If I want to visit Russia for an extended period of time...?

Question

What would I need. Can I get by with English,German,Spanish,Italian or do I really need to know Russian. I plan to visit for several months. No working, just enjoying myself and the Eastern jewels.

Answer 1

You will need a Russian Visa and you may have difficulty getting anything but a tourist visa which is only good for 30 days. When you fly into Russia the signs at the airports are in English as well as Russian.
I was in Russia for over a week and enjoyed it very much. But I was with someone who spoke English very well. I would not recommend going there by myself if I did not speak Russian. While it is true that English is your best bet, but you will have problems getting around if you do not speak Russian. Because most people do not speak English or very little. Even at the airport I had problems finding someone who spoke fluent English.
As far as safety I live in a small town in the US but there are some places you have to be careful that is why you need to travel with someone who has local knowledge. We would walk through some places during the day but at night we took the bus so we would not have to walk through the same areas. Again I was with someone who has local knowledge.
I would recommend using a travel agency and go with a tour group. I think you would enjoy that a lot more. It would be safer, you would have someone that has knowledge of the city, and someone to answer all of your questions.

Answer 2

You really need to speak Russian. You will get by with English in Moscow and St. Petersburg but in the countryside and outside of European Russia, people rarely speak good English. German may be of some use but Spanish and Italian will be virtually useless everywhere as no-one speaks them.

Where are you planning to go? I recommend Moscow and Petersburg (of course), also Volgograd, Kazan, Perm, Tyumen, Yekaterinberg, Khaborovsk and Vladivostok. If you can be bothered with another visa, Minsk in Belarus is also worth a visit.

Like everywhere, Russian big cities have some bad areas but previous posts seem to have gone a bit overboard with how dangerous it is. Just be sensible. If you go wandering the streets at 2am, speaking loudly in English and wearing obviously expensive stuff you will have some trouble, but ask yourself, would you do this in your hometown? Probably not.

Russia is the best country in the world and the people are wonderful. Have fun!

Answer 3

Generally, a fair amount of people there will speak English, however it will most likely be so bad that you might have trouble understanding. Spanish and Italian are definitely useless, unless you happen across the one rare person who might speak those languages.

Some speak German, but out of those that you listed, English is your best bet. Get a traveling dictionary though, with all the phrases in it - the average Russian does NOT speak English at all. Also, if you're going during the winter - it's freezing there at this time. So, make sure you have a hat, scarf, etc. If you forget, you'll probably just have to buy them there, there's no way to get by without them.

Answer 4

i speak all the way my best freind taught me how and dude trust me speak there langauge they like it when you do you need to know russian i speak and write and be careful what part you go to and showing your american self you could get introuble with the men there something could happen trust me the kid was born there he knows.so i would tell you to stay in moscow and dont go to far out into the places west of it you could get caught in a fire fight or somethign bad could happen.

Answer 5

the first answer is true....you can get in trouble with men in some parts of russia....one of my relitives died because he got beaten up by a bunch of men in st petersburg

Answer 6

U need passport and money

Answer 7

you will definately need a 'tourist' passport.......and probally a good divorce lawyer......and a babysitter for the dogs you left behind...............................................