Cheap flights to Russia

• Aeroflot
• KLM
• British Airways
• Air France
• Singapore Airlines
• LOT Polish Airlines
• Finn Air
• Singapore Airlines
• Czech Airlines
• Air Baltic
• Air Moldova
• Turkish Airlines
• Scandinavian Airlines
• Swiss Airlines
• Lufthansa

• Heathrow to Russia on a direct flight: 6 hours and 15 minutes
• Heathrow to Russia on a one-stop flight: 8 hours and 15 minutes
• Manchester to Russia: 8 hours and 25 minutes
• Birmingham to Russia: 7 hours and 40 minutes
• Glasgow to Russia: 9 hours and 25 minutes
• Gatwick to Russia: 8 hours and 50 minutes
• London City to Russia: 7 hours

Yes. Aeroflot, the national carrier of Russia, is the only airline which operates direct flights from UK to its home country. Commenced its operations in 1923, Aeroflot operates inbound flights to over 125 destinations worldwide from its hub Sheremetyevo International Airport (SVO) in Moscow.

Helsinki, Frankfurt, Zurich, Amsterdam, Singapore, Prague, Riga, Saint Petersburg, Turkey, Warsaw, Hamburg, Copenhagen, Munich, Bologna and Vienna are some of the popular destinations for stopovers on flights to Russia. Many airlines touch down at their hub airports for quite a brief period of time. Therefore, stopover preference for booking flights to Russia is not a matter of major concern.

Russia is an expansive country with a vast territory. In total, Russia has a total of thirteen international airports, operating in eleven different time zones. Out of these thirteen airports, the triplet airports of Moscow are the busiest airports in the country, followed by the Pulkovo International Airport (LED) that serves St. Petersburg city. The triplet airports of Moscow are named as Sheremetyevo International Airport (SVO), Domodedovo International Airport (DME)and Vnukovo International Airport(VKO).

You are required to apply for the visa at the consulate of The Russian Federation in London. Upon applying for the visa, a consulate fee would be required from the tourist as well as an invitation from an inviting party or a tourism company that is based in Russia and is registered in the United Federal Register of the Tour Operators of Russia. The Russian consulate asks for fingerprints of all applicants that need to enter Russia. It can take up to 2 to 10 days to process the visa applications, so it is advisable for the British passport holder to plan well in advance. Tourist visas generally are valid for 30 days.

Upon receiving the visa the applicant should double check the details listed on the visa. The visa has two parts: one is the tourist voucher and the other is the confirmation of tourism acceptance. The details would include the cities that the tourist intends to visit, information of the Russian based tourism company and the information of hotels and other accommodations the tourist would be staying at.

The best time to visit Russia is between May and September, during the summer months. Russian winters are legendarily cold and inhospitable for tourists who are not accustomed to them. Russia, however, blossoms in the summer. Most of the cultural festivities are also conducted in the summer, which is an added incentive to visit Russia within the May to September months.

The cheapest time to book flights to Russia is considered to be in the month of March, August, and November. With the highly competitive market for airlines that fly to Russia, the promotional and discounted offers are announced at any given time of the year.

The most anticipated holidays in Russia are:

• The New Year Holiday, 1st and 2nd January
• Fatherland Defender’s Day, 23rd February
• Women’s Day, 8th March
• Easter Holidays
• Labour Day, 1st May
• Victory Day, 9th May
• Russian Independence Day , 12th June
• Day of National Agreement and Reconciliation, 7th November
• Constitution Day, 12th December

Most of Russia’s festivals and events circle around religion and classical traditions. The communist government does not extend leaves to its citizens on a few of these festivals, even though these festivals have been a part of the Russian culture for a long time, so visiting tourists should look around before partying. The majority of Russians follow the Russian Orthodox Church which means that Russians celebrate Christmas on the 7th of January and the Russian Easter is at least four to five weeks later than that celebrated in the West. Since most religious holidays follow the Julian calendar rather than the more universally followed Gregorian calendar, it is hard to illustrate the exact dates of many festivals. Apart from these religious festivals, Russians celebrated many festivals with food, dance and drink.

• Maslenitsa or the ‘Sunday of Forgiveness’ is the Sunday of the Eighth week before the Orthodox Easter. On this day, many Russians exchange gifts and ask for forgiveness from each other. This custom is shared by most Eastern Slavic populations of Russia and Eastern Europe. Pancakes and other desserts adorn the kitchen tables on this day. The custom has pagan roots and is a celebration of the ending Winter and the beginning of spring.
• Saint Valentine’s Day is also celebrated with passion and emotion through all the streets of Russia. On this day, the red heart balloons flutter in the air and boxes of chocolates get skimmed off of the shelves of major markets. It is heartening to see couples express their love for each other under the shadow of Romanov Palaces.
• The White Nights Festival usually begins at the Mariinsky Theatre, in Saint Petersburg. The Festival usually happens between May to July, but dates are finalized every year according to the number of shows and performances available. The Festival is a celebration of music and dance. Classical Russian ballet and opera are presented before a large audience. This Festival should not (cannot) be missed if you are in Saint Petersburg at that time.
• John the Baptist day is celebrated in late June in Russia. The day celebrates John the Baptist, a saint venerated in Russian Orthodoxy and the cousin of Jesus himself. His life is regarded as a miracle, as a preparation for the ‘coming of Jesus Christ’.
• Filmmakers, artist, and performers converge on to Moscow for the International Moscow film festival in the beginning of summer. The victorious receive the ‘Golden George’ upon winning a category.

Russia has a stunning collection of landmarks, each more spectacular and amazing than the next. The Russian culture and landmarks are heavily influenced by the Romanov dynasty that ruled Russia till the beginning of the 20th century. Modern buildings recently constructed in Eastern Russia also amaze the viewer.

• The Catherine Palace majestically stands in Pushkin, about 30 kilometres south of Saint Petersburg. The Second World War saw the partial destruction of the palace and some of its beauty was stolen by the Nazi Occupation, but enough documentation of the palace’s architecture remained to restore its former glory. The palace was originally built by Empress Catherine of Russia in 1717. Almost a hundred kilograms of pure gold was used to coat the outer walls of the Empress’ summer residence.
• Moscow Metro Station is among the most beautiful metro station in the world. It’s almost a pity that such a grand architecture is buried underground. The Underground train station exhibits mosaics, tapestries and Rococo columns. The shimmering floors of the train station welcome the passengers and provide a unique travelling experience unlike any other.
• This cathedral’s every dome is like a carnival of colour, every archway inviting and every pillar embellished in a different fashion. Of course, this description is of none other than the Saint Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow. It is perhaps the most recognizable landmark of Russia throughout the world.

The choices of Russian accommodations and hotels are as unrestrained as the size of the country. The cities of Moscow, St. Petersburg, Sochi and Kazan offer a variety of lodging options. Below is just a little selection of the diversity of accommodations Russia can offer.

• The Ritz-Carlton Moscow
• Moscow Marriott Royal Aurora
• Sheraton Palace Hotel Moscow
• Astoria Hotel, St. Petersburg
• Radisson Royal Hotel, St. Petersburg
• Kempinski Hotel Moika 22, St. Petersburg
• Radisson Hotel Rosa Khutor, Sochi
• Swissotel Resort Sochi Kamelia, Sochi
• Sochi Marriott Krasnaya Polyana Hotel
• Kroston Club Hotel, Kazan
• Luciano Hotel and Spa, Kazan
• Mirage Hotel, Kazan