The following information is provided to assist those traveling to Russia for long or short terms and on a tight budget. You may use this to find your own housing solution or you may contact SRAS about our Research Travel Packages.

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 Accommodation in Russia
With focus on Moscow and St. Petersburg
Look for Price, Location, and Registration!

Those looking to travel to Russia on a budget will find that creativity and early planning can get you far in the world's largest country. Keep in mind, however, that your housing solution must not only be affordable, but must also include registering your visa.

Housing Solutions:

1. University Dormitories
2. Long-Term Apartment Rentals
3. Short-Term Apartment Rentals
4. Social Networking
5. Local Solutions
6. Homestays
7. Embassy Guest Houses
8. Hotels
9. Hostels

University Dormitories are only available to students enrolled with the university and in Russia on a student visa. This usually entails enrolling for a minimum of 10-12 hours per week of classes. SRAS can help arrange this as part of its Research Travel Packages. The price difference between renting an apartment and renting a dormitory room, even with the added cost of tution, is often negligible. However, for those who will not value the courses, this is really not an option. If you do not attended your courses, the university is legally obligated to expel you, which means your visa will be cancelled your will be evicted from the dormitory.

Long-Term Apartment Rentals, while not cheap, do offer the best value for long-term stays. There are numerous pitfalls to watch out for, however, with this option, so it's a good idea to make sure you know your rights and responsibilities as a renter by reading this article on the subject.

• Search yourself with Cian.ru, which is only in Russian and, because posting is free there, has many that are actually from brokers. However, it can be worth it to find those from actual owners, as you can save the 100% broker fee that is standard in Russia – although you will likely still have to still pay first and last month's rent. 

• Find a broker (and save time by spending cash) by looking at the real estate sections of the St. Petersburg Times or the Moscow Times. Or check out any number of real estate agents.

Social Networking can also be used to find longer-term roommate arrangements (on such sites as Expat.ru or Redtape.ru) or for short-term arrangements such as with Couchsurfing.org. As always, you should be careful about who you chose to room with – and make sure that your housing solution will be able to register you.

Homestays for long or short term stays can be arranged through Host Families Association (HOFA), which has contacts in 60 cities throughout Russia and the CIS.

Those selecting one of our Research Travel Packages can request SRAS assistance in locating a homestay. Costs vary by location, but generally range from $30-45 per night and includes breakfast and usually access to kitchen and laundry facilities.

Local Solutions are available in many Russian cities. These small, mom-and-pop run establishments are usually passed by word of mouth, and run by people have found a decent living in being able to effectively help foreigners navigate Russia. Cheap-Moscow.com, for instance, is run by a man who  calls himself "Uncle Pasha" and can help you find accommodation and almost anything else you might need in Moscow. Past users of his services report that he has a bizarre and sometimes caustic sense of humor, but that he is remarkably resourceful. In St. Petersburg, IntrobyIrina.com is run a lady who specializes in finding sublets and private apartments for rent direct from the owner. 

Hostels: Hostels in Moscow and St. Petersburg cost $25-35 per night for dormitory-style rooms. Prices are lower in other cities. Some include breakfast, others don't. Some also have a couple of twin or single rooms available. We have included links for hostels that have their own website. To book others you can go through one of the many online portals such as HostelWorld.com, which offers a fairly extensive selection of Russian hostels.

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1. Registration Support

Your Russian visa must be registered within the first 3 days of arrival. The front desk of your hotel is required by law to register you. Make sure they do. To have your tourist visa registered you should give the hotel the following:

• Passport;
• Valid Russian visa;
• Immigration card (given to you at the airport or on the airplane)

Please note that If you stay in a Russian town less than 3 working days, you don't need to be registered - but the hotel will likely register you anyway.

2. Cancellations

• All changes to and cancellations of the confirmed reservations must be made not later than 5 business days prior to arrival.
• All changes and cancellations made afterwards will involve a penalty of 1 night stay.
• Before charging the credit card you provide, we will ask the person whose name is on the credit card to fill out an authorization form. These are the rules of credit card companies and it is done for your own protection. You should receive the credit card authorization form shortly after submitting your order.

