Hotels in Moscow: location, booking and current travel planning

• Direct flights between Russia and the EU have been suspended; connections via international hubs may also be reduced or suspended.
• Mobile internet and communication services may be unavailable or restricted in Moscow.
• German bank cards and payment apps do not work in Russia; money transfers are also unavailable.

Direct flights between Russia and the EU have been suspended. Hotel bookings should therefore not depend on a tight connection or a fixed arrival time.

Internet outages and throttling occur repeatedly in Moscow, especially on mobile networks. Foreign SIM cards may have mobile internet and SMS blocked for 24 hours after entering the country; roaming may also remain disrupted for longer. As a result, taxi apps and online maps may not work. Keep the address, reservation details and a reachable phone number available offline. For your arrival, the relevant airport transfer is a separate leg of the journey; Moscow airports and transfers and local transport provide routes from your arrival point into the city.

The same planning principles apply when travelling by train: a railway station is not automatically close to your accommodation, and disruptions to train services can affect your onward journey. Match the specific address to your arrival station and the transfer that follows. Plan your destinations and routes in Moscow as part of your stay in the city of Moscow; information on train travel and railway stations belongs to the same stage of your journey.

According to the German Federal Foreign Office, German VISA and Mastercard cards, German payment apps, cash withdrawals using German cards, and transfers to Russia are currently unavailable. You therefore cannot assume that you will be able to pay for accommodation using your usual German card. At the same time, EU rules restrict bringing euro cash into the country: only a narrowly defined exception for the personal use of travellers and their accompanying immediate family members is permitted; the allowable amount is assessed on a case-by-case basis. Money and payments and entry requirements and documents should therefore be part of your personal travel preparations.

For future travel planning, choose your accommodation based on your arrival point, the onward transport that is actually available, and your daily plans. Staying near your arrival route can help you avoid long transfers with luggage; staying near a planned destination in the city, on the other hand, will affect your return journey in the evening. Choose accommodation based on your destination and location to suit your arrival and daily plans. Your itinerary should include a few destinations that are close together each day and allow enough time for detours or disruptions.

The specific hotel location will also depend on the visits you have planned: cultural sites, parks and natural attractions are not necessarily in the same district. Arrange cultural and historical attractions and parks and landscapes into realistic routes rather than combining several far-flung destinations in one day. Good travel preparation includes the confirmed hotel address, your planned transfer and contact details saved for offline use. Digital documents, a schedule and contact and backup plans are practical elements of this preparation.

Can German bank cards be used to pay for a hotel in Russia?

No. According to the German Federal Foreign Office, German VISA and Mastercard cards, payment apps, cash withdrawals using German cards, and transfers to Russia are currently unavailable. Euro cash is subject to the narrowly defined EU exception for personal travel use.