Tourism in Russia

Russia is not one of the classic holiday destinations. In particular, individual tourists are often deterred by the difficulties associated with a visit to this country (eg bureaucratic barriers for visa procurement, overpriced accommodation, language problems ). Lately, efforts are made by the Russian side to also make independent travel easier. 2001 could flow about 7.5 billion U.S. dollars to Russia 21.2 million foreign guests. Between 1995 and 2011, tourism in Russia has grown by 27 percent. The largest group of foreign guests introduced in 2011, tourists from Germany, followed by travelers from China and the USA. Tourism makes up three percent of Russia's GDP.

However, some cities and regions enjoyed even in the times of the Soviet Union very popular with tour groups. This has not changed until today:

Destinations

Moscow

Moscow, the largest and most important city in the country, most often forms the starting point for further travel. Attractions here include the Kremlin, the old town to the Red Square with the Lenin Mausoleum and the Manege Square, the shopping street of Arbat, the GUM department store, the Bolshoi Theatre, St. Basil 's Cathedral of Christ the Saviour Cathedral, and many museums. The metro is a landmark due to its decoration with chandeliers and stone sculptures.

Saint Petersburg

The old Tsarist St Petersburg city, with its ancient palaces, museums and canals is often target of cruises on the Baltic Sea. Featured here are above all the renovated old town, the Hermitage, St. Isaac's Cathedral, the Peter and Paul Fortress, the White Nights, Peterhof Palace and several theaters and museums.

Kaliningrad

The former Königsberg and its surroundings were in the early 1990s mainly target homesick tourists from Germany after the opening of the area. Meanwhile, however, go increasingly domestic tourists here. The Heimwehtourimus is largely fizzled.

Altai ( Altai Mountains)

The Altai is a mountain range, surrounded by steppes and deserts in the west to the east. It is located in western Siberia to the corner region where Russia, China, Mongolia and Kazakhstan. The well-developed tourist destination offers a variety of recreational opportunities including sports tourism (rafting, climbing and mountain hiking) on recreational tourism.

The Altai region was declared in December 2006 law to one of the four gaming zones of Russia. From 2009 venues and casinos should be opened and operated under the new scheme according to strict specifications exclusively here.

Black Sea

The main destination of the Soviet Union in this area was next to the Crimea, now Ukraine (see Tourism in Ukraine) always Sochi, which has a very unique climate, moreover, are still some resorts on the coast of the Black Sea on the territory of Russia such as Tuapse and Anapa. Black Sea is called in Russian Tschornoe More ( Чёрное море ).

Golden Ring

The term Golden ring to appoint a group of very old towns in the area of the capital Moscow with interesting old towns, cathedrals and monasteries.

Trans-Siberian Railway

For the Trans-Siberian Railway, there are both package deals in the form of rail cruises in luxury trains, as well as deals on backpacking in regular trains. Sights along the way are various cities such as Nizhny Novgorod, Yekaterinburg or Irkutsk and the Siberian landscape (especially the Lake Baikal ).

River cruises

River cruises on the Volga, Ob, Yenisei, Lena, or enjoying increasing popularity. These trips are usually organized by Western European travel agencies. The ships also have a Western European standard.

Entry Requirements

As a travel document for entry into Russia of the passport and the temporary passport is accepted (six months validity ). Children are entries in a parent's passport is no longer valid since 26 June 2012. Every child needs their own child passport, aged 12 years with photo.

For German citizens an entry to Russia is possible only with a valid visa. The validity of the visa is subject to the stated in the visa application data of entry and exit. The passport must be the time of departure indicated in the application at least valid for three months for applicants with German nationality, otherwise ( in other nationality ) six months. The visa must be requested prior to arrival date, the so-called visa on arrival ( visa on arrival) at the entry into Russia, there are not.

To apply for need German travelers in addition to the passport, the signed visa application form and a glued- in the application form passport photo (3x4 cm) proof of the existence of a travel health insurance and a guarantee of Rückkehrwilligkeit ( proof of income, home ownership, bank statement, etc.). Additional documents may be required by the consulate. Since January 8, 2013 only electronically completed visa applications are processed after they have been printed and signed by the applicant. For a transitional period from November 2012 to January 7, 2013, both the conventional A4 forms the Consulates and Printouts of electronic visa application procedures have been accepted. The person at the consulate visa can be applied for at the office of Visa Handling Service GmbH, a visa service provider or a person of trust. For stays of longer than a week you have to register with the immigration authorities or in the hotel itself within the first seven working days. Registration can also be performed at post offices, but not in all. The post office performs identification and forwards the completed registration form to the migration authorities. For the 7 - days period counts of receipt of the application in the migration authority. The shipping time is therefore mitzuberücksichtigen.