Russia is opening its doors wider to Asian tourists. Chinese citizens gained visa-free entry in late 2025, and from 15 October 2026 Vietnamese passport holders can stay for up to 30 days without a visa. Paying for the trip, however, remains complicated. Since 2022 the country has been largely cut off from global card networks, and payment tools that work in Shanghai, Hanoi or Bangkok often fail in Moscow. Before booking, it is worth checking which payment methods still work in Russia.
International cards: largely unusable
Visa and Mastercard cards issued abroad do not work in Russia: not in shops, not on Russian websites and apps, and not at cash machines. Apple Pay and Google Pay linked to such cards are unavailable as well. This also affects local bookings, from hotels to train tickets and taxis.
UnionPay, the obvious alternative for many Asian travellers, is unreliable. To avoid secondary sanctions, the network has restricted the servicing of foreign-issued cards at terminals and ATMs of sanctioned Russian banks. Some merchants still accept them, but declined payments are common, and a card that worked yesterday may not work today.
Mobile wallets: a niche option
Alipay and WeChat Pay are accepted only at a limited number of shops and venues popular with Chinese tourists. They can help in a large department store, but are of little use for a taxi, a cafe or public transport.
Cash: the dependable fallback
Cash remains the one method that almost always works. Travellers can bring US dollars, euros or Chinese yuan and exchange them at a bank or licensed exchange office in major cities. Amounts above the equivalent of 10,000 US dollars per person must be declared at customs. Some services, including certain Moscow buses and vending machines, no longer take cash, so a cashless backup is still useful.
Cards for non-residents
Visitors staying longer can apply for a Mir card, Russia’s national payment card, at a local bank with a passport, although requirements vary. For shorter trips, several services offer virtual prepaid cards that can be issued online before departure, topped up from abroad and used via a smartphone. PayInRussia is one such service. Fees, exchange rates and limits differ, so it pays to compare before choosing.
Before you go
- Do not count on Visa, Mastercard or foreign-issued UnionPay cards.
- Treat Alipay and WeChat Pay as a bonus, not a plan.
- Bring enough dollars, euros or yuan, and declare amounts above the customs threshold.
- Arrange a cashless backup, such as a virtual card for non-residents.
- Check in advance how your hotel accepts payment from foreign guests.
Entry rules for Asian visitors are easing, but the payment landscape remains fragmented. A little preparation before departure can save a great deal of inconvenience on arrival.
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