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How safe is Moscow for tourists?

Moscow is an enormous city. 12 million people live here and many others commute in from the Moscow Region for work each day. And although there is no particular danger for either tourists or locals, it is, as in any big city, always worth using common sense. We'll tell you how to avoid running into trouble and which areas you might want to avoid.

Is the city center safe?

“I was shocked to see people using their laptops in parks in the evening,” says Nicholas Font from Argentina, who visited Moscow in May. “Of course, I was careful with my belongings, but I wasn't afraid of wearing my bag in the city center.”

The city center (and it is a very big city center) is generally convenient and safe for walking around. Pedestrians enjoy wide sidewalks and relatively calm road traffic. There are tourist police (who speak English), not to mention the ordinary police. Of course, there is never any guarantee that you won’t encounter a thief, and so to stay on the safe side keep your documents and money in places that are inaccessible to others. Red Square, Nikolskaya Street and Arbat are the most touristy places, so it’s worth being a little more aware of pickpockets in these areas.

Remember that in Moscow the police can stop you to check your ID. But unless you have committed some kind of crime there is generally nothing to worry about: You just need to show your passport and visa. "I was asked to show my passport and visa three times. Once in St. Petersburg and twice in Moscow," says our reader Ghazali Khan from Dubai. "Police in Russia are polite and professional. Most of them don’t speak English, but they understand your gestures."

Can you walk around at night?

Have you heard the expression "Moscow never sleeps?" Well, this is very true. The city center is buzzing 24 hours a day, and even on the outskirts you are likely to see people out and about even late at night. On a Friday or Saturday night there are likely to be even more people out on the streets than in the daytime. Of course, when it is minus 20 degrees Celsius in the winter, it isn’t as much fun as in the summer, but the only time Moscow really feels deserted is on the morning of Jan. 1 . 

According to a recent poll conducted by The Economist , Moscow came in at 37 out of 60 big cities around the world in its Safe City Index. (Tokyo, Singapore and Osaka were at the top of the list). In other words, the Russian capital is pretty much average when it comes to safety.

Is it safe to go to the suburbs?

As a general rule, the police record more crimes in the city center than elsewhere. For instance, 2,846 crimes—mainly robberies and muggings—were recorded in 2018 in the Presnensky District between Arbat and Moscow City.  

At the same time, over the past year these numbers have gone down by 20 percent, according to the prosecutor's office. 

The city suburbs, with the exceptions of the Maryino and Perovo districts, are generally regarded as quite safe. So if you have a desire to see how ordinary Muscovites live, don't hesitate to hop on the metro and ride out to Vladykino, for example. Just work out your route in advance as you might not run into many people who speak English out there.

What about public transport and taxis?

When Russia hosted the FIFA World Cup in 2018, there were many stories of unscrupulous taxi drivers charging tourists astronomical amounts, sometimes as high as a thousand dollars, for a trip from the airport to the center. In order to avoid such unpleasant surprises, avoid airport taxis altogether and instead download Uber or Yandex Taxi on your phone and then pay by card rather than with cash. You will see the cost of the journey at the time of booking, and this won't change when you arrive at your destination. And if you have a strong desire to leave a tip, you can do so online. For your information, the cost of a journey from the airport to the city shouldn’t cost more than $30 (unless you order a luxury car, of course). While you can also find official taxis at the airport, these will be significantly more expensive than ordering one off Yandex Taxi or Uber.

Travelling around the city by metro, bus or trolleybus is generally quite convenient. The Moscow metro is one of the most reliable and safe (not to mention beautiful) underground transport systems in the world. The trains are new and run at short intervals. CCTVs are everywhere in the metro, and there are police at every station. Gabriel Infante Carrillo from Mexico City says that while riding the Moscow metro he had to put his backpack through an X-ray machine, but that the official was very polite with him. "I was not surprised at all, I knew beforehand that this could happen due to security reasons," he said. 

Aboveground transport by and large uses specially allocated lanes, and while waiting you can pass the time at "smart" bus stops that have Wi-Fi, electric sockets and an electronic bus schedule in Latin script.

Can young women travel alone in Moscow?

It is generally rare for anyone in Moscow to pester women in the street or catcall them, especially if they see that she is a foreign tourist. Russian men are usually restrained and, even if they like a girl VERY MUCH, it is usually sufficient to politely decline their advances. So Moscow is a perfectly safe city solo women.

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• Russia, Ukraine and Belarus

Is it ok for an American to travel to Moscow right now?

By JayFromTexas July 15, 2022 in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus

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10 posts in this topic

Recommended posts, jayfromtexas   66.

I have plans to travel to Moscow next week. Is it reasonably safe for an American to travel to Russia at this time? There’s been at least one incident where an American was interrogated for 3-4 hours, shared in these forums. That person was traveling with a new passport. My passport isn’t new and I was in Russia six months ago.   

Im looking for advice and opinions. Is it too risky for an US citizen to travel to Russia at this time?

