Banks and Currency
Only one currency can be used to pay at all stores and restaurants in Russia—the Russian rouble.
The rouble is made up of 100 kopecks. Circulating coins exist in denominations of 1, 5, 10, and 50 kopecks, as well as 1, 2, 5, and 10 roubles. The rouble is also printed on bills in denominations of 5, 10, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1,000, 2,000 and 5,000 roubles.
It is possible to pay by card in many stores and cafes, as well as for official taxi services and Aeroexpress trains to the airports. Currently in Russia, only MIR bank cards are accepted for payments (this also applies to online shopping). You can get a MIR card from a local bank. HSE University helps its students and staff to get the relevant cards. In many shops, it is now also possible to pay by scanning a QR code with your banking app. One cannot, however, pay for souvenirs on Red Square, at Izmailovo market, or buy flowers on the boulevard without cash.
In all three major airports (Domodedovo, Sheremetyevo, Vnukovo) you can find cash machines once you pass customs. Withdrawing roubles from cash machines gives you a better exchange rate compared to any other option.
It is possible to exchange roubles immediately upon arriving at the airport, though the exchange rate at such offices is not always the most favourable for tourists.
Currency can be exchanged at any bank branch in the city. Before going to the bank, you can check the exchange rate here. For currency exchange, it is necessary to present your passport and an official translation of it. Please be careful: banks won’t accept torn or stained bills. Near HSE University, there are a number of banks along Myasnitskaya Ulitsa.
The most reliable banks with offices on Myasnitskaya Ulitsa and near it are listed below:
- VTB 24 (HSE University’s banking partner)
16 Bolshaya Lubyanka Ulitsa, Building 1
Monday–Thursday 9 am–6 pm; Friday 9 am–5 pm; closed on Saturdays and Sundays
17 Kuznetsky Most Ulitsa
Monday–Friday 9 am–8 pm; closed on Saturdays and Sundays
4 Sretensky Bulvar
Monday–Friday 10 am–7:30 pm; Saturday and Sunday–round the clock
22/2/5 Myasnitskaya Ulitsa, building 1
Monday–Friday: 10 am–8 pm
24/7 Myasnitskaya Ulitsa, building 2
Monday–Thursday: 10 am–7 pm, Friday: 10 am–6 pm
11 Myasnitskaya Ulitsa
Monday–Friday: 10 am–8 pm, Saturday: 10 am–6 pm
For those who are in a hurry or forget their passport in the morning (which we really do not recommend doing), the simplest way of transferring money into roubles is at ATMs. All ATMs have a menu to select a language. There are ATMs of two banks mentioned above (VTB 24 and SberBank) in HSE University’s buildings at 20 Myasnitskaya Ulitsa and 11 Pokrovsky Bulvar. There are also ATMs at all Moscow metro stations.
The sign 'Банкомат 24 часа' (ATM open 24/7) at the entrance to a bank branch means that you can use the ATM there at any time, but only if it is an ATM of the same bank that issued your card. All bank branches can exchange euros and dollars, though other currencies may not be easily exchanged at all banks. To be sure you do not end up with no money, it is best to check online where you can exchange a certain currency.