Russia, like most countries, has places that are particularly popular with tourists. The problem is that these areas tend to be very expensive and very crowded. Some places you can’t help but travel to. For instance, everybody needs to enter an airport if they have flown or are planning on flying somewhere. The trouble is that airports will double the price on anything that they sell. This is not a situation that is unique to Russia. You will find that this is happening in airports in other parts of the world as well. This is also true on trains in Russia. If you opt to buy something to drink on the train you will be likely to pay a higher price. It is better to buy water at a grocery store than to buy water on the train or at an airport. Good vodka will be more expensive, and it is recommended that you do not buy cheap one. However, vodka is also very much overpriced at the airport.
Avoid Taxi Scams
You should also avoid taking a taxi or cab from the airport. Uber will be much cheaper and is available in the big cities. Do not buy souvenirs in the airport either as they will be far too expensive. There are various markets such as the Izmailovsky Market where you can find cheaper souvenirs. Aeroexpress is heavily marketed as a good way to get from the airport into the city, but it can be expensive. It is best to opt for a bus if you are on a budget.
Tourist Areas
The Arbat is a pedestrian street in Moscow which is very popular with tourists. Buying anything on this street is likely to be very expensive. Souvenirs cost quite a sum in this area and you would be better off looking elsewhere where there are fewer tourists. Any region that is catering for tourists will tend to overprice their items as they believe that tourists will be willing to pay the higher prices. In St. Petersburg, Nevsky Prospekt is the street where this happens as well. These areas are tourist traps. They are overcrowded and overpriced.
Restaurants found on Old Arbat and Nevsky Prospekt will also be expensive. You are better off finding places that are not as popular and do not cater specifically for tourists. Nevsky Prospekt has a lot of history and art on it but the paintings will be overpriced so you should keep this in mind when on this trip. This is not to say you should not visit Arbat in Moscow or Nevsky Prospekt in St Petersburg, but you would be wise not to spend money in the shops on these streets.
City Traps
The mausoleum in Moscow is a place to avoid going to in the summer as you will spend more time in the queue than anything else, which makes it a big waste of time. While you are in the cities you should be careful as there are pickpockets and also fake guides who may con you out of money. If you take our advice you can avoid falling into these tourist traps while traveling in Russia.
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