2 week cna travel assignments

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Travel Nurse Jobs & Travel Nursing Assistant Jobs

Travel nursing and allied therapy jobs, if you're interested in working and venturing away from home, travel assignments are perfect for you travel and explore what the world has to offer, all while doing what you do best — providing quality care., travel contract jobs for nurses & nursing assistants.

Your opportunities with GrapeTree are endless! Along with per-diem shifts and local long-term assignments, our healthcare professionals have the opportunity to travel and explore new areas without giving up a regular income. Travel contracts are 8-13 weeks in length, offer opportunities to work outside a 50 mile radius of your home, and include travel + housing stipends. Mesh your career with new personal life experiences by becoming a travel CNA/STNA, LPN, or RN with GrapeTree!

You get the best of both worlds. Earn a competitive wage while exploring your surroundings in your down time.

Live in, make memories in, and explore a new area with every new travel assignment

Receive a weekly, non-taxed per diem, to assist with travel, meals, housing, incidentals, and other necessary expenses.

Guaranteed hours

Your schedule is set from the moment you are booked into a travel assignment with GrapeTree.

We currently offer travel opportunities throughout the states below – but we are still expanding! Check out all of the fun things to do in each of our states and pick your next home-away-from-home.

Make More With Travel Contracts

The weekly package range for travel assignments is a combination of hourly taxed rate and a weekly non-taxed per diem reimbursement to cover housing, meals, incidentals, and other necessary costs. Package amount is based on facility type, specialty, location, and certification of healthcare professional.

CN A s /STN A s

$1,200-$1,700 per week.

Must have 6 months of experience working as a CNA or STNA.

$1,600-$2,000 PER WEEK

Must have 1 year of experience working as an LPN.

$2,000-$2,700

Must have 1 year of experience working as an RN.

Your h ome address must be least 50 miles away from the facility to qualify for travel pay rates. Contracts are available as local assignments at a lower pay rate for those whose home address is less than 50 miles away from the facility address.

CN A s &  STN A s

Ots & otas.

Must have 1 year of experience working as an OT or OTA.

PTs & PTAs

Must have 1 year of experience working as a PT or PTA.

Must have 1 year of experience working as an SLP.

Get Certified in Other States

Only certified to work in your home state? No problem! While each state has their own process for becoming licensed, it is easy to get your license transferred. This process is called getting "reciprocity" or "endorsement." Our team has compiled a list of all our states' registries so that you can easily transfer your license. Give our team a call to learn more about getting reimbursed for gaining reciprocity in other states! Click the button below to get started.

The Perks of Travel A ssignments

Flexibility.

You have the flexibility to choose where you go and what assignments you take on.

Avoid Burnout

Experience higher job satisfaction working in a travel assignment by avoiding overtime.

Gain Knowledge

Explore what you love about nursing by working with more people in diverse settings.

Career Advancement

Strengthen your experience an build up your resume to show that you thrive in all environments.

What People Are Saying

I've been working and traveling with GrapeTree Medical Staffing for about five months now and have loved every minute of it! The communication is great, the pay is excellent and I love how flexible they are! If you are looking for a great company to work for I highly recommend GrapeTree!

Alissa | Travel CNA

Got questions we've got answers..

Book Your Dream A ssignment

Our team is waiting to hear from you! Learn more about our travel opportunities or book your dream assignment by giving us a call at (712) 336-0800 and select option 4.

Interested in More Information?

Short-Term Nursing Travel Assignments: Embracing Short-Term Growth and Flexibility

by Trusted Nurse Staffing | Apr 1, 2024 | News | 0 comments

Maybe you’re a registered nurse who is starting to feel bored working at the same hospital day after day. 

You love what you do, but you could really use a change of scenery.

Your lifestyle is pretty flexible. You enjoy traveling, and you have a desire to help wherever there is a need.

Or maybe you’re already a travel nurse who is used to 13-week contracts and would like to move around a little more often.

In either case, short-term travel nurse contracts could be perfect for you.

In this article, we will highlight why travel nurses are so critical, the significant benefits of taking short-term nursing assignments, and how you can start your travel nurse career today.

