2018 Russia World Cup a Practical Travel Guide

In regards to fruit and vegetables, the Customs Union Commission (to which the Russian Federation, Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan belong) does not provide any specific restrictions on travelers.

Some of these packages assure you the entrance and access to the semifinals of the tournament, as well as the matches that your countrys team will play. Theprices range from 850 to 2 million dollarsand some packages allow you to form groups and reserve some of the stadium seats. In short, these are tickets with exorbitant prices, not suitable for the vast majority of the public.

. The train is one of the best alternatives. All host cities are accessible by train. Train tickets, both for the night one and the high speed ones, can be purchased atthe official website of Russian RZD railways. Tickets go on sale 45 days in advance. Night trains are usually more expensive, but youll save a hotel night. High-speed trainsrun between Moscow and St. Petersburgand between Moscow and Nizhny Novgorod (these routes take between 3 and 5 hours).

If your trip to Russia occurs outside of the Fan ID dates, then you will need to apply for a visa (more information in thisarticle).

What is the Kremlin and how to buy tickets online

In addition to reviewing your passport, the immigration officials will fill out animmigration cardwith your personal information. This card consists of two parts, each with identical information. One of them will remain with the customs officer, while you will keep the other (you can keep it inside the passport, as its the same size).

. You must have a travel medical insurance policy that covers your stay, in case of any incident or eventualities. You can find a more detailed explanation on how to get an

You can find more information on the FAN FESTs that will be held in the different Russian cities, on the officialRussian government website of the 2018 World Cup

IMPORTANT: The FAN ID grants the right to use public transport free of charge during matches.

Is Russia an expensive or cheap country to travel? Tips to reduce expenses

In short, quantities that can be considered as personal use and not for commercial purposes. In any case, all these restrictions change constantly and it is best to consult theIATA website.

. Airline tickets can be purchased in Russian airlines websites, such asAeroflotorS7 Airlines. To get the best priceit is always advisable to buy tickets in advance and use intermediary sites, such asMomondo, to obtain the best fares. All host cities have regular flights to Moscow and many of them also have flights to St. Petersburg. Flights can take from 1.5 to 2.5 hours. The most distant destinations of Moscow are Yekaterinburg and Sochi.

Organizing a Trans-Siberian Train Trip

: it will host 4 matches of the group stage.

There are some behavior rules that are important to follow, so you dont have any problems

At these counters, the immigration officials or agents will thoroughly review your passport to verify that your information is correct and that it has no erasures or amendments.

If you wont spend the night in a hotel, but in an apartment or a private residence, then it is the Russian host who must register his guest at a police station or at a post office. You dont have to be present at the registration, but you must give your host a copy of the first page of the passport, the visa and the immigration card.

PART I. Arrival in Russia and rules during the stay

Moscows Troika Card: paying all public transport costs with a card

Where is it better to change dollars for rubles?

The second round matches will be played at 17:00, 18:00 and 21:00 hours.

Thesecond conditionto have a visa exemption is to obtain theFAN IDor Fan Passport. This is a kind ofidentification card for fans attending the World Cup. In order to obtain it, it is necessary to have purchased any ticket for any World Cup match.

How to buy a Russian SIM card for your smartphone

1. Do I need a visa? The FAN ID card

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The first of the conditions to enjoy the visa exemption is to have tickets to attend a World Cup match.

Once you arrive at your accommodation, the hotel or apartment host of the place in which you are going to stay, has theobligation to register you. The purpose of this registration (which comes from the communist era) is to notify the immigration authorities of the place where you will stay, while you are in Russia. Registration must be done in each of the cities in which you are going to be.

How to buy tickets for the Russian circus in Moscow and St. Petersburg

You can leave the country with all kinds of medicine (except narcotics), dietary supplement and herbs these items have no restrictions.

Is it possible to travel to Russia without a visa?

How to travel to Belarus without a visa (visa-free)

PART II. Calendar, venues and travel

1.3. What if I dont have tickets? The FAN FEST

How to send money to Russia: WesterUnion, PayPal or TransferWise?

Traveling by bus through Russia (and how to buy tickets online)

In addition to the Metro,you can also travel by bus, tram or taxi. Some cities have cards that allow all public transport systems to be used at a very economical price, such as theMoscow Troika card.

wont need a visa and will have free admission up to 5 months before and 1 month after the event.

The matches for the group stages are at 13:00, 15:00, 16:00, 18:00, 19:00 and 21:00 hours.

