TRANS MONGOLIAN ROUTE. Part I.

Good part of the day, my dear reader!

I am happy to be back and this article will allow me to tell you about as I think the most interesting trip on a Trans Mongolian railway as this journey will allow you to visit a minimum of three countries, that is Russia, Mongolia and China.
Fascinating images exist in people’s minds when thinking about Russia. The most renowned ones are the Trans Siberian Railroad, cosmopolitan Moscow, European St. Petersburg with the Hermitage, Russian vodka, the enigma of the “Slavic sole” and the Siberian Winter.
Lots of cities and towns combination is open for a traveller’s imagination when you plan a trip on a Trans Mongolian Rail road. The trip duration will be dependent on your preferences, your knowledge of the places you will be interested in visiting as well as the time allowed from work to take this trip.
The best time to travel is of course when it is warm though some places offer more interesting and better activities during the winter time. It is certainly Irkutsk area and Lake Baikal. I have never been there myself but have heard a lot from people who have been and who are there now-live and work. The distinctive beauty of this lake and its magnificent surroundings make it a unique and exotic destination which promises to cater to your adventure needs. And every photo taken there will be a subject for your relations and friends to be jealous about.
It is only a short period between mid July and very early August when you can swim in the Lake. Fantastic experience! They say that when you stand next to the water it feels like you are near the air conditioner-so fresh and cool. Summer is rich for activities like fishing, hiking, mountain climbing, tours combining nature trekking along the shore of Baikal, white water rafting down a Siberian river and visiting the outstandingly beautiful Olkhon Island. A Relaxing trip to Olkhon at the end of the adventurous tour provides a perfect opportunity to see the magnificent beauty of Baikal, to observe the life style of native Buryat people and admire the famous Olkhon sunsets. Tourists can visit the most interesting and the most beautiful areas of Lake Baikal and make walking tours along the shore and into the taiga-forest. The best time is from mid June to mid September. Driving by a 4WD vehicle (similar to what they use in the Russian army) to the heart of the lake. On the route you can combine different activities like hiking, boating, exploring ancient rock paintings, camping on the solitary beach and trying your luck at fishing.
When thinking about winter, associations known from childhood immediately appear in one’s mind: the boundless snow plains, Russian troika rides, never ending frosts. Some of these stereotypes are true, some are not, some are just funny. But one thing is for certain, you will be surprised and mesmerized after visiting this mysterious land and making your long-standing dream a reality.
Winter is, after all, the most Russian of all of nature’s seasons,. A time of fur coats, sleigh-rides and chilled vodka. Even in the coldest months of December – January, life goes on in Siberia as schools, shops and theaters are open, public transport operating and winter sports enthusiasts come out to enjoy themselves in the cold environment.
Most of the winter, the temperature is about –14, -16°C during the day, which is OK to be out if you have proper clothes for subzero temperature. And year by year winters tend to be milder. Usually the layer of snow out in the plains and forests is 50 cm - 1.5 m, though in the mountains it may reach 2 - 3 meters.
That mono-colored world somehow strikes one’s imagination: the endless acres of snow, the tracks going seemingly nowhere, the groups of bare birches, the delicate reeds and huge frozen rivers and lakes. All these things capture the imagination of a “Siberian Winter”. It is therefore my pleasure to invite you to an exotic winter trip to the heart of Siberia where you will get a chance to visit the deepest freshwater lake in the world, Lake Baikal. The distinctive beauty of this lake and its magnificent surroundings make it a unique and exotic destination which promises to cater to your adventure needs. We offer a variety of activities in Irkutsk and at Lake Baikal ranging from one day excursions with dog sledding to a week of extreme skiing in the Siberian mountains or a few-day skating on the mirror of the crystal-clear Baikal ice. As well as winter sports, we offer you a chance to experience Russian culture through a Traditional Russian festival to “Farewell the Winter” and Russia's Lake Baikal annual International "Winteriada" - Baikal Nordic Games Festival held in March, which involve you into the magic fairytale of Siberian Winter. And should you have any particular interests here you are always welcome to send me an e-mail to natasha@realrussia.co.uk
You should now understand that I cannot imagine a Trans Mongolian or any other trip without visiting Lake Baikal.
Normally they prefer to stop in two –three places on the way to Beijing and as we are talking about the Trans Mongolian rail journey then it is certainly Mongolia and Ulan-Bator that could be the next stop.
There is a rail connection between Irkutsk and Ulan-Bator. Three trains are running here. Train no 362 is a daily one and with an evening departure which will travel two nights arriving very early in the morning (at 0610 Local time) to Ulan-Bator. Train no 4 runs every Saturday and train no 6 every Sunday and Monday. Both these trains depart very early at 0513 Local time and travel only one night arriving Ulan-Bator at 0730 am Local time.
The trip between Moscow and Irkutsk will be very easy to arrange. The train selection will depend on your preference, i.e. travelling class, departure time . There are several trains available between Moscow and Irkutsk on a daily basis and I can try and find a train that will fit your itinerary just right. There are certainly popular and fast good trains here and they are: familiar train no 2 Rossiya, train no 10 Baikal, Chinese train no 4 every Tuesday, train no 6 every Wednesday and Thursday. They say that the latter trains will not be possible to buy the tickets for just from Moscow to Irkutsk. This is not very right. We are able to purchase them without any problem regardless the international status for these trains. The tickets for the international trains like numbers 4 and 6 become available for sale 60 days before counting from the date of arrival of this train to the final destination, thought the tickets for trains like 2 and 10 can be obtained only 45 days before the departure date.
We are now close to Ulan-Bator. I will be ready to tell you more about this place and what to do there in one of my next articles. This issue will only touch the trains availability between Ulan-Bator and Beijing. There are only two trains running and they will be available three times a week for the summer season 2009. Train no 24 Mongolian every Thursday and Saturday and train no 4 Chinese every Sunday. The tickets for train number 24 can be only arranged in Mongolia and collected or delivered there. The tickets for train no 4 is available for issue in Russia only and it could allow a good chance to collect all the tickets for the entire trip before departing from Moscow.
Here we go and below I decided to give you an example of a classic route on Trans Mongolian railway including Moscow-Irkutsk-Ulan-Bator and finally Beijing.

