Kazan

Mongolian citizens with any type of passport stay in Russia up to 30 days without a visa, no more than 90 days in total within 180. The passport must be valid for at least 6 months after your return. Work or study needs a visa.

From 1 July 2026 visa-free visitors must apply in the 'Gosuslugi RuID' app at least 72 hours before crossing the border (and no earlier than 90 days), uploading a face photo and passport. Once approved you get a QR code to show at the border with your passport. Children under 6 are exempt; parents apply for those aged 6–18.

Tip: The rule is new and enforcement may change — check with the Russian embassy or a travel agency before you go. Print the QR code on paper too.

There is no direct flight from Ulaanbaatar to Kazan: connect via Irkutsk (Nordwind flies Irkutsk–Kazan nonstop on Tuesdays and Fridays, ~5 h 10 min) or via Moscow. In 2026 Kazan airport closed many times during drone alerts, so book connections on a single ticket with a long gap between them. Visa and Mastercard don't work — take all your trip money in cash and check that your insurance covers Russia.

If you land in Kazan on an international flight (Istanbul, Dubai and so on), show your passport and RuID QR code at the border and fill in the migration card — write 'tourism' as the purpose. If you enter via Moscow or Irkutsk, border control happens there. Keep the second half of the card with your passport until you leave.

From the station next to the terminal, the suburban train reaches Kazan-Passazhirskaya central station in ~29–34 minutes from 150₽; about 12 trains a day, 6:29 to 22:35. The timetable changes in summer, so check Yandex's timetable site.

At night, when no train runs, or with lots of luggage, order a Yandex Go taxi or a hotel transfer; the fare is shown upfront. Don't get in with unofficial drivers touting at the exit.

Roaming from Mongolian operators such as Unitel and Mobicom works in Russia but data is expensive — check your Russia roaming package before leaving. Foreign eSIMs such as Airalo usually aren't sold for Russia.

Tip: Download the Kazan maps in Yandex Maps and 2GIS for offline use — essential when mobile internet is switched off.

Since 2025 a foreigner buying a SIM needs a passport, the migration card, a verified Gosuslugi account and biometrics (photo and voice) taken at the operator; it takes 30–45 minutes. Buy at an official MTS, Beeline, MegaFon or T2 store.

During drone alerts Tatarstan switches off mobile internet and only the government 'whitelist' of sites and apps (banks, Gosuslugi, 2GIS, Yandex and so on) keeps working; from 14 May 2026 it barely worked in Kazan for three weeks. Hotel Wi-Fi keeps working. Keep your hotel address, QR code and tickets saved on your phone and printed on paper.

Since 1 January 2026 a single ride on the metro, buses, trolleybuses and trams costs 46₽ — cash, transport card or contactless card. The single metro line links the railway station, the Kremlin and Bauman Street; check routes in Yandex Maps.

In summer the hydrofoil from the river port reaches Sviyazhsk in ~45 minutes for ≈1,000₽ one way; a suburban train from the station takes ~1 hour. Bolgar is far, so a summer hydrofoil or a day tour is easiest. Hydrofoil tickets sell out fast in summer, so buy ahead.

Yandex Go taxis show the fare upfront and accept cash — the easiest way to the Temple of All Religions and Raifa Monastery. Local agencies sell guided day tours combining Raifa and Sviyazhsk.

Foreign Visa and Mastercard cards don't work in Russia. Buy roubles at a bank in Ulaanbaatar, or exchange dollars, euros or yuan at a bank in Kazan (Sberbank, VTB, Ak Bars, etc.) with your passport. Markets, small cafés and monastery shops take cash only. Up to $10,000 can be brought in without a customs declaration.

UnionPay cards from Mongolian banks sometimes work in big shops and hotels, but not reliably — ask your bank before going. Buying aquapark, museum or hydrofoil tickets online needs a Russian card, so pay cash at the ticket office.

Tip: Split your cash and leave part in the hotel; compare exchange rates between banks.

Echpochmak (triangular meat-and-potato pastry), balish (a big meat pie), belesh, tutyrma (sausage), noodle soup and horse meat (kazylyk) — familiar to anyone raised on khuushuur and buuz. For dessert, honey-soaked chak-chak, talkysh kaleve and Tatar tea.

Tatar-food café chains and self-service 'stolovaya' canteens are cheap and easy with children. The Old Tatar Quarter and Bauman Street have many Tatar restaurants. Buy chak-chak and honey as presents at the market.

Halal food is easy to find in Kazan and many places serve no pork. Tipping is optional; leave a little if the service was good.

Tip: Some restaurants only take Russian cards — ask whether they accept cash before sitting down.

The unified number 112 works 24 hours, free, even from a phone with no credit. Also fire and rescue 101, police 102, ambulance 103. English-speaking operators are rare — have basic Russian phrases or a translation app ready.

In August and September 2026 'drone danger' alerts were declared in Tatarstan many times and Kazan airport closed — four times in the week of 19–24 September. If an alert sounds, go inside a building and stay away from windows. The UK FCDO 'advises against all travel to Russia'.

Police check passports, so carry the original and your migration card. Don't photograph military sites, airports, factories or police. In trouble, contact the Embassy of Mongolia in Moscow.

Tip: In winter, pavements are icy and ice can fall from roofs — walk away from building walls.

In Kul Sharif and other mosques women cover their heads, and knees and shoulders are covered; some places require removing shoes, and tourists are not let in during prayers. In Orthodox churches men remove hats and women wear a headscarf.

Kazan is a city of two peoples, Tatars and Russians — don't call Tatars 'Russian'. In Tatar hello is 'Isänmesez' and thank you 'Räxmät' — a few words of Tatar are warmly received.

In Russian, hello is 'Zdravstvuyte' and thank you 'Spasibo'. People don't smile at strangers but are friendly when asked for help. Drinking alcohol and smoking in public places are banned.

'Gosuslugi RuID' — the visa-free entry application and QR code. RZD — train and suburban tickets. Yandex Maps — routing. Yandex Go — taxis.

go.kzn.ru — the city's official tourism portal and events. 2GIS — opening hours of shops, clinics and cafés, offline maps. Yandex Translate or Google Translate's camera mode translate menus — download Russian for offline use.

Get to the airport early — it can close during drone alerts and security checks are slow; check your flight status before leaving. On an international flight hand over your passport and the remaining half of the migration card. Overstaying the 30 days brings a fine and a re-entry ban.

Chak-chak, Tatar honey, souvenirs with Tatar boot (ichigi) patterns and Kul Sharif keepsakes make good presents. Spend or exchange leftover roubles before leaving — the rouble rate in Mongolia is poor. Cash over $10,000 must be declared at customs.