By air (in the case of individuals) the product imports that may be worth less than 10,000 euros are allowed, provided they do not exceed 50 kg and are for own use.

How to obtain a Russian Visa in an easy and cost-effective way in 2018

The matches will be played betweenJune 14 (opening match) and July 15th, 2018 (tournament end). The match schedule can be viewed onFIFAs website(pdf).

When is the best time to travel to Russia (and which clothes to wear)

During the 2018 Russia World Cup, the FAN ID allowed you to enter Russia for

2. Arrival at the airport: immigration card and customs

How to buy tickets for the Russian circus in Moscow and St. Petersburg

St. Basils Cathedral in Moscow. Visits, tickets and schedules

The ticket sales process is carried out by FIFA through their website during the last-minute sales stage at the FIFA Venue Tickets Centers in Russia.

Russian airports: immigration card and customs formalities

The World Cup will be held in Russia between June 14 and July 15, 2018, being the first time that this country organizes this renowned football tournament. In this practical guide you will find all the information you need to prepare your trip to the 2018 World Cup in Russia: purchasing tickets, FAN ID card, venues, stadiums, schedules and practical aspects to plan the trip.

Opera and ballet in St. Petersburg: Where to go and how to buy tickets

St. Petersburgs Public transport: the Podorozhnik card

On the other hand, FIFA announced on July 2016 that thesale of tickets to the general public would begin after the 2017 Confederations Cup, which was held between June 17 and July 2nd, 2017, also in Russia. Thus, the anticipated sale tickets phases are as follows:

An allocation procedure has been established in three phases:

It is important to keep this card, as they will request it to you when you leave the country. In addition,you will need the immigration card to check in at the hotel(Ill explain more later). In addition, this immigration card must be delivered when you leave the country.

Once you are in one of the cities, the best way to get around isby Metro, an economic means of transport and through which you will avoid traffic jams during peak hours.There is the Metro available in six of the venues: Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kazan, Nizhny Novgorod, Samara, and Ekaterinburg. In Volgograd you can use the metrotram, a high-speed tram. During the World Cup,the Metro will be open 24 hours a day.

: 4 group matches, 1 round of 16 matches and 1 of quarter finals.

To obtain the FAN ID, you mustregister on thedesignated website by the Russian Governmentand complete a form in which you have to enter the information of your ticket, passport and other personal information. Also, you must specify your postal address, so they can send the card to your address.

Piter Arena Stadium in St. Petersburg. The Russian capital of the north will be host of 7 matches in Piter Arena stadium, among them one of the semifinals and the match for the third and fourth place.

How to go from Pulkovo Airport to St. Petersburg

It is done when fans already know the place where all the teams will play. It is also divided into two sales periods. The first random lottery sales period will be from December 5, 2017 until January 31, 2018. Remaining entries will be available from March 13, 2018 through April 3, 2018 and will be assigned by application order.

How to book a restaurant in Moscow, St. Petersburg or other Russian cities

In the following screenshot you can see an example of this form. The tourist gets the bottom part (from the dotted line):

Train stations in Russia: luggage storage, Wi-Fi and other services

If you stay at a hotel, when you arrive there, the hotel will take care of registering your visa. You will be asked for the passport with the visa and the immigration card (the one you are given at the border when you enter the country).

Aggressive behavior can result in an administrative infraction of up to 1,000 rubles or even 15 days of arrest. This includes vandalism, shouting insults aloud on the street, harassment or going naked on the street.

The FAN ID grants the right to use trains for fre

In some accommodations, the host may charge a small amount to the client to register. It should also be noted that there are also companies that can pay for the registration process.

3.1. Transportation within the host cities

. It took place between September 14 and October 12, 2017, during which 3.5 million applications for tickets were randomly drawn through theFIFA website. After the random draw has taken place and successful ticket applications have been assigned, fans can purchase the remaining tickets through sales orders, from November 16 and 28, 2017.

Where to eat in Moscow: from Teremok to Caf Pushkin

As soon as you get off the plane, you have to go through thepassport controlin immigration counters or booths enabled for that purpose. There are two different queues, one for Russians and one for foreigners.

Traveling between Moscow and St. Petersburg: Which is the best way?

Currently, the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying rounds are underway, involving 208 FIFA affiliated federations. The onlyautomatically ranked country is the host itself, Russia, as the tournament organizer, and the remaining 31 teams will have to qualify to play the final phase of the World Cup. All information on the qualifiers, matches and goals can be found onFIFAs website.