Table of Contents

Why short-term nursing assignments are available.

• 3 Reasons Why Hospitals Need Short-Term Travel Nurses for Rapid Response 

3 Big Benefits of Short-Term Nursing Assignments for Travel Nurses

• Possible Cons of Short-Term Travel RN Assignments 

Trusted Nurse Staffing Can Offer You Short-Term Travel Nurse Assignments 

Travel nurses are trained registered nurses sent to hospitals and facilities with short-term staffing needs. 

To qualify for short-term travel nursing assignments, you must:

• Hold a nursing degree and have passed the NCLEX exam.
• Generally have a minimum of 12 months of recent acute care experience in your specialty of choice.
• Provide references.
• Obtain necessary certifications.
• Obtain RN licensure in the state where you’ll work or use a multi-state license based on the Nurse Licensure Compact .

Travel nurse contracts are typically about 13 weeks long but may vary depending on the job and facility. 

Most recruiters consider short-term travel nurse contracts less than 13 weeks in length — generally, anywhere from 2 to 8 weeks.

Short-term travel nurse jobs may become available in the following circumstances:

• Seasonal staffing demands
• Short-term staffing gaps
• Facility-wide nursing strikes
• Disaster relief 
• Crises resulting in surge capacity 

Short-term travel nurses are used to supplement facility demands at a moment’s notice. They are essential in providing patient care and support in times of dire need. If you find this possibility exhilarating, short-term travel nursing may be the career path for you. 

To get started in this rewarding and lucrative career path, you’ll need a travel nurse staffing agency that you can trust. Trusted Nurse Staffing is leading the industry with great benefits, pay, and a new way to find short-term travel nursing assignments quickly. 

You can use Pronto to sort jobs by specialty, location, pay, shifts, and assignment link. With Pronto, we allow our travel nurses to customize their search as much as possible so that they can find their dream assignment. Begin your search for short-term travel nurse contracts on Pronto today.

Rapid Response Travel Nurse

A rapid response travel nurse is the most common type of travel nurse because they are typically needed the most during situations that exceed a facility’s surge capacity. These situations may be crises caused by mass casualty situations, disasters, or pandemics.

Rapid response nurses are usually:

• Able to start very quickly — typically within two days to two weeks.
• Good at working under pressure.
• Highly adaptable and able to adjust to new environments.
• Flexible in their assignment length.

As a rapid response travel nurse, you might be able to negotiate for a better contract since you are usually needed quickly and on short notice. You may also likely have greater flexibility in the assignment length.

Travel Nurses Working During Nurse Strikes

Strike nurse travel jobs are usually available to help fill regular hospital staff positions while they are off of work due to a labor dispute. While labor strikes are vital to driving change in the healthcare industry, facilities and patients still rely on nurses for treatment. 

Sometimes, strikes can leave a facility altogether void of nursing staff. For example, in January 2023, 7,000 nurses went on strike at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx and Mount Sinai in Manhattan. To supplement the staffing gap during the strike, travel nurses were called in to continue to render care and avoid delays in patient treatments.

As a strike nurse, you:

• Are probably needed very short-term, maybe a few days to a few weeks.
• May receive high pay since hospitals are in dire need of nursing staff.
• Might have a few weeks’ notice (hospitals usually know a few weeks in advance if their staff will be striking).

3 Reasons Why Hospitals Need Short-Term Travel Nurses for Rapid Response

Short-term nursing assignments for rapid response happen quickly and are often an unexpected need.

There are three common reasons that hospitals tend to need short-term travel nurses for rapid response situations:

• When hospitals update medical software
• For filling remote positions
• An increased need for staff due to a crisis, natural disaster, etc.

Reason #1: Electronic Medical Records Conversions

Electronic medical records ( EMR ) conversion is a complex process that involves migrating paper patient files and/or legacy EMRs whenever a facility adopts, updates, or switches software. 

This may sometimes require the facility to pull staff members from the floor to complete the necessary training, which may leave gaps in the schedule and require additional nurses. 