Moscow-Irkutsk
Train no 2
Leaving on 05.01 at 2125 MT
Arriving on 09.01 at 0603 LT
1st and 2nd classes are possible here

Irkutsk -Ulan –Bator

Train no 6
Leaving on 12.01 at 0513 LT
Arriving on 13.01 at 0730 LT
1st and 2nd classes are possible

Ulan-Bator-Beijing
Train no 24
Leaving on 15.01 at 0805 LT
Arriving on 16.01 at 1430 LT
1st and 2nd classes are possible

And the indicative prices are as below:

The entire trip 1st class will cost approx £ 680.00 pp one way
The entire trip 2nd class will cost approx £ 520.00 pp one way and here the price could be approx £ 490.00 pp one way and the final will be dependent on where the tickets are issued and here I am talking about the tickets Irkutsk-UB first of all as sometime they are not available in Moscow and to be ordered from Irkutsk branch. You can guess it is certainly the case for the high season and during the low season it is normally easy in terms of buying the tickets for the above trip.

This is not my last article about Trans Mongolian rail road trip and I will be able to give you much more information about other places of interest when travelling this route.

It is only two weeks before the New Year and lots of people will have days off and have already planned or still in progress of thinking about possible trips to Russia may be. I am sure everyone will find Moscow and St. Petersburg as a very good tourist destination for a short break for Christmas holidays. These two capitals of Russia in snow - sound magic and intriguing. There are many ways of getting between the two cities and the main one is by train. You might know a lot about the times and prices but sure other details like difference between the trains are not very well know. This is what I am going to discuss with you in my next article. Hope you will find it interesting and helpful.

Thank you very much for your interest my dear reader!
Have a good day!

Natasha

From Moscow to Vladivostok. Part II.

Hi, Privet!

Your were able to see the main cities on the Trans -Siberian route in Part I.

