Eastern Europe · Capital Moscow
Each opens that government's own advisory for Russia — the authoritative version, updated far faster than this page.
Score raised to 70 by the advisory rule: governments currently advise against travel here. Why
Almost every Western government advises against all travel to Russia, and the reasons have little to do with street crime. The war, the risk of arbitrary detention, and the near-total collapse of consular support are what make this a different category of destination.
Practical isolation compounds it: Western bank cards do not work, most airlines do not fly, and airspace closures and drone attacks affect cities far from the front.
Each region is coloured by the advice that applies to most of it, drawn by hand from the wording of all five government advisories.
This map reads stronger than the world map's colour, and both are right. The world map shades Russia by its Atlas Risk Score — 70, High — which blends government advice with crime, health, roads and natural hazards. This map shows the advice alone, and the strongest level anywhere in Russia is “do not travel”.
Overseas territories, shown separately so the main map stays readable
Mapped by hand from the official wording in July 2026; always check the current advisory before you book.
Each pillar is scored 0–100 against every other country. Longer bar = more risk.
Biggest factor here: conflict & terrorism. Armed conflict, political violence and terrorism exposure.
The things worth knowing before you land.
Average daytime high and nightly low for Moscow, over 2010-2019. Bars are rainfall; the colour band is how hot the days get.
Mildest and driest around May to August.
Patterns reported repeatedly by travellers and local police. None of this is about individual businesses — it's about set-ups you can learn to spot in seconds.
Drivers approach arrivals offering rides at many times the app fare. With foreign cards unusable, disputes end in cash demands.
How to avoid it: Use Yandex Go, booked in advance where possible. Agree the fare before departure if you cannot.
Visitors must be registered at their accommodation. Police may stop foreigners to check documents, and irregularities — real or asserted — become the basis for a fine paid on the spot.
How to avoid it: Carry your passport, visa and migration card at all times and make sure your hotel completes registration. Ask for official documentation of any fine.
Specific places that come up again and again — either in government advisories or in traveller reports. Everywhere else in Russia is not automatically fine, but these are the areas worth a plan.
Belgorod, Bryansk, Kursk and Rostov have seen shelling, drone strikes and incursions. Governments advise against all travel.
Chechnya, Dagestan, Ingushetia and North Ossetia carry standing advice against all travel, with terrorism and kidnapping risk.
Drone attacks have repeatedly closed major airports at short notice, stranding passengers with few onward routes out.
Russia treats dual nationals as Russian only. No consular protection, and potential liability for military service.
Visa and Mastercard have not functioned in Russia since 2022. Cards issued outside Russia are refused everywhere, ATMs will not dispense against them, and Apple Pay and Google Pay do not work. Foreign transfers are largely blocked by sanctions.
This means carrying the entire cost of a trip in physical cash, with no way to replace it if it is lost or stolen — a serious problem in itself.
Foreign nationals, including journalists, academics and ordinary tourists, have been detained on espionage and drug charges with little evidence and held for long periods. Embassies are operating at reduced capacity and consular access is frequently delayed or refused.
Dual nationals are a particular case: Russia does not recognise the second nationality, which removes consular protection entirely, and men with Russian citizenship may be subject to mobilisation.
Vaccinations, malaria and outbreaks. This atlas does not give medical advice — it is personal, it changes, and it is the one thing worth getting from a doctor. Both national services publish current advice for Russia:
Check the official advisory before you book. This page reflects data as of August 2026. Advisories change without warning, and only your own government's advice affects your travel insurance.