For example:

Nicole is an ICU nurse at a busy hospital. Every few months, she and her coworkers must undergo training to ensure they’re up-to-speed on how all of their medical software works. These different training sessions can last hours, sometimes even the length of an entire shift, depending on the type of training.

Instead of operating understaffed, rapid-response travel nurses can be utilized to adapt to scheduling and patient needs. This allows the facility to operate safely, remove excess burden on staff nurses, and provide high-quality patient care. 

Reason #2: Remote Positions 

Remote positions are considered hard to fill because they are not highly desired by nurses.

A remote position is a job at hospitals or clinics that are further away from “civilization,” like many travel nursing jobs in Montana .

These positions are often at facilities in secluded areas that are typically less busy, which may make be difficult for them to retain steady, full-time staff. 

Since there may be an expected turnover rate for these hard-to-fill positions, extra staff may be needed to supplement gaps caused by absenteeism, terminations, and resignations. 

As a short-term travel nurse, you can take on a remote position for a limited time and then be on your way to a new assignment in a matter of weeks — maybe another short-term assignment or a typical 13-week assignment.

Reason #3: Unexpected Fluctuation in Staffing or Patient Loads: 4 Crisis Scenarios 

Sometimes, hospitals experience an unexpected fluctuation in their staff or patients, which leads to an increased need for more nurses. These fluctuations may be the result of the following crisis scenarios:

• Natural disasters
• Man-made disasters

These situations may enact surge capacity protocols, often involving contingent workers like short-term travel nurses. Contingent staffing helps curb the consequences of these crises by:

• Supplementing nurse-to-patient ratios to reduce poor patient outcomes.
• Reducing the need for overtime in staff nurses.
• Supporting permanent staff to remove additional burdens and curb mental exhaustion, stress, and burnout.

Trusted Staff Nursing is on a mission to connect facilities with top talent at a moment’s notice. We also help travel nurses find in-need facilities quickly and efficiently. 

Don’t want to spend too much time sorting through countless short-term travel nursing assignments? You can set up notifications that alert you when a job with your requirements comes up. 

Scenario 1: Flu Season 

Flu season generally begins around October and is most active between December and February. In many locations, flu season can last into the spring as late as May.

The CDC estimates that although we are only in the 10th week of the 2024 flu season there have been an estimated 29 million cases, 320,000 hospitalizations, and 20,000 deaths. These numbers can easily overwhelm a facility already suffering from staffing gaps. 

Since the elderly are at greater risk for complications from the flu, states with higher populations of senior citizens — like Maine and Florida — may have a greater need for short-term travel nurses during flu season.

Scenario 2: Natural Disasters

Natural disasters can cause major injuries or illnesses that might cause an increase in patients at hospitals.

The following qualify as natural disasters:

• Earthquakes
• Landslides or mudslides
• Extreme heat
• Winter weather

In the event of a natural disaster, short-term travel nurses can help with:

• Blood drives
• Health education (CPR, first aid)
• Staffing hospitals
• Providing extra resources
• Alleviating the strain of other care facilities like nursing homes

Scenario 3: Man-Made Disasters

A man-made disaster results from hazards caused by people or groups. These disasters include:

• Civil disturbances
• Terrorism attacks
• Cyber-attacks
• Biological or chemical threats

During these disasters, short-term travel nurses help facilitate care, support staff nurses, and assist in the coordination and other logistics involved in disaster response plans. 

Scenario 4: Pandemics

A pandemic is a global illness that affects a large number of people, such as COVID-19. 

The flow of patients during the COVID-19 pandemic maxed out most facilities’ emergency departments and intensive care units. While the lack of staff and supplies initially impeded hospitals’ ability to evaluate and supply aid, travel nursing was an effective resolution to a potentially catastrophic problem. 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of travel nurses doubled as hospitals across the country responded to increased numbers of critically ill patients in their facilities. This spike in demand was not without reward. The growing need for travel nursing resulted in massive salary hikes for travelers. 

Short-term nursing assignments might not be for everyone. 

Maybe you don’t do well being distanced from your friends and family for any length of time.

