Don"t Get Ripped Off: 4 Russian Tourist Traps to Avoid
Russia is a wonderful place to visit.However, in most places in Russia, especially in Moscow and St. Petersburg, it can be tricky for travelers who don’t speak Russian to avoid falling into “tourist traps”. Here’s a quick guide to how to travel through Russia without falling prey to these common tricks:
If you have booked your trip to Russia with a reputable travel agency, then you should not have a problem with the hotel staff trying to deceive you.
However, if you have chosen to navigate the waters of Russian hotel bookings on your own, make sure you read online reviews before booking the hotel. If it seems too cheap and/or central to be true, it probably is.
Always be aware of the current exchange rate between rubles and whichever currency you are using. Sometimes hotel front desk staff will quote to you the price in U.S. dollars, then charge you the price in rubles and make a nice profit by skewing the exchange rate in their favor. Do the calculation beforehand if you can, or even on the spot, and if something seems off, complain!
Very often you will see a “dual pricing” system in Russian monuments, museums and cathedrals, whereby tourists or foreigners are charged higher entrance fees than Russian (speaking) people. The price difference can be anywhere from double to ten times the price of entry for Russians.
If you don’t speak any Russian, this is a difficult trap to avoid – of course it’s best if you have a Russian-speaking friend that you can take with you. If you have the time to learn a few relevant Russian phrases, do so! If you ask for a ticket in Russian (“Odin bilyet”), you may sometimes get by the ticket agent even if (s)he notices your accent. Again, don’t be afraid to complain and negotiate – they are aware that they’re overcharging you!
Another common tourist trap in Russian museums and cathedrals, especially near the Hermitage, is when locals try to take advantage of the English-speakers in the line-up. They will offer to help you skip the line for a slightly higher price. They collect enough people to get a “group rate” and then get them into a museum using a group ticket, keeping the extra money they receive.This trap is easy to avoid – just say “no thanks”. They will usually simply walk away to the next person.
Apart from restaurant English menus sometimes being incomprehensible, be on the lookout for restaurants charging higher prices on the English menu. This is not very common, but it can and does happen, so keep your eyes open.
Even Russian speakers have to be aware of the second restaurant “trap” – charging extra costs or putting extra items on the bill. This is also relatively easy to avoid – just remember what you ordered, and roughly how much it costs. If the bill looks too high, check it carefully for extra items or doubles of items that you ordered (like drinks). Again, if you complain, they will fix their “mistake”.
However, be aware that it’s very normal in Russian restaurants to charge extra for anything that you request – like an extra piece of lemon in your tea or additional butter for the bread. In this case, complaining probably won’t get you anywhere.
•Hotels:
If you have booked your trip to Russia with a reputable travel agency, then you should not have a problem with the hotel staff trying to deceive you.
However, if you have chosen to navigate the waters of Russian hotel bookings on your own, make sure you read online reviews before booking the hotel. If it seems too cheap and/or central to be true, it probably is.
Always be aware of the current exchange rate between rubles and whichever currency you are using. Sometimes hotel front desk staff will quote to you the price in U.S. dollars, then charge you the price in rubles and make a nice profit by skewing the exchange rate in their favor. Do the calculation beforehand if you can, or even on the spot, and if something seems off, complain!
•Museums & Cathedrals:
Very often you will see a “dual pricing” system in Russian monuments, museums and cathedrals, whereby tourists or foreigners are charged higher entrance fees than Russian (speaking) people. The price difference can be anywhere from double to ten times the price of entry for Russians.
If you don’t speak any Russian, this is a difficult trap to avoid – of course it’s best if you have a Russian-speaking friend that you can take with you. If you have the time to learn a few relevant Russian phrases, do so! If you ask for a ticket in Russian (“Odin bilyet”), you may sometimes get by the ticket agent even if (s)he notices your accent. Again, don’t be afraid to complain and negotiate – they are aware that they’re overcharging you!
Another common tourist trap in Russian museums and cathedrals, especially near the Hermitage, is when locals try to take advantage of the English-speakers in the line-up. They will offer to help you skip the line for a slightly higher price. They collect enough people to get a “group rate” and then get them into a museum using a group ticket, keeping the extra money they receive.This trap is easy to avoid – just say “no thanks”. They will usually simply walk away to the next person.
•Restaurants:
Apart from restaurant English menus sometimes being incomprehensible, be on the lookout for restaurants charging higher prices on the English menu. This is not very common, but it can and does happen, so keep your eyes open.
Even Russian speakers have to be aware of the second restaurant “trap” – charging extra costs or putting extra items on the bill. This is also relatively easy to avoid – just remember what you ordered, and roughly how much it costs. If the bill looks too high, check it carefully for extra items or doubles of items that you ordered (like drinks). Again, if you complain, they will fix their “mistake”.
However, be aware that it’s very normal in Russian restaurants to charge extra for anything that you request – like an extra piece of lemon in your tea or additional butter for the bread. In this case, complaining probably won’t get you anywhere.
•Keep in Mind:
Russian tourist traps are generally quite easy to avoid as long as you are aware of them. Just keep your eyes open and be willing to put up a bit of a fight! Don’t let this scare you away from trying to experience Russia like a local – locals will only respect you for not blindly falling into common tourist traps. Have fun and enjoy!
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