Moscow & St. Petersburg

keng66

Looking at going to the 2 cities for about 4 nights each in May with wife and 2 late teenage kids. She is very nervous about Moscow as looking to do it all ourselves. Does anyone have any recent experience or tips about going to Russia.

grimm2005

Sorry to hijack thread but looking at St Petersburg myself, would love to add-on Moscow but the new e-visa only allows St Petersburg and Lenningrad area so I think I'll stick to SP as the new e-visa looks like a doddle and it's free and sorted online within 4 days (no need for invitations etc).

Cheapest way to get there seems to be with Wizz air via Luton. I'm planning to fly to Luton with Ryanair and hang around the airport for a few hours probably until the 10pm WA flight to SP and do the reverse on the way back. The flight doesn't arrive into St Petersburg until 4am which is a pain but I can deal with the inconvenience!

NSAman

Not to put you off but Moscow I hated. A few things that were really amazing... the Subway, ordinary people, local small shops (dirt cheap), just walking around and visiting of the beaten track areas.

Things I hated, prostitutes in the foyer of the hotel, being ripped off in many places, hotel security at time to pay the bill (which doubled at the time of checking out), malls, bloody Mafia, crazy driving.

Personally, I never want to see Moscow again.

keng66

would get too much grief from she who must be obeyed, will take dearer option of going via Amsterdam or Frankfurt just to arrive in a reasonable time.

VG31

We did more or less the same as you last summer. We stayed in each city for 1 week.

I recommend using an online travel agency to get your letter of invitation. Unlike if you do it through your hotel, you can pick the dates yourself. It's a good idea to add on a few extra days beyond your intended date of departure. I used https://visatoruss.com/ It was the cheapest website I could find (€10) and everything went very smoothly.

You need passport photos dated within the last six months for the application form. Make sure your passport also has at least six months of validility beyond your stated exit date. You have to pay by postal order for the visas. I used the standard service (€77) and the visas were ready for collection in 7 days. You're better off going in person to the embassy unless you live far away, as if there is anything wrong with your documents they will let you know.


Hotel prices tend to be fairly conisistent throughout the year in Moscow. We stayed in the Hilton Moscow Leningradskaya which is one of Stalin's "Seven Sisters" skyscrapers. It was an amazing experience and was very good value for money considering the price we paid. St Petersburg hotel prices vary greatly depending on the time of year. May should be reasonable. We went near the end of June (White Nights) and it was fairly expensive.

We took the Sapsan train between the two cities. It takes about four hours. Book it well in advance to get the best prices (90 days is maximun I think).


While both cities were great, I really loved Moscow. It's very different from Western European cities and feels very "Russian". St Petersburg is more European, a bit like Vienna.

Moscow is incredibly clean (in the city center at least). The pavements are absolutely spotless and it's very rare to see any litter or graffiti in places like underpasses. We felt very safe there (much safer than Dublin IMO), there are police everywhere. Security is very tight in Russia, particularly in Moscow. Be prepared for metal detectors and bag searches when entering tourist attractions, train stations, shopping centres etc. Some metro stations have random bag scans as well. It is a bit annoying but you get used to it after a while.

The standard of food is very high and the prices are generally quite good (cheaper than Ireland). Georgian restaurants are everywhere and the food is fantastic, it's one of my favourite cuisines now.

Make sure you visit the Kremlin and Armoury. This was probably the highlight of our trip. The Metro stations are spectacular, it may be worth doing a tour. I also highly recommend visiting the VDNKh park in Moscow. It's an amazing park with buildings representing each of the former Soviet republics. There are fabulous fountains as well. The Museum of Cosmonautics nearby is also well worth a visit. Doing a river cruise is a good way to get an overview of the city.

In St Petersburg make sure you visit the Hermitage Museum, St Issac's, the Church of Christ the Saviour, Peterhof and the St Peter and Paul Fortress. We took an English language boat tour which was fantastic.

NSAman wrote: »

Not to put you off but Moscow I hated. A few things that were really amazing... the Subway, ordinary people, local small shops (dirt cheap), just walking around and visiting of the beaten track areas.

Things I hated, prostitutes in the foyer of the hotel, being ripped off in many places, hotel security at time to pay the bill (which doubled at the time of checking out), malls, bloody Mafia, crazy driving.

Personally, I never want to see Moscow again.

When did you go the Moscow? 1990s? Early 2000s. I haven't heard anyone describle anything like this in the last 10-15 years. This couldn't be further from our experience. The only issue we had during our entire stay were the rip-off taxi agencies at Domodedovo Airport, which would still be cheaper than a taxi for the same distance in Ireland incidentally.

We flew Dublin - Frankfurt - Moscow DME and St Petersburg - Munich - Dublin with Lufthansa. It cost about €330 each but I imagine it should be significantly cheaper in May. Air France/KLM, Finnair and airBaltic are other potential options. There are also direct Aeroflot flights to Moscow SVO if you don't mind the 4 am arrival times.