Maybe you require more time to adjust to a new facility. 

Maybe the continual job searching is stressful and not as stable as you’d like to be.

However, for those who are committed to short-term nursing travel assignments,  there are some pretty big benefits that come along with the job.

Benefit #1: Shorter Assignments and Flexibility 

If you like to travel and have flexibility in your schedule and your life, short-term travel nurse contracts might be right for you.

The short contract lengths allow you to work in a variety of hospitals and positions. You get to travel, immerse yourself in our country’s different cultures, and make new friends.

It’s a flexible job opportunity that lets you get a taste of new experiences and settings. Once your assignment ends, you can immediately find another short-term travel nursing contract or take a break. And if you decide that you’re not ready to leave, the professionals at Trusted Nurse Staffing can help you extend your contract. 

Benefit #2: Great Pay

As of March 2024, the nationwide average salary of travel nurses is $1,944 per week, which is 1.1 times higher than the national average of registered nurses ( $1,689  per week). 

Keep in mind how much you make as a short-term travel nurse may depend on the following:

• Specialization
• Facility needs
• Geographical location
• Year of experience 

The highest-paying states for travel nurses are:

• New York : $2,310 per week
• Pennsylvania : $2,115 per week
• New Hampshire : $2,068 per week
• New Jersey : $2,037 per week
• Wyoming : $2,015 per week
• Washington : $2,012 per week
• Wisconsin : $1,998 per week
• Massachusetts : $1,998 per week
• Alaska : $1,992 per week
• Oregon : $1,976 per week

Benefit #3: Travel More Often 

Short-term travel nurse jobs allow you to break from your normal environment and enter new landscapes full of new horizons, opportunities, and adventures. With so much to do and see, short-term travel nursing assignments allow you to quickly flit from place to place so that you can see it all. 

If you love to travel , why not get paid to do it?

Imagine spending two weeks working in New York, then traveling to Miami for six weeks before finishing up with a four-week assignment in rural West Virginia. In just three months’ time, you earned good money while enjoying the big city, the beach, and the mountains.

Pronto and Trusted Nurse Staffing make it easy to find the right job in the right location for you. Sign up with Pronto to get scrolling toward your next big break today. 

Possible Cons of Short-Term Travel Nurse Assignments 

While the benefits of short-term travel RN assignments are appealing, the job might not be for everyone.

Some cons to short-term travel nurse jobs include:

• Feelings of homesickness or loneliness.
• Less choices in contracts compared to longer term assignements.
• Navigating the logistics of travel (time changes, language barriers, travel stress).
• Always learning how to work with a team that already knows one another well.
• Consistently having to adapt to new environments, policies, and procedures.
• Potentially limited choices in housing. 

Working short-term travel nurse assignments can be a fun and rewarding job. You can travel, negotiate your contracts, make good money, and have some flexibility with work.

You’ll also have access to these amazing benefits and perks:

• Travel, housing, and meal stipends
• Referral and completion bonuses
• Dental, health, and vision benefits
• Sign-on bonuses

At Trusted Nurse Staffing, we want to help our travel nurses explore all of the possibilities for flexibility, growth, and opportunity. We encourage our nurses to continue to hone their potential, which is why we now support employees with a tax-free student loan reimbursement of up to $5,250 annually.

We hope that this allows our nurses to breathe easier and pursue further education without being burdened by their student loans. 

It is also important that our travel nursing allies can find assignments granting them job satisfaction and purpose in an industry that can sometimes be hard to navigate. We created Pronto to give travel nurses the power to find and choose the travel nursing assignments that would best suit their preferences, needs, hopes, and dreams. 

Empower your travel nursing experience with the help of Trusted Nurse Staffing and Pronto. Begin your search for short-term travel nursing assignments today. 

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Travel as a Certified Nursing Assistant

Browse travel CNA jobs with LRS Healthcare.

Traveling as a CNA with LRS Healthcare

At LRS Healthcare, our recruiters are trained experts at finding only the best CNA jobs at long-term care nursing facilities across the nation. This means you get to choose your next working view!

