Give yourself plenty of time to obtain your visa. If your travel agent is arranging this, make sure the agency has all your information at least a month before you plan to depart, if not more. If you are traveling independently, make sure you have your visa invitation and application sent in at least a month before you need to go, in case there are any problems. You can, of course, get visas in a rush when necessary same day service is even possible now at the Russian embassy, but you will pay quite a bit extra. If you are traveling to other republics, see Visas below. 

Pack a small carry-on with enough clothes and toiletries to survive for 24 hours after you arrive. Airport theft is up and bags do get lost and re-routed. Don't let either eventuality drag your trip down. And don't check soft-sided luggage if you can help it. Instead, take hard-sided luggage that has locks.

Take along some spare passport photos for that "worst case" or in case you need to get a visa for another country (see Visa below for how to get visas to the countries of the former USSR) or some other important document.

If you are traveling independently, always confirm hotel reservations in advance, by fax or telex, if at all possible. Your travel agent should also be able to do this for you too.

Take along some nice, small business gifts if you are traveling to Russia on business: embossed lighters, pens, key chains, DeKalb seed hats, whatever fits the bill.

Make a stop at your pharmacy before leaving for a trip and pick up some disposable needles. Put them in your carry-on right next to your traveler's checks. Basic antibiotics are also recommended.

Our Russia Survival Guide has a complete listing of 25 health and personal items we suggest you take along. Certainly we cannot list them all here. Some of the most important things are: prescription and over-the-counter medicines you suspect you might need; Pepto-Bismol and/or Immodium; small tube of laundry soap; a photocopy of your passport and visa, kept separate from the original documents; aspirin; antibiotics; a spare roll of toilet paper.