# Travel in Russia with cash only **URL:** \ **Category:** Travel to Russia\ **Created:** [January 8, 2025, 10:20am UTC](https://forum.russiable.com/t/travel-in-russia-with-cash-only/202 "2025-01-08T10:20:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![KO11](https://forum.russiable.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/k/f4b2a3/32.png) [@KO11](https://forum.russiable.com/u/KO11)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2025, 10:20am UTC](https://forum.russiable.com/t/travel-in-russia-with-cash-only/202/1 "2025-01-08T10:20:34Z")
After learning today the logistics of getting a SIM card and a Russian number, in order to create a TInkoff bank account, I’m considering going cash only for 2 months. Not having data would be inconvientent but not critical. And all my hotels and flights are paid for. Can anyone offer insight if I might have issues with this? ---
**Author:** ![NorseVictory](https://forum.russiable.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@NorseVictory](https://forum.russiable.com/u/NorseVictory)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2025, 5:28am UTC](https://forum.russiable.com/t/travel-in-russia-with-cash-only/202/2 "2025-01-10T05:28:54Z")
I know of someone who went through Alfa with an ATT international phone line with no issues getting it set up. They were in Moscow - not sure if it’s an isolated event or if all Alfa banks allow it ---
**Author:** ![KO11](https://forum.russiable.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/k/f4b2a3/32.png) [@KO11](https://forum.russiable.com/u/KO11)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2025, 9:17am UTC](https://forum.russiable.com/t/travel-in-russia-with-cash-only/202/3 "2025-01-10T09:17:18Z")
@NorseVictory Thanks. I might start asking other banks here as well. But for now, cash only seems fine. ---
**Author:** ![Bill](https://forum.russiable.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/ac91a4/32.png) [@Bill](https://forum.russiable.com/u/Bill)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2025, 2:58pm UTC](https://forum.russiable.com/t/travel-in-russia-with-cash-only/202/4 "2025-02-01T14:58:48Z")
I have gone Cash Only for a 4 week trip in Russia. I used cash to pay for trains, planes and hotels. The only problem is having small bills on you to pay for a bus ride. If a bus doesnt have a conductor just pay the driver. A very small number of museums will only take credit card. ---
**Author:** ![gavinmac](https://forum.russiable.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/g/f05b48/32.png) [@gavinmac](https://forum.russiable.com/u/gavinmac)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 2:04pm UTC](https://forum.russiable.com/t/travel-in-russia-with-cash-only/202/5 "2025-02-02T14:04:49Z")
Pulkovo Airport in Saint Petersburg just announced that foreigners can now get a bank card there on arrival at the T-Bank or Globus kiosk. No Russian SIM required. ---
**Author:** ![KO11](https://forum.russiable.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/k/f4b2a3/32.png) [@KO11](https://forum.russiable.com/u/KO11)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2025, 9:32am UTC](https://forum.russiable.com/t/travel-in-russia-with-cash-only/202/6 "2025-02-03T09:32:51Z")
@gavinmac Interesting. I’ll look into that. Will be there next week. ---
**Author:** ![KO11](https://forum.russiable.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/k/f4b2a3/32.png) [@KO11](https://forum.russiable.com/u/KO11)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2025, 9:33am UTC](https://forum.russiable.com/t/travel-in-russia-with-cash-only/202/7 "2025-02-03T09:33:33Z")
@Bill I’m a few weeks into a 2 month trip and no issues with cash only. And no need for a SIM card either. ---
**Author:** ![kozmikpetukh](https://forum.russiable.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/k/5e9695/32.png) [@kozmikpetukh](https://forum.russiable.com/u/kozmikpetukh)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2025, 5:23am UTC](https://forum.russiable.com/t/travel-in-russia-with-cash-only/202/8 "2025-03-26T05:23:42Z")
@KO11 the having data part is easy enough from the SIM card hawkers at the airport. Might not be accepted by a bank, or entirely secure the big headache for me is trying to keep dollars in mint condition. The exchanges can be picky, especially the ones with good rates. There doesn’t seem to be a commercially-made, dollar-sized hard case that can do it. There are flimsy plastic sleeves and storage cases from the numismatic industry, but not really good enough. I ended up using cases cell phone screen protectors were shipped in ---
**Author:** ![NorseVictory](https://forum.russiable.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@NorseVictory](https://forum.russiable.com/u/NorseVictory)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2025, 12:43am UTC](https://forum.russiable.com/t/travel-in-russia-with-cash-only/202/9 "2025-03-27T00:43:19Z")
@kozmikpetukh search Amazon for “dollar bill metal container” ---
**Author:** ![KO11](https://forum.russiable.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/k/f4b2a3/32.png) [@KO11](https://forum.russiable.com/u/KO11)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2025, 5:56pm UTC](https://forum.russiable.com/t/travel-in-russia-with-cash-only/202/10 "2025-03-28T17:56:55Z")
@kozmikpetukh I carried $10,000 in 100s. Only used half that in 2 months. Some banks were more picky than others but most important is just look them over for ink marks and tears. Maybe 3 bills were rejected due to ink I didnt see. I carried everything in paper money envelopes, and then in a cardboard mailer, in my laptop case, kept them flat, No issues.