Russia
Travel Destination – Russia
Russia is the world’s largest country, stretching across Eastern Europe and northern Asia. Travel experiences offer extraordinary cultural depth, from Moscow’s iconic Red Square and St Basil’s Cathedral to St Petersburg’s grand palaces, art museums, and canals. Beyond the cities, travellers encounter remote forests, frozen tundra, mountain ranges, and vast Siberian landscapes. Russia’s immense size, varied climates, and regional differences mean travel conditions can vary significantly. While major cities have modern infrastructure, healthcare access can be limited in rural areas. Thoughtful preparation, awareness of local regulations, and careful health planning are essential for a safe and well-organised journey.
Health Risks
Pre-travel preparation
Before travelling to Russia, booking an appointment with a travel doctor is strongly recommended. A travel health consultation allows your doctor to review your vaccination history, recommend travel-specific immunisations, and prescribe any medications you may need to bring with you. Your travel doctor can provide tailored advice based on your itinerary, length of stay, seasonal conditions, and locations of travel. Ideally, schedule your appointment six to eight weeks before departure to allow time for multi-dose vaccines, however a last-minute consultation is still valuable for essential health advice and accelerated vaccination schedules.
Insect avoidance
In parts of Russia, particularly during warmer months, mosquitoes and ticks can transmit diseases such as tick-borne encephalitis, Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever and, in limited regions, Japanese encephalitis virus. Preventing insect bites is an important part of travel health protection. Wear long sleeved clothing and enclosed footwear when outdoors, and apply insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus to exposed skin. Choose accommodation with screened windows or air-conditioning where possible. Treating clothing and gear with permethrin offers additional protection, particularly when hiking or camping.
Food and water hygiene
Russian cuisine varies by region and includes soups, meats, breads, and dairy products. Maintaining good food and water hygiene helps reduce the risk of gastroenteritis and other gastrointestinal infections. Wash hands thoroughly or use alcohol-based hand sanitiser before eating. Choose food that is freshly cooked and served hot, and avoid raw or undercooked meals. Fruits and vegetables are safer when they can be peeled before eating. Drink bottled, boiled, or filtered water, particularly outside major cities, and avoid ice unless you are confident it is made from safe water.
Rabies prevention
Australia is one of the few parts of the world which is free of rabies. However in some parts of Russia, rabies can be carried by dogs and other wildlife. Travellers should avoid contact with animals, especially stray dogs. A travel doctor can advise whether pre-exposure rabies vaccination is recommended, especially for travellers visiting rural areas, spending time outdoors, or travelling far from medical facilities. Any bite, scratch, or saliva exposure from an animal requires immediate medical attention. Rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms develop, making prevention critical.
Our Travel Doctors
Our fully qualified doctors have an interest in travel medicine and immunisations. And they know travel. Their expert advice will be tailored for you, your travel companions and your trip.
Which shots do I need for Russia?
Hepatitis A
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Hepatitis A is a viral liver infection spread through contaminated food and water. Symptoms range from mild illness to severe disease with yellowing skin and prolonged fatigue. Hepatitis A occurs more frequently in Russia than in Australia. Many Australians are not routinely immunised for Hepatitis A, so travellers who have not completed a two-dose course are strongly advised to be immunised before travel, particularly if visiting regional areas.
Typhoid
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Typhoid is a systemic infection caused by Salmonella Typhi and Paratyphi bacteria that is spread through contaminated food or water. Symptoms include sustained fever, fatigue, headache, abdominal pain, and gastrointestinal upset. The risk of typhoid is higher in Russia than Australia. Vaccination is recommended for travellers to Russia, particularly those planning longer stays, regional travel, or frequent consumption of local food. Other important preventative measures include food and water hygiene.
Hepatitis B
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The hepatitis B virus can cause long-term infection of the liver. It is transmitted through contact with infected blood or bodily fluids, such as through unsterile tattooing or piercing, unprotected sex, or sharing personal items such as razors. While many younger Australians are vaccinated, some adults remain unprotected. Hepatitis B vaccination may be recommended for travellers to Russia who are not immune. A travel doctor can review your immunisation status and provide personalised advice.
Japanese encephalitis virus
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Travellers can contract the Japanese encephalitis virus through mosquito bites in Russia. Whilst the illness is usually mild, it can cause a life-threatening brain infection in a small number of people, requiring admission to an intensive care unit. Prevention involves avoidance of mosquito bites, particularly at dusk and night-time. An immunisation against Japanese Encephalitis virus is available and your doctor may recommend this depending on your length of stay and whether you plan to travel to rural areas.
