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Travel and Tourism in Russia
Travel alerts, currency, climate, transit, health, and safety information for visitors to Russia.
Practical Information
Travel alert status, currency, climate, and transit details.
- Travel Alert Status
- Level 4: Do Not Travel
- Time Difference
- UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) time zone note: Russia has 11 time zones, the largest number of contiguous time zones of any country in the world; in 2014, two time zones were added and DST dropped
- Currency
- Russian ruble (RUB)
- Climate
- Climate ranges from steppes in the south through humid continental in much of European Russia, subarctic in Siberia to tundra climate in the polar north; winters vary from excellent along the Black Sea coast to frigid in Siberia. In Moscow, Snow begins in October and continues periodically through April, although snowfall in May is not unusual. Annual rainfall averages 21 inches, with the heaviest rains falling between May and October. Prevailing winds are southerly and southwesterly. Due to Moscow's northern location, daylight varies from 7 hours in December to 17 1/2 hours in June. The average temperature in June and July is 66°F, but the summer temperatures frequently reach the low 90s. In the winter, the temperature may fall to minus 40°F, but the average December and January temperature is 14°F. Though Moscow's winter air is usually dry, the wind chill factor makes the temperature feel much colder. The climate in St. Petersburg is milder than in Moscow but is damp and misty. Average temperatures are 64°F in July and 17°F in January. St. Petersburg is famous for its "white nights," which occur in June when the sun shines for nearly 19 hours and sunset only brings semidarkness. The climate in Vladivostok is milder than in many other Russian cities due to its location on the Pacific Ocean. Winter temperatures range between -68°F and 25°F.
- Language(s) Spoken
- Russian (official) 85.7%, Tatar 3.2%, Chechen 1%, other 10.1%; note - data represent native language spoken
- Ethnic Groups
- Russian 77.7%, Tatar 3.7%, Ukrainian 1.4%, Bashkir 1.1%, Chuvash 1%, Chechen 1%, other 10.2%, unspecified 3.9%
- National Holiday
- Russia Day, 12 June (1990); note - commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of State Sovereignty of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (RSFSR)
- Geographic Coordinates
- 60 00 N, 100 00 E
- Location
- North Asia bordering the Arctic Ocean, extending from Europe (the portion west of the Urals) to the North Pacific Ocean
- Airports
- 1218
Destinations
Regions and cities, top sights, national parks, UNESCO sites, and festivals for visitors.
Russia's UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Russia has thirty-three properties inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, representing an extraordinary range of natural and cultural heritage from the Arctic to the subtropics, from prehistoric rock art to imperial palaces.
Kremlin and Red Square, Moscow (1990) — The political and spiritual heart of Russia, encompassing the medieval fortress walls and towers, the cathedral churches of the Kremlin's Cathedral Square, the Grand Kremlin Palace, the Armory Museum, and the great public space of Red Square with Saint Basil's Cathedral. The ensemble represents the full sweep of Russian history from the fifteenth century to the present.
Health and Safety
Medical facilities, vaccinations, disease risk, and sanitation conditions.
Medical care in most localities is below Western standards due to shortages of medical supplies, differing practice standards and the lack of comprehensive primary care. Those facilities in Moscow and St. Petersburg with higher standards do not necessarily accept all cases. Access to these facilities usually requires cash or credit card payment at Western rates at the time of service. The U.S. Social Security Medicare Program does not provide coverage for hospital or medical costs in Russia.