And this very article will allow me to tell you more about the train that can take you directly from Moscow to Vladivostok. I am afraid this article will be a bit too long (though as the trip itself :) but I keep so much information I wish to share and would love to fit it in Part II.

And it is train no 2 called Rossiya.

A journey on the Trans-Siberian Express Rossia is the longest train ride in the world. The train is decorated in typical Russian style including its trade mark gold and red colors. The train is considered one of the best trains in Russia in terms of service, friendliness of staff and upkeep.The train has 1st and 2nd class compartments. The 2nd class compartments have a unique style with green curtains embroidered with pictures of all of the Russian cities through which the train passes. The 1st class compartments are decked out in Russian style red and gold colors. Each compartment also has a TV. The train also has a nice dining car that has a special menu for the passengers.
In newer carriages it will be possible to move the lower bed up to 10 cm away from the wall, giving a wider sleeping area.
Train “Rossiya” includes 1 or several baggage carriages; 1 restaurant-car, 1 administration carriage where the Train Chief and Train electrician are. There is a radio-compartment in this carriage, a children compartment -it is a real play room with lots of toys and two Sony Play Stations and two TVsets, laundry room, iron and a shower. And this carriage can be attended only upon a “mutual agreement” with a travelling carriage attendant and for an additional cost.

Russian trains can be subdivided into three main categories:

Firmeniy trains (фирменный).

Firmeniy trains are privately run trains offering high quality service with higher prices as well. Each train has a specific interior design based on the operator. Some cities have their own original trains that they are quite proud of and try to make as comfortable as possible – these trains typically have names such as Kama (a train run by the city of Perm). The train numbers for Firmeniy trains consist of a zero followed by 2 numbers and one letter. For example, train 002M “Rossia” Moscow-Vladivostok is a Firmeniy train. These trains typically have 1st and 2nd class compartments and have a restaurant car.

Express trains (скорый) are quite good, fast trains however they are a bit less comfortable than Firmeniy trains and usually make a few more stops. They usually serve long distance routes and are quite popular with travelers. Like the Firmeniy the number consists of a zero, 2 more numbers and a letter. The trains run regularly. Express trains have 2nd and 3rd class compartments, a restaurant car and sometimes a 1st class compartment.

Regular train (пассажирский) this train stops at every station along the route so it really takes a while to get where you want to go on these, however, these trains offer a great opportunity to see Russia SLOWLY!!! The number consists of 3 numbers and a letter.

Other types of specific trains:-

Electric suburban train (пригородный); These are those green trains that run on electricity and connect large and provincial cities with their suburbs and outlying rural regions. They are pretty rickety, have funny wooden seats typically and aren't the most comfortable form of transport. And, watch out, on the weekends and whenever the weather is nice they get packed. You won't find a seat. Russians like to go to their dachas (summer houses) and most of these trains are the best way for them to get their. Tickets are cheap and can be purchased at all the train stations.

Types of compartments:

1st Class (SV)First is the most comfortable and expensive option: the SV ticket. This is a first class compartment for only two people and contains two lower couches that convert into beds and a table next to the window. Also sometimes on some trains which run a long journey there are showers in those SV compartments that also adds some comfort to your journey. If you would like to travel by yourself there is a possibility to buy two tickets for the couches at the same compartment. So this could be almost the VIP traveling.

2nd Class (coupe)The next option is a less expensive class (2nd class) that is organized in compartments, each of which contain two lower and two upper berths. These are called coupes in Russian. Just like an SV, coupes have a door which locks from the inside, and thus privacy between the four people is kept inside the compartment.

Both 1st and 2nd class can be with or without services. Services would normally mean a meal and bed linen included in the ticket cost. And the number of meals a trip can be different and totally depend on the trip duration and train quality. As well as the food provided can be different and vary from a snack box to a proper menu you choose several dishes from and then arrange a preferred time to be served with it.

The options without services would include bed linen only and for the 2nd class it might be without the bed linen but then it woud be easily obtained from a carriage attendant and will cost a minimum fee a trip. And in any case there will be no need to take a sleeping bag with you.

