What to pack for your Russian adventure
Our blog offers some great ideas for exploring areas covered by the Trans-Siberian experience. Notably, Bernard’s Trips and Tales series, of which we have now featured 73 episodes, give you a flavour of some of the places and experiences you may want to encounter. If you want to embark on one of these life-changing and epic trips what will you need to take with you?
Whatever the time of year, you need to pack for all weather conditions. The winters can be harsh and the summers can be surprisingly warm! But you never know when it is going to rain so waterproof clothing and an umbrella should be ticked off on your list. Things like a hat, coat and warm shoes are a must for cold weather.
Whether staying on the Trans-Siberian express or in a hotel, you might find it helpful to take a sleeping bag and pillow case with you so you don’t have to worry about finding clean bedding. A sleeping bag also takes less time to construct than fiddling around with bed sheets after a long day of exploring.
If you’re planning to visit any Russian sites like the opera or ballet, you might not want to turn up in your jeans and trainers. Taking a couple of smart outfits will be handy for visiting a nice restaurant or a bar or club that has a smart dress code.
You will also need a converter plug to use electrical appliances such as a hairdryer, shaver or straighteners as well as be able to charge your smartphone or camera.
In order to travel to Russia, you need a Russian visa because visa-free travel is only possible for citizens of CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) and republics such as Turkey, Israel, Brazil, Argentina and Serbia. To obtain a Russian visa, the first thing you need is an invitation, i.e. a visa support letter.
Persons from CIS countries will still need an invitation too. Subsequently you can apply for a visa at a Russian consulate, which you can do either yourself or through an agent (who will charge an additional fee). It is a good idea to make sure that visas obtained through an agent don’t “lock” you into a fixed itinerary or limit visa validity to the period that you’re staying at a particular hotel.
When preparing to travel to Russia, you should pack any medication you may need, from headaches to allergies, bandages to antiseptic creams, nausea to upset stomachs (especially if you eat something dodgy!). If you use specialist medication like the contraceptive pill or insulin then it is a good idea to stock up.
You do need to check with Russian customs regulations and should refer to this before you travel anyway. It is helpful to know things like the fact that you might be charged 20 per cent tax when you enter the country or the procedure for declaring valuables when you arrive so you avoid having to deal with unnecessary paperwork when you leave.
Generally, things like common medicines, food, foreign press, clothes and trekking equipment are available in the big cities like Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Ekaterinburg and Samara, but the further you move away from these cities (which, if you’re a real explorer, you’ll want to) the harder they are to get hold of. Something to be aware of is the lack of ATMs in smaller towns, so a little cash kept safely on your person might not be a bad idea. A comfortable pair of shoes is also great as travelling around Russia means plenty of walking.
It’s worth taking only the things you really need for your Russian voyage, as there is nothing worse than lugging around a heavy suitcase or bag – plus you’ll want room for all those exciting souvenirs you may want to bring back.
[Photo by Anthony Knuppel]