Country driving guide · 2026
Everything UK and EU drivers need before crossing the border into Russia: 12 legal requirements + 5 other things worth knowing.
Required
Recommended
Good to know
Tick before you go
12 legal must-haves. Print it, tick them off, throw it in the glovebox.
FCDO advises against all travel to Russia
The UK Foreign Office advises against all travel to Russia following the invasion of Ukraine; UK insurance, breakdown cover and consular assistance are effectively unavailable, and driving here is not realistic for most UK/EU visitors.
Source: FCDO Russia advice →1949 Geneva IDP required alongside national licence
Russia recognises the 1949 Geneva Convention IDP, which must be carried with your UK/EU photocard licence; the 1968 Vienna IDP is also accepted but the 1949 version is the safer choice for short visits.
Source: UK IDP info →Passport, visa and migration card
All UK and most EU nationals need a visa in advance plus a migration card issued at the border; carry passport, visa and migration card with the licence at all times.
Russian OSAGO insurance: Green Card no longer valid
Russia was suspended from the Green Card system in 2023, so foreign vehicles must buy local OSAGO third-party insurance at the border (roughly 2,500-10,000 RUB / 25-100 EUR depending on duration).
V5C and customs temporary import declaration
Bring the original V5C/registration document; at the border you must complete a temporary vehicle import declaration valid up to one year, and the car must leave Russia by that date or heavy duties apply.
Drive on the right
Traffic drives on the right; left-hand-drive cars are strongly preferred and right-hand-drive imports face restrictions in some regions.
Speed limits 110 / 90 / 60 km/h
Motorway 110 km/h (130 km/h on signed sections of the M-11 and M-12), rural roads 90 km/h, urban areas 60 km/h, residential zones 20 km/h; speed cameras are extremely dense.
Zero-tolerance alcohol limit 0.16 mg/L breath
The legal BAC is effectively 0.0 g/L with a measurement tolerance of 0.3 g/L blood (0.16 mg/L breath); penalties include large fines and licence suspension.
Dipped headlights on at all times
Dipped headlights or daytime running lights are mandatory day and night on all roads, year-round.
Warning triangle, hi-vis vest and first aid kit
You must carry a warning triangle, a reflective hi-vis vest (to be worn when exiting the vehicle on any road outside town), a first aid kit and a fire extinguisher; failure to produce them at a GAI check is fined.
Winter tyres mandatory December–February
Winter tyres (M+S or snowflake-marked) are legally required from 1 December to 28 February, and studded tyres are common; summer tyres are banned June-August.
Russian Rouble: Western cards do not work
Visa and Mastercard issued outside Russia have been blocked since 2022, so bring cash (EUR or USD to exchange) for fuel, tolls and accommodation; petrol costs around 55-65 RUB / 0.55-0.65 EUR per litre.
The UK Foreign Office advises against all travel to Russia following the invasion of Ukraine; UK insurance, breakdown cover and consular assistance are effectively unavailable, and driving here is not realistic for most UK/EU visitors.
FCDO Russia adviceRussia recognises the 1949 Geneva Convention IDP, which must be carried with your UK/EU photocard licence; the 1968 Vienna IDP is also accepted but the 1949 version is the safer choice for short visits.
UK IDP infoAll UK and most EU nationals need a visa in advance plus a migration card issued at the border; carry passport, visa and migration card with the licence at all times.
Russia was suspended from the Green Card system in 2023, so foreign vehicles must buy local OSAGO third-party insurance at the border (roughly 2,500-10,000 RUB / 25-100 EUR depending on duration).
Bring the original V5C/registration document; at the border you must complete a temporary vehicle import declaration valid up to one year, and the car must leave Russia by that date or heavy duties apply.
Traffic drives on the right; left-hand-drive cars are strongly preferred and right-hand-drive imports face restrictions in some regions.
Motorway 110 km/h (130 km/h on signed sections of the M-11 and M-12), rural roads 90 km/h, urban areas 60 km/h, residential zones 20 km/h; speed cameras are extremely dense.
The legal BAC is effectively 0.0 g/L with a measurement tolerance of 0.3 g/L blood (0.16 mg/L breath); penalties include large fines and licence suspension.
Dipped headlights or daytime running lights are mandatory day and night on all roads, year-round.
Dial 112 for all emergencies (also 102 police, 103 ambulance); operators may not speak English outside Moscow and St Petersburg.
You must carry a warning triangle, a reflective hi-vis vest (to be worn when exiting the vehicle on any road outside town), a first aid kit and a fire extinguisher; failure to produce them at a GAI check is fined.
UK right-hand-drive vehicles should fit beam deflectors to avoid dazzling oncoming traffic, as required across continental Europe.
Russia has no national vignette; tolls on the M-11, M-12, M-4 and Western High-Speed Diameter are paid per section by ticket, card or T-pass transponder, costing roughly 200-500 RUB (2-5 EUR) per 100 km.
Winter tyres (M+S or snowflake-marked) are legally required from 1 December to 28 February, and studded tyres are common; summer tyres are banned June-August.
Fuel stations are sparse in Siberia and the Far East; carry spare fuel, water and warm clothing, and check that mountain passes in the Caucasus and Altai are open before setting out in winter.
Visa and Mastercard issued outside Russia have been blocked since 2022, so bring cash (EUR or USD to exchange) for fuel, tolls and accommodation; petrol costs around 55-65 RUB / 0.55-0.65 EUR per litre.
Amounts over USD 10,000 (or equivalent) in cash must be declared in writing at the border on entry and exit; failure to declare can lead to confiscation.
We'll build the itinerary, estimate fuel + tolls, and show EV chargers along the route, and this checklist appears automatically on every trip that crosses into Russia.
Start planning →Places to add to your Russia road trip.
Don't get caught out
Traffic drives on the right; left-hand-drive cars are strongly preferred and right-hand-drive imports face restrictions in some regions.
Motorway 110 km/h (130 km/h on signed sections of the M-11 and M-12), rural roads 90 km/h, urban areas 60 km/h, residential zones 20 km/h; speed cameras are extremely dense.
The legal BAC is effectively 0.0 g/L with a measurement tolerance of 0.3 g/L blood (0.16 mg/L breath); penalties include large fines and licence suspension.
Dipped headlights or daytime running lights are mandatory day and night on all roads, year-round.