Travel Document Requirements –
You will require a “letter of invitation” from a Russian authority in order to request a visa for entry into Russia. Once we have received your deposit and passport information, we will arrange with Verum Tourism to issue an invitation letter in your name. We will send the invitation letter to you or your travel agent if you booked through a travel agency approximately 90 days in advance of your departure date.
If you are a U.S. citizen traveling internationally, you will need a passport valid for six months beyond the completion of your Tauck journey to enter Finland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and the Russian Federation. However, only the Russian Federation requires that you obtain an entry visa.
We have collaborated with Pinnacle Travel Document Systems (TDS) to assist you in obtaining a Russian entry visa. The visa fee, as well as any applicable consular fees and shipping fees, is not included in the tour cost, and payment should be mailed with the completed application directly to TDS. The amount of the visa fee is stated on the application.
A TDS visa kit may be downloaded through the Pinnacle TDS website by clicking here. Visas for Russia cannot be processed more than 90 days prior to departure and the process does take several weeks to complete.
It is very important to note that while we have an affiliation with TDS for processing visas, you are not required to process your visa through TDS and may elect to choose other visa services or work directly through the a Russian consulate or embassy.
If you are a citizen of other another country traveling internationally, you should contact a consulate or embassy of Finland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and the Russian Federation to determine what travel documentation is required. With an invitation letter issued via Verum Tourism, you can apply for a Russian tourist visa from a Russian consulate or embassy in any country. Please note that the visa must reflect exactly the day and date of entry into and departure from Russia.
Although you may not need to provide proof of current medical insurance to obtain a Russian visa, you will need such proof when entering through customs or crossing the border into Russia. The plans offered through Tauck Travel Protection are deemed sufficient coverage for this purpose. Please refer to the Tauck Travel Protection Product section above for more information.
We recommend that you make at least two photocopies of all the travel documents that you bring with you. Include copies of the photo page of your passport that contains the date of issuance, the date of expiration and your citizenship. Secure one set of copies in the safe in your room while traveling and leave one set behind with someone at home who will assist you in the event your documents are misplaced, lost or stolen.
Travel with Children –
Age Recommendations ― Children 5 years of age or older at the time of travel are welcome on this Tauck journey. Based upon our experience with family travelers, we have a minimum recommended age for each journey to encourage comfort and enjoyment for all of our guests. All children must be accompanied on activities by a parent or guardian. At least one guest in the traveling party must be 21 years of age or older in order to make a reservation.
Babysitting ― Our journeys are designed for adults and children to share the wonder of discovery together. If you require babysitting services, your Tauck Director will put you in contact with the appropriate hotel staff with whom you may make babysitting arrangements. There is usually an additional fee for these services. Many hotels do offer on-site babysitting services; however, babysitting services may not be available at all of our hotels. Please note that our Tauck Directors are not responsible for providing babysitting services.
Safety and Welfare Responsibility ― We welcome the participation of child travelers on our exciting excursions. If you are traveling with a child on a Tauck journey, you have the sole responsibility for ensuring that the child with whom you are traveling follows all rules of safety throughout the tour. By traveling with us, you release Tauck, Inc. and our partners of all liability for any risks and/or injuries to the child with whom you are traveling.
Special Travel Documentation for Children
Authorization for Travel
If you travel into or out of the U.S. with children under the age of 18, you should be aware of the following: because of increasing incidents of child abductions in disputed custody cases and because children are at risk as possible victims of child pornography, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) strongly recommends that unless the child is accompanied by both parents, you should have a notarized note from the child's other parent (or, in the case of a child traveling with grandparents, uncles or aunts, sisters or brothers, or friends, a note signed by both parents) stating that the parent(s) not traveling acknowledge that the parent(s), family members, etc. who are traveling into or out of the U.S. with the child have permission to do so. While CBP may not ask to see this documentation, if they do ask, and you do not have it, you may be detained until the circumstances of the child traveling without both parents can be fully assessed.
If there is no second parent with legal claims to the child (parent deceased, sole custody, etc.), other relevant paperwork, such as a court decision, birth certificate naming only one parent, or a death certificate, will be useful.
Many other countries also share this concern for children who travel without both parents. To ensure smooth travel, we require you to comply with the travel regulations of each country visited. This information may be obtained from a country’s consulate or embassy.
