Indians visiting Russia can now use Tourist Card for payments, transit and more. How does it function?

Indian travellers visiting Moscow can now obtain the Tourist Card—which operates on Russia’s Mir payment system and allows cashless transactions across shops, restaurants, public transport, and tourist attractions—from the new travel and banking office opened by Sber, Russia’s largest bank, near Red Square on Bolshaya Dmitrovka Street. The move comes in the wake of a major uptick in the number of Indian travellers to Moscow. Nearly 86,000 tourists visited Moscow from India in 2024—a 1.4-fold increase compared to 2023.

 

The office functions as both a banking branch and a tourist information centre. It offers services such as currency exchange, payments, transfers, and travel assistance. Staff members speak Russian, English, and Arabic.

 

The Tourist Card comes with no monthly maintenance fees.

 

Travellers can apply for a virtual Tourist Card before arriving in Russia by registering on YooMoney using just a phone number. No Russian SIM is required for the process, making it accessible for international visitors.

 

Travellers can also order physical cards in advance and get them delivered to hotels or home addresses. Payments can be made via QR codes through the YooMoney app or by NFC on Android phones.

 

The centre also offers free city guides in multiple languages and a lounge area where visitors can rest and try local snacks. At the centre, tourists can also create an individual travel plan based on their personal preferences and take free booklets with information about the city.

 

A children’s play zone has also been set up in collaboration with the Soyuzmultfilm animation studio.

Tourism