Hi! I’m about to go to Russia on my study year abroad and I’m activating my mondo card at home in the UK next week before I leave.
What would be the best way to use my money? Do I take out a mass of cash on my normal debit card over there and hardly use it? Do I transfer from my account to mondo before I leave? … I’m not really sure what to do… 
never been to Russia , but when I go abroad I tend to have a couple of hundred pounds on my Mondo card , carry my Halifax Clarity card and my Lloyds bank debit card and also carry about £100 in local currency and try and use my Mondo whenever and wherever I can , and with instant top ups from my Uk debit card just a click away ( assuming internet connection ) keep topping it up when there are big bills to pay minutes before paying - hotels etc
I would advise to avoid using your debit card (what is the point?) and instead topping up Mondo with a budgeted amount.
Make a reasonable first ATM withdawal and always carry some cash with you, though.
Try to budget, understand the level of prices…pay with the card when possible so you will keep track of prices and transactions.
then Russia is big…where are you going?? 
Hi all,
I’m travelling to Russia in July and will be taking my Monzo card. I know stores accept Monzo, but not all places in Russia accept cards, so i am wondering has anyone ever used their Monzo card in Russia to withdraw money, will i be able to do that?
Thanks for the help.
Just got back from 3 weeks in Russia (Kirov and Moscow regions). Withdrawing cash and making payments in shops was a breeze - shop assistants love Monzo! Only one transaction refused to work - Velobike in Moscow, although I suspect their system was down or overloaded! (Yes - I was crazy enough to hire a rental bicycle in Moscow!!! - btw, they have some e-bikes to rent on the West side of Moscow as well!).
Hmm, automated bike machines do seem really similar to other places where we know Monzo doesn’t work 
. For example, unmanned ticket/parking machines or petrol stations. It’s very likely that this was an offline terminal and that’s why it wouldn’t work. Google unfortunately didn’t have any answer about online/offline mode for those terminals, but I think my guess is pretty good.
Corruption in Russia is higher than what we’re used to in Europe and (according to my Russian parents) alcoholism is a bit more widespread so I would advise against having lots of cash on you in case you get mugged.
Hey guys I am new with Monzo been enjoying so fa and I am traveling to Russia soon is Monzo accepted in Russia too? It was saying that everywhere around the globe so just wanna double check if its all good, and i will get no transaction fees or any other fees, thank you!
Hey Tomas, other users have shared their tips in this topic so I’ve moved your post here to keep all the advice in one place, I hope that makes sense 
Check out this wiki too & please do update us with how you get on 
Hi there, so I have been in Russia this July, and card works perfectly, didint had any issues in Moscow. But I have traveled to Crimea, the part of Russia which was annexed from Ukraine, probably you all seen it in news. So there card doesnt work. Not just Monzo, but any other too and you will have no reception on your phone too. So if you travel there make sure you take out cash before.
To clarify the current problems in Crimea in the Russian Federation are not the result of local banks or ATM networks but due to Visa and Mastercard International enforcing the US’s political embargos.
PS Sat phones still work even if GSM roaming is barred.
Mastercard and Visa have announced a suspension of services within Russia. Monzo cards will cease to work in Russia