Health and Safety

Russian drivers are your biggest danger, so cross the road carefully, and don't assume cars will stop just because you’re on a zebra crossing. Other dangers include dodgy electrical fittings, temperamental gas stoves, slippery ice, falling ice, uncovered manholes and absinthe.

Disabled Travellers

We are sorry to say it but Russia as a whole is not friendly to disabled people, although some places are starting to think more about the disabled. Some hotels do cater for disabled travellers; the key in the hotels section shows those hotels which do. Although some museums do have special disabled access, generally speaking high curbs and steps are the rule and with numerous potholes wheelchair users generally have a bumpy time here. The public transport system unfortunately lacks accessibility for disabled people. For travellers with visual and/or hearing difficulties: Russian drivers are no gentlemen, so please be careful.

Water

Tap water is treated with chlorine, but the authorities say there are large traces of heavy metals and that bacteria and parasites like Giardia lambia are still possible risks. If you fill up the bathtub, you'll get a sense of what you're dealing with. So stick to bottled water, and if you must drink from the tap, give it a good boil first.

Crime

Despite having the reputation for being the breeding ground for merciless mobsters, Russia's biggest cities St. Petersburg and Moscow are no more dangerous than your average European city. The famed Russian mafia has bigger fish to fry than your average tourist, and, quite frankly, you're more likely to be robbed or beaten up by thugs ingeniously disguised as police officers.

To avoid harassment, don’t flaunt your valuables, always carry your documents (or copies), avoid speaking your own language loudly and don’t walk the streets if you're very drunk. If you're black or of Arab or Asian descent, exercise more care, particularly at night, and be aware that you're more likely to be a target of the police and of general unwanted attention.

If you are stopped and searched by people identifying themselves as police, be careful. If they ask for your documents, it's best to show photocopies. If they demand the originals, then don't hand over your documents, but show them the relevant pages yourself. If you’re searched, watch out for your wallet and other valuables. If you run into trouble, it's best to phone your consulate, otherwise, the general police number is 340 10 20, and a special help-line for foreigners is 578 30 94 (9:00 - 18:15). If you ring this number you need to ask for a translator. The 24hr hotline is 702 21 77, however if you ring this number you will most likely need your own translator to help you. If at first you don't succeed in getting the information you want or need, persist. because legally the police are obliged to help.

If you do require police assistance, bring a local friend to the police station with you where possible: few police officers speak English. We recommend storing documents and extra money in safekeeping facilities, carrying a copy of your passport with you, avoiding any situation involving narcotics, avoiding dim and empty streets, not walking alone at night and exercising vigilance in crowded areas.

Racism

Sadly, people with black, Arab or Asian skin have to exercise more care in Russia, particularly at night. Undesirable elements of Russian society include skinheads with narrow(minded) views, which they like to show with their fists, black clodhoppers and knives. It is a shame, firstly because their parents and grandparents fought against fascism and racism during WWII, and secondly that during the Communist era students from African and Asian countries were always welcome. Skinheads (who in St. Petersburg and Moscow number a couple of thousand) operate mainly in the outskirts of the city, so it’s best not to walk alone there after dark.