More straightforward than the reputation suggests honestly. International driving permit is an absolute must, don’t even consider showing up without one. Established operators in the major cities handle foreign clients regularly so the process is pretty dialled in. Where it gets messy is going with smaller local outfits to save a few quid, not worth the hassle.

Russia is one of those places where independent road travel completely changes what you take away from the trip. Car rental in Russia puts you on routes that the standard tourist trail doesn’t go anywhere near. The Golden Ring towns around Moscow alone justify hiring a car, and that’s before you start thinking about what lies further out. Operators with experience handling international visitors tend to have the whole documentation side sorted without any drama. One resource worth checking for available options is https://getrentacar.com/en-US/russia