Travel to Russia: useful travel info

Russian Visa and Passport Information
Visas and passports are required by all visitors to Russia. There are two popular types of Russian visas - "tourist visas" and "business visas". In most cases a "tourist" visa should be satisfactory - unless you are planning to go to Russia for longer than 30 days. In this case you should apply for a "business" visa.
Three month tourist visas do not exist anymore. If you need to stay in Russia for longer than 30 days then the only option is to get a business visa. Business visas can be valid for up to 12 months. A Russian Business Visa is supposed to be issued to people who are going to Russia for business purposes, but because this type of visa allows a person to stay for longer, and enter the country more than once, it is also used by ordinary travelers who need more flexibility. Note, that you must register your visa within 3 working days (except Saturdays and Sundays and public holidays) after entering Russia, or you will have problems upon leaving the country.

Airports
In a country that is as immensely big as Russia, air transportation becomes more of a necessity than a luxury. However, not every city has an airport and some areas maybe difficult to access by air. However, the main parts of Russia enjoy good coverage and the country has a total of 394 airports. Of these a massive 70 are considered to be international airports offering a broader spectrum of airlines and flight passages than other, smaller Russian airports.
Unfortunately while the international airports at many of Russia`s bigger and more popular cities are generally quite developed and organized, many regional airports are the opposite. You may also find that staff is not as friendly and helpful as they usually are at the bigger airports. If you are flying in winter, be prepared for flight delays. Visitors should not let this deter them from using Russian airports whilst traveling the country. Though regional airports may not offer as high a level of comfort and service as they are used to, they still provide perfectly acceptable flight services between various regions and are one of the quickest ways to get around the country.

Train station
If you are considering visiting Russia, you will likely find that one of the best ways to travel is by train. Russia has a well-developed railway system that will take you to virtually any city and town in the country. The European side of the railway system is better developed and more extensive, but the Asian side is also more than adequate. If you do plan to travel by train, you should remember that trains are a common form of public transport in the country and that the train carriages and stations may not be as clean or new as what you would find in other countries. This does not mean that you should try not to make use of the train stations in Russia.
Visitors will find that they can book their tickets by standing in line at the ticket office. However, if you are worried about language barriers or do simply not enjoy the idea of standing in a line waiting during your holiday, your travel agency will probably be able to book all your tickets on your behalf for a small fee.

Currency
There are numerous ATM machines in the country and it is easy to draw cash, for example, but the import and export of Russian money is strictly prohibited. This is just one facet of dealing with Russian currency that visitors may find unusual.
The currency of Russia is the Russian Rouble (RUB) which is divided into 100 kopeks. You will be able to obtain 1k, 5k, 10k, 50k, 1RUB, 2RUB, 5RUB and 10RUB coins as well as 10, 50, 100, 500, 1000 and 5000 RUB notes. You can only exchange your money at official foreign exchange bureaus and authorized banks.
If you plan to use credit or debit cards, you will be pleased to know that most major European and international cards are accepted in large hotels and at foreign currency shops and restaurants. However, it is wise to keep in mind that roubles are preferred and that cards can be turned down.

About Russia

Geographical location:
The Russian Federation, which covers one-eighth of the earth's surface, spans eastern Europe and northern Asia, and ranks as the world's largest nation in terms of its territory. Russia is followed by Canada, China and the United States. Russia's northern regions are bordered by the Arctic Ocean, with the Baltic Sea bordering its western territories. The Russian Far East is bordered by the Pacific Ocean, with the Black Sea bordering southern Russia. Russia has boundaries with fourteen countries.
The geographical area that makes up Russia spans 17 075 200 square km. Of this, 16 995 800 square kilometers is land and 79 400 square km is water. It also has 37 653 km of coastline. This country stretches 2,500-4,000 km from north to south and another 9,000 km from west to east.

The Flag
The Russian Flag was adopted on the 21st of August in 1991, but the basic design is actually over 300 years old (it was first used by Peter the Great). The flag has horizontal bands of solid color, each of equal size and shape. The colors from top to bottom are white, blue and red. The overall height of the flag is two-thirds the flags width. The colors are generally said to be symbolic of different things. One example is it's being symbolic of Russian people. These are: White - nobility; Blue - honesty; Red - bravery and self-sacrifice.

