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Journey planning—maps

If you are planning a driving holiday on Queensland roads—or to drive a long distance in Queensland to your holiday destination—you should plan your journey, including your route and stops, in advance.

Queensland is a large state with many different landscapes, including rainforests, beaches and outback. Each landscape offers different driving conditions which can sometimes make driving stressful, tiring or dangerous. Having a plan and being prepared is very important for your safety and the safety of other road users. Learn more about road safety for long drives .

There are maps and QLD Traffic available to help you plan and your journey.

Road region maps

If you will mainly be travelling in 1 road region, you might find the map of that region helpful.  Queensland’s road region maps show:

• road networks
• administrative boundaries
• Department of Transport and Main Roads rest areas.

Driver reviver sites and rest areas

If you are driving a long distance on Queensland roads, we encourage you to take a break every 2 hours for at least 15 minutes. You can stop at a driver reviver site or any rest area located throughout the state.

Driver reviver sites operate during school holidays and public holiday periods. Rest areas are always available for you to stop and recover at any time. You should plan ahead which rest areas and driver sites you will stop at on your journey.

Driver reviver sites

Driver reviver sites are set up at rest areas, and supply free tea, coffee and snacks for all travellers. You may see other  service signs like the blue and white design of a coffee cup to let you know a driver reviver site is ahead.

Driver reviver locations

Driver reviver sites operate on different dates and at different hours. The dates and times they operate may change due to weather, events or unforeseen circumstances.

You can download our  points of interest files to add driver reviver sites to your GPS device.

Visit the national  Driver Reviver site for national locations and more information.

RACQ Travel

Turn travel dreams into a reality with RACQ Travel

RACQ Travel has helped Queenslanders plan and book picture perfect holidays for decades. Whether you’re planning a weekend getaway or an international adventure, turn your daydreams into bookings with our team of travel specialists. We’re here to make your travel plans come to life!

Contact us online or call 1300 888 449 .

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Enjoy RACQ member discounts~~

Want to save even more? Log in to RACQ Member Benefits to browse all discounts and offers. 

Become a member with RACQ Lifestyle

For only $26 a year you get all RACQ Member Benefits and discounts.

Need help or would like to know more? RACQ offers many convenient ways for you to get in touch with us.

Things to note

~~Terms and conditions apply to all offers. View the individual offer for full details. Offer is subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time without notice.

Banking and loan products issued by Members Banking Group Limited ABN 83 087 651 054 AFSL/Australian credit licence 241195 trading as RACQ Bank. Terms, conditions, fees, charges and lending policies apply. This is general advice only and may not be right for you. This information does not take your personal objectives, circumstances or needs into account. Read the disclosure documents  for your selected product or service, including the Financial Services Guide and the Terms and Conditions, and consider if appropriate for you before deciding.

Except for RACQ Bank, any RACQ entity referred to on this page is not an authorised deposit-taking institution for the purposes of the Banking Act 1959 (Cth). That entity’s obligations do not represent deposits or other liabilities of RACQ Bank. RACQ Bank does not guarantee or otherwise provide assurance in respect of the obligations of that entity, unless noted otherwise.

Insurance products (excluding Travel Insurance) are issued by RACQ Insurance Limited ABN 50 009 704 152 (RACQ). Conditions, limits and exclusions apply. This is general advice only and may not be right for you. This information does not take your personal objectives, circumstances or needs into account. Read the PDS and any applicable Supplementary PDS before making a purchase decision on this product. You can also access our Target Market Determinations on this website.

RACQ Travel Insurance is issued by Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co., Ltd (Tokio Marine & Nichido) ABN 80 000 438 291, AFSL 246548 and distributed by ++ RACQ Operations Pty Ltd (ABN 80 009 663 414 AR 000234978) and Members Travel Group Pty Ltd (ABN 45 144 538 803 AR 000432492) as an Authorised Representative of Tokio Marine & Nichido. Limits (including sub-limits), conditions and exclusions apply. Please read the  Combined Financial Services guide and Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and any applicable Supplementary PDS  before making a decision about this product and read the  Target Market Determinations (TMDs)  before determining whether this product is suitable for your circumstances. Any advice set out above is general in nature only, and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs.

