Is Moscow Safe in August 2026?

Unlicensed taxi drivers known locally as bombilas aggressively solicit arrivals in the arrivals hall at Sheremetyevo International Airport (SVO), particularly at Terminals B and C. They quote attractive initial prices of 500-800 RUB, then escalate demands to 3,000-8,000 RUB or more once the passenger is in the vehicle and moving. A documented 2025 criminal case involving five police officers from the airport interior ministry directorate revealed that officers actively helped touts identify and steer vulnerable arrivals toward unlicensed cabs.

How to avoid: Download Yandex Go before landing and book your ride from inside the arrivals hall using the app -- a legitimate taxi to central Moscow within the Garden Ring should cost 1,200-1,800 RUB and the price is fixed before you enter the vehicle. Alternatively, purchase an Aeroexpress train ticket at the terminal for the 35-minute ride to Belorussky railway station. Never follow anyone who approaches you unsolicited inside the terminal.

Drivers outside Domodedovo Airport (DME) operate a fixed-price scam in which they agree on a fare before departure but present a running meter or POS terminal showing a drastically inflated total on arrival. Reports document cases where fares quoted at 1,500 RUB resulted in card charges exceeding 25,000 RUB on the driver's own POS terminal. Some drivers carry POS terminals pre-configured to charge foreign card amounts in euros or dollars at an undisclosed conversion rate.

How to avoid: Use Yandex Go or the Domodedovo official taxi desk in the arrivals hall -- the desk issues a printed receipt with a fixed fare before you board. If using an app, confirm the destination, fare, and vehicle details inside the terminal before walking to the pickup point. Never hand your bank card to a driver who claims his terminal only takes card.

Men loitering near metro exits in Kitay-Gorod, Okhotny Ryad, and around GUM department store on Red Square approach tourists whispering offers to change money at a good rate. The offered rate appears attractive but the exchange involves sleight of hand -- the tourist receives a stack of bills with high-denomination notes on the outside and worthless or incorrect currency inside, or is shortchanged during the rapid hand-off. In some cases the exchanger disappears into a crowd the moment the tourist notices the discrepancy.

How to avoid: Exchange currency only at licensed bank branches such as Sberbank, VTB, or Alfa-Bank, or at certified exchange offices that display an official exchange sign and an electronic rate board. The Russian Central Bank publishes the official daily rate at cbr.ru -- check it before exchanging so you know the legitimate rate. Never hand cash to anyone on the street.

Individuals posing as plainclothes police officers approach tourists near major landmarks and demand to inspect their documents, citing invented offenses such as suspected drug possession or illegal currency exchange. Once the tourist opens their wallet or bag to produce a passport, an accomplice nearby palms cash or the victim is pressured to pay a fabricated fine on the spot. This scam is well documented around Okhotny Ryad metro station, Alexandrovsky Garden near the Kremlin, and along Tverskaya Ulitsa.

How to avoid: Real Russian police officers are uniformed and must show official credentials on request. Offer to walk with the officers to the nearest police station (otdeleniye politsii) -- genuine officers will comply, scammers will lose interest immediately. Never open your wallet or allow anyone to touch your documents or belongings during such an encounter.

Along Ulitsa Arbat -- the pedestrian tourist strip running between Arbatskaya and Smolenskaya metro stations -- individuals dressed as Russian military officers, matryoshka dolls, or Soviet-era figures invite tourists to pose for a free photo. Once the photo is taken, they demand aggressive payment of 500-2,000 RUB per person and become hostile if refused, sometimes physically grabbing the tourist's phone or camera until payment is made.

How to avoid: Decline any invitation to pose for photos with costumed performers unless you have agreed on a price before the camera comes out. If you want a photo, negotiate the specific price first. If grabbed, call for attention from nearby bystanders -- the performers will typically retreat quickly.