Russia is a country that lives in a cold for several months and that is the main reason why our trains are equipped with a very well developed heating system for a cold period. If you plan to travel in the winter then please, take some light clothes with you as it might get very hot on board.

And the last and the least comfortable option is

3rd Class (Platzkart) -it is cheaper still and is called Platzkart in Russian (3rd class). This means that the entire wagon is open and there are no closed compartments or curtains. There are two lower and two upper berths, a small and narrow corridor and another two berths that are located on the opposite side near the window. So instead of a compartment there are six berths and no doors, thus there is no possibility to lock anything or for people to have any privacy. Platzcart tickets are convenient tickets if you have a short journey or if you are not interested in comfort but want to save money. In some cases, traveling by Platzkart is more convenient for a woman taking a journey by herself. In this case, the woman avoids the possibility of getting stuck in a compartment with 3 strangers. If you travel to the very south of Russia during the mid-summer months, this might be a more comfortable option because the wagons tend to get very humid and stuffy and Platzcart cabins have better ventilation and therefore may be cooler.

The above will give you a better idea on what class to travel when planning your trip and especially such a long trip as Moscow -Vladivostok.

You can certainly break your trip and stop in as many places as possible but then the requirement will be to buy the ticket for each individual leg as in Russia the tickets can be purchased for a certain date, certain person and certain class only and we do not have Open Rail Passes as you do in Europe.

Train no 2 is a very expensive one and I can recommend to break the journey for a day or two and stop, let us say, in Irkutsk – a beautiful place with the lake Baikal. And then the entire trip and especially when to travel with the 2nd or 3d class will be considerably cheaper as here there will be several trains to choose from and they are not to be the dearest.

The most comfortable and fastest trains on Trans Siberian:

5/6 “Ocean” (Khabarovsk-Vladivostok)
9/10 “ Baikal” (Moscow -Irkutsk)
25/26 “ Sibiryak” (Moscow –Novosibirsk)
55/56 “Enisey” (Moscow – Krasnoyarsk) and some more trains of the same class.

The carriages are of German manufacturing, new and with the air conditioning. You should be ready to pay a higher cost for the tickets for the above trains. And the passengers are normally quite wealthy people and a lot of foreign nationals use the above trains and especially during the summer time.

And let me please, give you an idea on how much a trip can cost and the example below will be for a 2nd class travel.

Moscow -Vladivostok

train no 2

leaving on odd dates only at 2125 Moscow time

arriving 7 days later at 0648 Local time

running time is 146.23 hrs

And the prices as available for 25.01.09:

1st class with services (7 meals and bed linen) approx £ 760.00 pp one way

1st class without services (bed linen) approx £ 660.00 pp one way

2nd class with services wapprox £ 420.00 pp one way

2d class without services approx £ 360.00 pp one way

And here there can be special rates applied to make a trip cheaper but this is to be checked only upon an actual request and when you know your travelling dates because this rate can be applied for certain periods only.

And below is an example on how you can make the trip from Moscow to Vladivostok with a stop in Irkutsk:

Moscow -Irkutsk

I will be able to find a train here for any date and for instance

train no 2 Rossiya

leaving on odd dates at 2125 Moscow Time

arriving 4 days later at 0603 Local time

2nd class without services will cost approx £ 250.00 pp one way

Irkutsk-Vladivostok

train no 32 on odd dates

leaving at 0407 Moscow time -0907 Local time

arriving at 0455 Moscow time - 1155 Local time

running time is 72.48 hrs

2nd class will cost approx £ 170.00 pp one way

or to make it cheaper to travel 3d class and it will cost approx £ 83.00 pp one way

There are so many options for travelling this longest route. You can stay on Transib or get off and travel to other places like Tomsk and then come back to Transib again and finally reach Vladivostok and then travel by the ferry to Japan.

I am willing to discuss as many options with you as you wish my dear reader and give my recommendations or find an interesting information for you.

The Trans-Mongolian and Chinese route leaves the main Trains-Siberian route at Zaudinskiy, 8 km from Ulan-Ude. The distance between Ulan-Ude and the Russian-Mongolian border is 250 km.