Once you leave the airport, you will have to travel to the city centre, which can be made by bus, train or taxi. For a detailed explanation of the different ways to get to the center of Moscow or St. Petersburg from the airport, you can check out these two articles:

The opening and final match and the final will be at 18:00 hours.

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Apart from this, amateur photography is allowed in most public buildings and museums, although it is usually customary to pay a special ticket if you are going to use professional equipment (with a tripod), otherwise you can be warned or fined. In the Metro, a special authorization is necessary if you are going to use a tripod, otherwise you can be fined.

1.1.1. The sale of luxury tickets (since June 2016)

insurance that covers you in Russia in thisarticle.

TheLuzhniki stadium, which was the main venue for the 1980 Olympic Games, which will include the inaugural event and the first match of the World Cup and where the final will be played, as well as a semifinal and other matches in the group stage.

It is important to know how to move through the host cities, as each national team will change their venue in each match. For example, the national team of Russia will play their first match in the group stage in Moscow, the second in St. Petersburg and the third in Samara.

1. Calendar and participating teams

However, in order to facilitate assistance to the World Cup in Russia 2018 to all fans around the world, the Russian government, passed a law in July 2016 to have visa exemption during the competition period, i.e. between June 14 and July 15th, 2018.

2018 Russia World Cup: a Practical Travel Guide

You must access the green corridor, if you dont have anything to declare or the red corridor, if you have to declare something.

The passport and immigration card proceedings, if there are not many arrival flights at the same time, can take no more than 15 or 30 minutes. If there are more arrivals and lots of people, which will be usual during the World Cup, it is expected that you would have to wait an hour or more.

It should be noted that the distances between the host cities are large and that it is possible to travel between them by plane, night train, high speed train or bus. The best way to do is to buy tickets online in advance:

1.3. What if I dont have tickets? The FAN FEST

Moscow in Space: from the Museum of Cosmonautics to the Planetarium

Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow: tickets and guided tours

In this first part I will explain the proceedings that must be followed to enter Russia without a visa, the documents that you need to carry, as well as practical aspects, such as arrival to the airport, trips to the city centre, check-in at your accommodation of choice and the rules that must be followed during the stay to avoid problems.

: 4 matches in the group stage, 1 round of 16 matches and 1 of quarter finals.

To try to reduce distances and costs,only cities in the European part of Russia(the most populated and developed) have been chosen, with the exception of Yekaterinburg, which is located in the Asian part of Russia, on the eastern part of the Ural Mountains.

Ticket prices range from $105 to $1,100 depending on the ticket category (1, 2, or 3). It also establishes a category 4 that is destined only for the resident population in Russia, with more economic prices, and these oscillate among 1,280 and 7,040 rubles.

Foreign citizens can bring medicine (even the kind not registered in Russia) for personal use with no limits as long as they do not contain narcotic or psychoactive substances. If your medicine contains highly potent, narcotic or poisonous substances, but you wish to bring it, you will need to provide a notarized recipe or medical records proving the requirement, along with a notarized translation to Russian. These items need to be declared at customs.

TheFAN IDgrants the right touse trains for freebetween the organizing cities of the World Cup, as well as the public transport in them during the matches. The application and delivery of FAN ID are free.

Be very careful when photographing military establishments, border control points, places of strategic importance (including airports), since it is prohibited. You could be arrested and fined.

At Domodedovo and Sheremetyevo airports in Moscow, thecustoms agents will fill in this card in printed form, while at the Pulkovo airport in St. Petersburg they usually fill this card manually. In other smaller airports, it is possible that the plane personnel will deliver this card just before the landing for passengers to fill it in with their data. If the latter is the case, there is no need to worry since the card is in Russian and English and is very easy to fill out.

There is no limit for the entrance of foreign currency, but if you bring more than 10,000 dollars to Russia (or the equivalent in other currencies), you must declare them in customs. In these cases you should make sure that the statement form is stamped by a customs official in order to prove ownership of the money at the time of departure (in case you didnt spend everything during the trip).

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Accommodations in Russia: How to choose and where to make a reservation cheaply

How to go from the airport to the center of Moscow or the Red Square

10 days before the date of the first match and leave Russia until 10 days after the date of the last match

A maximum of 3 liters of alcoholic beverages, and only for persons of 21 years old or more.

