6 USEFUL apps for those traveling to Russia
Russia has its own apps for the majority of everyday matters, which, in most cases, work better than their international counterparts. We highlight six apps that will help you to not get lost on the streets, quickly order a taxi and remain in touch, among other handy things!
1. Yandex Maps
Yandex is one of the largest technological companies in Russia. Not only is it a powerful search engine, it also has its own digital assistant (‘Alice’), makes a range of smart speakers and gadgets, offers music and TV show subscription services and creates many useful apps for everyday life.
Perhaps, chief among them is ‘Yandex.Maps’. It has detailed maps of all Russian cities, in which you can create a route taking into account traffic, a route with public transport or on foot; you can also view ratings and reviews for cafes, restaurants and other places.
Compared to ‘Google Maps’ and similar apps, ‘Yandex.Maps’ gets ahead in the relevance and completeness of the information. For example, you can not just view the public transport schedule, but, in large cities, you can also see how buses move on the map in real time. You can also download maps of whole cities to use offline.
Apart from that, Yandex integrated the functions from its other services into its ‘Yandex.Maps’ app, so right from this app you can order a taxi, a scooter, food or groceries delivery or even place an order at an online store. All these services you can also install as separate apps.
Keep in mind that foreign bank cards currently don’t work in Russia and you won’t be able to pay with them for any purchase. So, it makes sense to get a Russian ‘MIR’ bank card upon arrival, put some rubles you exchanged on it and link it to payment services. When ordering a taxi, you can also choose the cash payment option.
Apart from Russian, the app is also available in English, Spanish, Turkish, Arabic, Azerbaijani, Kazakh, Serbian, Ukrainian and Uzbek languages.
2. ‘Yandex Metro’
Metro maps of all Russian cities that have a subway system can bee accessed in this app.
This app will help you to not only find a route between stations and calculate time, but it will even tell you the time intervals between trains and the most convenient coach to board (at the head, middle or end of the train) for a quick transfer or exit.
The app is available in Russian and English.
3. ‘RZD’ (Russian Railways) or ‘Yandex.Trains’
RZD: Google Play/AppGallery
Yandex.Trains: iOS/Google Play/AppGallery
Russian cities are linked through a multitude of railroads with long- and short-distance trains. In both apps, you can check their schedules and purchase tickets, filling in your passport details.
In the ‘Yandex.Trains’ app, you can also mark your favorite regular trains to get back to them more conveniently.
Remember, here you will also be unable to pay for your ticket with a foreign bank card, so use the advice from point 1 above. Or purchase your ticket with cash at the train station.
Both apps are available in English and Russian, while the ‘RZD’ app is also available in Chinese.
4. ‘Google.Translate’ or ‘Yandex.Translate’
Google.Translate: iOS/Google Play
Yandex.Translate: iOS/Google Play/AppGallery
Both apps can translate speech, copied text or even text in a photo.
Instant translation through your smartphone camera is also available. Just point it at a text in a foreign language and you’ll see the translation over the original text. This is a necessary app if a cafe or a restaurant has no English-language menu. It also works with screenshots – for example, of Russian-language websites and apps that don’t have the required language available.
5. ‘Ostrovok.ru’
This is the largest aggregator of Russian hotels, hostels and apartments for rent, in essence, a Russian ‘Booking.com’, with very similar search and results filter tools.
This service only allows you to pay with a Russian bank card; however, many properties offer a cash payment option upon arrival. You can book a stay in advance from abroad, even without a card.
6. VPN-services
To gain access to Facebook*, Instagram*, X (ex-Twitter) and LinkedIn in Russia, install a VPN-service in advance. All these social networks are blocked in the country. That being said, using a VPN is not prohibited by Russian law. Not all VPNs work well in Russia, so it’s best to download several apps on your phone before your trip and make a choice in favor of a paid one, which is usually more reliable.
*Instagram and Facebook are products of Meta, a company that is recognized as extremist on the territory of the Russian Federation.