The Trans-Mongolian Route is my next topic to discuss with you and this trip is the best seller and full of various combinations.

See you later,

Natasha

From Moscow to Vladivostok -Part I

Trans-Siberian Route Description
For my next article allow me to share some information about the Trans –Siberian Route and the following summarizes the stops along the Trans-Siberian Railway from Moscow to Vladivostok. To receive Russian train schedules and Russian train ticket prices as well as to have the opportunity to order tickets online, please write to my direct address natasha@realrussia.co.uk or use our web site http://www.realrussia.co.uk/ for Train tickets journey planner.


Moscow:Russia’s political capital and financial as well as cultural center. The city includes several must see attractions from the Kremlin and Red Square to the Assumption Cathedral. Moscow is the largest city in Europe complete with everything one could expect.

Vladimir: 209 km; 2h 30min.Built on the Klyza’ma River, Vladimir, founded in 995, was at one time a capital of Russia and its political, cultural and religious center. It has a reputation for its unique cathedrals, four of which are on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Some architectural gems requiring a visit, are the Uspensky (Assumption) Cathedral (1158-61) and the Golden Gate (1164).

Nizhny Novgorod: 461 km; 6h 30 min.This city was founded in 1221 and was a trading center for people from the Orient, Siberia and Turkistan. Formerly named Gorki, it held political exiles and was closed to outsiders for many years. The city recently opened its doors for visitors and its many well preserved memorials from the 13th and 14th centuries are an amazing attraction.

Kirov: 917 km; 12h 50 min.Kirov has a population of 350,000 and is the seat of a great agricultural center on the banks of the Vyatka River, a navigable river that connects with the Volga.

Perm: 1397 km; 20h 10 min.Perm lies about 800 miles east of Moscow on the western slopes of the Ural Mountains, and stretches along both sides of the Kama River. Perm was founded in 1568 as the village, Lagoshikha. Since 1756, Perm has been a center for Russia’s military manufacturing. By 1781, it was established as the administrative center of the northern Urals and gateway to Siberia.

Ekaterinburg (Sverdlovsk): 1778 km; 1d 2h 20min.Russia’s third largest city and the capital of the Urals. Sverdlovsk oblast is one of the most developed and advanced regions in Russia. It is very rich in minerals and raw materials and is a heavily industrialized area. It is located far from ethnic conflict areas and is politically stable.

Tyumen: 2104 km; 1d 6h 30min.Tyumen was the first Russian town in Siberia and has always been famous for rich trade fairs and skilled craftsman. The city was considered the richest Russian town in the pre-Soviet era. Today it’s an oil and gas capital.

Omsk: 2676 km; 1d 13h 50min.Originally built as a fortification for Russia’s southern border by Peter the Great's guardsman Ivan Buchholz; when in spring of 1716 he and his detachment made a landing on the shore of the Irtysh, at the place where this powerful Siberian river joins the quiet Om. Thus, was founded the town of Omsk, which in our day has become the largest industrial and cultural center in Siberia.

Novosibirsk: 3303 km; 1d 21h 30min.The Siberia region’s largest city was founded in 1893. Novosibirsk is the third main cultural and scientific center in Russia (after Moscow and St. Petersburg) and also is home to the famous University of Novosibirsk. The city is developing quite rapidly, and is considered to be the capital of Siberia. The area around Novosibirsk and the Altai Mountains hold some incredible nature for the outdoorsmen.

Krasnoyarsk: 4065 km; 2d 9h 20 min.Krasnoyarsk is turning into one of the most attractive regions in Russia for both Russian and foreign tourists. The region offers a unique combination of beautiful rivers and mountains, clean air, hunting and fishing, architectural sites and the ethnic culture of a unique northern nation.

Angarsk: 5113 km; 3d 2h 20min.A hazardous city with unsightly landscapes. Recently the construction of an oil pipeline between Russia and China, which would begin in Angarsk, has been discussed.