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Share on other sites, nuba   57.

Not quite a direct answer. A colleague who is UK citizen and US LPR travelled to Moscow two weeks ago.  He underwent 4 hours of questioning at entry and they went through his phone before they finally admitted him.. He had traveled to Russia extensively for business and personal over the past years.

smoothoperaytor   40

I think it's more risky when it comes to how it looks for the US government than it is for Russia. I have spent a good amount of time in Russia during the past few years. I was interrogated when I returned to the states. Granted, I was outside the US for almost two years. They questioned me about my activity in the some of the countries I was in (e.g., Russia, Turkey, etc.). It was a formality and the conversation was friendly. Just something to consider. 

I have also heard of Americans being questioned when going to Russia. Being questioned is the extent of the "problem". I believe they're just checking what your intentions are and if you're telling the truth about the purpose of your visit. 

JeanneAdil   6,400

US Department of State warns as "limited ability to assist US citizens in Russia" -the same warning that has been posted for years (just adding covid part)   

mind th e laws when u travel  as others have said they have gone there

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/russia-travel-advisory.html#:~:text=Do%20not%20travel%20to%20Russia,officials%20including%20for%20detention%2C%20the

Do not travel to Russia due to the   unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine by Russian military forces , the potential for   harassment against U.S. citizens by Russian government security officials , the   singling out of U.S. citizens in Russia by Russian government security officials including for detention , the   arbitrary enforcement of local law ,   limited flights into and out of Russia , the   Embassy’s limited ability to assist U.S. citizens in Russia ,   COVID-19-related restrictions , and   terrorism. U.S. citizens residing or travelling in Russia should depart Russia immediately.

millefleur   5,043

@To_the_moon travelled to Russia recently if I'm not mistaken.

• JayFromTexas

🇷🇺 CR-1 via DCF (Dec 2016-Jun 2017) & I-751 ROC (Apr 2019-Oct 2019) 🌹

Info about my  DCF Moscow* experience  here and here

26-Jul-2016: Married abroad in Russia 👩‍❤️‍👨   See guide here 21-Dec-2016: I-130 filed at Moscow USCIS field office* 29-Dec-2016: I-130 approved! Yay!  🎊  

17-Jan-2017: Case number received

21-Mar-2017: Medical Exam completed

24-Mar-2017: Interview at Embassy - approved! 🎉

29-Mar-2017: CR-1 Visa received (via mail)

02-Apr-2017: USCIS Immigrant (GC) Fee paid

28-Jun-2017: Port of Entry @ PDX 🛩️

21-Jul-2017: No SSN after three weeks; applied in person at the SSA

22-Jul-2017: GC arrived in the mail 📬

31-Jul-2017: SSN arrived via mail, hurrah!

*NOTE: The USCIS Field Office in Moscow is now CLOSED as of February 28th, 2019.

Removal of Conditions - MSC Service Center

  28-Jun-2019: Conditional GC expires

30-Mar-2019: Eligible to apply for ROC

01-Apr-2019: ROC in the mail to Phoenix AZ lockbox! 📫

03-Apr-2019: ROC packet delivered to lockbox

09-Apr-2019: USCIS cashed check

09-Apr-2019: Case number received via text - MSC 📲

12-Apr-2019: Extension letter arrives via mail

19-Apr-2019: Biometrics letter arrives via mail

30-Apr-2019: Biometrics appointment at local office

26-Jun-2019: Case ready to be scheduled for interview  ⌛

04-Sep-2019: Interview was scheduled - letter to arrive in mail

09-Sep-2019: Interview letter arrived in the mail!  ✉️

17-Oct-2019: Interview scheduled @ local USCIS  

18-Oct-2019: Interview cancelled & notice ordered*

18-Oct-2019: Case was approved!   🎉

22-Oct-2019: Card was mailed to me  📨

23-Oct-2019: Card was picked by USPS 

25-Oct-2019: 10 year GC Card received in mail  📬

*I don't understand this status because we DID have an interview!

🇺🇸 N-400 Application for Naturalization (Apr 2020-Jun 2021)   🛂

Filed during Covid-19 & moved states 1 month after filing

30-Mar-2020: N-400 early filing window opens!

01-Apr-2020: Filed N-400 online 💻  

02-Apr-2020: NOA 1 - Receipt No. received online 📃

07-Apr-2020: NOA 1 - Receipt No. received via mail

05-May-2020: Moved to another state, filed AR-11 online

05-May-2020: Application transferred to another USCIS field office for review ➡️

15-May-2020: AR-11 request to change address completed

16-Jul-2020: Filed non-receipt inquiry due to never getting confirmation that case was transferred to new field office

15-Oct-2020: Received generic response to non-receipt inquiry, see full response here

10-Feb-2021: Contacted senator's office for help with USCIS

12-Feb-2021: Received canned response from senator's office that case is within processing time 😡

16-Feb-2021: Contacted other senator's office for help with USCIS - still no biometrics

