travelbug84

Heading to Moscow and St Petersburg in late May and plan to get our visas in the next week or so. We will spend one night in Moscow, take the Transiberian train overnight to St Petersburg and then spend another night there. Ideally, we'd like to book everything (flts, hotels, trains) on our own rather than through a travel company.

Even after researching the visa process and reading many of the posts on here, this whole visa process still gets confusing! A few questions specific to our itinerary:

1. Since we're not booking through a travel agency, can the hotels we're staying at provide the "invitation/letter" or "reference number" required for a tourist visa? Seems like everything I've read mentions getting that through a travel company while booking. I assume that's something we can ask for after booking a hotel online?

2. The visa application requires specifics about the itinerary/hotels. Do you think we need to book our train tickets before applying, in order to show proof of where we'll be staying that night (i.e. copy of the train ticket in place of a hotel name or reservation)?

Thanks for your help!

Palenque

Putney Student Travel
www.goputney.com

this is one agency that specializes i believe in Russian trains

for other questions simply call the Russian Embassy or Tourist Office in NYC

nytraveler

Well, actually the Trans Siberian Express goes rom Moscow to Siberia. It doen;t go anywhere near St Pet. There is a tour company that says they offer some program like that - but it's not really the trans -siberian express - since it goes nowhere near Siberia.

Yes, your hotels can send you the invitations to et a vis - but you need to get moving. this is a process that takes weeks - not days - and if you don;t act now it will be too late for May.

I suggest you contact the nearest Russian Embassy or Consulate and get info now re the details.

Palenque

VAO Intourist | Russian Travel agency established in 1929
VAO Intourist is a leading tour operator in Russia. We offer best tours to Russia, its capital Moscow, Saint-Petersburg, you may also take a ride on the ...
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they should be able to answer your questions

Odin

In answer to the first question, the hotels can send the invitation, sometimes they charge, other times not. They will need information about your passports eg no/exp date, full names etc and this will be put onto the invitation which comes in 2 parts and per person.

I can't answer the second question; it probably doesn't matter if you do not have accommodation booked for one of the nights but best to check with the Russian consulate or visa company.

mrwunrfl

I am in St Petersburg now. I booked the Hilton in Moscow and then called them about visa support. (you should be able to e-mail your hotel)

They e-mailed a form to me which I printed, signed, scanned and e-mailed back to them. The form asked for the dates of the trip and the reservation number. It also wanted a credit card number - the visa support is free unless I were to cancel the res in which case they would charge about $100. My reservation was for the first three nights of my 8 night trip. I confirmed on the phone that the visa support would cover the entire trip, including my time (four nights) in St Pete and a final night back in Moscow again at the Hilton.

I booked an Aeroflot ticket from Moscow to St Pete.

Received three pages of visa support info by e-mail from the hotel. Got the visa application form from travisa.com and fedexed everything (the three support pages, copy of my international air itinerary, copy of my insurance card, passport) to travisa. I paid travisa a $50 handling fee, a $150 consular fee, and the $30 return fedex return charge. Got the pp back with the new visa stamp in a week.

On the application for the itinerary info I put "Moscow, St Petersburg". That is it. I didnt give info about St Pete or my intra-Russia travel.

I planned to take a train back to Moscow on Friday but the morning express that I thought was running is not. So I have changed plans to train back on Thursday night (had my fourth night in St Pete on a separate reservation so it was easy to cancel). Called from the hotel front desk here (Nevsky Grand) for 35 rubles to get a res at the Hilton for Thursday night.

I printed a copy of my passport and visa and carry it with me. The hotel here said to leave the pp at the hotel and just take their business card to show if I am stopped. The police could then call to confirm that my passport has been registered (this hotel charged $4 for that). I am a white guy and pass for Russian so have never been asked for ID (except when using a credit card at a restaurant tonight - my California drivers license sufficed).

I still have to book the train ticket. The hotel will arrange for the ticket and it will be delivered here to the hotel for a $300 fee.
Hope this helps.