When you travel as a healthcare professional, you get to make an incredible impact on the patients in your care while offering the long-term care facilities you serve with much needed staffing relief. You’ll get to choose from thousands of long-term care jobs nationwide, giving you control of your healthcare career.

Browse travel CNA jobs with LRS Healthcare and apply today to get started today. A recruiter will be in touch to help you with the final application and job details while working to get you the job of your dreams!

What to expect

Applying for cna travel jobs.

Before starting a healthcare travel assignment as a certified nursing assistant, you must take the first leap and apply . A recruiter will then reach out to finalize your application and talk about your preferences in hopes to get you placed at a desirable long-term care facility. Once all of your documents and background checks are completed, if an offer is made, you can then sign your contract and prepare for your next adventure!

Download the Complete Checklist for Every New Healthcare Travel Assignment

of Traveling as a CNA

As a healthcare traveler, you get to be your own boss and our team of professionals is here to help you find the perfect balance of work and life adventures. It’s about finding that balance between having the control and freedom to travel, while learning and growing a CNA caregiver.

Additional perks include:

Excellent Weekly Pay

Explore New Cities

Fun and Flexible Lifestyle

On-the-Job Experiences

Professional Growth

Extended Time Off Between Assignments

Meet New People

24-Hour Support

With all of this change and excitement, it may take some time to get comfortable in your new job and location. Don’t worry this is expected and your recruiter will be there at every step of your journey! Learn more about about travel opportunities for Nursing Professionals.

Asked Questions

01. To be considered as a healthcare traveler, be sure your licenses and certifications up to date. The required licenses may vary depending on the state in which you work a travel assignment. While not always required, you’ll have a leg up if you have 2-years of on-the-job experience.

02. Once you’ve gained a minimum of 2-years on-the-job experience, determine which healthcare staffing agency you want to work with, then apply for a job! At LRS Healthcare, our recruiters take pride in listening to your requests and finding you the best CNA travel job that not only pays well but is in a city that matches your interests.

03. To put it simply, pay packages vary by job, facility, and agency. A healthcare traveler pay package advertised online could be before or after taxes, include travel or housing stipends, etc., These variables affect what your take-home pay could be and could potentially be different than what agencies display online. To ensure accuracy, your LRS Healthcare recruiter will outline your personalized pay package, so you know what to expect on your weekly paystub

04. A standard travel nurse assignment is 13 weeks; however, long-term care facilities tend to have a bit more flexibility when it comes to CNA contracts. If you commit to an 8-week or 13-week travel assignment and decide you love it, you have the option to extend your contract . If you determine it’s not the location or job for you, then you have peace of mind that it is only temporary.

24/7/365 Benefits

Beyond-your-basic benefits.

Licensure Reimbursement

Certification Reimbursement

Traveler Experience Team

Referral Bonus

LifeWorks EAP

Clinical Team

Learn more about our benefits .

From the LRS Healthcare Blog

2024 conferences for healthcare travelers, pros & cons of being a traveling medical lab tech, upgrade your career from ota to ot: what to know (and do).

Why Choose LRS Healthcare?

Your success is our priority. That’s why we make the traveler experience easy, so you can spend more time living your life and caring for your patients. Here are just a few more reasons to travel with us.

Traveler First:

You’re never just a number to us. We take the time to learn about you, including your career goals and desired destinations. Your recruiter will guide you from one assignment to the next and be your advocate throughout your journey with us.

Responsive:

Submit your online application, and we’ll be in touch right away. Once we’ve gotten to know you and matched you to an ideal position, we’ll work together to collect the rest of the details.

Full Service:

Along with your recruiter, you’ll have access to our dedicated operations and traveler experience teams. They help take care of all the details to make your assignment the very best it can be. You won’t go it alone—you can contact us any time, 24/7/365.

Travel with LRS Healthcare

Ready to hit the road for your next assignment.

CNA Travel Nursing Jobs

Questions and answers, how much experience do i need as a cna to start traveling, what type of facilities need traveling nurses, what type of certifications or licenses do i need to start traveling, how long are the travel contracts for, how much do traveling cnas get paid, where are the cna travel jobs located.

