Do Visa and Mastercard Work in Russia?
Cards issued outside Russia, whether Visa or Mastercard, do not work at Russian shop terminals or ATMs: both payment systems suspended their operations in Russia in March 2022. Visa and Mastercard cards issued by Russian banks still work inside Russia, because domestic payments are processed by the Russian national system, but they do not work abroad. So the answer depends on where your card was issued and where you are trying to use it.
At our Pyat Tsvetov shops in Saint Petersburg we hear this question from two kinds of customers: visitors standing at the till with a foreign card that has just been declined, and relatives abroad who want to send flowers to Russia and are not sure their card will go through online. This article sorts out both situations and explains, as plainly as we can, what works for paying in person, what works online, and how ordering flowers from abroad with us is arranged.
Foreign-issued cards in Russian shops and ATMs
If you arrive in Russia with a Visa or Mastercard issued by a bank in Germany, the UK, the US or most other countries, expect it to be declined at card terminals and at ATMs. The terminal may show a generic error rather than a clear message, which confuses many travellers into trying several times. Apple Pay and Google Pay linked to those cards do not work either, since they rely on the same networks.
Plan for this before the trip. Visitors usually bring cash in euros or dollars and exchange it at a bank, or use payment arrangements offered for tourists by Russian banks, which change from time to time and are best checked shortly before you travel. Cards of some other payment systems, for example UnionPay cards issued by certain banks, are accepted in some places, but coverage is uneven and you should not rely on it as your only means of payment.
This also affects small everyday purchases such as a metro ticket, a coffee or a bunch of flowers at a kiosk. Most Russian businesses are cashless-friendly and many staff will not have seen a foreign card for some time, so carrying enough cash for the first days saves stress.
Russian-issued Visa and Mastercard cards
Cards issued by Russian banks with the Visa or Mastercard logo continue to work for payments and withdrawals inside Russia. Domestic transactions on these cards go through the National Payment Card System, so for a person living in Russia nothing changes at the till. Contactless payment via Apple Pay and Google Pay on these cards, however, stopped working in 2022, and Russian banks have been reissuing expiring cards on the Mir system instead.
Outside Russia these cards do not work at all, neither in shops nor online with foreign merchants. That is why many Russians travelling abroad use other arrangements, and why relatives abroad often cannot simply send money to a Russian Visa card from their own bank. For the recipient of a gift in Russia this matters little, but for the sender it means that paying online through a Russian site needs a payment method the site explicitly accepts.
A practical consequence for gift-givers: if your recipient in Russia offers to pay for something on your behalf and you plan to reimburse them, a transfer from a foreign bank to their Russian card is often impossible or slow. It is usually simpler to pay for the gift yourself on a site that accepts foreign cards, so the recipient does not handle money at all and the surprise stays intact.
Bouquets we can deliver
Paying online on Russian sites from abroad
Online stores in Russia process payments through Russian payment providers, and whether a foreign card goes through depends on what the shop has connected. Some sites accept only Russian cards and SBP, the Faster Payments System that works with Russian bank accounts. Others have added a separate acquiring option for international cards. Always check the payment page before you assemble a large order.
On our site you can pay by bank card, SBP or Yandex Pay, and foreign bank cards are accepted: payment for them goes through Robokassa. In practice this means a customer in Berlin, Tel Aviv or Toronto can order and pay for a bouquet to Saint Petersburg without a Russian bank account. If the payment is declined, the usual reasons are your own bank blocking a transaction to Russia, an incorrect billing address or a 3-D Secure confirmation that timed out.
Before paying, it helps to call your bank or check its app for restrictions on payments to Russian merchants, since policies differ from bank to bank and change over time. We go into the details of PayPal, Wise and other options in Paying for Russian Flower Delivery: PayPal, Wise and What Works, and the specifics of cards on flower sites in Visa and Mastercard on Russian Flower Sites.
Practical tips for paying smoothly
Use a card you have already used for international online purchases and make sure online and cross-border payments are enabled in your banking app. Enter the billing address exactly as your bank holds it, including the postcode format of your country. Keep your phone at hand, because the 3-D Secure code or app confirmation usually arrives within a minute and expires quickly.
The amount will be shown in roubles, and your bank converts it at its own rate, sometimes adding a foreign transaction fee. If you are comparing prices, look at the final amount in your banking app rather than a rough conversion. Keep the payment confirmation email until the delivery is complete, as it contains your order number.
If a foreign card fails twice, do not keep retrying, since some banks block the card after several attempts. Call us at 8 (812) 507-67-05 and we will tell you what we see on our side and how else the order can be paid for. Often a relative in Russia paying by SBP or a Russian card is the quickest alternative.
Sending flowers to Russia with Pyat Tsvetov
Pyat Tsvetov has been running flower shops in Saint Petersburg since 2011, and today we have three of our own: on Ilyushina Street, on the Obvodny Canal Embankment and on Srednerogatskaya Street. We deliver flowers across Russia. City delivery costs 500 RUB; for remote districts and suburbs the operator confirms the price when confirming the order. In Saint Petersburg delivery is around the clock.
In large cities express delivery takes 1-2 hours after the order is confirmed. You can also choose an exact time with a margin of 30 minutes, a time window of 09-12, 12-15, 15-18 or 18-21, or pre-order 1-30 days ahead, which is useful for 8 March, birthdays and anniversaries. Delivery is anonymous by default, and a card with your text is free.
The courier calls the recipient about 15 minutes before arrival. If the person is not at home, we agree a second delivery the same day or, with your consent, hand the flowers to a neighbour or concierge. Choose a bouquet in the bouquets catalogue, and read the full conditions on the delivery and payment page.
Frequently asked questions
Will my foreign Visa card work in Russia?
No, Visa and Mastercard cards issued outside Russia do not work at Russian terminals or ATMs since 2022. Bring cash or check current arrangements for tourists before travelling.
Do Russian Visa and Mastercard cards still work?
Yes, inside Russia they work for payments and cash withdrawals. They do not work abroad or with foreign online merchants.
Can I pay for flowers to Russia with a foreign card?
On our site, yes: foreign bank cards are accepted, with payment processed through Robokassa. You can also pay by Russian bank card, SBP or Yandex Pay.
Why was my card declined on a Russian site?
Common reasons are your bank blocking payments to Russia, a wrong billing address or an expired 3-D Secure confirmation. Check your banking app, and if it fails twice, call us at 8 (812) 507-67-05.
Does Apple Pay work in Russia?
No, Apple Pay and Google Pay stopped working with Visa and Mastercard in Russia in 2022. Russian banks offer their own alternatives for local cardholders.
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