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Plan your trip

Talk to a local.

Get advice during your stay at the yellow and blue  Visitor Information Centres  dotted throughout Queensland. Here you’ll find local area information and hints on what to see and do, booking services for accommodation, activities and transport, and complimentary maps and brochures.

Road conditions

Before heading onto the open road it is a good idea to check the latest road conditions at RACQ Traffic and Road Condition Website.

Pack for warm weather – expect warm summers and mild winters in Queensland, with majority sunny days. The state is subtropical in the south, and tropical up north – it’s the latter that experiences a defined wet season through summer, that’s humid and hot, with a slightly cooler dry season through winter. When it comes to what to wear, casual, lightweight clothes are reliable. Temperatures can drop in the southern part of the state, where a jacket or sweatshirt may also be required. But no matter where you are in Queensland, a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen are always recommended alongside a long-sleeve shirt to protect you from the state’s strong UV ra

Roadtrippers - Trip Planner 4+

Planner, map, & travel guides, roadtrippers.

• #155 in Travel
• 4.6 • 58.7K Ratings
• Offers In-App Purchases

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Description.

Are you ready to turn your road trip into an epic adventure? Roadtrippers is the #1 road trip planning app in the U.S. and Canada, with more than 38 million trips planned to date covering more than 42 billion miles. Whether you’re looking for an RV trip planner or just mapping out your next road trip, build your route in Roadtrippers and then use our turn-by-turn navigation to lead the way. Explore millions of places, like local diners and quirky roadside attractions, or scenic points, national parks, and hotels. Get inspiration from our pre-made trip guides of some of the most interesting and once-in-a-lifetime routes you need to see at least once. No matter where you are, you’re always minutes away from something amazing! Use Roadtrippers’ free features to map out routes with three stops or less. And when you’re ready to take on bigger adventures, simply upgrade your membership to add up to 150 stops per trip and unlock other premium features like RV-friendly GPS navigation, members-only discounts, offline maps, trip collaboration access, customized map styles, and more! Plus, any trips you’ve saved or places you love will sync automatically across devices, and you can use CarPlay to easily navigate your route once you hit the road. Note: Our content and coverage is currently focused in the USA and Canada only. Continued use of GPS running in the background can decrease battery life. Terms of use: https://roadtrippers.com/tos Privacy policy: https://roadtrippers.com/privacy-policy

Version 5.8.1

We’re making it easier to find the perfect campground for your next trip! • Read campground reviews from other campers packed with lots of extra information just for RVers. • Find more than 150,000 new campground reviews on our map. • Overlay public land, cell coverage, and wildfire smoke on our map. • You have lots of new ways to filter your campgrounds on our map including cell service and elevation. Happy camping!

Ratings and Reviews

58.7K Ratings

Never have I ever...

Never have I ever felt it necessary to review an app, be it good or bad. However, this app is so incredible that I felt obligated to tell everyone. I've told all my friends to download it and I'm telling all you strangers to download it. It's SOOOO helpful. I did a road trip from CT to TN to TX to Nola to NC back to CT.. and I used it everyday for the entire trip. It offers so many things to do... everything from museums to abandoned houses that make for fun photo ops. If you're someone trying to take funny pictures of random side of the road things this is your app. The only thing I wish is that there was a way to like mark things off the list that you've completed. BUT.... it really added to the fun of the trip and the ease of the trip. Everything I needed was in this one app. It is trustworthy and never steered me wrong. Pun intended.... you can trust the "navigation" button and whatever address is provided. Just be sure to read the reviews of each location before going there. Just because it's on the app doesn't mean it's everything you're thinking it'll be, so read the reviews. If you're going on a road trip.. USE THIS APP. It will really add to your trip. Thank you for existing.