Irkutsk: 5153 km; 3d 3h 20min.Irkutsk has over 600,000 people and is located on the Angara River. It is the starting point for many who adventure to the Lake Baikal area because it is a major point on the Trans-Siberian/Trans-Mongolian train route. Founded by Russians in 1652 as a major fort beyond the Ural Mountains, it was populated by exiled political prisoners sent by the tsars and communists. Today, the city has become a college town with many young people attending universities there.

Baikalsk: 5360 km; 3d 6h 40min.Baikalsk is home to a popular ski and snowboard resort.

Ulan-Ude: 5609 km; 3d 12h 20min.Ulan-Ude, founded in 1666, is a capital of the Buryt Autonomous Republic, which in the 13 - 17th centuries was a part of the vast Mongolian Empire. This a classic example of the Eastern influence in Russia.- In Ulan-Ude, the Trans-Siberian splits into two different directions: 1) travels South though Guisinoye Ozero, Djida, Naushki (Russia) to Ulan-Bataar (Mongolia) to Beijing (China) – Trans Mongolian.2) travels East through Chita to Vladivostok – Trans-Siberian.

Chita: 6166 km; 3d 21h 50min.A large industrial city and the center of the Chita region.- 100 km after Chita (in Karymskaya) the Trans-Siberian splits into 2 routes: 1) East to Vladivostok, and 2) South through Manchuria to China (Trans-Manchurian).

Birobidzhan: 8320 km; 5d 13h 20min. - Evreiskaya region ends and Khabarovsky krai begins at 8481 km. - Crosses Amur River at 8482 via the longest Trans-Siberian bridge (2612 meters) immediately following a long tunnel.

Khabarovsk: 8493 km; 5d 15h 40min.Located on the Amur River which bounds Russia and China, it’s a nice, friendly town and a good break from the time on the train.

Vladivostok: 9259 km; 6d 5h 19min.The termination of the Trans-Siberian Railway. In 1860, an army squad landed on the bank of the Zolotoy Rog (Golden Horn) bay and built barracks; it was the first building in Vladivostok. Soon after that, Vladivostok became the main Russian port on the Pacific Ocean. An interesting seaport to explore, but a little risky as well.

At the moment there is only one train that can take you from Moscow directly to Vladivostok. And it is train no 2 called Rossiya. My next article will give you more details about how it looks and how much it costs as well as will allow me suggesting some more options about travelling from Moscow to Vladivostok.

Thanks and have a great day!

Bye for now (Poka!)

Natasha

All about the Russian visas.

Privet!

And this time I would like to share some information about entry procedure which includes visa requirements and the application process (there are several types).

Visa applications and process although appearing to be difficult to understand are really fairly straight forward..

You can go to Russia for different reasons. It could be a private visit or business or tourism and none can be achieved without obtaining a Russian visa. And the visa type will be dependent on the purpose of your visit.

And below are the main types concordant with the aims of the visit.

A tourist visa - will allow for either a single or a double entry visit and is valid for a maximum period of 30 days. And if you apply with our company then the tourist visa will be issued for the exact dates you request or as specified on the invitation if you are providing this yourself. This is the most cost effective visa for short trips and if you know when and where you will be going, otherwise consider a Business visa.

A transit visa – can be risky and can have many restrictions, valid for 2-3 days. And we can help here too but again the restrictions might spoil you a trip.A private visa - when you are going to stay with your relatives or friends. An official invitation must be obtained and the visa will be valid for 3 months. And we can certainly assist with getting this visa at the Consulate for you (just to save you queuing) but you should have an original invitation received from Russia.

Business visa -allows for a single, double or multiple visits and may be valid from one to twelve months. They are generally used by people who travel to Russia on official or private business and allow you to travel when and stay where you wish (within the validity of the visa). A Business visa may be issued for different reasons including cultural relationships

There are several things to know about visa applications and the consequential complications through not applying and processing correctly.