The Capital
Moscow is the capital of the Russian Federation, and the country`s economic, financial, educational, and transportation centre. It is located on the Moskva River in the European part of Russia. Moscow is the largest city in Europe.

Nature
Russia boasts 120,000 rivers with a length of 10 km or greater each. The major rivers are Ob, Irtysh, Yenisei, Lena, Amur, Don, and Neva. Generally, Russian rivers stretch for 3 million km, dumping nearly 4,000 cu. km. of water annually. Around 2 million fresh- and salt-water lakes are scattered across Russia. The largest lakes are the Caspian, Baikal, Ladoga, Onega and Taimyr.
Forests cover some 40 % of the entire Russian land mass. The largest forests can be found in the Siberian taiga, the Far East and the northern European territories.
Mountain ranges are mostly located in Russia's eastern regions and in some of its southern areas, as well. The Ural mountain range, for one, constitutes a natural boundary separating European and Asian Russia. Various mountain ranges making up the northern slope of the Greater Caucasian mountain range are located in southern Russia. Another mountain chain, including the Altai range, is to be found in southern Siberia. The Kamchatka mountains (including some active volcanoes) stretch along the Pacific coast.
Russia has several soil and vegetation zones, each with its characteristic flora and fauna. Russian flora consists of more than 11 thousand species of plants, about 5 thousand of the moss family and lichens and about 30 thousand species of mushrooms. The number of animal species living in Russia accounts for about 150,000. Among them there are 732 species of birds, 320 species of the mammals, 29 species of amphibians, 80 species of reptiles and about 2,000 species of sea and fresh-water fish.

People
Russia has a population of roughly 143 420 309 (July 2005) people. Russia is a multiethnic society. The largest ethnic groups include Russians (81.5%), Tatars (3.8%), Ukrainians (3%), Chuvash (1.2%), Bashkir (0.9%), Byelorussians (0.8%), Moldavians (0.7%), etc. Over 80% of the population name Russian - the official language of the country - as their native. Other languages are used in ethnic minority regions. Russia has equal religious diversity: with the main religions being Russian Orthodox Christianity and Muslim overall over 150 confessions could be found across the country. Russia is also a culturally diverse country, with dozens of ethnic groups each contributing their own languages, religious beliefs, customs and folk music. The rich blend that results from the cosmopolitan mixture is fascinating to discover and visitors will find that there is always something new to explore and learn about.

Russian Cuisine
The vast multicultural expanse of Russia makes Russian cuisine just as varied and rich. Peasant food that was found amongst the rural populations became the foundation to traditional Russian cuisine. Many Russians would grow crops of barley, wheat, rye and millet, from which they could produce breads, cereals, beer and vodka. Soups and stews that were made from the poultry and meats that were hunted, were richly flavored, and popular meals throughout the cold winter months. The invasions by the Mongols in the thirteen century brought new techniques, such as making sour milk, grilling meat, and the use of spices. Smoked meat, pastry cooking, green vegetables, salads, wines and chocolate are a few culinary items that were introduced in the 16th to the 18th century. Soup has always been vital to the Russian cuisine during the ages. Traditional soups ranged from borsch, ukha, and shchi. Cold soups are based on kvass. Light soups and stews feature water and vegetables, while noodle soups are incorporated with meat, milk and mushrooms.
Three very basic variations makes up the traditional meat dishes in Russian cuisine. Famous is pelmeni, which made from a minced meat filling which is wrapped in a thin layer of dough. Any meat is used and they can be filled with beef, lamb, or pork. It is also the national dish of Russian Siberia, as the dish can be frozen and stored in large quantities.
Other traditional dishes also include bliny, a form of pancake, and Syrniki, which is made from fried curd fritters. Most traditional drinks: kvass, medok, sbiten and mors. So come to this exquisite country and discover the rich cultural heritage that it has to offer.