Good app, not great

This is a really good app. Definitely recommend it. Mostly an easy way to put a trip together, plan stops, construct a map. I would give it 5 stars except for a few very frustrating things that drag this app down. And could easily be fixed. I do understand that maybe it’s user error, but … When you are on a trip, you open the trip and it goes to your current location in Map View. However, when you open the List View for that trip, why doesn’t it go to your current location instead of starting from day one and you have to scroll all the way down until you find what you’re looking for. The way dates are managed is a complete nightmare. Changing the dates of an entire trip is such a hassle. And you cannot plan a trip without dates as once you add your first date, the app puts every single waypoint on a separate date!! Who thought that was a good idea?! You can add things that are not on the map already, but you can only add an address, you cannot label the address as to what it is. There are a lot of things that are not included on the map that I would like to add to my trips. And label with a name. This app is not a standalone app. You need other sources to complete the picture. Especially because there is a blue line indicating your route that completely covers up the highway numbers. Highway numbers are essential to trip planning. Also, can you update the gas pricing? It’s no where near accurate. And organize the trips into past and upcoming/future?

The most troublesome travel app.

As we travel using this app we must re-enter cookie preferences each time the app opened. We must re-enter our vehicle information (all of it) each time we opened the app. I tried contacting the company but it allowed no contact info other than e-mail and their response time may be days later which by then we were many hundreds of miles further into the trip and when there was a response it was a friendly response but there was no help at all. No one could ever tell me why I must re-enter all the information as though it’s the first time using the app. There was no help. Just friendly responses. They had no phone number to call for technical assistance. No help at all. Just lip service by email. It became very frustrating. I couldn’t trust that the map was taking us on roads that allowed clearance for our vehicle. I quit using the app during our first trip. I tried again on our next trip. Same problems. Same Customer Service system. I informed them that their app was a real waste of money. They could care less. As my membership grew close to the end I sent an email asking for confirmation to my request NOT TO RENEW. I never got a response. I tried contacting them today and haven’t gotten a response. Note: I initially joined the Roadpass Pro membership based on an ad by Jason Esperson. I used to watch his videos. Now I have nothing to do with TOGO RV.

Developer Response ,

Hi again Sam - we're sorry to hear again that you're disappointed that you must select vehicle preferences when navigating a trip on Roadtrippers. We offer the option to select your vehicle on each trip as we realize that you may use different vehicles for different trips. We have conversed with you multiple times through our support email system ([email protected] and [email protected]) and I can see that we have followed up with you on each request. I do see we recently responded to an email you sent to us this week but we have not heard back from you. Please do check the spam inboxes for both of the email accounts you have used to email us - our helpful responses may be there!

Subscriptions

App privacy.

The developer, Roadtrippers , indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .

Data Linked to You

The following data may be collected and linked to your identity:

• Contact Info
• User Content
• Identifiers
• Diagnostics

Data Not Linked to You

The following data may be collected but it is not linked to your identity:

Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More

Information

• Roadtrippers Basic - Annual $35.99
• Roadtrippers Premium - Annual $59.99
• Roadtrippers Pro - Annual $49.99
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Australia So Much to See

Trip planning and safety.

Whether you are a planning a structured or unstructured trip, work out things you really don’t want to miss and mark these with a pencil circle on a map.    You can then look at what is in between these high priorities and select places you would really like to see even with a bit of a deviation.   You can investigate the places you will pass through or close by for any other features that take your interest so you can visit them when in that area.   Even on a structured trip, allow flexibility to respond to additional features you learn about when in the vicinity, and to spend less time at a place that does not meet your expectations.  

For a basic trip planner to compare routes, you can use Google Maps .   These planners do not effectively allow you to choose between bitumen and dirt roads.  They do not have all the outback tracks as they are more for general travel planning.  Ultimately choose the route you want, regardless of whether the planner chooses it as the shortest or quickest.   For finding obscure places, Bonzle mapping has names of hills, mines and othe localities not found with Google or other mapping and as an example this  Bonzle  link will open on a search for a remote gold mine.  

For a trip planner with dirt road options (although not all routes are included) use the RACQ Trip Planner . 

See more about trip planning under Time Frames .

See more with less driving and less cost.  

