Practical info for Russia
Emergencies, embassy, entry requirements, money: the essentials before you go, with the official source and the date each piece of information was checked.
Embassy and entry requirements shown for travellers from: United Kingdom.
Emergency numbers
Source: France Diplomatie, GOV.UK, French embassy, Portal das Comunidades Portuguesas, Ministerstwo Spraw Zagranicznych RP · verified on 26/10/2026
Embassy and consulates
- British Embassy MoscowEmbassy
- Address
- Smolenskaya Naberezhnaya 10, Moscow, 121099, Russia
- Consular emergency line
- To call us in an emergency or send us an online enquiry use our contact form: https://www.contact.service.csd.fcdo.gov.uk/posts/russia/british-embassy-moscow
- British Consulate-General EkaterinburgConsulate
- Address
- 15A, Gogol Street, Ekaterinburg, 620075, Russia
- Consular emergency line
- To call us in an emergency or send us an online enquiry use our contact form: https://www.contact.service.csd.fcdo.gov.uk/posts/russia/british-consulate-general-ekaterinburg
Consular emergency numbers (emergencies only): FCDO, London (24 hours): +44 20 7008 5000.
Entry requirements
The rules depend on your passport: check them here before you book, for every traveller, children included.
Official page: GOV.UK (FCDO), updated 18/09/2026 ›
Source: GOV.UK · verified on 26/10/2026
Safety and travel advice
Highest level according to GOV.UK (FCDO): FCDO advises against all travel to the whole country.
FCDO advises against all travel to Russia
FCDO advises against all travel to Russia due to the risks and threats from its continuing invasion of Ukraine, including:
Source: GOV.UK · verified on 26/10/2026
Currency and payments
Currency: Russian rouble (RUB).
The ECB does not publish a reference rate for RUB.
Source: SIX Group (ISO 4217), European Central Bank, EU Publications Office · verified on 26/10/2026
Time difference
Several time zones: +2 h to +12 h compared with London (calculated on 26/10/2026).
The clocks change in London on 28/03/2027: the difference may change that day.
Source: IANA (time zones) · verified on 26/10/2026
Driving
Driving licence, according to GOV.UK (FCDO): “You’ll need to have both the 1968 version of the international driving permit (IDP) and your UK driving licence with you in the car. You cannot buy an IDP outside the UK, so get one before you travel. If you have a residence permit or acquire Russian citizenship, you must get a Russian driving licence within one year.”
Source: GOV.UK · verified on 26/10/2026
Mobile networks
Networks listed by the eSIMs we checked: Beeline (Sirocco); BeeLine/VimpelCom (Sirocco); Tele2 (Sirocco).
Source: Sirocco · verified on 26/10/2026
eSIM prices for Russia
7 days, 5 GB · prices checked on 26/10/2026
3 brands compared, not an exhaustive listWhy this ranking?
Ranked by price: for each brand, the cheapest plan that covers 7 days and 5 GB.
Not an exhaustive comparison: 3 brands out of the dozens that sell eSIMs. The list of brands compared is in our Methodology.
eSIMeter is published by Mocom SAS, which sells Sirocco: the site is funded by those sales. No other brand pays us.
Frequently asked questions
What are the emergency numbers in Russia?
Single emergency number: 112 ; Police: 102 ; Medical emergencies: 103 ; Fire brigade: 101
How do I contact the embassy or consulate in Russia?
British Embassy Moscow, Smolenskaya Naberezhnaya 10, Moscow, 121099, Russia ; British Consulate-General Ekaterinburg, 15A, Gogol Street, Ekaterinburg, 620075, Russia. Consular emergency numbers (emergencies only): FCDO, London (24 hours): +44 20 7008 5000.
What are the entry requirements for Russia?
The rules depend on your passport: check them here before you book, for every traveller, children included. Official page: GOV.UK (FCDO), updated 18/09/2026.
What is the travel advice for Russia?
Highest level according to GOV.UK (FCDO): FCDO advises against all travel to the whole country. FCDO advises against all travel to Russia FCDO advises against all travel to Russia due to the risks and threats from its continuing invasion of Ukraine, including:
What currency is used in Russia?
Currency: Russian rouble (RUB). The ECB does not publish a reference rate for RUB.
What is the time difference in Russia?
Several time zones: +2 h to +12 h compared with London (calculated on 26/10/2026). The clocks change in London on 28/03/2027: the difference may change that day.
What should I know about driving in Russia?
Driving licence, according to GOV.UK (FCDO): “You’ll need to have both the 1968 version of the international driving permit (IDP) and your UK driving licence with you in the car. You cannot buy an IDP outside the UK, so get one before you travel. If you have a residence permit or acquire Russian citizenship, you must get a Russian driving licence within one year.”
Which mobile networks operate in Russia?
Networks listed by the eSIMs we checked: Beeline (Sirocco); BeeLine/VimpelCom (Sirocco); Tele2 (Sirocco).