Russia
Palaces in Moscow and canals in St Petersburg anchor Russia's day tours, each one priced in writing before your family books.
Snow falls softly over Red Square as the evening lights come on. The onion domes of St Basil’s Cathedral glow red, green and gold, the brick towers of the Kremlin rise behind a dusting of white, and the arcades of GUM sparkle with garlands of light. A vendor hands over hot pirozhki wrapped in paper, tea steams from a glass in a silver holder, and somewhere beneath your feet a train glides into a marble metro hall lit by chandeliers.
Destinations
Choose a city to see everything we arrange there.
Services by city in Russia
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Flight Tickets
Train Tickets
The essence of Russia
Russia is irreplaceable because no other country spans so much of the world: eleven time zones, from the palaces of St Petersburg on the Baltic to the volcanoes of Kamchatka on the Pacific. Within one journey you can stand inside the treasure rooms of the Kremlin, watch ballet in a gilded theatre, pray beneath the turquoise minarets of Kazan’s Kul Sharif Mosque and walk across the clear winter ice of Lake Baikal. Our team arranges your trip from Moscow, from private airport transfers and guided day tours to train and flight tickets, confirmed with you on WhatsApp before anything is paid.
Why visit Russia?
Kremlins, Palaces and Golden Domes
Russia’s history is told in fortresses and cathedrals. Moscow’s Kremlin holds the coronation churches of the tsars and the Armoury’s jewelled treasures, while Peter the Great built St Petersburg as a window on Europe, complete with the Winter Palace and the Hermitage. The white-stone churches of the Golden Ring, the Kazan Kremlin with its great mosque and ancient Derbent in Dagestan reveal a far older, more varied story.
Taiga, Tundra and the World’s Deepest Lake
The largest country on Earth stretches across birch forests, endless taiga, Arctic tundra and mountain ranges. The Volga winds past historic river towns, Mount Elbrus rises above the Caucasus as Europe’s highest peak, and Lake Baikal in Siberia holds a vast share of the planet’s fresh surface water. Farther east, the Altai Mountains and the smoking volcanoes of Kamchatka feel like the edge of the world.
Samovars, Blini and the Ballet
Russian hospitality revolves around tea poured from a samovar, served with jam, honey and pastries. Taste golden blini with sour cream, hearty borscht, pelmeni dumplings, shashlik grilled over coals and fluffy syrniki for breakfast; in Kazan, Tatar chak-chak and triangular echpochmak pies. Evenings belong to the Bolshoi and Mariinsky stages, while painted matryoshka dolls, Khokhloma woodwork and the Maslenitsa spring festival keep folk traditions vivid.
Moments Found Only Here
Ride the Moscow Metro from one palatial station to the next, admiring mosaics, bronze statues and crystal chandeliers. Walk the embankments of St Petersburg at midnight during the white nights of June, when the sky never fully darkens. Watch the northern lights ripple above Murmansk, or follow the Trans-Siberian Railway, one of the longest train journeys on the planet, across forests, rivers and frontier towns.
Who is Russia for?
Ideal for
- History and architecture lovers
- Culture seekers drawn to ballet, music and museums
- Muslim travellers exploring Kazan and the Volga’s Islamic heritage
- Families who enjoy grand cities and winter snow
- Rail enthusiasts dreaming of epic train journeys
- Nature lovers heading for Baikal and the Caucasus
Pace & travel style
- City-focused trips built around Moscow and St Petersburg
- Fast trains between cities, flights for the long distances
- Full sightseeing days balanced with theatre evenings
- Slower nature extensions to Baikal, Kazan or the Caucasus
When to visit Russia
Peak season · June–August
Summer is warm, green and full of light. Moscow’s parks and riverside promenades come alive, St Petersburg celebrates its white nights with fountains and open bridges, and long days are perfect for river trips and day tours to the Golden Ring. This is the busiest period for hotels, palace visits and trains between the two capitals, so reserve central rooms and timed museum entries early.
Shoulder season · May and September–October
Late spring brings lilac and blossom to Moscow’s boulevards, while September and early October paint the birch forests in the famous “golden autumn” colours. Temperatures are fresh and comfortable for walking, queues at the Kremlin and the Hermitage shrink, and hotels become more flexible. Pack a warm layer and an umbrella, and enjoy the cities at a calmer, more local pace.