It is far better to see more with less travelling distance with ‘smaller bites’.   If you have for example three months, it is far better to spend the three months enjoying one state or even region within a state than to race around the lap just to say you have done it, spend heaps on fuel, be stressed at every little delay, and come home exhausted, remembering only a portion of what you saw.    Even if you think you'll never get to see the rest, at least see what you do thoroughly, relax and enjoy it.   Every bit of travel can be treasured that way.  

If travelling with another couple, you will need to make allowances for things one wants to see and not the other.   This can be a cause of friction between friends, even when not on a tight schedule.   The teenagers will also want to do different things than the adults; allow for that too.  

Factor in time for washing and shopping, servicing repairs and waiting for parts should a breakdown occur.   These all take time.   Sometimes it is nice to stay an extra day in a place you really like just to relax and catch up on mail, photo back ups, diaries.   Also take the time to thoroughly research the next stage so you don’t go past something worth seeing because you didn’t know it was there.   If you have a tight schedule, any delays will cause you stress; not the way to have a relaxing and enjoyable holiday.  

If you have a limited time, pick a region, eg Kimberley , Central Australia, north Queensland or any other which holds the most attraction for your travel group, and have a wonderful time.  

What ever your time frame, be it four weeks or four months, tour in your preferred direction and take your time.   Be responsive to variations and learn about hidden gems to see from others along the way.   When you are around half way through your time frame, find an alternative way to tour your way home if you can.   There will inevitably be some doubling up.   If we cannot reasonably avoid travelling on the same road there and back, we stop at a few sights on the way there, and leave a few for the way back so it is not all long days of driving.  

Hereunder are a few examples of time frames from our travels, in which we often only stay one night in a location.   There is so much of Australia to see so we do tend to move fairly quickly, seeing a sample of the area.   All the same, our daily average travel overall on each of the following trips was under 200 kilometres per day.      Towing a caravan is fairly intense driving and 300 – 400 kilometres in a day is enough and you may spend some days at a key destination, as well as needing extra days for repairs and maintenance, and time taken doing shopping and laundry.  

Our 2006 trip spanned three months, allowing for seven weeks booked in Tasmania to give us a fairly quick look around the different types of areas within the island state.   The whole trip covered 16,250 kilometres.   We allowed two weeks getting from the south west of Western Australia to Melbourne to go via Mt Gambier and the Great Ocean Road .   We had crossed the Nullarbor and Eyre Highway and done some touring in South Australia in each of the preceding two years so this was crossed quickly and directly.   Where others talk about all the places to see and that many days that can be spent along the Great Ocean Road region, we spent only two days - typical of our rate of travel as we had a boat to catch for our destination of Tasmania.   The return journey from Melbourne to Western Australia took four weeks, to allow us to go a little further north and see a few new places in Victoria and South Australia before getting back to the Eyre Highway and heading home more rapidly on familiar roads.   You don’t travel far in a day when in Tasmania .   The daily average travelled was 175 kilometres.

In 2008 we spent almost four months away; main thrust of holiday was the Kimberley , with the hope of going to Uluru if there was time.   We did just that.   Most time spent in the Kimberley, then directly to Alice Springs via the Tanami to see some of the MacDonnell Ranges, Kings Canyon, and Uluru-Kata Tjuta, before short cutting home via the Great Central Road.   We travelled 15,383 kilometres.   The daily average travelled was only 121 kilometres.   We did stay for longer than usual in some places, in part due to maintenance issues.  

In 2009 we were away five months, and the latter part of the journey was taken a lot faster.   We travelled 21,896 kilometres.   This took us from the south west of Western Australia to Port Hedland, Marble Bar (no touring as we had been there before) then directly across to Alice Springs via the Gary Junction Road.   From there we headed north to Darwin , stopping in at key national parks including Kakadu and Litchfield either on the way north or back south again.   We then went through the Barkly Tablelands to Queensland , deviating to visit splendid Lawn Hill.   After Mt Isa we toured the dinosaur and fossil region of Boulia, Winton and Hughenden.   We visited Carnarvon Gorge, and headed on south through inland east Queensland in a fairly direct route.   We then went south through New South Wales , before turning west through South Australia to get home by our deadline.   The daily average travelled was 148 kilometres.   In 2017 we spent only eleven weeks away, so with faster travelling to and from the eastern states and covering 13,550 kilometres, we averaged 178 kilometres per day. 