5. Rules and behavior norms during the stay

Since June 2013, a law prohibiting the promotion of non-traditional sexual relations has been in force, but the definition and scope of the law is very vague. Foreigners convicted under this law may be arrested, fined and even deported. Given that Russia is still far behind when it comes to the rights for the LGBT community, it is advisable to be careful with public displays of affection to avoid problems.

: 4 matches in the group stage and 1 round of 16 matches will be played.

IMPORTANT. These are in Moscow timezone, so you have to add the time difference in relation to other Russian cities.

In this guide, which I will try to keep updated until the end of the World Cup, you will find all the practical information to prepare your trip to this very important event in 2018.

In order to enjoy this visa exemption,two conditions must be fulfilled: first, to have apurchased ticketfor any of the World Cup matches, and secondly, to obtain theFAN ID or Fan Passport. Lets check out these two conditions:

3.1. Transportation within the host cities

The ban on importing EU food products into the Russian Federation does not affect natural persons. Thus, the import of animal origin products by individuals (cold cuts, cheese, ham, pates or preserves, among others) is allowed if they dont exceed 5 kg, and as long as they retain the factory wrapping.

At the end of the procedure you will get an application number, through which you can track the status of your request. You can also register and collect this card at the designated registration centers. The card is valid throughout the World Cup period and children must also have their FAN ID.

Is it worth to rent a car in Russia? Recommendations and requirements

The Free Visit to the Lenin Mausoleum in Moscow

While there are around40 nationalities that dont require visa to enter Russia(mainly countries of the former USSR and South American countries), it is necessary for the rest of the citizens of the world (including the EU) to obtain a visa, which implies the submission of documents and the payment of consular fees.

Once you arrive in Russia with your passport, your FAN ID card and your tickets, you must keep in mind that there is a series of documentation and proceedings that you must do.

3. The transfer from the airport to the city centre

After picking up your bags, you will pass through customs. It is not very often that they would inspect your bags manually, unless you have reason to do so.

Russian Folklore Shows in Moscow and St. Petersburg

4. Arrival to your accommodation of choice: registration and check-in

There will be a total of32 teamsin the competition, divided in thefirst roundinto 8 groups of 4 teams each, in which the first two teams from each group will be ranked as the best (16 in total), who will play thesecond round, which comprises the round of matches for the 16 remaining teams, up to the final.

Shopping in Moscow: from GUM to Izmailovo market

Visitors can take out caviar (up to 5 kilograms of red caviar and up to 250 grams of black caviar) and vodka (subject to limitations of the airline), or up to a liter of spirits per passenger.

How to use the Moscow Metro and what stations to visit

Places to enjoy the best views of Moscow

1.1.2. Tickets sales to the general public (since September 2017)

Where do I apply for a Russian visa if I live abroad?

: 4 group matches, 1 round of 16 matches and a quarter final match will be played.

Official tourist maps of Moscow (PDF)

With regards to the matches schedule, we can say that:

Guided tours in Moscow: by foot, by bicycle, or by tour bus?

: 4 group stage matches will be played.

Smoking is prohibited in hospitals, playgrounds, restaurants, hotels, public transportation, etc. If you do it is very likely that you will be fined. While it is allowed to smoke in the car, in the streets (at least 15 meters away from metro stations or public transport stops) and in apartments or private houses.

The64 World Cup matcheswill take place in11 cities: Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Kaliningrad, Kazan, Nizhny Novgorod, Rostov-on-Don, Samara, Sochi, Volgograd and Saransk.

The main cathedrals of St. Petersburg: Tickets and schedules

TheWorld Cup Russia 2018will be celebrated betweenJune 14th and July 15th, 2018, and it will be the XXI edition of the World Cup. Though Russia already celebrated Olympic Games in Moscow in 1980, this will be the first time that it organizes a FIFA World Cup.

: 4 group matches, 1 round of 16 matches and 1 of quarter finals.

Is Russia a safe country for tourists? Travel tips

How to go from the airport to the center of Moscow or the Red Square

4. Arrival to your accommodation of choice: registration and check-in

For more information, it is also advisable to visit the two official websites of the 2018 FIFA World Cup:

Which souvenirs to buy in Russia? From Matrioskas to Cheburashka

How to find the cheapest flights to Moscow and St. Petersburg

Up to 400 cigarettes or 500 grams of tobacco products.