How Does Travel Nursing Work? | Salary and FAQ

Travel nursing is a great way to advance your career and earn great pay while traveling the country. Plus, travel nursing can provide advantages to nurses who value flexibility in their careers and don’t want to be locked into one facility or specialty. Travel nursing can also help nurses who are looking for variety in the nursing profession to learn new skills and gain valuable experience.

And while providing excellent patient care is one part of the job that won’t change, there are some differences between being a travel nurse versus a staff nurse that you should be aware of before you make the switch.

Below you’ll learn the travel nurse basics as we answer 15 of the most frequently asked questions about travel nursing.

Discover available travel nursing assignments in the area of your choice!

Table of Contents

• How Does Travel Nursing Work?
• Who Can Become a Travel Nurse?
• What is The Salary Like as a Travel Nurse?
• How Long are Travel Nursing Assignments?
• Where Can Travel Nurses Go?
• Can I Take a Travel Assignment Close to My Home?
• Am I Eligible for Benefits Like Health Insurance and Vacation?
• Does the Staffing Agency Pay For My Living Expenses?
• Can I Travel With My Family and/or Pets?
• Can I Travel With Another Travel Nurse?
• Will I Get the Worst Assignments?
• If An Assignment is Cut Short Due to Low Census, Do I Get Full Pay?
• Is Travel Nursing Good for Career Advancement?
• How Long Will There Be Demand for Travel Nurses?
• How Do I Become a Travel Nurse?

1. How Does Travel Nursing Work?

Travel nurses are hired to bridge staffing shortages, which may be caused by a variety of factors:

• A lack of qualified nurses in the area
• Seasonal patient population increases
• Natural disasters or pandemics
• Staff nurses taking expected leaves of absence like maternity leave or vacations

To find skilled nurses to fill these often short-term assignments, these facilities work with recruitment agencies.

Most travel nursing assignments are around 13-14 weeks long, so as the travel nurse, you sign a contract with a travel nursing agency to work that length of time at a designated facility. While 13-14 weeks is an average length of time, there may be other assignments that are shorter or longer.

Every facility will have different policies, but most will also have clearly explained policies about what will happen if you feel unsafe, are unable to complete your assignment, or if the hospital decides to cancel your contract before the length of time is up.

Your travel nurse recruitment agency will work with you to place you at a facility and help you arrange things like housing, meals, and other practical things you might need during your stay, like internet or utilities.

You also have the option to receive retirement benefits and insurance for the duration of your assignment, although those benefits usually end when your assignment does, so some travel nurses opt to pay out-of-pocket for the benefits they need so they last between assignments.

There are travel nurse assignments available in nearly every specialty, from ICU to labor and delivery to advanced nurse practitioner positions like CRNAs and NPs. In general, the more specialty experience you have, the higher pay you may earn as a travel nurse. If you have specialty training or would like to gain it, be sure to talk to your nurse recruiter.

2. Who Can Become a Travel Nurse?

Travel nurses are Registered Nurses with typically 12-18 months of hospital-based RN experience in their field. Depending on the specialty or the specific requirements of the facility, the required work experience may be longer. Travel nursing assignments are available for multiple specialties, but some specialties like ICU and oncology are more in demand. Nurses with advanced certification, such as NPs, CNMs, and CRNAs can also take travel positions.

See other high-demand travel nurse specialties.

3. What is The Salary Like as a Travel Nurse?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary for a Registered Nurse in 2021 was $77,600 per year, while travel nurses can make on average approximately $131,807 per year.

However, you may want to keep in mind that the 2021 average for travel nurses may be a bit higher than you should expect to make in 2022-2023, because that rate takes into account some higher-than-normal travel nurse wages that occurred during the pandemic. While high-rate travel nursing positions are still available, they are not as high as they were reaching at the peak of the pandemic.

Total travel nurse compensation depends on multiple factors such as your specialty, the contract details, and the location of the hospital. In general, travel nurses are often paid well, because they’re filling a high demand for nurses.

