How many of us are truly inspired to solo travel? Yeap saw those hands. Then how many of us have a dream to solo travel to Russia? Yes, that’s you who are reading this post. Here are the 3 useful tips if you are traveling Russia alone. Yes, alone!

1. The Company of Yourself

As the title suggests, you have the company of yourself. Make sure to get everything right before coming to this country physically. You might want to read up about the culture, food, places of interest, currency, or even visa. Prepare a checklist of what it is important. You might want to indulge more in Russia itself first.Some fascinating facts about Russia:

• Russia is the largest country in the world! Yes, and is approximately 1.8 times bigger than the size of United States.
• There are nine time zones across Russia. Times are always given in Moscow time at Russian stations.
• Russians use the Cyrillic alphabet instead of the Latin alphabet.
• Lake Baikal contains about 20% of the world’s freshwater and is the deepest lake in the world
• Russia has 12 active volcanoes

More about Russia – Even Numbers and Russian Culture: The Do’s and Don’ts

Yes, these facts can go on and on and for solo traveler, sufficient research and preparation is very important. Lack of knowledge of an unfamiliar place will bring misery and trouble. So it is best to do research and ask around for reliable tours.

Visiting Russia as a solo traveler could be overwhelming. Here are some of the trusted small tour you can consider:

• Moscow Free Tour – moscowfreetour.com, offers a free walking tour, led by knowledgeable and extremely enthusiastic guides.
• Moscow Mania – young history scholars offer the informative ‘Meet Moscow’ tour as an introduction to the city’s history and architecture
• The English-speaking staff at the St. Petersburg City Tourist Information Centre do their best to help with advice and information.

Another important checklist are the passport, visa, and air ticket matters. Keep a lookout on what are the necessary document to be prepared.

2. Dare To Challenge Your Comfort Zone

Solo traveller needs to be daring in trying out new things. You may even find other fellow travelers on the road. Politely greet them is a good icebreaker. Russians are masters of the art of conversation, so if you’re traveling alone it will be easy to meet people. One great initiative could be learning the Russian language.

You can refer to the link below for more information on the Russian language:

• Introduction to Adverbs in Russian Language
• The Using of Preposition “-К(о)” in Russian Language
• Family Phrases in Russian Language

Another challenging thing you can explore would be indulging in Russian cuisine. Russia has a great food heritage enriched by influences from the Baltic to the Far East as well as pan-European trends. Russians like to eat till late, and they also enjoy eating, drinking, dancing and entertainment. It will be even better if you could join a local host to have them bring you around to explore the local experience.

Talking about food, it is better to experience it first hand by visiting markets. Russia’s markets are always busy, bustling places, full of activity and color. Even if you’re not shopping, its entertaining to see the multi-colored products. Example, homemade cheese, and jam to even vibrant colored spices.

More about Russian’s food – Best Russian Food for Party or Celebration

3. Beware Of Your Surroundings, Especially Crooks & Thieves

As a solo traveler, it is important to be always alert and keep an eye on surrounding area. In another term, be security conscious, especially if you are traveling alone. Some useful advice:

• Be alert and keep your valuables and documents with you at all times. When making payment at public places, don’t brag or flash cash or your credit cards around.
• Money belts that tie around your waist are also useful as you travel.
• If you are on a train, lock your compartment door from the inside at night. You could the additional metal security latch on the door too.
• Generally, the more alcohol involves, the more safety is an issue. So especially ladies, please drink considerately!

In conclusion about 3 useful tips if you are travelling to Russia alone, there are many eye-opener experiences to Russia if you are doing it as a solo traveler. You can even get a ride by train to bring you city to city. The train track departs from Russia’s capital to Vladivostok is the classic Trans-Siberian route. It is a lifetime experience to explore Russia’s regions.