For all Visas

A letter of invitation, letter of support, hotel voucher/booking and other such documents alone are no longer sufficient to enter Russia. You must apply to the Russian consulate for a visa.
- You can take your visa application and the associated documents to the Consulate directly, or send it by post. If applying by post, please be aware that the minimum turn-around time for returning your visa is three weeks, the Consulates do not handle urgent requests by post, only in person. Always send your passport by a secure postal method such as Royal Mail special delivery.
- You, or someone acting for you, must complete the visa application form however, if someone completes it for you, you must check the details are correct and sign it yourself.
The Russian Consulates will only issue you a visa if all the documents they require are completed correctly and submitted together. They do not provide any help in acquiring any documents you may need, or in completing the application form itself.
- You will need to pay the necessary consular tariff for the service you require. Please note that the Consulate only accepts cash or Postal Orders.
- Certain non UK nationals may have additional tariffs or requirements to fulfil, such as proof of insurance during their trip, so please check with the consulate before applying.
- Details of the current tariffs and rules for visa application in the UK can be found on the Russian Consulate web site. If you are applying to a Consulate outside of the UK, please check with them directly for any local rules.
- You must be in the UK when your visa application is made, in some cases the Consulate may request that you attend an interview.
- The Russian Consulate reserves the right to vary visa processing times and charges without notice.
- When you get your visa, please check that all details are correct, including your dates of validity as airlines and other commercial carriers are obliged by law to ensure that your visa is valid before they will transport you.
- And finally, when you arrive in Russia, if you are staying for more than three working days, don't forget to register your visa.
Registration of visas is a form of migration control within Russia managed by UFMS (Federal Migration Service Organisation). It is not aimed specifically at tourists or business people, rather its general aim is to control illegal immigration from the former Soviet Republics into the Russian Federation, though as the law is all encompassing, foreigners including tourists are also required to register.

Basically, registration involves placing a stamp either in your passport or on your migration card and obtaining a registration slip. The stamps and registration slip show the period you are registered to stay in any one place. In addition to the dates it will also contain the name of the hotel, accommodation or apartment, where you are staying and the name of the sponsor organisation.

Please be aware that the Russian militia often stop people to check their passports and travel documents, especially around train stations, metro stations, bus stations and areas such as the Kremlin so remember to take your passport, migration card and registration slip with you every time you leave your hotel or apartment. There is nothing unusual in this and there is nothing to be worried about if you are stopped, so long as you have registered correctly.

If you are stopped by the Militia for any reason, they will check that you are registered to be in the city / town and that the dates are valid.

And there are many situations on the registration issue and some of them depend on where you travel in Russia. In general UFMS authorities are not very nice at all. This is their nature.
Please, read more about it using the link below
http://www.realrussia.co.uk/visa/register_visas2.asp


And many other details on the application procedure are available on the link as below:
http://www.realrussia.co.uk/applying.asp

All the above is what you have to do when applying for the visas yourself and now please, see what the procedure is when applying with us:
1
When you select the service you want for either a Tourist Visa or Business Visa, we will ask you to fill in a simple online form with details about yourself, your trip and finally you will have the option to pay using your credit or debit card through our secure servers.
2
We will then email, fax or post (depending on your preference) your visa application form to you.
3
You sign the visa application form and send this, along with your passport and a single colour passport photograph to us.

That's it, that's all you have to do!
4
We will generate your visa support documents, complete all the necessary forms and submit your completed visa application to the Russian Consulate. During the processing of your application, we will be on hand to answer any queries the Consulate may have and to ensure that your application is dealt with in a timely and efficient manner.
5
The day your visa is ready we will collect it in person and return this to you using Royal Mail special delivery so you will have it the next business day before 1pm or hold it at our office for your collection.

As we say in Russia - “The best way to estimate is to compare”. And I believe the above information will give you a confidence in choosing the best and easiest way of application.

Since recently the Russian Consulates all around the World have introduced some new regulations applied to non residents. And if the application is in the UK

The Russian consulate in the United Kingdom have a requirement that non-UK nationals should demonstrate that they have been legally resident within the UK for at least 90 days prior to making the visa application.