Routine vaccinations
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Australia’s effective immunisation program reduces the risk of diseases such as measles, mumps, rubella, and tetanus. However, these infections still circulate more widely in Russia. Before travelling, ensure your routine vaccinations are up to date. A travel health consultation can identify whether boosters are needed for vaccines such as measles-mumps-rubella (MMR), tetanus, influenza, COVID-19, and pertussis.
Russia
Other health risks in Bali and Indonesia
Rabies
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The rabies virus is carried by dogs and other animals in most parts of the world. The virus is transmitted mainly through their bites and scratches from these animals. Australia is one of the few countries where rabies transmission does not occur. Once symptoms have started, the illness is almost universally fatal. Prevention involves avoiding animals, particularly dogs, as well as other animals such as cats and monkeys. A vaccine is available for use prior to travel. It is recommended for those who will be working with or spending considerable time with animals and those who will be travelling to areas with limited health care. After animal bites, vaccination is required to protect against the development of symptoms, even if the person has received earlier immunisation. This needs to be started as soon as possible, so those suffering an animal bite in Russia should seek immediate medical attention.
Gastroenteritis
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Gastroenteritis or travellers’ diarrhoea is commonly caused by bacteria ingested through contaminated food or water. Symptoms usually develop within 24 to 72 hours and include diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.
Maintaining hydration is the most important treatment, ideally with oral rehydration solutions. Most cases resolve within a few days. Medical care is recommended if symptoms are severe, persistent, or associated with dehydration. Prevention relies on careful food choices and good hand hygiene.
Non-infectious conditions
Crime and unrest
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It's important to be across the latest security information before contemplating a trip to Russia.
Up to date information is available on the Australian government's website, Smartraveller. Reviewing this is highly recommended.
Altitude sickness
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Altitude sickness is a potential health risk for travellers to Russia who plan to visit high-altitude regions, particularly the Caucasus Mountains in southern Russia. This includes Mount Elbrus, the highest mountain in Europe at 5,642 metres, as well as surrounding trekking and climbing routes where elevations increase rapidly. Acute mountain sickness (AMS) commonly affects around 20–25% of people who ascend too quickly without adequate acclimatisation. Typical symptoms of altitude sickness include headache, dizziness, tiredness, nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite.
In most cases, mild AMS symptoms improve within 12 to 48 hours if travellers stop ascending and allow their bodies time to adjust to the altitude. However, severe altitude illness can develop, including high altitude cerebral oedema (HACE), which affects the brain and may cause confusion, difficulty walking, and changes in behaviour, and high altitude pulmonary oedema (HAPE), a serious lung condition that leads to breathlessness at rest, coughing, chest tightness, and respiratory distress. These medical emergencies are more likely to occur at elevations above 4,000–4,500 metres and require immediate descent and urgent medical treatment, as they can be fatal if not managed promptly.
To reduce the risk of altitude sickness when travelling in Russia, visitors should plan a slow and gradual ascent, schedule regular rest days, and avoid rapid increases in elevation. A travel health professional may recommend preventive medications for some travellers, and carrying treatment medication is advised for those trekking or climbing at extreme altitudes. Anyone attempting high-altitude climbs in Russia, especially on Mount Elbrus, is strongly advised to travel with an experienced and qualified mountain guide. Understanding the early warning signs of altitude sickness, avoiding sleeping at higher elevations when symptoms are present, and descending immediately if symptoms worsen are essential strategies for safe high-altitude travel in Russia.
Deep vein thrombosis
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Long-haul flights to Russia and extended train or road journeys increase the risk of deep vein thrombosis. DVT occurs when slowed blood flow allows clots to form in deep veins, usually in the legs. To reduce risk, stand and move regularly, stretch your legs, and stay well hydrated. Travellers with additional risk factors may benefit from wearing below-knee compression stockings. Treatment usually involves blood-thinning medication.
Safety on the roads and elsewhere
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Russia has modern transport systems in major cities, but road conditions and driving standards can vary elsewhere. Choose reputable transport providers and always wear seatbelts when available. Motorbike travel should only be undertaken by experienced riders wearing certified helmets.
When hiking or visiting remote areas, wear appropriate footwear, use insect repellent and sunscreen, and stay within your physical limits. Due to regional variation in healthcare access, comprehensive travel insurance covering medical treatment and evacuation is strongly recommended.