Car Hire in Russia with the lowest prices

Car hire in Russia gives you the freedom to discover the history and beauty of this amazing country! We have over 30 different towns and cities for you to book your car rental in Russia. They include Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kazan, Kaliningrad and Sochi. Auto Europe will help you find the right car rental to fit your requirements and give you the ability to tour this wonderful country! Russia is the largest country in the world and borders with fifteen other countries making it the largest neighbour.

A car hire in Russia will allow you to explore this vast country. With all this land around you, collect your hire car in the capital Moscow from the airport or the city, explore the city and local surroundings, then drive through the countryside to St. Petersburg. Driving from one city to another in Russia can take a long time, however, you will get a unique opportunity to see the real Russia. The roads in the larger cities are all well developed with only a few toll roads. In larger cities be prepared to queue, especially in rush hour. Once out of the city, the majority of roads are one lane. Road signs are in Russian but if you rent a GPS, you will get directions in English.

Road Rules and Petrol Stations

• Cars in Russia must drive on the right side of the road.
• The minimum for driving a car is 18
• Seat belts must be worn both in front and back seats
• Using a mobile phone whilst driving is a major crime (use a handsfree device)
• Crossing a double solid white line is forbidden
• It is illegal to turn right on a red light especially when there is no green arrow light
• Children under 12 years of age are not allowed to sit in the front
• You must use dipped headlights during the daytime
• Petrol stations in Russia are generally open from 6am to 10pm with some stations in major cities and on the highway open 24 hours. Almost no petrol stations have water or air.

Age Requirements

You can drive a car in Russia at age 18 but most car rental companies will insist that you be at least 21 to hire a car, although this varies from supplier to supplier. An extra charge may apply for under 25's. Please check this with your supplier before your trip.

Currency

Russia uses the Russian Ruble as its currency. Credit cards are accepted but bear in mind that many street sellers, shops and smaller markets do not accept credit cards. Paying in cash for items is still widely accepted and some places prefer cash to credit card. Credit cards are accepted in larger places such as hotels, restaurants and shops. Advise your bank of your travel dates to Russia to ensure they do not block it. You can withdraw cash from the ATM's especially in the larger cities of Moscow and St. Petersburg wh ile smaller cities and towns may only have one or two ATM's. Please always have some cash with you in case you get stuck!

Tolls

Toll roads are still very new in Russia. There is one on the Lipetsk Highway M-4 from Moscow to Novorossiysk where cars must pay RUB.10 in cash. Another toll exists on the Western High-Speed Diameter at the 3 mile barrier in St Petersburg with cars paying RUB.30 during the day (07:00 to 23:00) and RUB.10 at night. Some local town offices have tolls on the border roads such as Ostrov with the Estonian and Latvian borders in Pskov County. Tolls go from RUB.150-RUB.300 per car.

Time difference

Moscow, Russia is two hours ahead of the UK. Bear in mind that Russia has nine different time zones so it pays off to double check where you are going to get the exact time.

Dictionary

Russian is the official language of Russia, although you will find there are approximately around 30 dialects spoken in Russia, majority of which are in the regions of the country. English is understood in Moscow and St. Petersburg, it is not widely spoken in smaller cities and towns. Some key phrases in Russian to help you on your way:

Hello - Privyet
Good morning - Dobrye Utro
Thank you - Spasibo
Goodbye - Dosvidaniya
How much does this cost - Skolko eto stoit
Where is the police station - Gde politseyskiy uchastok
Where is the hospital - Gde bolnitsa
Motorway - Avtomagistral
No parking - Parkovka zapreschena
Road works - Dorozhnyye raboty

Electricity

Voltage in the Russia is 220 and 240 V at 50 Hz frequency. UK appliances will require an adaptor for use in Russia. Most sockets take the C or Europlug.

Visa and Embassy Information

A visa is required by everyone who visits Russia. Please ensure you apply for the correct type of visa and give yourself plenty of time for the visa application. The Russian Diplomatic offices in London and Edinburgh now take biometric information for the visa application. Make sure your passport is valid for at least six months after the visa expires. Please check your visa along with the terms and conditions of its issuance once you receive it.

The British Embassy in Moscow can be located at:

British Embassy Moscow
Smolenskaya Naberezhnaya 10
121099 Moscow
Russia
Email: ukinrussia@fco.gov.uk

Useful links

Tourist Information

Russia Driving Information