Explore Russia in 2025 - Moscow, Vladimir and Suzdal

I made a two week trip to Russia in March 2025. The towns I visited were Moscow, Murmansk, St. Petersburg, Vladimir and Suzdal. In this blog, I will walk you through my experience in Moscow, Vladimir and Suzdal. I did this trip without the help of a tour operator, so this blog is for those who would like to do the same.

Vladimir is one of the oldest town located 200kms away and East of Moscow. The town has got an ancient charm with several old cathedrals with 12th Century architecture to admire from the inside (or to warm up if you're cold from walking in the wind and snow).

Only 30 kms from Vladimir, is a beautiful town named Suzdal. This town will feel like time stopped in the 16th Century. This town is a must visit to learn about Russia between the 12th to 18th Century. The Monastery of Saint Eurythmics should be at the top of your list. One can not only learn about the history of Suzdal, but if lucky, one can get to hear the choir at the main cathedral.

Places I visited in Suzdal - Suzdal Kremlin, Monastery of Saint Eurythmics, Museum of Wooden Architecture. I purchased a ticket for RUB 1,500 that included entry to all of the three places. Note that it is at least a 30-40 minute walk between each of these places, so ensure to have enough time if you're planning to buy the same ticket as I did. Individual tickets are also available at RUB 600 each.

Useful Travel Information:

Hotels: I made all hotel reservations on Otello.ru. Otello's customer service were responsive and friendly. Since 2022, several payment sanctions were imposed on Russia, making it impossible to use international debit/credit cards on any Russian websites with payment gateways located in Russia. There are several hotels that accept reservations without requiring to make advance payments.

Pro tip: It is best to send an email or whatsapp/telegram message to the hotel directly to let them know about your reservation details. I ran into a problem when one of the hotels in Moscow denied my reservation after I arrived there to check-in. The hotel name was Kruassan Na Paveletskoj Hostel. I ended up going back to the hotel I stayed in previously in Moscow.

Moscow - Hotel Oblaka, Krutitsky Val, 8/22, Moscow 109044 Russia. This hotel is located in a private residential area. The metro and tram stations are only 200m away from the hotel. There is also a bakery, supermarket and pharmacy in the same neighbourhood. One of the receptionists at the hotel can speak English. She was very helpful and provided me with useful guidance on how to explore Moscow and St. Petersburg. I highly recommend this hotel.

Vladimir - Hotel Zamok na Nikol'skoy, Vladimir, Nikol'skaya 2-ya, 9a. This hotel is located only 1.5km from the city center. The room I got had one tiny window that was close to the ceiling and the price was RUB 5,900/night. For the price, I wouldn't recommend this hotel. However, I must say that the hotel staff were friendly. They sent me a message on Telegram to confirm my reservation one day prior to the check in date. They also told me that if I checked in before 2pm, I would need to pay a 50% charge of the total room rent for an early check in. But on arrival, they let me check in early and even check out late the next day without having to pay any extra fee.

Public Transportation/Taxis:

Local City Taxis - The most popular and trusted taxi aggregator in Russia is YandexGo. I used their service in all towns I visited in Russia. The app is available on both Android and IOS platforms. The price for a ride from the airport to the city center is around RUB 1,500 to 2,000 if the weather conditions are good. But the prices can go up if the demand is high, or if several roads are blocked due to heavy snowfall. I had to pay RUB 3,200 on my last day in Moscow to the airport.

Pro tip - Download and register on the app before you leave for Russia, in case requires you to enter OTP for first time registration. Avoid taking taxi rides from random drivers. You will see several drivers wearing the official ID card, but they are not geniune and will most likely charge you an incorrect price.

Moscow Subway:

The metro in Moscow is extremely well connected. All you need is a Troika card, and you're good to use the transport service. I bought this card with a 3-day unlimited plan for RUB 700. One can also opt for other payment plans mentioned in this link. The card can be used on buses, trams and underground trains. A one way ride to any destination is RUB 60, if paid by a local debit/credit card or the Troika Card. But it will be RUB 75 if you separately buy a one way ticket. These cards are available at the kiosk machines or counters at any metro station. The kiosk machines do accept cash.

Trains and buses:

Moscow to Vladimir round trip: I took a Lastochka train (high speed train), which was a 2 hours long journey to Vladimir. I took the same train back to Moscow. The train from Moscow from the Moscow East railway station. One can easily get to this station either by taxi or by metro. I booked the trains tickets at the railway in St. Petersburg, since I couldn't book them online. Tickets can be booked from the long distance trains booking counters. Ensure to collect a token number at the entrance. It is a good idea to look up the train schedule online before proceeding for reservations at the counter, as it highly likely that you would need to use a translator app for communication. A one way ticket costed me RUB 3,800.

Vladimir to Suzdal round trip: I did a one day trip to Suzdal by bus from Vladimir. I bought the tickets at the main bus stop - Avtovokzal. A one way ticket costed RUB 250.

Tourist sim card: Since 1 Jan 2025, a foreign tourist can no longer purchase a sim card using with only their passports. Here is a useful link to the complete process for purchasing a sim card. Since I did not want to go through this complex process, I recharged my local Reliance Jio sim card for international roaming with a data pack plan of 8GB for 14 days for INR 4,4900. I had network with a decent internet connection in most places.

Currency Exchange: I carried USD from India, following are the places I exchanged money -

Airport: I exchanged USD 100 at a rate of USD/RUB 74. I do not recommend to exchange too much at the airport as the rates are bad. If you have $50 note, and if that is enough for you to get to the city, I'd suggest you exchange only that much.

Kamkombank: I decided to go here to exchange more after reading the reviews online. They were able to offer a better rate. However, they charge a commission fee of RUB 200. You only need to show your passport for documentation purpose.

Bank Avangard: I found this bank at a mall close to my hotel in Moscow. They offered me the best rate and did not charge a commission. I would highly recommend this bank for cash exchange. Do ensure to carry both your passport and a hard copy of your approved eVisa for documentation purpose. This is the branch location I visited - Bank Avangard.

Helpful notes:

Communication and locals: I found most locals to be friendly and helpful. If you approach them for help, they will be willing to help you. However, note that most people don't speak English, so ensure to have the translator app handy for communication.

Navigation: I usually depend on the GPS to move around. However, this turned out to be challenge in Russia. I was told that due to the current geopolitical situation, there are devices installed for the prevention of drone attacks. This messed the GPS system as well. But don't worry too much, as the GPS did work at most times but might be faulty at times.

Immigration and Border Security: My immigration process was not easy. My passport was selected to go through a double verification process. After a two hour wait, I was called in for questioning. I was asked about the duration of my stay in Russia, my profession back in India, proof of hotel accomodation, return flight ticket and if I could speak Russian. The officer also check my phone, noted down my IMEI number. After a 4 hour long wait, my passport was finally stamped. Ensure to carry proof of return tickets, hotel reservations and any tour package bookings. They also notice your behaviour while you're made to wait, so be calm and ensure to comply with whatever they ask you to do.

Weather: The weather can unpredictable, so ensure to check the forecast and carry appropriate clothing.

Overall, my trip to Russia was a memorable one. This is a country definitely worth visiting. Stay tuned on more of my blogs on Murmansk and St. Petersburg.