Russian Folklore Shows in Moscow and St. Petersburg

How to obtain a Chinese Visa in the USA in an easy and cost-effective way

In Moscow, the FAN FEST will take place in Vorobyovy Gory (Sparrow Hills) near the main stadium of the World Cup, the Luzhniki. For its part, in St. Petersburg, the FAN FEST will take place in Konyushennaya central square, where it was already held for the Ice Hockey World Cup 2016.

2018 Russia World Cup: a Practical Travel Guide

An accreditation of the registration is not necessary in order to leave the country, though it is necessary in the immigration card.

inMoscowthe matches will be held in two different stadiums:

Toget around by taxithere are some Russian companies that allow online booking (likeKiwiTaxi) or mobile applications like Uber or Gettaxi are also very useful.

These Hospitality Packages can be accessed and purchased through theHospitality website.

Registration in Russia: What it is and how it is done

How to go from Pulkovo Airport to St. Petersburg

Catherines Palace in St. Petersburg: how to buy tickets online

. It will be made from April 18, 2018, till the day of the last match of the competition, by application order.

The first thing to know when traveling to Russia is that it is a country with some requirements to enter. These requirements often refer to the need for avisa, which is an authorization granted by the Russian Immigration Authority to foreign citizens to enter or stay temporarily in the country, which is stamped in their passport.

Once you have passed through the passport control you can go to the baggage claim area. If your passage through the passport control area was fast, you may have to wait a little until your bags arrive, but if the passport control proceeding was slower, your bags will already be waiting for you. If your suitcases dont appear anywhere, the lost luggage counter is usually located in the same collection hall. The odds of losing your luggage at a Russian airport are no greater than at any other airport in the world, since it is something that depends more on the airline with which you travel, and your flight connections, more than anything else.

The purchase and possession of drugs (with jail terms of up to 3 years) is also prohibited.

The ticket sales process for the 2018 World Cupwas initiated by FIFA in June 2016, through the sale of so-calledHospitality Packages, through the private company Match Hospitality. These are the most luxurious tickets that contemplate being in the VIP area of ​​stadiums seats.

What to see and do in Moscow in 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 days

The Palaces and Gardens of Peterhof, a must-go site in St. Petersburg

Regarding therestrictionson bringing money/goods to Russia by private individuals, the following must be considered:

You can begin the application process for your Fan ID, once you have received the FIFA email confirmation for your purchase, when the random lottery sales period ends.

How to catch a taxi in Moscow, Saint Petersburg, or in other Russian cities

If you dont have tickets to the World Cup, but you want to travel to Russia to see the festive atmosphere, it is important to know that, just as in the last world cup, the host cities of the matches will holdFAN FESTs, organized by FIFA, which will gather thousands of fans to watch live matches via giant TV screens in the host cities of the World Cup, as well as live music and animation, sale of World Cup souvenirs, etc.

1. Calendar and participating teams

It is prohibited to participate in unauthorized demonstrations.

Trains in Russia: How to buy tickets on-line without the middle-man

This consists of filling out aregistration form(another one). Usually, registration must be made within the first 7 business days of arrival in Russia (excluding weekends and holidays). However, inMay 2017 a new registration regulationwas issued, in which foreignersmust register the first day of their arrival between May 25, 2018 and July 25, 2018in the host cities of the World Cup in: Volgograd, Yekaterinburg, Kazan, Kaliningrad, Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, Rostov-on-Don, Samara, St. Petersburg, Saransk and Sochi.

What to see and do in St. Petersburg in 1, 2, 3 or 4 days

PART II. Calendar, venues and travel

You must always carry the original passport during your stay (no photocopies), in case its requested by the police. In any case you will need it to register at the hotel, to buy a Russian SIM card to connect to the Internet, for train travel between cities, etc. You must also carry your FAN ID card.

This is a procedure that was already used in the Olympic Games in Sochi and has also been used to attend the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup in Russia, through the website

On October 21, 2016, the mascot for the World Cup was chosen, a wolf namedZabivaka(or little striker).

2018 Russia World Cup: a Practical Travel Guide

In the final vote to elect the organizing country, on December 2nd, 2010, Russia won the last round of votes against the candidatures of Spain-Portugal and Belgium-Netherlands.

Spartak Stadium(home of the local Spartak football club, also known as Otkrytie Arena), which opened on September 5, 2014 and which will host 4 matches of the group stage, and a game of the second round.

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