Way to Russia Guide Updates

Guide to Ekaterinburg

Fri, 01 September 2006 11:00:00 +0100

The new guide to Ekaterinburg - the capital of Urals, separating Europe and Asia.

Way to Russia Blogs

Wed, 12 July 2006 11:00:00 +0100

Travelers' tales, useful advices, and personal reports about Russia at our new Blogs section.

Web Phone - Connect 2 Phones

Sat, 10 June 2006 10:00:00 +0100

A new service is available, where you can connect any two phones through your internet browser (or PDA). You simply enter the numbers, click the Connect button, and two phones ring simultaneously. Your office and your home, your friend and his mother, Mr Bush and Mr Putin (tricky one if you don't know their numbers) -- the possibilities are endless. Learn more...

EU - Russia Visa Agreement

Wed, 26 May 2006 15:00:00 +0100

A new agreement that will come into force on 1st January 2007 is a step towards visa-free exchange between Russia and EU member states (except UK, Ireland, Denmark). Read more...

Russian People

Wed, 18 May 2006 01:00:00 +0100

The new interviews with Russian people added (by Gregory Klemm). Some quotes... Ksenya: "I think Russia?s purely Asian. It?s a wild, crazy, Asian country: an eye for an eye and things like that. I?m not sure it?s European at all really.", Fedor: "Russians are always ready to fight with the reality they live in. And they are sometimes surprised to discover that there's nothing to fight with at the moment, so they can relax..?, Svetlana: "As every person I like to travel, I like to see new places, new things, new cultures, to meet new people. If I had to choose a place I would choose India. " Read more...

Moscow Restaurants - Major Update

Wed, 17 May 2006 09:00:11 +0100

We've added dozens of new restaurants to our Moscow guide. Now you can choose from a selection of the best Russian, European, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Vegetarian restaurants in Moscow, see the photos, and find the location on the map.

Visa Registration - New Cities

Mon, 08 May 2006 16:14:11 +0100

Several new agencies in major Russian cities were added. These agencies can register your visa while you're in Russia, if you obtained your visa support through Way to Russia. Follow the link and scroll to the bottom of the page.

Cheap Flights: Norway to Russia

Thu, 04 May 2006 14:12:06 +0100

The local low-cost carrier, Norwegian Air Shuttle, is starting 3 weekly flights from Oslo (Norway) to St. Petersburg (Russia) on Mon, Wed, Fri.
We tried to book a flight on their website and it's pretty straight-forward and cheap: one way fares start at 56 EUR one way including all taxes and it's not a problem to get it a week in advance.
More information at Budget Routes to Russia section of WayToRussia.Net

Getting to Olkhon Island at Baikal

Wed, 19 Apr 2006 21:14:43 +0100

Olkhon island is one of the most magnificent places in the world, situated at Baikal lake. It has pristine nature, breath-taking views, and the locals are very hospitable.

We've got the new schedules for the buses from Irkutsk to Olkhon for 2006:

Option 1: Comfortable 45-seat Bus.
Daily bus Irkutsk - Khuzhir departs in front of Angara hotel at 9.00 on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday. You are lucky, because 2nd July is Sunday.
The way back -- the same bus departs on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at 12.45 from the local "Gastronom" grocery shop (at the biz plaza). Again, you're lucky, because the 8th of July is Saturday. You will even have a chance to party before you go on that train.
The whole trip takes 8 hours. The bus makes a few stops at local cafes along the way, so no need to take any food with you (unless you are vegetarian).
The price is 450R ($15). If you want to book it, make a request through Way to Russia Support Center and we will try to do it for you.
Angara hotel -- where the bus departs from -- can be found here at our Irkutsk accommodation guide. -- there's a link to the map from the description, it's in the center, so you'll have a few hours to see Irkutsk as well.

Option 2: Private Buses and Minivans from the Train Station
Sometimes there are also a few private buses and minivans departing from the train station. Usually they also depart around 9.00am and you'll notice them -- they usually have a paper with OLKHON (éÎ¸¦ÓÌ) written at their front window. The price is the same -- 450R ($15)
The way back is much easer: go to Nikita's homestay and book a minivan back. He has a few every day, so no problem if you book when you arrive.

Option 3: Taking a standard bus from the bus station
The tickets are usually sold out long beforehand. However, if you want to check out Siberian bus travel extreme style, this is for you. Daily 8.10am and 350R ($12) one way + 50R ($2) for your luggage.

Option 4: Get a taxi
A 6- or 8-seater can be ordered through a travel agency and usually costs $250 US one way. So, more expensive, but you can stop where you want along the way.

New Ferry Routes to/from Russia

Sat, 15 Apr 2006 05:50:23 +0100

Ferry routes between Russia, Georgia and Turkey are added. Also -- updated ferry routes between Baltic states and Germany to Russia.

Russian Trains Timetable

Wed, 29 Mar 2006 04:52:22 +0100

The new Russian trains timetable was added. It features online train search (with stopovers!) and prices for the main routes.

Pubs in Moscow

Fri, 24 Mar 2006 05:23:53 +0000

A listing of Moscow pubs. While it can be hard to find a good pub in Moscow, there are still some good places around that are worth a visit.

Moscow Clubs

Sun, 12 Mar 2006 05:24:47 +0000

The major Moscow clubs update. New dance and live music clubs added, as well as a whole new section on Strip clubs and Gay venues.

Moscow Hotels Review

Sat, 11 Feb 2006 05:25:58 +0000

A major Moscow hotels update. Includes the best 3-star hotels and two new hostels opened in the end of 2005.

Book Hotels Online

Tue, 31 Jan 2006 05:26:54 +0000

The new instant hotel reservation service added for more than 30 cities in Russia!

Russian Visa Insider Info

Thu, 26 Jan 2006 05:27:36 +0000

The insider information on Russian consulates -- which are the easiest to get a visa, what you should avoid, etc.