Low season · November–April
Winter turns Russia into a snow-globe scene: festive markets on Red Square, ice rinks in the parks, glittering New Year lights and warm cafés serving tea and soup. Days are short and cold, so plan indoor highlights such as museums, the metro and the theatre. March and April bring a slushy thaw. Northern-lights seekers and families wanting real snow will love this season.
The regions of Russia and how to combine its cities
Russia divides broadly into its European heartland and the vast Asian lands beyond the Ural Mountains. European Russia holds most of the classic sights: Moscow and St Petersburg, the medieval towns of the Golden Ring such as Sergiev Posad, Vladimir and Suzdal, and the Volga River with Kazan, the Tatar capital where mosques and cathedrals share one kremlin. To the south lie the Black Sea resort of Sochi and the North Caucasus, with Mount Elbrus and the ancient city of Derbent.
Beyond the Urals, Siberia unfolds in taiga, rivers and mountain ranges around Lake Baikal and the Altai, while the Russian Far East reaches Vladivostok and the volcanic peninsula of Kamchatka. In the far north, Murmansk and the Kola Peninsula sit beneath the Arctic sky.
Our city directory below begins with Moscow, the capital and the natural gateway for a first visit. Spend several days there for the Kremlin, Red Square and the metro, add a guided day tour to the Golden Ring, then continue by high-speed train to St Petersburg or by train or flight to Kazan. Pairing Moscow with one of these cities builds a rich, well-paced itinerary, and our team links each stage with private transfers and the train and flight tickets you need.
Before you go: practical tips for Russia
Entry & visas
Some nationalities can visit Russia without a visa for short stays, while citizens of many other countries may apply online for a unified electronic visa. Others need a standard visa issued through a Russian embassy or consulate, often with an invitation from a hotel or agency. Requirements depend on your passport, so always check the official Russian government portal or your nearest embassy before booking your trip.
Money, cards & tipping
The Russian rouble is the local currency. Many cards issued abroad may not work in Russia, so confirm with your bank before departure and plan to bring enough cash in a widely exchanged currency to change at banks or official exchange offices. Tipping of around ten percent is customary in restaurants and appreciated by guides and drivers. Bargaining is accepted only at souvenir markets, never in shops.
Etiquette & dress code
In Orthodox churches, women cover their hair and wear skirts, while men remove hats; scarves are often lent at the door. Coats go to the cloakroom in theatres and museums. Russians may seem reserved with strangers but are warm and generous once introduced. Remove shoes when invited into a home, bring a small gift, and if you offer flowers, choose an odd number of stems.
Getting around
Russia is best linked by domestic flights from Moscow’s major airports and by its excellent rail network, including high-speed trains to St Petersburg and comfortable overnight sleepers to Kazan and beyond. Distances are immense, so plan long journeys carefully. Our team arranges private chauffeured transfers between airports, stations and hotels, and we issue train and flight tickets to keep every leg of your route simple.
Must-do things in Russia
- Explore the Kremlin’s cathedrals and the jewelled treasures of the Armoury Chamber
- Stand on Red Square beneath the painted domes of St Basil’s Cathedral
- Tour the grandest Moscow Metro stations, from Komsomolskaya to Ploshchad Revolyutsii
- Walk the gardens and riverside paths of Zaryadye Park beside the Kremlin
- Ride the high-speed train to St Petersburg for the Hermitage and Winter Palace
- See the golden fountains of Peterhof cascading towards the Gulf of Finland
- Visit Kazan’s Kremlin and the turquoise-domed Kul Sharif Mosque
- Discover Sergiev Posad and the white-stone towns of the Golden Ring
- Watch a ballet performance at the Bolshoi or the Mariinsky Theatre
- Chase the northern lights above Murmansk on a clear winter night
Do’s and don’ts in Russia
Do
- Carry your passport, as hotels and some sites require it
- Dress warmly in layers from October to April
- Learn the Cyrillic alphabet basics to read metro signs
- Cover your hair and shoulders when entering Orthodox churches
- Check with your bank about card use and bring enough cash
Don’t
- Don’t photograph government buildings, police or military sites
- Don’t underestimate distances between Russian cities
- Don’t shake hands or pass items across a doorway threshold
- Don’t wear outdoor coats into theatres; use the cloakroom
- Don’t rely on English everywhere outside the main hotels and sites
Russia at a glance
Plan Russia with Haqqi Tours
Every option is confirmed by our team on WhatsApp before you pay, and delivered by our own people or by trusted local partners we work with in every city. Because we send travellers from all over the world, our partners give us special rates and priority, so you always receive the best. Prices are per person unless marked per vehicle.
