Key facts
Russian Federation is a transcontinental country that lies on both the European and Asian continents. The majority of Russians live in Europe, which is also the country’s historical heartland. By landmass, Russia is the world’s biggest country. There are 14 countries (Azerbaijan, Belarus, China, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Kazakhstan, North Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Mongolia, Norway, Poland, Ukraine) that Russian Federation shares its borders with. The official language of Russian Federation is Russian. Unfortunately, if you speak English, it might be problematic to communicate fluently unless you know Russian.
In the EF English Competency Index (EF EPI), which assesses the language proficiency of non-native speaking countries, Russian Federation was ranked 51st out of 100 countries in 2021.
The national currency in Russian Federation is Russian ruble (RUB). The rouble (₽) is subdivided into 100 kopeyka (к).
Russian
Banknotes
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Russian
Coins
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Check with your bank before your trip to find out if there are any fees for using your card abroad. Some banks do not charge fees when you use a foreign ATM or pay in foreign currency, but others may charge a fixed cost for each transaction or allow a limited number of free withdrawals. The travel card provided by Wise.com, Revolut or Monose might be an excellent option to cut down on transaction fees.
Ookla® Speedtest The average fixed internet speed in Russian Federation is 143.28 Mbps and mobile is 39.76 Mbs.The global average is 192.62 Mbps and 126.54 Mbps respectively.
ATM Density Russian Federation has more ATMs than most other countries.164.93 ATMs per 100,000 people.The global average is 39.49.
SIM Registration In order to purchase a SIM card in Russian Federation, a passport or ID is required as identification.
Socket types
There are 2 socket types used in Russian Federation. Type C is a popular socket type throughout Europe (except the United Kingdom), Russia, and certain Asian countries.
The sockets’ shapes and voltage differ from country to country and a travel plug adapter may be required. Portable devices, such as phones, notebooks or tablets, usually handle the entire range of voltages used across the world (110-240V).
Public holidays
In the year 2024, Russian Federation will celebrate 13 national public holidays. The next one Unity Day will take place on November 4.
| Date | Holiday name | |
|---|---|---|
| January 1, 2024Moving holiday | New Year’s DayНовый год | |
| January 2, 2024Moving holiday | New Year holidayНовогодние каникулы | |
| January 3, 2024Moving holiday | New Year holidayНовогодние каникулы | |
| January 4, 2024Moving holiday | New Year holidayНовогодние каникулы | |
| January 5, 2024Moving holiday | New Year holidayНовогодние каникулы | |
| January 6, 2024Moving holiday | New Year holidayНовогодние каникулы | |
| January 7, 2024Moving holiday | Orthodox Christmas DayРождество Христово | |
| February 23, 2024Moving holiday | Defender of the Fatherland DayДень защитника Отечества | |
| March 8, 2024Moving holiday | International Women’s DayМеждународный женский день | |
| May 1, 2024Moving holiday | Labour DayДень труда | |
| May 9, 2024Moving holiday | Victory DayДень Победы | |
| June 12, 2024Moving holiday | Russia DayДень России | |
| November 4, 2024Moving holiday | Unity DayДень народного единства |
Sources
- EF English Proficiency Index (EF Education First)
- Speedtest Global Index® (Ookla®)
- Automated teller machines (ATMs) (per 100,000 adults) (The World Bank Group)
- Registration Policies Per Country (Prepaid Data SIM Card Wiki)
Tourism
What hotel chains are present in Russian Federation?
There are no Mariott hotels in Russian Federation.
The Hilton hotel chain operates in Russian Federation.
The IHG hotel chain operates in Russian Federation.
There are no Best Western hotels in Russian Federation.
There are Radisson hotels in 20 cities.
The Accor hotel chain operates in Russian Federation.
What fast food chains are present in Russian Federation?
The McDonald’s chain operates in Russian Federation.
The KFC chain operates in Russian Federation.
The Burger King chain operates in Russian Federation.
The Subway chain operates in Russian Federation.
The Domino’s Pizza chain operates in Russian Federation.
The Starbucks chain operates in Russian Federation.
Sources
- Country by National Dish (Samson Daniel)
Weather
What is the weather like in Moscow?
Weather data for Moscow (capital city) by Open-Meteo.com
Transport
Railways There are passenger trains operating between some cities.
Subway Systems The subway system is available in 7 cities.
Taxi Apps Unfortunately neither Uber nor Bolt are available in Russian Federation.
Sources
- List of high-speed railway lines (Wikipedia)
- List of metro systems (Wikipedia)
- Left- and right-hand traffic (Wikipedia)
- The Global Enabling Trade Report 2016: Road connectivity (World Economic Forum)
Safety
Emergency phones in Russian Federation
Sources
- Russian Federation Travel Advisory (United States: Department of State)
- Travel Advice for Russian Federation (United Kingdom: The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office)
- Mortality caused by road traffic injury (The World Bank Group)
- Corruption & Economic Crime (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime)
Smoking & Alcohol
Smoking ban Smoking is forbidden in all public indoor locations, with limited exceptions.
Cananbis legality Both recreational and medicinal use of cannabis is prohibited.
Sources
- List of smoking bans (Wikipedia)
- Legality of cannabis (Wikipedia)