In addition to your hourly rate, you’ll often be eligible for these perks:

• Medical and dental benefits
• Stipends for housing
• Travel expenses

Keep in mind, that when working as a travel nurse, you’re employed by the travel nursing agency and not the facility. It’s also important to remember that travel nurses are paid (and taxed) differently than staff nurses . Travel nurses are paid through agencies, not the hospital, you have to look at your total pay, which includes your hourly base pay + your non-taxable stipends, which is what things like housing and meals are considered.

Your hourly base pay may look lower than you expect, but when you factor the stipends in, you can get a more accurate picture of what your total pay looks like. You’ll also need to be sure you have a “tax home” to avoid paying taxes on the stipends as well.

4. How Long are Travel Nursing Assignments?

The standard travel nursing assignment lasts 13 weeks, but anything between 8 and 26 weeks is common. Hospitals will often offer to renew your contract, too, if you agree — called extension assignments.

Extension offers usually occur during the last 3 to 5 weeks of your assignment, but if you’re interested in staying on longer, you should talk to your recruiter. You don’t have to wait to be approached by the facility.

Standard travel nurse hours are five 8s, four 10s, or three 12s, though this will vary by facility. Your shift and hours should be written in your contract.

The beauty of being a travel nurse is that you can work as long or as little as you would like — you can choose to extend an assignment, take on a new one as soon as one contract ends, or take an extended break between assignments.

5. Where Can Travel Nurses Go?

Travel nursing jobs are available across the country, but available assignment locations will depend on current staffing needs. While vacation destinations like Hawaii or California might be the dream for many travel nurses starting out, they’re also high in demand and as such, may not come with as high of pay.

On the flip side, choosing less in-demand areas may garner you higher pay and help you build your resume and experience. You can also sign up to be on a list for crisis travel nursing positions so that when something pops up last minute, like a hurricane in Puerto Rico, you can take a crisis pay travel nurse position.

Ultimately, you decide where you want to go — chances are if your dream location isn’t available now, it will be in the future.

Read more: Best Cities for Travel Nurses

It’s also very important to remember that in order to legally work as a travel nurse, you’ll need an RN license for that state. Some states are part of the Compact State licensure, which means that if you have a compact state license and want to work in any of the states under that license, you’re covered. Otherwise, you’ll have to apply for each individual state you want to work in. Ask your recruiter about Compact State licenses , which allow you to work in many states with one license.

6. Can I Take a Travel Assignment Close to My Home?

A common myth is your assignment must be at least 50 miles away from your permanent residence — often called the “50-mile rule.”

The truth is, you can work a contract assignment at a hospital close to your home if you choose. In fact, some nurses even choose to quit their staff positions and take on travel nursing roles at the hospitals they work at. (Keep in mind that your hospital may frown upon that or even ban nurses from doing that, so be sure to tread carefully if that’s your plan). Additionally, if you do choose a location close to home, you can’t collect the non-taxed housing stipend, which can reduce your overall pay.

To collect the housing stipend, you must be duplicating expenses — rent or own a home in your home area AND rent a place in the area you’re working. Basically, you can’t work a contract and go home to your main residence at the end of your shift and receive a non-taxed stipend.

7. Am I Eligible for Benefits Like Health Insurance and Vacation?

Most travel agencies offer medical and dental benefits as well as other benefits like a 401K that you can collect directly through the agency— some even offer matching 401K plans!

To maintain health insurance, though, you cannot take off more than 30 days. If your plan is to take extended time off between assignments, it would be better to get your own health insurance. You can purchase your own benefits through Marketplace.gov or go through an insurance agency that offers health insurance. You can also open your retirement accounts and contribute directly to them as you please.

Also, most travel nurse companies do not offer paid time off (PTO) or short-term disability. You’ll need to get your own insurance policy if you’re concerned with the possibility of getting hurt and not being able to work.

Bottom line: In the world of travel nursing, if you don’t work, you don’t get paid. But some nurses still find that thanks to the high wages travel nursing offers, that they can actually earn more money by working fewer hours and still reap all the benefits of a staff position.

