How to travel to Russia on your own

Cam Trang, a Vietnamese living in Russia, and Mr. Ngoc Tung, Director of Danh Nam Travel, provide information related to current Russian tourism.

Visa

Vietnamese citizens can get a Russian visa within 7 working days, costing about 40 USD. The procedure does not require proof of work or finances, only a passport valid for more than 6 months and a portrait photo. According to Mr. Tung, Vietnamese customers applying for a Russian visa have almost no difficulty.

Airline tickets

After the pandemic, there are no more direct flights between Vietnam and Russia, so tourists can choose from three popular airlines: Turkish Airlines: about 22-25 million VND round trip, transit in Istanbul; Emirates: about 30 million VND round trip, transit in Dubai; Qatar Airways: about 35 million VND, transit in Doha. The transit time of the three airlines is from 3-5 hours, "very reasonable", according to Mr. Tung.

Travel

The page said that when visiting Russia, tourists can travel by public transport such as the subway or buses, trams, and electric trains. In Moscow, visitors can buy Troika cards with one-day packages costing 340 rubles (about 100,000 VND), three-day packages costing 650 rubles (about 190,000 VND) - both with unlimited trips within the specified time, using all public transport. Cards can be purchased at ticket offices and ticket machines at all metro stations in the capital.

In St. Petersburg, visitors can also buy a Podorozhnik card for all public transport. This card can be topped up as needed, and the value will be deducted after each ride. Using public transport is more cost-effective than paying by bank card or buying individual tickets.

In case you have to take a taxi, tourists should not take a "black" taxi because "black" taxis in Russia do not use kilometer counters, most of the drivers are not native Russians, and you can be scammed or overcharged. Tourists should refer to some online applications such as Uber or call a Vietnamese driver because the Vietnamese community living in big cities in Russia is very large.

Accommodation

Tourists can check rooms online to balance costs. However, tourists should choose a place near the center, subway stations to conveniently visit the city's scenic spots, save travel time, and walk on the streets at night.

Studio apartments are more cost-effective because they have full kitchen facilities, suitable for families. Meanwhile, hotels in Russia have 24-hour reception and provide free breakfast. Before booking, guests need to confirm with the host about check-in and check-out times. Normally, check-in time is after 2:00 p.m. and check-out time is 12:00 p.m.

Sightseeing

In Moscow, the tourist attractions suggested by Mr. Tung are Red Square, Lenin's Mausoleum, Bolshoi Bolshoi Theater, Kremlin, Borodino Panorama Museum, Kolomenskoye Park.

Coming to St. Petersburg, Mr. Tung said the places worth exploring include the Winter Palace, the Summer Palace, the Autumn Palace, and St. Isaac's Cathedral. In addition, the Datra area (suburban resort) is also a destination worth trying when coming to St. Petersburg. Here, visitors can experience the type of suburban resort popular in Russia, eat and watch art performances. Admiring the panoramic view of the city from a cruise on the Neva River is also a worthwhile experience.

In addition to the two main cities, tourists who have time should visit Kazan - the city known as the third capital of Russia. Here, tourists can admire the beauty of the Kul-Sharif Mosque, the Ministry of Agriculture building, the Kazan Kremlin, Bauman - the main tourist street in Kazan.

Eat and drink

Russia has many shopping malls, inside there are a variety of Korean, Japanese, Chinese, European and traditional Russian restaurants. Some places also have Vietnamese restaurants because Vietnamese cuisine is becoming more and more popular in this country.

For Russian dishes, visitors should try blin - a traditional cake, served with sour cream, jam, popular during winter holidays; beetroot soup - a famous Russian soup, made from beets, beef, carrots, potatoes and onions; pelmeni - a type of meat dumpling.

In St. Petersburg, Trang recommends visitors try pushki - a type of fried doughnut loved by the people of the ancient northern capital. The oldest bakery in the city is located at Bolshaya Konyushennaya, operating since 1958.

Shopping

In Moscow, visitors can visit the souvenir market at Partizanskaya metro station to buy gifts before returning home. Typical Russian souvenirs include Matrioshka dolls, traditional scarves, amber jewelry, key chains, plates, cups with images of Russian landscapes, and fabric paintings.

In addition to souvenirs, visitors can buy some food as gifts such as smoked meat, smoked goose wings, cheese, salami, chocolate, and dried fish and vodka.

Some notes

At crowded tourist attractions and train stations, tourists should be wary of pickpockets. According to Trang, there are few robberies in Russia. Tourists just need to shout loudly to attract attention and the thieves will retreat.

In some places, tourists will encounter people wearing traditional costumes, mannequins or raising pigeons. If you take photos, they will make things difficult for you and ask for money. Tourist attractions often have police officers. If you are troubled, seek their help.

English is not as widely spoken in Russia as in Western European countries, so it is more difficult to travel and sightsee on your own. Tourists who intend to travel on their own should search for Vietnamese community groups in Russia for help and guidance.