In 2019 we went mainly to see Lake Eyre travelling from Western Australia and taking only five weeks, so the trip was faster again.  Over 7,081 kilometres we averaged 191 kilometres per day.   You can travel a lot faster if you have to – but this is not really sightseeing and not at all relaxing.   Our fastest trip was when we purchased the caravan and we had a very tight time frame.   We left the south west of Western Australia taking direct routes and four days later reached our destination at Bundaberg.   It was fairly exhausting as we drove through one state each day.   We rose when it was still quite dark and left at first light so not to be travelling during the night to avoid the greatest danger of hitting animals.   Driving in shifts, we would stop as soon as it got dark.   Lunch was prepared and eaten in the car without stopping for a break.  We averaged over 900 kilometres per day, with more than half of this towing the caravan.  Travel can be done rapidly, but it is costly and not much fun unless for a very short period to meet a need.   Very few photos were taken due to the continual travelling and there was no time at night for writing up a diary of the day's sights.  

Calculate how far between key towns and how long it should take you to drive the route.   What is the best time of year to travel in Australia ?   What time frames do you need for your trip?   Should you sell or rent your home when travelling long term?

Toll Roads and e-tags

Toll roads are found in and around Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.   There is a move towards electronic payment sensors with the acceptance of cash being phased out. This means it is possible to use the toll road without physically paying for it on the spot (your car registration plate will be photographed as you go through the toll and it’s your responsibility to make sure you have paid for it before or within a couple days of using it ). 

For more about payment options and e-tags see Toll Roads in Australia

Melbourne see Citylink

Sydney see E-Toll

Brisbane see Govia

Most roads and highways are public roads, but in a few cases in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, toll roads require payment.  

When getting into the outback, there are a number of areas of Australia where a permit or pass is required, and these will be shown on good maps.   Most permits in these areas are free, but some require payment.

National Park entry passes come at a cost, and as these are administered by the states, fees vary greatly.   In Victoria and the Northern Territory , the majority of park entrances are free.   In other states key parks charge entrance fees, while many minor parks are still free.   Camping fees apply in most cases.  

Many permits can be obtained using on line application forms, particularly most transit permits for travel through Aboriginal lands.  

The Toyota Land Cruiser Club of Australia has more information on passes and permits for all types of land and parks particularly four wheel drive tracks.   See Toyota Land Cruiser Club of Australia - track permits

For details about National Park passes and how to obtain these click here

For details about permits to travel through Aboriginal lands and how to obtain these click here

For details about other passes and how to obtain these click here

The northern areas of Australia can have cyclonic wind and rains during summer roughly November to April, and the climate is hot and humid even before the rains commence.   Flash flooding can cut and damage roads.   Some roads may be cut by water for the wet season, and need maintenance on them before they are opened eg Gibb River Road in the Kimberley in Western Australia and the road to the Cape York Peninsula in Queensland .   This is not a popular time of the year to go touring and camping in the northern latitudes and it may well be impossible.   The inland areas can be extremely hot and not suitable for touring.   Touring these areas between May and October is much more pleasant.   Camp grounds and National Parks may also be closed off season. 

With the southern areas often experiencing cold and /or wet winters, travel plans can be made around spending the winter months touring the north of the country and the summer months in the south.   Even then some hot days can be expected in the southern summer.   If you want to escape the northern summer when doing a full lap around the country, the Stuart Highway cuts through the centre from Darwin on the north coast in the Northern Territory to Port Augusta in South Australia .   With plenty to see along this highway and other north-south routes in addition to the coastal highways, travellers can zig zag between north and south according to the seasons.  