If you have any questions feel free to ask.

NSAman

7 years ago. I have never ever been so happy to get out of a place in my entire life. And before you say it, yes I travel extensively for work and pleasure so know all of the traps.

VG31

NSAman wrote: »

7 years ago. I have never ever been so happy to get out of a place in my entire life. And before you say it, yes I travel extensively for work and pleasure so know all of the traps.

They must have cleaned it up a lot in the last seven years (World Cup might have helped) because we had a very positive experience. We weren't ripped off once. Apart from being approached by the taxi scam drivers in DME, we had no issues whatsover. We used Yandex Taxi (Russian version of mytaxi/Free Now) to get around sometimes and had no problems with it. You pay with card in the app so there's no chance of getting ripped off. It's dirt cheap as well, the 1 hour journey from our hotel in St Petersburg to Peterhof only cost €14!

The driving was a bit crazy sometimes but it was still better than Greece or Rome or Portugal. At least they wear seatbelts and obey speed limits!

I felt very safe the whole time in both cities, particularly in Moscow. I would rank Moscow alongside the likes of Vienna and Zurich in terms of safety.

NSAman

VG31 wrote: »

They must have cleaned it up a lot in the last seven years (World Cup might have helped) because we had a very positive experience. We weren't ripped off once. Apart from being approached by the taxi scam drivers in DME, we had no issues whatsover. We used Yandex Taxi (Russian version of mytaxi/Free Now) to get around sometimes and had no problems with it. You pay with card in the app so there's no chance of getting ripped off. It's dirt cheap as well, the 1 hour journey from our hotel in St Petersburg to Peterhof only cost €14!

The driving was a bit crazy sometimes but it was still better than Greece or Rome or Portugal. At least they wear seatbelts and obey speed limits!

I felt very safe the whole time in both cities, particularly in Moscow. I would rank Moscow alongside the likes of Vienna and Zurich in terms of safety.

I never felt unsafe there (apart from the Hotel security incident at checkout) and many places change over time, personally I hated the place. That for me is an absolute first. The traffic and driving was second worst after Panama which is literally insane.

Glad you enjoyed it and I hope the OP does too. It was just my own experience of Moscow.

rossie1977

Both are extremely modern cities. Both have top class public transportation systems though St Petersburgs metro doesn't go as far as airport and hailing a taxi in city centre is a pain if you don't speak Russian.

Both are very safe and clean and St Petersburg particularly city centre is very walkable.

ted1

I know several people who got a train from Tallin to St. Petersburg and loved both cities. Might be an alternative to Moscow

kindalen

https://www.rte.ie/news/business/2019/1225/1103032-st-petersburg/

Ryanair meant to be flying direct.

Stewball

Moscow is fantastic. I've been there twice now and loved it both times. I've got an interest in Cold War stuff and history in general and Moscow doesn't let you down in that sense.
There is a quiet peaceful corner of Gorky Park which has old Soviet sculptures & statues just randomly placed. Great for selfies and gives a great view of the Peter the Great monument on the river.

I did it on my own. Flights through Frankfurt. Hotel sorted out my invitation the first time, the second trip was during the World Cup so there was no need for invitations etc.

The only issue I had was the language barrier. Nothing major, but it was difficult at times. It was a lot easier during the WC because they had English speaking volunteers around every corner.

I never once felt unsafe walking the streets or using the metro day or night.

One tip I'll give. Buy a Russian sim when you arrive. Using your own data over there is very expense and a sim can be bought for a few euros with a large data allowance.

ted1

kindalen wrote: »

https://www.rte.ie/news/business/2019/1225/1103032-st-petersburg/

Ryanair meant to be flying direct.

They never said from what airport...

amecullen

We visited Russia last year, one week in Moscow and one week in Saint Petersburg. Sapsan train between the two cities. Absolutely an amazing trip. Booked everything ourselves directly. Needed to get a visa in the Russian embassy in Dublin. Make sure you go through the form carefully and have the correct payment.
We also preferred Moscow to Saint Petersburg, felt it was more Russian.
Found the people direct but very helpful. Stayed in a hotel beside red square, an amazing experience. Loved the food, found some excellent restaurants and the prices were lower than Dublin. Very easy to get around, lots of it is walkable, but the metros are also very easy to use and they arrive every few minutes.
Can’t recommend it highly enough, particularly if you have an interest in Russian history. Also got tickets for the bolshoi (birthday celebration) but there are lots of cheaper ballet or opera options.

RoyalCelt

NSAman wrote: »

7 years ago. I have never ever been so happy to get out of a place in my entire life. And before you say it, yes I travel extensively for work and pleasure so know all of the traps.

