Ruble is the only legal tender on the entire territory of the Russian Federation. According to Russian laws, it is illegal to pay for goods and services in foreign currency, with the exception of authorized retail establishments. Old and tarnished foreign currency bills and coins will not be accepted at banks and exchange offices - money changers want to deal with pristine banknotes only. Although in major cities there appear more restaurants and shops welcoming credit cards, in some cases you will have to pay in cash. If you are going to travel to smaller Russian cities, make sure you have cash, as credit cards are not widely accepted in Russian provinces.

Travelers' Checks
If you bring travelers' checks, you can cash them either at American Express Travel Offices (of which there are only 2 in Russia, by the way) or at a local bank. Beware though that you will be charged a 1% to 3% commission for cashing your checks. Major hotels or American Express Office suggest locations for obtaining cash advances on credit cards. Unfortunately, it is impossible to use travel checks to pay for goods and services and you will need to cash them into rubles. Please do not countersign your checks at the bottom before you get to the exchange office, as your signature must be verified by a certified officer to disburse your money.