Just Landed in Russia? Your First 7 Days

Mobile coverage and 4G are excellent in cities and along main routes, and mobile data is very cheap by European standards. SIMs require your passport and are registered to you on purchase, and a Russian number quickly becomes essential because banks, Gosuslugi and delivery services all send SMS confirmation codes. Home internet from providers like Rostelecom or MGTS is fast and inexpensive.

Typical cost: Around 400-800 RUB/month for a plan with generous data, unlimited calls and texts; home broadband runs roughly 500-900 RUB/month.

Russia is deeply cashless domestically but cut off internationally: cards issued outside Russia are declined everywhere, and Apple Pay and Google Pay no longer function. Locals pay by contactless Mir card, by SBP instant bank transfer (scanning a QR code or entering a phone number), or in cash. Getting a local account is the single most important step to living normally.

Opening an account: Foreigners can open accounts at Sberbank, T-Bank (Tinkoff), VTB or Alfa-Bank with a passport, migration card and registration; many banks also ask for an INN tax number. T-Bank is popular for its slick app and doorstep card delivery, while Sberbank has the widest branch and ATM network. Cards run on the domestic Mir network.

Cash: Cards and SBP transfers dominate day to day, but keep cash for markets, some taxis, tips and small towns. Carry roubles in until your local account is live, because you cannot top up a Russian account or wallet from a foreign card. ATMs are plentiful once you hold a Mir card.

Tipping: Tipping is modest and optional; leaving around 10 percent in restaurants is common and increasingly added via the bill or an SBP QR code. Round up for taxis, hairdressers and cafes if you wish, but nothing is expected and service staff will not chase you for it.

Every foreigner must be registered at their place of stay (migration registration) by the receiving party, that is your host, hotel or landlord, not by you personally. This is a legal obligation with real teeth, not optional paperwork: the registration slip is checked by police during document checks and by officers when you leave the country, and gaps can mean fines, entry bans or trouble renewing your status. Always get written confirmation and keep the physical slip with your passport.

Deadline: Within 7 working days of arrival for private stays; hotels register guests automatically on check-in. The clock resets if you move address or re-enter the country, so re-register each time.

Where: Handled by your host or landlord through the local Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD) migration office, an authorised MFC service centre, or a post office, which submits the notification and issues the tear-off slip.

Big cities have cheap, frequent, clean and famously beautiful metro systems, backed by dense bus, tram and trolleybus networks that all take the same transport card. Ride-hailing through Yandex Go is ubiquitous, affordable and metered, so there is rarely a reason to haggle with a street driver. Intercity travel by rail is extensive, reliable and comfortable, from high-speed Sapsan trains to overnight sleepers.

From the airport: From Moscow's Sheremetyevo, the Aeroexpress train reaches Belorussky station in about 35 minutes for a fixed fare; from Domodedovo it runs to Paveletsky and from Vnukovo to Kievsky. A Yandex Go taxi takes 45-90 minutes depending on traffic and costs several times more. In St Petersburg, Pulkovo airport connects to the centre by bus plus metro or a roughly 30-40 minute taxi.

Most newcomers rent through agencies or the CIAN and Avito listing platforms, which dominate the market and are worth learning to read even in Russian. Furnished flats with white goods are the norm, landlords often prefer longer leases and paperwork, and agency fees are typically paid by the tenant. Yandex Arenda is a newer, more transparent online option that some newcomers prefer.

Typical rent: A one-bedroom flat runs roughly 55,000-90,000 RUB/month in central Moscow and 35,000-55,000 RUB outside the centre; St Petersburg is somewhat cheaper and regional cities far cheaper still.

Deposit norm: Usually one month's rent as a deposit, plus the first month upfront and a one-off agency commission of up to one month's rent, so budget close to three months' rent to move in. Ask for a written contract and an inventory to protect the deposit.

Russia has a universal state healthcare system (OMS) alongside a large network of private clinics, and standards in major-city private care are high and fast. Foreigners without OMS coverage typically use paid private clinics, which are efficient, well equipped and the main place to find English-speaking doctors. Pharmacies (apteki) are everywhere, often 24-hour, and dispense many medicines without a prescription.

How to access it: For emergencies call 103 for an ambulance or 112 for all services. For routine care, book directly with a private clinic such as SM-Clinic, Medsi, the European Medical Center (EMC) or GMS Clinic, either by phone or through their apps. English-speaking doctors are concentrated in these private facilities and in the larger cities.

Insurance: Private medical insurance (DMS) is standard for expats and is often required for work permits and long-stay visas. Carry proof of cover, check which clinics your policy accepts, and keep receipts for reimbursement if you pay out of pocket first.

• Remove your shoes when entering someone's home; slippers (tapochki) are usually offered and expected.
• Learning even basic Russian and the Cyrillic alphabet goes a long way, as English is limited outside tourist and business circles.
• Keep official documents in order and to hand; bureaucracy is formal and expects paperwork to be complete and correct.
• A firm handshake is normal between men, but avoid shaking hands across a threshold, which is considered unlucky, and wait to be introduced.
• Bring a small gift, wine, cake or flowers, if invited to dinner, and give flowers in odd numbers, since even numbers are for funerals.
• Toasts matter at the table: wait for the host's toast before drinking, and make eye contact when clinking glasses.
• Dress a little smartly for restaurants, theatres and offices; casual scruffiness reads as disrespect in formal settings.

• Public reserve is normal: strangers rarely smile in passing, which reflects social custom, not hostility or rudeness.
• Avoid political discussions and criticism of the state with people you do not know well; sensitivities are real and laws are strict.
• Photographing military sites, checkpoints, security services or some government buildings can cause serious trouble.
• Never joke about bombs, weapons or drugs, including at airports and borders, as authorities take such remarks literally.
• Do not put your feet on furniture or whistle indoors, both of which are considered ill-mannered.