Arrival

When you will arrive to Russia it will be an immigration control you should pass. It is really no a big deal - but you should know some things about it.

The officer will check your passport and visa and also will ask you for your main purpose of visiting our country. You should say that it is tourism. After the passport control you should take your lagguage.

Passengers who have nothing to declare, or carry exclusively goods exempt from customs duties and taxes (i.e. exempt from export/import restrictions and bans) should take the Green corridor. Passengers who carry goods subject to mandatory declaration (i.e. subject to customs duties, cost and quantity restrictions, etc.) should take the Red corridor.

Welcome to Russia !

Transfers

It is very important to know how to get from the airport to the hotel. If you have booked transfer with uVisitRussia - our representative will be right at the exit gate. You will see him with no problem as he will hold a sign with your name.

Please do not worry if your flight will be delayed - our driver will wait for you for 2 hours from the sheduled time. If the delay will be longer - please contact our emergency phone - we will arrange your pick up later! Please check if the flight schedule is on time when you will arrive to the airport - and in case of any changes just contact us.

If you going to take taxi at the airport - take the official taxi at one of the taxi stands inside the airport. They have fixed rates and you can pay them with your credit card. We do not recommend to take other taxis, e.g. from people offering a taxi service.

Tips

Typically in Russia the etiquette is to tip anywhere between 5% and 15% of the bill. Tip in cash, and give it directly to the waiter. You don’t need to tip much, but don’t tip too little either. No need to tip in bars and restaurants with no waiters.

On a short bus tour (several hours or less), tip your guide 3-8$. Give it to him or her when you say goodbye. Charter and sightseeing bus drivers are also tipped in certain cases: when drivers double as guides, $1 per person per day. When the driver has been particularly amiable, the person in charge of a private charter sometimes asks each passenger to contribute $1 or more to a tip pool. On a longer tour with no built-in gratuity, each passenger can give $5 - $10 to the guide and another $5 - $10 to the driver.

You can tip in USD, EUR, and RUR. 

Russian people

Russians are European people, but Russia has its own culture that may seem foreign to western tourists Russians are very direct, so don’t be offended. Smiling whilst walking down the street will definitely identify you as a tourist.

You can bargain in the markets – but not too much.

Don’t wear mini-skirts.

Men may be over-chivalrous by North American or Western European standards.

Russian language

How to Say a Few Basic Russian Phrases:

Zdrasvuitye is the formal hello. First make a "Z" sound, then say the word draws, then voo, then eat, then a "ye" sound. Say them all together for hello.
Dasvidaniye is the formal good bye. It's pronounced Dahs-vid-on-ee-ye.
Priviet is an informal hi. Sound it out as pre-vee-et.
Paka is an informal bye, which is pronounced paw kah.
Kak dayla, which sounds like it's spelled is, "how are you?". Some of the responses are Kharashow (good) and narmaina (fine). Narmaina is pronounced nar-mall-na.
Spaseeba (Spa-see-ba) is the short way of saying "thank you"
Bal'shoye spaseeba is "thank you very much"
Pazhalooysta is "you're welcome"
Prasteete is "Excuse me"
Kak Vas za vut is how you'd say, "What is your name?"

For some longer phrases try:
Vy ochen' krasivy for "you are very beautiful"
Udachi i khoroshego nastroeniya for "good luck and keep well"
Poko vsyo is "that's all for now"
Govorite li vy po angliyski is Russian for "do you speak English?"

Safety

For the most part, Russia travel is safe. However, as a visitor, you may encounter some situations that are decidedly unsafe. The following tips should be taken to heart when traveling through Russia so that you can worry less about your health and safety and enjoy your experience in this wonderful country.

Pickpockets tend to lurk in crowded areas, so be aware of what is happening around you and keep your bag in front of you at all times. Do not fall asleep on transportation, especially if you travel alone. Someone might lean over or get close and take your belongings.

If there is a free day in your routing, please be especially careful for your safety and watch your children well. Contact your guide whenever you encounter a problem

Russian Food

You’ve may have heard something about Russian traditional foods but have had little opportunity to try them. Visitors to Russia are often surprised at the variety and flavors of Russian traditional foods. A great many can be described as “divine,” and they will have you searching for the recipes when you return home! o what are some of the most common traditional foods on a traditional Russian restaurant’s menu?

Borshch, of course, is beet soup, and one of the most famous Russian traditional foods. Beets seem a strange base for soup to many Westerners, but there are plenty of reasons that this hearty soup is one of Russia’s most famous dishes. Full of vegetables and meat, the layered flavors in this soup are especially nice with a dollop of fresh sour cream.

You may have already heard of pirozhki. These little pastries can be packed full of potatoes, meat, cabbage, or cheese.

Caviar, or ikra is really something to get worked up about in Russia. Briny and sharp, it is often served on dark, crusty bread or with blini, which are like pancakes or crepes. Caviar on buttered bread is a popular zakuska.

Blini are also served rolled with a variety of fillings: jam, cheese, onions, or even chocolate syrup. At any restaurant where you aren’t sure of any of the other dishes, blini are always a safe bet. Bliniare such an important part of Russian cuisine, a festival called Maslenitsa celebrates the beginning of spring with them.

Russian kebabs are called shashlyk. Like any kebab, they can be a combination of meat and vegetables.

Pelmeni are pastry dumplings filled typically with meatballs. They can be served alone, slathered in butter and topped with sour cream, or in a soup broth. Definitely a favorite in Russia and abroad!

You can expect to find sour cream, or smetana, accompanying almost any Russian traditional food—with crepes, in soups, and even sometimes in dessert. Often, this sour cream is fresh and often melts into any warm dish, adding to its distinctive flavor.