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Where we operate in Russia
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Frequently Asked Questions
Straight answers to what travellers ask most about Russia.
Is it safe to visit Russia?
Central Moscow, St Petersburg and Kazan are busy, well-policed cities where visitors usually move around without difficulty. Use normal city sense with valuables, carry your passport and travel with licensed drivers. Because circumstances can change, read your own government’s official travel advice carefully before departure, and keep our WhatsApp line handy throughout your trip.
How many days do I need for a first trip to Russia?
Seven to ten days suits a first trip. Spend four nights in Moscow, including a day tour to the Golden Ring, then three or four nights in St Petersburg. With fourteen days, add Kazan for its Tatar heritage and mosques, or a winter extension to Murmansk for the northern lights.
What is the best way to travel between Russia's major cities?
High-speed trains link Moscow and St Petersburg in a few hours from city centre to city centre, while overnight trains and domestic flights reach Kazan and more distant regions. Our team issues train and flight tickets and arranges private transfers between hotels, stations and airports, so every connection is settled before you travel.
Can a trip to Russia be tailored for luxury or private travel?
Yes. We can tailor a private Russia journey with a dedicated car and driver, private guided day tours of the Kremlin and the metro, grand hotels overlooking Red Square or the Neva, and first-class train seats between the capitals. Share your style and interests with our team on WhatsApp, and we will confirm everything before payment.
Is Russia tourist friendly?
Moscow and St Petersburg are well prepared for visitors, with grand museums, efficient metros and many hotels used to international guests, and Kazan is particularly welcoming to Muslim travellers. English is less common outside tourist areas, so a guide or driver arranged by our team makes everything easier. Halal food is readily found in Moscow and Kazan.
Is it safe to travel to Russia now?
Travel advice for Russia varies between governments and can change, so check the official travel advice of your own government and your passport’s entry rules before you book. Confirm card and insurance arrangements in advance too. Our team will discuss your plans openly on WhatsApp and stays reachable throughout your trip to help with any adjustments.
What is the best time to visit Russia?
June to August is the most popular time, with long, warm days and St Petersburg’s white nights. May and September offer fresher weather and fewer crowds, with golden autumn colours by late September. December to February suits travellers who want snowy Red Square, festive markets and the northern lights.
What is Russia famous for?
Russia is famous for the Kremlin and Red Square, St Basil’s Cathedral, the Hermitage and the palaces of St Petersburg, and the Trans-Siberian Railway. It is also known for ballet, palatial metro stations, Lake Baikal, snowy winters, matryoshka dolls, blini and borscht, and the Islamic heritage of Kazan.
What does the Moscow page currently offer through Haqqi Tours?
At present the page lists a single airport transfer between Moscow airport and the city, and the WhatsApp desk can be asked about anything beyond that transfer, since other Moscow services are arranged case by case.
How cold does Moscow get compared with a Gulf winter?
Moscow winters bring genuine cold and shorter daylight, quite different from a Gulf winter, so families who prefer milder weather often choose the warmer months, while the transfer itself runs the same way at any time of year.
Who waits for the family at Moscow airport for this transfer?
A vetted partner driver waits inside the arrivals area with the family name displayed, watching the flight board so the pickup happens smoothly even if the arrival time shifts slightly before landing.
Which cities in Russia does Haqqi Tours cover?
Moscow. Each city has its own page with everything available there, and a trip across several cities is planned in one WhatsApp conversation.
What can I book in Russia?
Private airport transfers, flight tickets and train tickets - all run or confirmed by Haqqi Tours, each with a fixed price agreed on WhatsApp before you pay.
How do I book a tour or transfer in Russia?
Fill in the form on the page you are interested in, or message us on WhatsApp with the date, the number of travellers and your hotel. A member of our team confirms the price and the details in writing within minutes.
Are the prices fixed?
Yes. Every price is agreed in writing on WhatsApp before you travel and does not change on the day - not for traffic, not for a late flight, not for the hour.
Do you arrange transfers between cities in Russia?
Yes. Intercity transfers by private car or van are booked the same way as airport transfers; tell the desk the two hotels and the date and it quotes a fixed price for the whole vehicle.