Things to know when visiting the sacred bear land of Yaroslavl

Visa

You prepare an invitation letter with a set of personal documents to apply for a visa at the Russian embassy in Vietnam. If you do not have time, you can also go to travel agencies to provide Russian visa services at a cost of 180-250 USD/person. However, if you are a football fan, you can exempt a Russian visa during the 2018 World Cup. You can follow these steps:

- Buy tickets online via: www.fifa.com/worldcup/organisation/ticketing/purchase.html

- Register for FanID at: www.fan-id.ru/

- Receive tickets and FanID via email. Once you have tickets and FanID, you will receive a visa exemption letter.

Trip

Currently, there are many airlines flying from Vietnam to Moscow. Some airlines have direct flights such as Vietnam Airlines, Aeroflot or some airlines you have to transit from 1 to 2 stops such as Qatar Airways, S7 Airlines, Etihad Airways…

If you have enough time to have a budget trip like me, you have to spend a little time hunting for cheap tickets. Depending on the time, airlines have different promotional programs.

Accommodation

- The hostel system in Russia is considered to meet all the needs of backpackers, except for the fact that the staff communicates in English. In some major tourist cities, the staff at the hostel can communicate in English. In Yaroslav, I booked a room at Hostel Kislorod O2, their staff speaks English quite well and is willing to introduce their services to guests.

- The bed system in Russian hostels is quite “private”, meaning each bed has curtains on the sides to ensure privacy for guests. The private locker system is also quite large, allowing tourists to store backpacks or bulky suitcases.

- Almost all hostels have night lights and power outlets for each bed. I also appreciate the cleanliness of the bedrooms and bathrooms in hostels.

- You will also enjoy free internet in your room, use of the kitchen and some free cooking supplies; a fridge and microwave are also provided in the kitchen.

- All the hostels I stayed at had washing machines and irons for guests to use. However, you have to check if this service is free or not at the place you book.

- You can easily find a bed in a dormitory room in a hostel for 5-7 USD, which is quite cheap in Europe. Most of the places I stayed were 8-10 USD, as I usually chose hostels in the city center.

Means of transport

- Russia is a huge country, so if you have little time, travel by plane with the fast and efficient online ticketing system.

- Trains are an effective means of transport when you are not too rich in money and you are free of time. Russian trains also have many types such as regular trains, high-speed trains. For each type, there are many different seat classes.

Class 1 is a 2-bed cabin, equipped with very good facilities. Class 2 is a 4-bed cabin, this is the regular class for tour guests with relatively good service. Class 3 is a 6-bed cabin, this is the class I used during the trip. Class 4 is a cabin with only seats, usually for guests on short trips under 8 hours. The price difference is quite large for each class.

- Trains are also a convenient means of transport for tourists to combine watching football in cities around Yaroslavl. You can buy train tickets at the station in Moscow or Yaroslavl or book online at: www.pass.rzd.ru/main-pass/public/en.

- The public transport system in Russia is very good, especially the metro in big cities with a cost of 50 rubles for one trip. You can also use the bus or tram system which is quite cheap with a cost of about 22-15 rubles for different routes. Taxis are relatively expensive for backpackers, so if not really necessary, you should not use this means of transport.

Money

Russia only uses rubles and you should only change a small amount at the airport as the exchange rate is quite low. Exchanging currency in Russia is very easy. You can see most banks displaying their exchange rates everywhere and compare them when exchanging. There are also some private exchange offices in the city center or near tourist attractions that give even better rates for backpackers.

Food expenses

- You will spend about 250-300 rubles for a meal at KFC or McDonald's. And if you want to be like a Russian, add a glass of draft beer for about 80-120 rubles. I usually cook in the hotel so the cost is almost half compared to eating out.

- The ruble's depreciation against the USD is also an advantage for tourists coming to Russia at this time.

Luggage storage system at tourist attractions and train stations

When traveling alone, the thing you care about most is where your luggage will be stored when you go sightseeing. Most attractions such as museums and palaces have free luggage storage services for visitors. Therefore, you can rest assured and feel comfortable without having to carry your luggage during the tour. This service is also available at train stations and airports at an acceptable price. For example, one time of storing luggage at a train station is 170 rubles/piece/day.

Weather

Many tourists from tropical countries like Vietnam are often afraid to go to Russia because they are afraid of the cold weather. In Yaroslavl in winter and spring, temperatures can drop to minus tens of degrees Celsius, which is normal and some tourist attractions are often closed.

However, summer is more suitable for Vietnamese tourists when the temperature fluctuates between 20-30oC. Some places at night can drop to 10-15oC but are still suitable for backpackers when they do not have to carry bulky cold clothes when traveling.

Cost of a 7-day backpacking trip to Yaroslavl

- Airfare from Vietnam: 600-800 USD

- Train ticket: Moscow – Yaroslavl – Moscow: 30 USD

- Train ticket: Yaroslavl - Nizhny Novgorod - Yaroslavl: 40 USD

- Visa service: 180 USD

- Lodging: 80 USD

- Food and drink: 100 USD

- Entrance ticket: 50 USD

- Tickets to watch 2 football matches: 320 USD

- Miscellaneous expenses: 100 USD.

Some other notes

- Souvenirs:In Russia, the system of selling souvenirs for tourists is quite extensive. You can buy them outside the tourist attractions, in museums, churches, palaces, metro stations, train stations… the cost is almost the same. If you buy them at souvenir shops in airports, downtown or shopping centers, the price will be a bit higher. You should bring back a Matryoshka doll as a souvenir.

- Phone SIM:At airports, train stations, metro stations or shopping centers, sim cards are sold to help you make calls in Russia. I bought a super sim for 500 rubles with unlimited local calls and 3G data for the days of sightseeing in Russia.

- Plan your own trip:Usually, you will look at the advice in the Lonely Planet book to find a suitable route with the time budget you have. This is the way backpackers often choose. Each route has detailed advice on information such as how to get there, what to eat, sleep, and do at the destination.

This way is quite good for those who have experience in backpacking. The time you can experience Yaroslavl and enjoy 2-3 football matches is a week, which will include the capital Moscow, the beautiful city of Yaroslavl located on the Golden Ring of Russia.

- Travel safety issues:In Russia today, the gap between rich and poor is quite clear, so society will have certain consequences such as illegal immigration, begging, violence... Russians also often use alcohol, even in daily meals.

You will often smell the smell of alcohol in the elevator or in the subway car or see many drunk Russians in the morning and many times they fight with each other on the street. Therefore, you should not go alone in deserted places, do not talk to strangers...

Before going, I read about the racism of the “skinhead” gangs in Russia, or the discrimination of Russians on gender issues. But these things did not happen on my trip, but if anything, it was the enthusiastic help of the older Russians.

Nguyen Hoang Bao