Russia: In the Country

Categories of Restaurant

 

• Restaurants

The designation restaurant often indicates gastronomic restaurants where the prices are well above European prices for the same service.

• Restaurant chains

Types of cuisine from all over the world are present: American-style fast-food, Italian pizzerias, sushi restaurants, Russian or Central Asian traditional cuisine...

• Cafés

In Russia, cafés also serve as bars, restaurants and sometimes night clubs.
Generally very good value for money.

• Canteens

These are Soviet-type self-service restaurants.
The price is often modest but the quality is not always there.

Rules For Eating Out

Most restaurants serve meals all day long and in the evening until about 23.00 hours.
A tip corresponding to between 5 and 10% of the order is often expected.

Price Indications

Food Specialties

Russian cusine is known for its hearty meals, but it is also inspired by lighter French tastes.

Some well known dishes:
Borscht: a beet and cabbage soup famous for its dark red colour, often served with Russian sour cream (smetana) and a slice of dark rye bread
Blini: similar to a savoury crepe; made with buckweat and served with smoked salmon, mushroom or Russian sour cream
Olivier Salad: a light, crisp dish made with cucumber, pickles, potatoes, peas and mayonnaise
Pelmeni: Russian dumplings filled with herbs, lamb, pork or beef
Pirozhki: mini-pies that are pan-fried or oven baked
Shashlik: meat served in kebab-style, usually found in market stalls and shaved right off the grill
Beluga Caviar: comes from the Caspian sea and has always been considered to be the luxury food par excellence

Drinks

Le Kvas (or kvass) is a drink much enjoyed in Russia, it is also called 'khlebnoe pivo' (bread beer). Mildly alcoholic and sparkling, kvas is made by fermenting bread in water.
Vodka or 'little water' (diminutive of voda, water) is the traditional Russian drink. It is often drunk with canapés called 'zakouski'.
Russians also drink large quantities of beer ('pivo') and tea ('tchai'), which often replaces water.

Dietary Restrictions

Table Manners

Table manners are continental.

Means of Transport Recommended in Town

Recommendation

The big cities, in particular Moscow and St. Petersburg, have an extensive, fast metro network. For travelling between Moscow and St. Petersburg, it is advisable to take the high-speed SAPSAN train (four hours of travel).
The most convenient means of transport remains the taxi. It is best to use official taxis (they have a yellow sign on the roof) for security reasons. If you book the taxi in advance and agree on the fare, you can avoid unpleasant surprises. Take into account that travel time between the city centre and airports could take a long time.
A basic knowledge of Russian is useful for getting around.

Maps of Urban Networks

Map of the Moscow metro
Map of the St Petersburg metro

Urban Transport Agencies

The Moscow Metro

Find an Itinerary

Expatica

Taxi Companies

Taxi in Moscow
A list of taxi companies in St Petersburg
Smart Moscow - ordering a taxi in Moscow

Transportation From Airport to City Centre:

Airport	Distance	Taxi	Bus	Train	Car Rental
Moscow - Domodedovo (DME)	37 km / 23 miles	RUB 750-1000 / 90 min	RUB 30 / 25-30 min	RUB 120 / 40 min	Available

Means of Transport Recommended in the Rest of the Country

Recommendation

The rail network is relatively extensive and of good quality. Trains keep to the timetable but they are slow. For security reasons it is better not to travel alone.
Domestic flights have greatly increased over the last few years; but the planes are old and quality is basic for most companies. Accidents still happen quite frequently. Some airlines don't have advanced reservation systems and sell tickets for cash in the airport. Flights are often cancelled.

Rail Companies

Russian railways

Airlines

You Can Consult The EU Air Safety List. Look Also at the rating of the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Travelling By Yourself

Recommendation

Because of climatic conditions and the road network's lack of maintenance, driving is often difficult and dangerous. The sometimes unpredictable behaviour of local drivers, an often disconcerting traffic system, the presence of unexpected objects or vehicles on the public highway, all require very careful attention.
The highway police (GAI) frequently make checks, and fines for speeding or crossing solid lines have to be paid on the spot. Emergency road services, medical or mechanical, are slow in coming.
There are often traffic jams near large built-up areas, especially Moscow.
On the main roads, the signs are also written in the Roman alphabet.

Driver's License

You can drive for up to 1 year with your driver's license, translated by a qualified translator, and an international driver's license. You must keep your passport and visa with you at all times.

Conditions For Renting a Vehicle

None

Rental Agencies

Sixt
Avis
Europcar

Tolls or Taxes

Only on entering the country.

Find an Itinerary

ViaMichelin Maps of Russia

Traffic Conditions Online

Real-time traffic conditions. The color of the traffic light tells how bad traffic jams are (from green to red)

Parking Facilities

You can usually park free on the street.
For long periods, it is better to use guarded parking lots; you have to pay for these.

Rules of the Road

Minimum Driving Age

18

Side of the Road For Driving

Right

Speed Limits

60 km/h in built-up areas, 90 on main roads and 100 on motorways

Safety Belts

Obligatory

National Roads Organizations

Federal Road Agency

Quality of Communications

International communications are generally good in the European part of the Russian territory. The use of pre-paid cards reduces the cost drastically, and in particular if you are using a land line.
You can telephone from the premises of the central Telegraph in most cities.
Mobile telephone networks have wide cover; there is no Internet in rural areas.

Telephone Codes

To Make a Call From Russia, Dial 810
To Make a Call to in Russia, Dial +7

Number of Digits of National Telephone Numbers

10 digits.
The number begins with 8 followed by the 3-figure regional code and then the other figures.

Mobile Telephone Standards

The international standard MTS leads the market. Beeline, MegaFon and Rostelecom also exist.

National Mobile Phone Operators

MTS, Beeline (Vimpelcom), Megafon, Skylink.

Availability of Internet

Internet Suffix

.ru

National Internet Access Providers

Stream.ru, Russia-On-Line and MTU-Intel.

Access in Public Places

There are a certain number of Internet-cafés in the big cities; some restaurants and cafés offer Wifi areas.

Access in Hotels

Internet access points are growing in number in hotels. They are becoming common in Western-style hotels and youth hostels.
Some big hotels are also equipped with Wifi.