Is Russia Safe for Solo Female Travelers?

Russia, as a large and diverse country, has varied safety conditions depending on the area. Major cities like Moscow and Saint Petersburg generally have adequate safety measures, but caution is always advised as petty crimes like pickpocketing can occur, especially in crowded areas. It's important to maintain vigilance in less tourist-frequented areas where the risk can be higher due to lower police presence. Travelers are advised to avoid late-night solo excursions and to always ensure someone knows of their whereabouts. Language could be a barrier as English is not widely spoken outside of major cities, which might lead to complications or misunderstandings. As usual, it is recommended to respect local customs and laws to avoid any trouble.

Safety rating

4.1 /5

Based on 10 experiences from female travelers

3.5 /5

Based on our research and crime data

4.2 /5

Based on 148 experiences from local women

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How safe is Russia?

Safety at night:Moderate

While Russia is generally safe during daylight hours, caution should be taken at night. Big cities such as Moscow and Saint Petersburg have well-lit areas where you might feel comfortable walking alone. However, the safety can decrease in lesser-known areas or suburbs. It's recommended to use licensed taxis or trusted ride-sharing apps when traveling at night to avoid unnecessary risks. Also, try to stay in populated areas and always let someone know where you're planning to go.

Public transportation:Moderate

Public transportation in Russia is generally secure, with buses, trams, metros, and trains being easily accessible and efficient. Like most places, it can be crowded during peak hours, so stowing away valuables is recommended. Navigation may be a challenge as English is not frequently spoken so it's advised to know some basic Russian or have a translation app handy. Care should be taken in less frequented stations and late at night as with any location worldwide.

Street harassment:Moderate

As a solo female traveler in Russia, one might face some level of street harassment, but it appears to be moderate in comparison to some other places worldwide. The biggest city, Moscow, is relatively safer for women, but lesser-known or rural areas may present a different scenario. Learn some basic phrases in Russian to navigate better and avoid showing signs of being a tourist, to mitigate the attracting unwanted attention. Always maintain caution and utilize common sense around strangers and unfamiliar territories.

Petty crimes:Moderate

Russia has an average risk of petty crimes such as pickpocketing, especially in major cities like Moscow and Saint Petersburg. Be vigilant in crowded places, avoid displaying valuable items openly, and be careful of distraction techniques. Don't leave your belongings unattended in public places.

Is Russia worth visiting?

Overall rating

4.3 /5

based on 10 experiences from female travelers

Things to do

3.9/5

Safety

4.1/5

Food

3.9/5

Budget-friendly

3.5/5

Kaliningrad, Solo travel

I felt very save in Kaliningrad. People were friendly and tried to help. Most of them don't speak english. I used public transport in town and even visited the seaside by train. The infrastructure is quite good. The service in the restaurants was also very good and polite. The food delicious. I would recommend to visit the market (rynok) for fresh and homemade products like fruits, vegetables, honey or wool products, the organ concerts on Kant island in the cathedral, the ocean museum and the orthodox cathedral on the main square. There are also many tourist attractions and guided tours to learn about the interesting history of the town. Kaliningrad is also good for shopping there many big malls with a variety of shops. I would recommend to visit this beautiful town.

Posted: April 21, 2025Experienced: June, 2024

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Lelya

Russia

Gelendzhik, Solo travel

this is a tourist place so it is safe, I did not have any problems. I recommend: fishing on a yacht, horse riding, a walk on a pirate ship (if you are with children, I was alone and it was a bit boring, but beautiful) go up to the mountains. many delicious restaurants on the embankment. I stayed in a hostel, yes it was easy and safe. I spent about $ 200 for 3-4 days

Posted: April 17, 2025

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Lelya

Russia

Pyatigorsk, Solo travel

I love this place! It's the best in Russia! I would like to live there! I felt safe (even though this is the Caucasus, which is famous for its wild men, but I had no problems, no one even approached me, everyone behaved very decently) First, just walk around the evening city, you will understand this atmosphere, and then boldly go on a jeep tour to Elbrus and Gizhgit! It's amazing! The food is the most delicious! All the restaurants are amazing, don't be afraid! It's cheap there, I lived in a hostel for $ 10 a night, about $ 30 a day for food, tours cost about $ 30 each, in a week I left about $ 150 I was in a hostel in a shared room! and everything was fine, there are also women's rooms where it is even more comfortable.

Posted: April 17, 2025

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Saint Petersburg, Family travel

I stayed at Kino Hostel. We took the separate room for 2p. I felt safe. From the centre it’s more dirty but overall I loved it. The museums are must have to go to! But you need hours to see all of the paintings! Prepare comfortable shoes!

