I'm writing this in autumn 2020, having not visited Russia with my pupils this year due to the ongoing Coronavirus situation.  But we hope to return in 2021, and if not, then as soon as possible.

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We normally organise our trips ourselves, which saves us a huge amount of money.  Here are a few things that we find helpful:

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1.  We do all our visa paperwork ourselves.  I sit in a classroom with the pupils, and get them to fillout the online forms, which we then check.  This is an instruction sheet that we have made for the pupils.  PLEASE NOTE THAT REQUIREMENTS MAY CHANGE AT ANY TIME - I ALWAYS DO MY OWN FORM AS A QUICK CHECK BEFORE I GET THE PUPILS TO DO THEIRS!

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2.  If I do needs help booking local stuff (trains, minibuses, guides, tourist tickets) we use www.realrussia.co.uk - service has always been outstanding. 

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3.  Do ask hotels for group discounts.  We usually stay at one of the Holiday Inn hotels.  We find them very clean, well located, relatively cheap, and they usually have great breakfasts (that the kids will eat!) 

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4.  We use a brilliant language school in St Petersburg called 'The Derzhavin Institute'.  Very central, just off the Fontanka.  Teaching is brilliant, pupils can live in host families, prices are reasonable.  We've worked with them for 8 years, and they're just brilliant.  Nothing is too much trouble.

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