How to visit Russia???

bloodninja

If we're interrailing aound Europe in the Summer. How do you get into Russia?????? Say St.Petersbourg. Is it like trying to break out of jail?

jackbhoy

You need to get an "invitation" to enter the country, these are pretty easy to get from various visa compnaies, or if you book a hostel/hotel they may be able to send you one.
Its a pain getting it all sorted but I'd have everything in place before travelling, Russian border police are notoriously difficult to deal with, particularly if you don't speak Russian!!

cailinoBAC

Yes, organise everything in advance! If you´re interrailing and want some flexibility, I would order an invitation from a website, like through waytorussia.net where it costs $25 and they fax it to you. Just write down when you want to go (maybe give a 2 or 3 week window) and what city or cities you will visit, then send to the embassy with everything else you need for the visa and it should be fairly simple. Just don´t leave it to the last minute like I did, because it´s more expensive!!
Also, I´d recommend you get the ferry to St Petersburg. It´s much more fun than a bus journey and your interrail won´t cover you for trains.

sheepshagger

Very hard to visit without a planned itinerary. . .when i was there a few years back we did a tour (am not normally a big fan of orgainised tours but it was very good and they sorted out the Visa before we flew out).

Tour was called the 'Beetroot Bus'

http://www.beetroot.org/

Make sure you get a Lonely Planet before you head off - worth its weight in gold !