Climate and weather information can be found on the Bureau of Meteorology website      

For those who are not confined to taking their holidays when their children are on holiday from school, it is better to plan to be away from popular family holiday destinations, particularly along the coast, during these times.   Caravan parks are often fully booked and crowded, and for some a lot of children racing around the park can be disruptive. Caravan and accommodation fees are often higher during peak periods in prime holiday locations.   Inland areas are usually not so crowded.   To plan around school holidays, refer to  School Term Dates .  To check public holidays in each state see Public Holidays .       

Back to Trip Planning Index  ^

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Rusmania • Deep into Russia

Day trip to Suzdal from Moscow: transport, sights, maps and tips

 DAY TRIP TO SUZDAL

  Suzdal is one of the most popular destinations on the Golden Ring and the whole city is often described as an open-air museum.  The city has no railway station and practically no heavy industry, meaning that is has preserved its provincial charm and a great deal of architectural monuments.

  From Moscow, Suzdal is not as easy to get to as Sergiev Posad (the closest Golden Ring city to the capital) but it is worth going the extra distance as Suzdal provides more of a contrast from Moscow.  If you make use of high-speed trains it is possible and not too demanding to visit for even just a day, but of course spending the night there is recommended to soak in the atmosphere or to combine it with a visit to neighbouring Vladimir.  As the city is a very popular tourist destination you will have no problem finding a cafe or guesthouse there.  There is practically no public transport in the city, but the city is small and most sights are located relatively close to each other.

Getting There and Back

Via Vladimir

Direct to Suzdal

  Buses directly to Suzdal leave from Moscow’s Schyolkovsky Bus Station.  There are about 9 buses a day and it takes around 4½ hours depending on traffic.  The buses stop at Vladimir too.  Using this option will mean a rather exhausting day trip.

Orientation and Main Sights

  Suzdal is a relatively small city and it is not difficult to walk around the city to see most of the sights.  

  The main road in the city is Ulitsa Lenina which runs north across the whole city.  

  The main sights of Suzdal are located either on or just off this road, including the two main sights: the Suzdal Kremlin in the south and the Spaso-Yevfimiev Monastery in the north.

  More information about Suzdal can be found on our Suzdal  pages.

  Suzdal is famous for its medovukha (mead) which is an alcoholic drink made out of honey.  It can be drunk either hot or cold, meaning it perfect in both summer and winter, and you will find it on practically every menu in the city.  There are various flavours of the drink available and even a non-alcoholic version.  In addition to medovukha, you can find all traditional Russian souvenirs in the city and there is a big souvenir market on Torgovaya Ploschad.

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A trip to Moscow

I'm going to organize a trip this summer. I want to plan everything. I’ll fly from London to Moscow, and I also want to visit St. Petersburg. Could you, please, advise me what places I should visit? I’ll stay in Moscow for about 10 days before going to St. Petersburg. Thank you!

Not a country I’d be spending my money in at the moment.

Ditto. Ditto!

I don't really see the point of shunning a country because you don't agree with its leader and/or its government. Would you go to Italy? China? Tourist dollars are more likely to get into the hands of the people rather than any corrupt bureaucracy and meeting friendly tourists might just change the locals opinions of foreigners and even give them some information they don't get from local news media.

Hopefully , I won't be starting a war here , but I must say I agree with Chani's comments . Having taken three year visas in 2015 , we have been to Moscow and St; Petersburg ( once to Moscow , and twice to St Petersburg ) . The History , Art , Music ( I am a classically trained musician ) and Culture , fascinate us . Much to experience there and advance preparation is essential , To get a good grounding for your visit , read this lavish and detailed book by Suzanne Massie , it's one of the best ways to immerse yourself in what you will experience - https://www.amazon.com/Land-Firebird-Beauty-Old-Russia/dp/096441841X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1521652009&sr=8-1&keywords=land+of+the+firebird+massie&dpID=51CPK13XKGL&preST=_SX218_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_&dpSrc=srch

And while leaders of such countries can point to foreign visitor numbers as a sign of support ? I also believe that personal safety for certain travellers, especially obvious minorities, cannot be guaranteed, as fervent nationalism increases, and tolerance levels evaporate. Just as I may decide against a purchase at the supermarket because of a company’s behaviour, ethics will always be a consideration.