19-Feb-2021: Biometrics reuse notice - canned response from other senator's office 🌐

23-Feb-2021: Interview scheduled - notice to come in the mail

25-Feb-2021: Biometrics reuse notice arrives via mail

01-Mar-2021: Interview notice letter arrives via mail   ✉️  

29-Mar-2021: Passed interview at local office! Oath Ceremony to be scheduled

13-Apr-2021: Oath Ceremony notice was mailed

04-May-2021: Oath Ceremony scheduled 🎆 Unable to attend due to illness

04-May-2021: Mailed request to reschedule Oath to local office

05-May-2021: "You did not attend your Oath Ceremony" - notice to come in the mail

06-May-2021: Oath Ceremony will be scheduled, date TBA

12-May-2021: Oath Ceremony re-scheduled for June 3rd, then de-scheduled same day 😡  

25-May-2021: New Oath Ceremony notice was mailed

16-Jun-2021: Oath Ceremony scheduled 🎆 - DONE!!

17-Jun-2021: Certificate of Naturalization issued

🎆 Members new and old: don't forget to fill in your VJ timeline! 🎇 https://www.visajourney.com/timeline/

Cheddy   788

There are a bunch of recent reports in the thread here : (mine included)

I flew from LA through Istanbul to Moscow in June. I had absolutely no problems going in to Russia or coming home. Everything was as it normally is. Though I do have A LOT of previous travel history, as I lived in Moscow for 3 years.

Though it seems like several people are reporting getting interrogated at the border.

Let me know if you have any questions

• JayFromTexas and millefleur

2 hours ago, Cheddy said: There are a bunch of recent reports in the thread here : (mine included)   I flew from LA through Istanbul to Moscow in June. I had absolutely no problems going in to Russia or coming home. Everything was as it normally is. Though I do have A LOT of previous travel history, as I lived in Moscow for 3 years.   Though it seems like several people are reporting getting interrogated at the border.   Let me know if you have any questions

Thanks. I saw that thread and commented a couple times already. 

slavaskii   886

Honestly, only you know the answer to that question. I visited Belarus in December 2020 and was searched thoroughly for the first time ever, but I was simply going to visit my fiancée in her small town and was always far from trouble. Expect a similar experience landing in Moscow, but little problems thereafter if you keep to yourself.

Of course, exercise caution and don’t go near any protest zones. Be aware that the Embassy’s power to help you in distress is exceptionally limited. And, of course, be always mindful that the situation can (and will) change at a moment’s notice. Something’s going to crack somewhere at some point, and you don’t want to be there for it.

• Chancy , Dashinka , JayFromTexas and 1 other

K-1 Visa Process: Complete  ✅

I-129F Sent: 03/16/2021

I-129F Picked Up from Dallas Lockbox: 03/18/2021

NOA1: Received 03/17/2021 (backdated); notice date 04/08/2021

NOA2 : 2/18/22 

NVC Received: 03/08/2022

NVC Case Number: 03/17/2022

Interview : 06/06/2022 —> Approved!

Wedding: 08/02/2022  🥳  

AOS Process: Complete  ✅

I-435/I-765/I-131 Sent:  08/09/2022

I-435/I-765/I-131 Picked up from Chicago PO Box: 08/10/2022

Priority Date:  08/10/2022 ( NBC )

I-864 RFE : 08/25/2022

Biometrics:  09/08/2022 

Active Reviews :  09/08/2022 ( EAD ), 09/09/2022 ( AOS )

RFE Response Sent: 09/15/2022

EAD / AP Approval: 06/06/2023 (approval notice in portal, no status update)

I-485 Approval:  04/19/2024  🥳

I traveled from Dallas TX to Moscow Thursday (July 21) and arrived with zero border issues. I went thru the normal “passport control” kiosk and it only took 2-3 minutes. 

• Simplytex and Cheddy

Simplytex   387

Good to hear. I really wonder if the border 'interviews' are due to 

• random spot checks
• huffing and puffing just to hit a quota
• profiling of certain age/fitness American men
• bored agents who have a masochistic streak

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Safe Journey Farm

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Peace Farm is nestled on a southern mountain slope in an area known as  the Palouse  in North Idaho. The farm is well established with an orchard and organic garden, richly composted from the farm animals who have lived here throughout the years. Living here has been a dream. As I’ve cleared the land and built out my chicken coops, pastures and gardens over the years, my goals of sharing all this with others has come into clearer focus.

Along with my goals to share what I’ve learned and what I produce, I also want to be kind and gentle to the land and the animals that inhabit the forests that surround me. Last year I planted about 100 Douglas Fir, Grand Fir, Tamarack, and wild apple trees. I built a larger and more secure chicken pen to keep the chickens safe from predators and began harvesting seeds of all kinds and seedlings to share. I became NPIP (National Poultry Improvement Program) certified to sell hatching eggs and chicks, and found new ways to preserve my garden produce to become more self-sustainable.

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