Foreign nationals visiting Russia as short-term visitors who wish to drive their own cars while in the country must hold an International Driving Permit and a national licence with an authorized translation. They must also carry their passport and visa at all times. They are required to submit details of their routes and planned stopovers when entering the country, to complete a customs form confirming that the car will be taken out of the country by a certain date, to purchase petrol vouchers at the border and to arrange Russian motor insurance. There are insurance officers at border crossings. A road tax is payable on entry to the country.
Road travel is only really possible within the European part of Russia, but even here roads outside the cities are poor and petrol stations few and far between in some areas. In Siberia and the rest of the country the few roads are unusable during winter.
Speed limits are 60 kmph in built up areas, 90 kmph in non built-up areas, and 100 kmph on highways. Driving is on the right-hand side of the road. It is against the law to sound the horn unless it is necessary to avoid an accident, and it is also illegal to carry unauthorized passengers or to drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Cars must have registration plates and stickers indicating the country of registration, and must by law be fitted with seat belts, a first-aid kid, fire extinguishers and emergency triangle.
Within Moscow the traffic congestion is very bad, and typical commutes within the city are around 1 hour. Driving standards are poor, the traffic laws are not well enforced and accidents are common. Most expats find there is no need to own a car as the public transport is cheap and reliable, although very crowded in rush hours. Some choose to employ their own drivers, or have drivers provided by their employers.
In Moscow the main forms of public transport are the metro, tramway and trolleybus. The Metro stations are renowned for their elegant and grand decor, and the Metro services are frequent and efficient. The buses and trolleys tend to be much slower and are usually overcrowded. There are many official taxis, and it is also common practice for people in Moscow to hail private drivers and negotiate a price for a lift.
Russia has a poor safety record for internal air travel, particularly since Aeroflot was disbanded into numerous small airlines. Regulation of the airways is still poor, but standards are gradually improving. Since the airlines are required to meet higher standards for international flights, it is advisable to travel within Russia on a flight which ultimately has a foreign destination. Moscow is the main hub for internal air travel hub, with flight routes between its four airports and all other main cities.
Within European Russia there is an extensive and fairly efficient rail network which reaches virtually all settlements. Although the network is predominantly used for freight transport, there are passenger services with relatively cheap fares, sleeper facilities and reasonably comfortable accommodation. The Trans-Siberian Express runs daily from St Petersburg, across Russia to Vladivostok in Siberia, with onward steamer services to Japan once a week. The Trans-Manchurian Express from St Petersburg to Beijing runs on the same initial route before turning southeast into China, while the Trans-Mongolian Railway runs between Moscow and Beijing via Mongolia. There are also long-distance bus and coach services between the main towns.
It is also possible to travel within Russia by river. Passenger boat services operate regularly between Moscow and St Petersburg, and between Moscow and various settlements on the Volga and Don Rivers.
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