone when you lot least expect it
There are 11 fourth dimension zones in Russia which should come every bit no surprise considering it is the biggest country in the world, afterward all. It's worth double checking the local time in the side by side city you're travelling to in case you have to inform a host of your inflow or if you've got another reservation that day.
♢ You might likewise like: xvi Things I Wish I had known before going to Poland ♢
11. You lot will come to bask the stolovaya feel
A stolovaya, столовая in Russian, is a cafeteria-way diner serving upward simple meals at very affordable prices. It sounds uneventful but I honestly idea I'd never stride pes in one again afterwards how our start visit went down. It was busy (dejeuner time), stressful (no one spoke English), and intimidating (everyone but us knew what to practice). Our second visit was a little less nervus-wrecking and it kept getting easier after that to the betoken where we'd be eating at a stolovaya nearly everyday.
They're a pop option amidst locals and we were able to find these in every urban center we visited. They're an splendid budget option for coincidental meals where you lot know you're going to be able to find soups, salads, meats, veggies and desserts without any fuss. Some stolovayas were pretty small with express choices and others had huge spreads with a fancier, hotel cafe feel to them. Either way, we were nearly ever able to get a full meal for around $five CAD. That'southward the real reason we kept going dorsum ;)
12. You can find coffee anywhere and everywhere
Before travelling to Russian federation, I had heard there was a large tea civilisation throughout the land. I read somewhere that it's not uncommon for Russians to drink tea iii times a twenty-four hour period and the java drinker in me started to worry. For no reason at all. From big chains like Starbucks to independent cafes to kiosks and even lilliputian coffee trucks, I saw coffee everywhere in Russia. I even counted vi cafes inside one block of a busy pedestrian street in Nizhny Novgorod. 6. So whether you're on team tea or team coffee, you lot'll exist able to go your set up in Russia.
13. You should go used to using Yandex
While we're used to Google Maps and Uber Eats, Russians use Yandex. It's a Russian company that is primarily a search engine but besides offers different apps and services. Instead of Uber, you should download Yandex Taxi. For food delivery, there's Yandex Eda. For more than detailed navigation, get Yandex Maps. For ride shares, the app has an English option simply for food delivery, we could only use it in Russian.
14. Yous might demand a Russian phone number
Free wifi is readily available in near cafes, restaurants, metropolis parks and even in the metro. The downside is that you are often required to enter a valid phone number when logging in and you'll and then be texted a pin code that grants y'all access to the internet. Since almost of us aren't roaming when we're travelling, it's worth getting your phone unlocked and buying a local SIM card from an authorized dealer when you outset arrive.
SIM cards are easy to get and very affordable in Russian federation. On our first day in St. petersburg, nosotros visited MegaFon which is a pop carrier throughout the country. We each got 20GB of information that would be good for our xxx day visit and had constant service during our travels with the exception of Vladikavkaz, a southern city close to the Georgian edge. All we needed was our passport and each plan costs us a very reasonable $12 CAD. Be prepared for a lot of spam text messages.
15. There's no demand to worry about 3rd form sleeper trains
When Wes told me our train schedule, I was skeptical to say the least. The idea of travelling for 18 hours on an overnight train in a foreign country was one thing, but throw in the words 'third class' and I was expecting the worst. Similar to our stolovaya experiences, the kickoff one was a little rough. We didn't know where to put our luggage, nosotros didn't know if we'd have any food available and we prayed the Ac would turn on at some bespeak (it did).
In total, we must accept spent close to 70 hours of our month on a railroad train and every ride came with memories that made our travels in Russia even more special. There were footling girls who showed usa their toys, train attendants who seemed to take extra adept care of us and bunkmates we shared our snacks with. I know first class comes with its own perks but existence in such close quarters with other Russians felt surprisingly welcoming and we were e'er taken care of by consummate strangers. I was even a bit distressing on our last overnight train ride.
16. People do dress nicer than you
Whenever Wes and I come to Central and Eastern Europe, we know we're going to be amid the to the lowest degree fashionable in a crowd. It seemed like anybody our age was on trend in Russia. I saw men going to work in tailored suits and shoes that a groom might wear to his wedding. Women had their pilus and makeup done no thing what fourth dimension of 24-hour interval it was. For a second it made me wish I had packed more than summery dresses and at least one pair of heels just the 2d I saw a group of women cease on a bench to cast up their toes and ankles, I quickly snapped out of it.
17. Instagram is a pretty big deal
Forget Instagram boyfriends! In Russia there are Instagram girlfriends, parents, friends, cousins and even grandparents patiently snapping away as their bailiwick poses in forepart of every tourist attraction. Some are quickly taken on phones while others have their DSLR's, multiple outfits, props and additional lighting with them. We fifty-fifty saw digital photo booths at main squares and pop restaurants that let you post directly to Instagram.
18. And so many stores are open 24/seven
I saw a 24-60 minutes Starbucks in Leningrad and thought, well that's pretty keen. And then I spotted a 24-hour grocery shop followed by a 24-hour pharmacy. Just it was the 24-hour flower shop that really stumped Wes and I. Who the heck is buying flowers in the heart of the night and how exercise all these stores stay in business?
Apparently it's non uncommon for people to be out and about at all hours of the night. Especially in Russia's bigger cities, of which at that place are over a dozen with more than than 1 million inhabitants. With so many people either burning the midnight oil or partying late or rising at the crack of dawn, in that location comes a demand for round-the-clock businesses. Even Wes' tutor said she chosen a moving company tardily at night to schedule a truck for the following morn and they said they could exist there at 2am if she wanted to movement sooner.
nineteen. Bring something good for your host
If you happen to be invited to someone's business firm for lunch or dinner, don't forget to pick up a gift like dessert, wine or something from your country of origin. When we were in Moscow, we had the pleasure of meeting Wes' tutor in person. She invited us to her family home and we stopped to get flowers earlier coming together her at 3pm. Because this was between repast times, I thought we'd take a chat and mayhap a drink with some appetizers. What I wasn't prepared for was an unabridged feast with multiple rounds of food and potable. When we thought there couldn't possibly be anymore nutrient, there would be more. We didn't exit her abode until 8 hours later when the whole family collection us back to our apartment at 11pm. The level of hospitality was more than we could have always imagined and it made me wish we had brought more than just a bloom arrangement.
Well, as per usual, this turned into a longer read than intended but hopefully sheds some low-cal on what travel in Russia is actually like. There's so much more we have to share about our month then feel free to enquire usa whatever questions below and nosotros can accost it in an upcoming weblog post to help anyone travelling to Russian federation!
fitzgeraldovers1947.blogspot.com
Source: https://www.featherandthewind.com/blog/before-going-to-russia
Belum ada Komentar untuk "What You Need to Know When Traveling to Russia"
Posting Komentar