Posted: April 10, 2025

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Nomin-erdene

Mongolia

Ulan-Ude, Family travel

We went there for our holiday groceries.Because Russia has cheaper food.So we went to Titan. And while i was travelling i saw so many beautiful houses.But there was plenty of drunken people. I think someone who is solo travelling should be cautious at night.We didn't spend the night there so i can't give advice on that one

Posted: March 15, 2025Experienced: December, 2023

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Russia, Solo travel

I stayed there for 6 months , was one of my best experiences . Of course I visit Russia again . It was my first time to see the snow ⛄️ . Learned the language, tried the Russian dishes , discovered the cites.

Posted: January 13, 2025

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Kaliningrad, Group travel

Kaliningrad and the Kaliningrad region - former German cities are small, easy to navigate - you definitely won't get lost. I went for 4 days with my friend, we walked alone, together at night. I felt safer and calmer than in Moscow. The streets are well lit, passers-by were friendly, no one approached us to get acquainted. The only thing was that when we were in Zelenogradsk, drunk men made a little noise, it was unnerving, but everything was fine. The food is excellent with fresh seafood, the average bill in a cafe is $ 7-10

Posted: December 26, 2024Experienced: May, 2024

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Moscow, Solo travel

It was a really nice trip. You can travel on a budget. There’s lots to see and do. I’d definitely try local cuisine, there’s a wide choice of dineries. Taxi is affordable, safe. Avoid travelling in the rush hour, the streets can be blocked.

Posted: December 3, 2024

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Makhachkala, Family travel

I felt absolutely safe travelling to Makhachkala even though i was with my family. The city is beautiful both during the day and night. I highly recommend hiking the mountains, the views are insanely great. And renting the a house in Salta on the edge of a cliff (almost:)! The trip was fairly cheap. As a family of four, we spent 80000 rub (800 usd) on plane tickets flying from Saint-Petersburg and nearly 20000 rub (200 dollars) on renting a place to stay at night. The food is really cheap and very good too. The average cost of a meal for a four-person family is 12 dollars, so nearly 3-4 dollars per person. Makhachkala is great, in conclusion i highly recommend going there!

Posted: August 26, 2024

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Perm, Solo travel

Perm is a small city in Siberia,Russia. It was so cold, safe absolutely, I've never felt that I'm unsafe, the living is not expensive at all, the locals are not the best, they are not used to foreigners

Posted: April 25, 2024Experienced: October, 2021

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Is Russia safe for women?

Safety index

4.2 /5

Based on 148 local experiences

Crime index

2 /5

Based on 148 local experiences

Elena

Moscow

Based on my experience Moscow is a safe place. When I was a student I used to walk in the city for whole nights with my female friends without any accidents. But if you wanna do it far from the centre, it could be not that much safe. Public transport is very clean and I don’t feel dangerous even when I come home late.

Posted: May 8, 2025

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Nastya

Moscow

If you are in the center of the city, it’s safe, but the further away you are, the more dangerous it is in dark times. It’s better to live inside MKAD and not to go for a walk at the evening alone.

Posted: May 8, 2025

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Meet locals in Russia

Anastasia

About Me

hey, girls! I‘m a linguist and English teacher (mostly for Russian-speaking students), I also know and keep learning Spanish and German languages. I love optimistic, enthusiastic and talkative people as I am myself ☺️ I‘ve been dreaming of travelling the world for ages! I‘ve actually even started recently, but it’s still not so easy from Russia. Right now the only reason I’m not visiting other countries is my finances :( I hope I can find sone new friends here and will be able to travel more <3 Of course, if you decide to visit Russia, I can help you with the locals, language and culture as well :) My city may not be the best touristic destination, but there’s a lot to see in other Russian cities

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Elena

About Me

Hello! My name is Elena, or you can call me just Lena 🙃 I plan to visit Baku for Formula 1 GP this year and after that I wanna have a short trip in Rome. So I’d be happy to meet someone there :)

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Stay with locals in Russia

Anastasia

Novosibirsk

Can host for:

5 days

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Karina

Moscow

Can host for:

5 days

About me

Hello everyone! My name is Karina and I live in Moscow, Russia. I’m a bit of a geek and a fandom person, I love board games, watching different series, drawing a bit and going out to new restaurants or check some exhibitions, theatres, etc. I used to travel a lot, but currently I don’t have any friends whom I could travel with, and I’m either scared or bored to travel completely alone. So if you’d love to visit, for example, Iceland with backpacks, see whales in Mexico or plan a gastronomical tour in China, let me know! I love sightseeing, especially if it includes mountains. For those who are visiting Moscow: I live alone in my own apartment near Spartak metro station, where I can easily host 2 guests — in case you are travelling with your girl/friend. I don’t have any pets (unfortunately), in case you’ve got allergies. And it will be my pleasure to help you around the town if you need a native or go for a walk together. Looking forward to hearing from you all!

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Upcoming visitors to Russia

Lena

About Me

Я Лена, живу в Якутске, хочу путешествовать по всему миру, пока что список стран совсем маленький, это отчасти что боюсь/боялась начать путешествовать одной, сейчас у меня будет первая одиночная поездка хотя бы по России 🙂 хочу найти здесь друзей