Authorization for Emergency Medical Treatment
In the unlikely event of a medical emergency, a medical facility will require permission from the child’s parents to provide treatment. Therefore, we strongly suggest that you bring along a letter from both parents (including other pertinent documents as cited above) authorizing emergency medical treatment for their child.
Children who are U.S. citizens must have a passport valid for at least six months beyond the completion of the journey.
We are not responsible for the disruption of travel caused by the improper documentation of any guest, including children traveling without both parents. While there is no definitive format or standard, click here to view a sample letter for guardians or one parent traveling with a child.
Air Conditioning – All the hotels and motor coaches are air-conditioned for your comfort. European air conditioning should be considered as a climate-control system; most have three settings for the fan, plus a "cool" setting. Very few of the European systems actually have a temperature setting. In general, the amount of cool air that is produced from a European air conditioning system may be less than what you may have in your own home. Some hotels in Europe do not operate their air-conditioning systems on a year round basis, but only during certain months of the year.
ATM and Credit Cards – We recommend that you contact your bank in advance of departing on this tour to determine whether you will be able to use your ATM and credit cards while traveling. When contacting your bank, notify them of your travel dates so that they will anticipate charges being made outside of your hometown and do not suspend your cards for what may appear to them to be "suspicious" charges. We also recommend that you make a photocopy of the front and back sides of your ATM and credit cards to leave behind with someone at home who will assist you in the event your cards are misplaced, lost or stolen.
Clothing and Packing – Your journey is designed with leisure in mind. Dress for comfort and convenience with a wardrobe that is adaptable and allows for layering. Generally, during the day, casual, comfortable, cotton clothing is recommended. Cool weather at higher elevations or at night will require warmer, layered clothing. The summers in the Baltics and Russia are warm, but bring a light-weight or medium-weight sweater or jacket for warmth on a chilly early morning walk or a late night stroll.For the welcome and farewell receptions, casual resort wear is appropriate; formal wear is never required for dining with your fellow guests at a Tauck provided dinner. When dining on your own, you may have the opportunity to dine at an upscale restaurant, which may require men to dress in coat and tie, and women in more elegant eveningwear.
You will find a hair dryer located in your hotel guest room. Irons and ironing boards are available upon request. Valet laundry and dry cleaning services are also available for a fee.
We recommend that you pack an adequate supply of your prescription medication in its original container to last through your entire journey, together with a copy of your doctor’s prescription or a letter from your health-care provider on office stationery explaining that the medication has been prescribed for you, a list of the generic names of your medication, your travel documents and a change of clothing in your carry-on bag to avoid any inconvenience in the event that your flight or luggage is delayed.
We suggest that you pack the following items your journey:
- Casual daytime wear – shorts, slacks, long and short-sleeved shirts
- An optional jacket and tie for men
- Casually elegant evening wear for ladies
- Sunglasses, sunscreen, hat
- Swimwear
- Gym wear
- A light sweater or jacket for higher elevations or a breezy night
- Binoculars (7x50 preferably)
- Insect repellent
- Camera, lenses, batteries, memory cards and/or plenty of film
- Lightweight, comfortable, sturdy walking shoes that have already been broken-in
- Battery-operated travel alarm clock
- Rain poncho and collapsible umbrella
- Zipper-lock bags
- Daypack for camera equipment
- Sundries and toiletries that may be difficult to find en route
- Copies of your travel documents that should be secured in the safe in your hotel room while traveling
Dining – As with all Tauck tours, we strive to choose restaurants that offer quality foods and excellent service in a pleasant setting. We try to choose restaurants that offer local and traditional menus for the region. When we have meals with limited or fixed menus, we select items that typically will appeal to all, yet reflect local dining styles and traditions.
Throughout this tour, restaurants will serve local cuisine. All countries on this itinerary are known for seafood dishes, primarily salmon, herring, pike and trout. Smoked and pickled fish are popular and are common breakfast items. Caviar is popular, especially in Russia, and is eaten at all meals. Russia is known for its meat pies and vegetable pies and for using beets and cabbage in many dishes. Finland is known for caribou and other game meats.
If you are a vegetarian or have special dietary restrictions, please tell your reservations sales counselor so that your Tauck Director can try to arrange alternative selections for the few fixed meals on tour. Kosher food is typically not available.
Elevation - The maximum land elevation on this tour is approximately 700 ft (213 m).
