Here is a list of official websites and useful addresses so that you can gather all sorts of information about Russia and plan your journey well.

But: like many things in Russia, it is mostly all in Russian. You can use http://www.promt.ru/, or http://www.promt.com/, a free online dictionary.

Official websites:

www.gov.ru - Russian authorities' website

www.gov.spb.ru - Saint Petersburg government's official website

www.mos.ru - Moscow town hall's website

www.rg.ru - Official edition of the Russian government (official documents)

www.kremlin.ru - Information about the Russian president

www.nalog.ru - Russian tax services website

www.mid.ru - Russian foreign affairs website, embassy, consulate and international organizations' contacts

www.rusemlon.org - Russian embassy and consulates in the UK

www.russianembassy.biz/scotland-edinburgh.htm - Russian embassy and consulates in Scotland

www.ireland.mid.ru - Russian embassy and consulates in Ireland

www.russianembassy.org - Russian embassy and consulates in the USA

www.rusembcanada.mid.ru/ - Russian embassy and consulates in Canada

www.australia.mid.ru - Russian embassy and consulates in Australia

Transport, travels:

www.rzd.ru - Russian railways Arts, entertainment:

www.afisha.ru - Information about the cultural life of Saint Petersburg and Moscow, theatre repertoires, exhibitions, concerts and clubs.

www.museum.ru - Catalogue of the Russian museums 

www.theatre.ru - Information about Moscow's theatres

www.tophoto.ru - Catalogue of Russian websites dedicated to photography

www.gramota.ru - All about the Russian language 

General Information:

www.adresa.yandex.ru - Locates addresses in the largest Russian cities

www.gismeteo.ru - Russian weather forecast

www.slovari.ru - Russian dictionary

www.mojgorod.ru - Russian cities and regions, historical and geopolitical information

Mobile phone operators in Russia:

www.tele2.ru

www.beeline.ru

www.mts.ru

www.megafon.ru

Money and finance:

www.cbr.ru - Russian's central bank website; exchang rates

www.rbc.ru - Economic information agency "Rossbisnessconsalting"

www.allinsurance.ru - List of the largest insurance companies in Russia