You must ensure that the home address (and if possible the work / education address) given on the form is in the UK and that you provide the following documents:
1. Your passport with a UK entry stamp showing entry at least 90 days prior.
2. A single recent colour passport photograph.
3. The signed consulate visa application form.
4. In addition, to assist with the 90 day residency requirement you must provide at least one of the following:
1. A copy of a recent bank statement in your name with a UK address.
2. A copy of a recent utility bill in your name with a UK address.
3. A letter from your employer / educational establishment on headed paper stating that you are in full time employment / education, the date that you started and that your employment / education will be effective for more than 90 days. Alternatively you may provide a valid contract of employment or education to this effect.
5. If the applicant for the visa is under 18 years of age please see the following link for additional documents required.
6. Payment (if not paying online).
If you are unable or unsure of which documents to provide, please contact us and we will be happy to help.

And I have just visited some forums about the Russian visa application and a lot of people ask the same question -can I just apply for the Visa Support document as want to go to the consulate myself? -Of course you can and this is what we can help with -just the Visa Support document without the application process as a whole.
When you obtain the visa support from Real Russia you are sure that it is genuine and that our company is available for “back up” if needed when you are in Russia itself.
There are two basic types of visa support documents that we can provide depending upon the purpose and duration of your visa.

These are:
Tourist visa support is provided to people travelling to Russia for tourism or leisure purposes and allows the consulate to process a visa that is valid for a maximum of 30 days and allows for a single or double entry.
Russian business visa support is generally used by people who travel to Russia on official or private business, allows them to travel when and stay where they wish (within the validity of the visa) and allows the consulate to prepare visas for single, double or multiple visits that are valid from between one and twelve months.

There are many people and many stories and it is quite impossible to cover all possible situations in this article and if you still have any questions about the visa application then please, visit our web site for more information www.realrussia.co.uk or you are welcome to contact our visa team for visas@realrussia.co.uk

Thank you, dear reader for your time and interest to my blog!

And my next article will be about the longest rail journey from Moscow to Vladivostok.

TTFN (poka),

Natasha

What to start with?

Hi (Privet),

As you will probably agree it is always difficult to start something new, so please excuse any “not so well written” English. My topic for this article is travelling to the Russian Federation. I am currently employed as a senior travel manager for a travel company Realrussia. It is a UK registered company but I am based in the town where I was born and still reside.Volzhsky. Volzhskiy is 40 klm south the city of Volgograd (Formerly Stalingrad).

My blog is designed to compliment my companies’ business activities and is also to share interesting and informative experiences together with some of the pitfalls that travelers to Russia frequently encounter.

By communicating through the blog medium, I sincerely hope that I can offer useful and helpful assistance to people wishing to visit my country, particularly if it is your first visit here. The Russian Federation is a unique and interesting country and is fraught with many, sometimes intriguing forms of protocols and rules which on occasions even has my imagination stretched however, rules and protocol’s aside, my country is a beautiful destination for all to visit.

I wish for my blog to be helpful to the traveler both to and throughout Russia and can offer a great deal of assistance in planning your first or next trip. To get the most from your trip planning of the trip is essentially important, that is where I can be of real assistance to visitors to Russia.

I have a wide vocabulary of experiences in Air and Train bookings, Hotel bookings, transfers, and can arrange for tour guides throughout our nation. Other advice is entry requirements which includes visa requirements and the application process (there are several types) Visa applications and process although appearing to be difficult to understand are really fairly straight forward..

A tourist visa - will allow for either a single or a double entry visit is valid for a maximum period of 30 days

A transit visa – can be risky and can have many restrictions, valid for 2-3 days

A private visa - when you are going to stay with your relatives or friends. An official invitation must be obtained- valid for 3 months

Business visa -allows for a single, double or multiple visits and may be valid from one to twelve months.

There are several things to know about visa applications and the consequential complications through not applying and processing correctly

For assistance on visas and indeed Russia Travel you are most welcome to contact me directly at Natasha@realrussia.co.uk or to my personal address natashazhukova@hotmail.co.uk

Some specific visa questions will be forwarded to our visa team and all travel questions will be replied by myself and I will be happy to give you a complete information on various questions. I hope you will find this information helpful.

My next articles:

All about visas

Moscow to Siberia by train

Volzhsky Volgograd

Thank you for your attention and time,

Have a good day,

Natasha