3. Terms and Conditions

• In order to provide hotel reservation services, you have been referred by SRAS to All Russia Hotels (”the Agency”).
• The function of SRAS is limited to introducing this service to you.
• The function of the Agency is to process your reservation, hold the reservation for you, assist you with checking in and out of the apartment, and to provide related services when needed and available.
• The Agency was chosen by SRAS because of its flexibility, low prices, experience in assisting travelers to Russia, and the Agency's care in dealing with security. SRAS accepts no responsibility and no liability for any loss or inconvenience sustained by the applicant in the process of reserving or using the apartment or during the visa registration process. The Agency provides the apartment and related services, and all questions and requests regarding such should be directed to the Agency.
• After you submit the a request for services from the Agency, you will work with the Agency concerning those services. The payment for the services of the Agency will be made to the Agency and the Agency will provide all services directly to you.
• The Agency will keep all information strictly confidential.
• The Agency provides all services according to its price list valid on the day of accepting the customer's order.
• All payments, including any deposits that may be required, will be arranged directly with the Agency according the policies of the Agency.

Back to Hotels

- Details on Apartment Services -
(Back to Short-Term Apartment Rentals)

1. Registration Support

Please do not forget to register your Russian visa if you have not done so yet. Your Russian visa must be registered within the first 3 days of arrival.

To have your tourist visa registered you should give the Visa to Russia manager the following:

• Photocopy of the information page of your passport;
• Photocopy of your valid Russian visa;
• Photocopy of your immigration card (given to you at the airport)
• 900 RUR per registration

Please note that If you stay in a Russian town less than 3 working days, you don't need to be registered.

If you have a business visa, please enquire with Visa to Russia about registration during your reservation process.

2. Cancellations

• In case of cancellations made more than 10 days before date of check-in $15 cancellation fee applies.
• Cancellation/changes made between 10 and 5 days prior to the date of check-in will result in a $30 cancellation/change fee.
• Cancellations made between 5 and 3 days before date of check-in will result in a penalty of one night’s stay fee.
• Cancellations/date amendment made less than 3 calendar days before date of check-in are treated as no-shows and will result in a penalty of one night’s stay fee.
• We do not charge any fee for extension of your stay if the apartment is available for the dates requested.
• All payments are due within 3 days after the booking date. All credit cards will be charged accordingly and a 3 % processing fee shall be applied to all credit card charges.

3. Check-in

• Regular check-in time is after 2:00PM and regular check-out time is noon (12:00PM).
• Early check-in & late check- out is charged at additional 50% of one night's stay if apartment is available.
• If you are coming to the apartment with public transport or with a transfer ordered through another company, we ask you to inform us about your arrival time at the apartment 24 hours prior to your arrival. Our representative will arrive at the apartment and wait for up to one hour with your keys. If you are late, please call the number listed in the confirmation information issued after your reservation is completed to inform our manager. Late arrivals will be charged at a rate of USD 20.00 per hour.

4. Damages

• Please, take care of the apartment and note that we will ask you to compensate for any damage accordingly.

• In order to provide apartment services, you have been referred by SRAS to Visa to Russia (”the Agency”).
• The function of SRAS is limited to introducing this service to you. 
• The function of the Agency is to process your reservation, hold the reservation for you, assist you with checking in and out of the apartment, and to provide related services when needed and available.
• The Agency was chosen by SRAS because of its flexibility, low prices, experience in assisting travelers to Russia, and the Agency's care in dealing with security. SRAS accepts no responsibility and no liability for any loss or inconvenience sustained by the applicant in the process of reserving or using the apartment or during the visa registration process.
• The Agency provides the apartment and related services, and all questions and requests regarding such should be directed to the Agency.
• After you submit the a request for services from the Agency, you will work with the Agency concerning those services.
• The payment for the services of the Agency will be made to the Agency and the Agency will provide all services directly to you.
• The Agency will keep all information strictly confidential.
• The Agency provides all services according to its price list valid on the day of accepting the customer's order.
• All payments, including any deposits that may be required, will be arranged directly with the Agency according the policies of the Agency.

Back to Short-Term Apartment Rentals