Health – To enjoy this tour, you should be in good health and able to walk reasonable distances, often over unpaved and uneven surfaces. Some of the most memorable sightseeing can only be accomplished on foot. The amount of walking you do, however, is at your discretion.
The Baltic states, Finland and Russia are home to innumerable historic buildings and sites, some dating from the Middle Ages. Therefore, roads, walkways and architecture may present difficulties for some guests with physical disabilities. The Old Towns of Europe are often a maze of hills with narrow cobblestone streets and charming squares.
We regret that we cannot provide you with individual assistance for walking, dining or other personal needs. If you need such assistance, you must be accompanied by an able companion who will help you.
In the hotels, the water is purified and suitable for washing and brushing your teeth, However, we recommend that you drink bottled water. Some hotels charge for bottled water. We will provide bottled water at all meals and on the motor coach.
Smoking is widely acceptable in Russia. Cigarettes in Russia are inexpensive; and while it is illegal in Russia to sell cigarettes to people under 18, the law is seldom enforced and children are commonly seen smoking. Most restaurants are smoker-friendly and public places usually have a place to smoke.
The Russian government will not issue you a visa unless you state that you have medical insurance that covers you while in Russia. Please check with your health insurance provider to determine whether you are covered while traveling. If you will not be covered under your current policy, we suggest you purchase Tauck Travel Protection, which is considered sufficient for Russian visa purposes. Tauck Travel Protection is a supplemental coverage plan.
If you have a medical condition which might limit your participation in activities, please consult your physician for pre-departure health advice and notify us as soon as possible, if you have not already done so. We will advise your Tauck Director accordingly.
If you are a resident of the U.S., no vaccinations are currently required for travel to Finland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Russia. For complete vaccination and inoculation information, contact your physician, the public health service in your area, or the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A. The CDC operates a 24-hour information line at 800-232-4636 (toll-free in the U.S.).You may also log on to the CDC Internet website by clicking here.
If you are a resident of another country, please contact an embassy or consulate of each of the countries on the itinerary to determine what vaccinations may be required for you to visit.
Luggage Restrictions –
Checked Luggage – General
While it is common for airlines to allow passengers to check more than one piece of luggage per person, space constraints during your Tauck journey make it difficult to accommodate extra luggage. We ask that you limit your checked luggage to one average size suitcase per person.
Recently, airlines have adopted policies enforcing strict number, size and weight limits. Luggage exceeding maximum restrictions may require expensive overage fees, frustrating and hurried re-packing at the ticket counter, or even risk being left behind.
Many carriers require that checked luggage not exceed a weight of 50 lbs (22.7 kg) per piece. Airlines revise luggage policies frequently and often without notice; therefore, we cannot be held liable for the accuracy of the weight limit listed above. We urge you to check with your airline before traveling to determine current number, weight and size restrictions. It is also important to note that restrictions for luggage number, weight and size may vary with the same airline based on the class of service you select. First and Business Class ticket holders may have different restrictions than Coach Class travelers. You may wish to consult the website, luggagelimits.com, by clicking here.
We cannot be held liable for additional fees or inconveniences imposed by the airline due to luggage number, weight and size policies.
Please be sure to attach your Tauck luggage tag to your suitcase before leaving home!
Carry-on Luggage - General
Although oversize bags and wheeled, carry-on luggage are popular for airline travel, they are often not convenient or appropriate for motor coach travel or for many on-tour flights. Most modern sightseeing motor coaches offer limited space for numerous or larger items. Space under seats or in the overhead rack is typically small, and designed to accommodate items like coats, hats, purses, and small camera bags, etc.
For your day-to-day travel while on tour, we recommend that you limit your hand luggage to a small, soft-sided carry-on piece, and that you bring only those items you need handy during the day such as make-up, medications, cameras, film, etc. Items too large to fit under the motor coach seat or on the overhead rack must be stored in the luggage bays beneath the motor coach, and may be inaccessible during daytime travel.
On-tour flight required for this journey. This flight is included
in the tour cost.
On-Tour Flight: Day 11 St. Petersburg to Moscow
The flight from St. Petersburg to Moscow on Day 11 is via Aeroflot Airlines aboard the Airbus A319. Our selection of this airline and schedule for our various programs to Russia was designated with a great amount of consideration for many different factors – first and foremost being the element of safety.
The overall dimensions of carry-on luggage must not exceed 115 cm (55x40x20).