They stopped all this messing before the WC and it hasn't returned since. One of the best trips you could do.

gypsy79

NSAman wrote: »

7 years ago. I have never ever been so happy to get out of a place in my entire life. And before you say it, yes I travel extensively for work and pleasure so know all of the traps.

I was there 10 years ago and loved it. Found the people uber friendly

Going back to St Petersburg in March and cant wait

PoulMM

We went with Travel Department on a 10 day trip to Moscow and St. Petersburg in April 2018.

As part of a group we felt secure all the time. Both cities were amazing and we are going back to St. Petersburg on our own.

Would be a bit hesitant to do Moscow on our own.

Stewball

PoulMM wrote: »

Would be a bit hesitant to do Moscow on our own.

How come?

PoulMM

If you stay in the city centre, there should be no problem. You can't however expect to find people everywhere who can speak English - unlike St. Petersburg.

Metro in Moscow has great coverage.

I would love to rent a car, but not until I have seen much more of Moscow and metropolitan area. I suspect the culture is very different in Moscow compared to the surrounding countryside - and not for the benefit for tourists.

And I would want to be able to read street signs, menus and be able to say a few useful sentences like
"Izvinite, vuy govorish po-angliyski" - excuse me, do you speak English? If you get a Het (nyet), you're f****d! :-)

ebayissues

VG31 wrote: »

We did more or less the same as you last summer. We stayed in each city for 1 week.

I recommend using an online travel agency to get your letter of invitation. Unlike if you do it through your hotel, you can pick the dates yourself. It's a good idea to add on a few extra days beyond your intended date of departure. I used https://visatoruss.com/ It was the cheapest website I could find (€10) and everything went very smoothly.

You need passport photos dated within the last six months for the application form. Make sure your passport also has at least six months of validility beyond your stated exit date. You have to pay by postal order for the visas. I used the standard service (€77) and the visas were ready for collection in 7 days. You're better off going in person to the embassy unless you live far away, as if there is anything wrong with your documents they will let you know.


Hotel prices tend to be fairly conisistent throughout the year in Moscow. We stayed in the Hilton Moscow Leningradskaya which is one of Stalin's "Seven Sisters" skyscrapers. It was an amazing experience and was very good value for money considering the price we paid. St Petersburg hotel prices vary greatly depending on the time of year. May should be reasonable. We went near the end of June (White Nights) and it was fairly expensive.

We took the Sapsan train between the two cities. It takes about four hours. Book it well in advance to get the best prices (90 days is maximun I think).


While both cities were great, I really loved Moscow. It's very different from Western European cities and feels very "Russian". St Petersburg is more European, a bit like Vienna.

Moscow is incredibly clean (in the city center at least). The pavements are absolutely spotless and it's very rare to see any litter or graffiti in places like underpasses. We felt very safe there (much safer than Dublin IMO), there are police everywhere. Security is very tight in Russia, particularly in Moscow. Be prepared for metal detectors and bag searches when entering tourist attractions, train stations, shopping centres etc. Some metro stations have random bag scans as well. It is a bit annoying but you get used to it after a while.

The standard of food is very high and the prices are generally quite good (cheaper than Ireland). Georgian restaurants are everywhere and the food is fantastic, it's one of my favourite cuisines now.

Make sure you visit the Kremlin and Armoury. This was probably the highlight of our trip. The Metro stations are spectacular, it may be worth doing a tour. I also highly recommend visiting the VDNKh park in Moscow. It's an amazing park with buildings representing each of the former Soviet republics. There are fabulous fountains as well. The Museum of Cosmonautics nearby is also well worth a visit. Doing a river cruise is a good way to get an overview of the city.

In St Petersburg make sure you visit the Hermitage Museum, St Issac's, the Church of Christ the Saviour, Peterhof and the St Peter and Paul Fortress. We took an English language boat tour which was fantastic.



When did you go the Moscow? 1990s? Early 2000s. I haven't heard anyone describle anything like this in the last 10-15 years. This couldn't be further from our experience. The only issue we had during our entire stay were the rip-off taxi agencies at Domodedovo Airport, which would still be cheaper than a taxi for the same distance in Ireland incidentally.

We flew Dublin - Frankfurt - Moscow DME and St Petersburg - Munich - Dublin with Lufthansa. It cost about €330 each but I imagine it should be significantly cheaper in May. Air France/KLM, Finnair and airBaltic are other potential options. There are also direct Aeroflot flights to Moscow SVO if you don't mind the 4 am arrival times.


If you have any questions feel free to ask.

As I'm recently back from both cities this is spot on. I felt very safe, no issues or whatsoever. There was the occasional stairng and lets take a picture of you due to being african but it was grand.



Moscow city after n.y event was very clean, so spotless with an army of volunteers and paid workers doing a great job. There was a noticeble presence of soldiers and police during N.Y events in moscow but not in ST. P.



Before I saw your post, I said it to my friend that ST.P is similar to Vienna. Its so beautiful.


I'd recommend both cities.