FROM THE FIRST IDEA TO YOUR FIRST CITY WALK
Plan your trip
Picture your first evening by the Moskva River. Then put the practical pieces in place: your entry documents, a convenient hotel, a working payment plan and a simple journey from the airport. This guide brings them together in a useful order.
Choose your travel rhythm
Count the full days you can spend in the city. A central first day helps you get your bearings before longer journeys or museum visits.
Choose your itinerary →Choose your base
A convenient station and a comfortable walking route can make more difference than a hotel’s straight-line distance from Red Square.
Find a practical base →Keep the first evening simple
Save your hotel address and contact offline. Leave an easy meal and a short walk for after the airport journey; keep your first major booking for a day you can enjoy.
Plan your arrival →YOUR COMPLETE PLANNING GUIDE
Eight steps to your Moscow trip.
Entry checks, flights, hotels, airport transfers, payments and connection — with useful booking tools.
Open the independent travel guide →01 / BEFORE YOU BOOK
Start with your passport, not an assumption.
Entry requirements depend on citizenship, passport, purpose of travel and route. Check whether your trip requires a regular visa, qualifies for an e-visa or falls under a visa-free arrangement with the relevant Russian consulate.
The official Russian e-visa portal lists eligible nationalities, permitted entry points and application conditions. Check the live rules there before applying. An English-language guide cannot determine your individual eligibility.
Official Russian e-visa portal ↗Read your own government’s current travel advice and confirm insurance coverage for your nationality and itinerary. Advice and available consular support differ between countries. For example, the UK FCDO currently advises against all travel to Russia.
UK FCDO guidance ↗02 / ARRANGE YOUR STAY
A booking is only the first step.
Check the hotel’s location, arrival time, payment and guarantee conditions. Ask which payment methods it can actually accept from you and how it handles registration for foreign guests. Keep the hotel’s direct contact and address offline.
Hotel & payment checklist03 / ARRIVE WITH A PLAN
Know your airport. Then your route.
Continue with the Moscow Metro guide →
Before booking a transfer: confirm the airport code, terminal, flight number, local arrival time, number of travellers and luggage. Agree the total price, waiting time and how to contact the driver if your flight changes.
Moscow has several airports. Use the airport code on your ticket when planning the onward journey; do not assume you arrive at the airport closest to your hotel. Verify live flight information, airport transport and operating times directly.
For city travel, use the official Moscow Transport information to understand metro and other public transport. Current fares, ticket products and service changes belong on the operator’s live pages.
Official Moscow Transport FAQ ↗04 / STAY CONNECTED
Check requirements before choosing a SIM.
Ask the operator about the current process for a foreign visitor, required documents and in-person steps. If considering a travel eSIM, confirm device compatibility, Russia coverage and activation terms directly with the provider. A travel data product is not necessarily a Russian phone number.
Download maps, booking details and key contacts before departure. If you need in-person assistance with an operator appointment in Moscow, describe your situation before arrival.
Ask about local assistancePractical guidance checked 19 October 2026. Sources: Russian MFA e-visa portal, Moscow Transport and UK FCDO. Recheck the live official pages before travel.
YOUR PERSONAL DEPARTURE LIST
A little planning. A better trip.
PUT YOUR PLANS INTO PRACTICE
Your arrival, step by step
Before departure
Keep your booking reference, hotel address in Russian, direct hotel telephone number and arrival instructions offline. Ask the hotel what to do if your flight is late and confirm the payment method in writing. Keep essential documents accessible during the journey.
At the airport
Read the airport code and terminal on the actual ticket. Compare the operator’s current public-transport timetable with your arrival time, baggage and final destination. For a booked transfer, agree the meeting point, waiting time and total price in advance. Allow time for arrival formalities.
The first city journey
Locate the correct station entrance and line direction before tapping in. Keep your destination in both English transliteration and Russian. For an airport or suburban rail journey, check the ticket product and zone separately from a central metro trip.
Before a late return
Check the last useful connection for the entire trip, including transfers. A station being open does not guarantee that your last connecting train is still available. Keep the hotel contact and an alternative way back accessible without mobile data.