Well, I'd argue supermarket ethics does not readily translate to travel ethics - the latter is far more complex. Personally, I see the whole "vote with my hard-earned travel dollar" approach as overly simplistic, but if it's your position - I totally respect it.

What I don't understand is members volunteering ethical guidance in response to what seems an innocuous request for travel-related information.

Note a discussion on ethics hosted a year ago by the Webmaster of this very forum.

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/general-europe/travel-ethics-612334a0-0ca1-4128-b088-c13d1d8a91c3

I appreciate Rick Steves' point of view in his "Travel As A Political Act". That said, Putin's Russia is not a place I would support. But, to each his or her own....

From a practical point of view, travel between the two countries can be difficult. I understand the Russians who traveled in the US this past winter had to go to the US Embassy in the country of Georgia to get visas because the Russians expelled American embassy personnel. If you do travel to Russia, you may be on your own. See the American travel advisory: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/russia-travel-advisory.html

Travel Advisory January 10, 2018 Russia – Level 3: Reconsider travel Reconsider travel to Russia due to terrorism and harassment. Some areas have increased risk. Read the entire Travel Advisory U.S. citizens are often victims of harassment, mistreatment, and extortion by law-enforcement and other officials. U.S. consular assistance to detained individuals is often unreasonably delayed by Russian officials. Russia also enforces special restrictions on dual U.S.-Russian nationals. Due to the Russian government-imposed reduction on U.S. diplomatic personnel in Russia, the U.S. government has reduced ability to provide services to U.S. citizens.

We have traveled to Moscow and St. Petersburg over the past few years. As in the US, most of the people we encountered helpful and not particularly political. In Moscow, we stayed at The Garden Ring Hotel which was a close walk to the metro. The hotel was very comfortable and quiet for being in the city. We loved the art museums and the Georgian restaurants. In St. Petersburg, we stayed at both The 3Mosta hotel near the Hermitage and the Art Hotel Demetra.. In St. Petersburg, we especially liked the Hermitage and Russian museum. Learning the Cyrillic alphabet and having a good map is a must.

As I think the point about ethical considerations has been made, please keep future replies more specific to the question at hand. Thanks.

Either read a good travel book or book a guide who can personally take you to the best places that interest you and tell about the sights you're seeing. We used Dan Petrov on 2 different trips to Moscow and found him to be wonderfully friendly and witty not to mention super knowledgeable.

Latest advice, Australian Governmemt, 1 April 2018. “Due to heightened political tensions, you should be aware of the possibility of anti-Western sentiment or harassment. While the Australian Government is not aware of any increased difficulties for Australians travelling in Russia at this time, you should follow the security and political situation closely and keep up to date with this travel advice. Remain vigilant, avoid any protests or demonstrations and avoid commenting publicly on political developments.”

We very much enjoyed our group trip to Moscow and St Petersburg last year. excellent guides and accommodations. While Steven who has replied here has excellent advice, ( and we took advantage of it), we felt an organized tour really facilitated our enjoyment of the country. You may want to consider a combination of an organized tour and than adding independent days . Some of the Australians on the tour had arrived a couple of days earlier than the tour stated and then some stayed later. If we were to go again (which I would), that"s how I would do it. And I must say , it was enlightening to have conversations with the Russian tour guides and the non Americans about the current world situation. Not that we went into any great depth, but I think we all went away with a little more understanding. Top places: allow lots of time in St Petersburg at the Hermitage- take a separate day for the Impressionist building. In Moscow, the Russian Art Museum was amazing.

Solid advice from Australian government quoted above, especially the keeping up to date part.

I checked the current version (Sep 18) of that advisory - and it hasn't been updated much. In fact, some sections don't seem to have changed since 2005 - their recommendations for importing/exporting currency and financial instruments, for example, are at least five years behind.

I do like reading governmental travel advisories for entertainment purposes - for instance, up until very recently the US one sternly advised potential travelers that Moscow was largely a cash-based economy (couldn't be further from the truth) and warned about intrinsic dangers of gypsy cabs (which had all but disappeared by 2015).

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