8. Does the Staffing Agency Pay For My Living Expenses?

There are two housing options available to travel nurses:

• Agency-placed housing
• Taking a housing stipend

If you choose agency-placed housing, the agency arranges your living situation, but it isn’t free. The housing fees come out of the bill rate and ultimately reduces your take-home pay. Housing is deducted from the travel nurse’s “cut” of the bill rate. Agencies will coordinate and set up housing, which is helpful if you’re new to travel nursing.

However, if you want to bring home the most money, we recommend taking the stipend and finding your own housing. In that scenario, you can still collect the housing stipend, but you have the freedom to choose your own living quarters, so if you find a place that’s lower than the stipend allows, you get to keep the difference. Many travel nurses choose to do this to keep their housing costs low and take home more pay.

When you get housing through an agency, it’s also important to know that things like a television, washer and dryer, or a vacuum are often not included, but you have the option of renting these items from the company that furnished the apartment. Let your recruiter know what you’ll need, so they can help arrange the rentals.

If you opt for the housing stipend, you’ll be responsible for finding your own housing as well as all of the living expenses.

See available housing listings by state.

9. Can I Travel With My Family and/or Pets?

Yes! You can travel on assignment with your family and/or pets — though finding housing may become a bit trickier. Most travel nurse companies provide a one-bedroom apartment (some just a studio or an extended-stay hotel), which probably isn’t doable if you’re bringing your children. To get housing with additional bedrooms and space, you may be required to pay for part of your housing (if using agency-placed housing). Or, you’ll have to find your own housing (using the housing stipend).

Let your recruiter know if you’d like to travel with your pet, so they can find pet-friendly housing. Keep in mind, that some housing has breed or weight restrictions, which can limit your options. You’ll also likely have to pay an additional security deposit.

Learn more about how to find travel nurse housing with your pets.

10. Can I Travel With Another Travel Nurse?

Yes! It’s not uncommon for RNs to select travel nursing assignments together. You can even request to work in the same hospital or city and to share an apartment or apartment complex. Traveling with another nurse gives you someone to explore with and often saves on housing costs. It’s also possible to do travel nursing as a couple — learn how one couple does it and their advice for other nurse couples .

11. Will I Get the Worst Assignments?

Some travel nurses have reported that many facilities tend to give travel nurses the “easier” patients and leave the sickest to the staff nurses, especially for acute patients. Why? It takes time for a charge nurse to get to know you and learn what you can handle.

However, this may not be the case for you, especially if you are taking on a specialty assignment, like working in a COVID or ICU unit. Additionally, in critical staffing positions, there may not be an option to delegate “easier” patients, as every patient may be critically ill.

As a travel nurse, however, you’ll usually be the first to float. If you dislike that, then you may not enjoy being a travel nurse.

Read more: Are Travel Nurses Treated Unfairly?

12. If An Assignment is Cut Short Due to Low Census, Do I Get Full Pay?

No — typically you will not be paid if your assignment is cut short due to low patient counts. However, your recruiter will attempt to find you a replacement assignment quickly. Also, the number of shifts allowed to be canceled is written in your contract. Some contracts may also have policies about what will happen if the entire assignment is canceled. As a side note, you may also want to confirm that you can get out of your housing contract should your contract be canceled.

13. Is Travel Nursing Good for Career Advancement?

Traveling as a nurse increases your skill level and makes you a more eligible candidate for future nursing jobs. Why?

• It exposes you to different regional nursing procedures and patient populations
• You may have the opportunity to work in a wider variety of specialties
• You have experience learning a new clinical environment quickly
• Some agencies may also help you get more specialty training or certifications—if you’re interested in this, be sure to talk to your recruiter about what your agency might offer for continuing education!

14. How Long Will There Be Demand for Travel Nurses?

While the pressing need for travel nurses through the pandemic may have slowed, there will always be a demand for travel nurses. Not only do nursing shortages nationwide continue to be a problem, but the rate of new nurses replacing nurses leaving and retiring from the workforce is not an adequate number. Additionally, there will always be things like natural disasters and emergencies that crop up, which will require an influx of travel nurses who can work on short notice.

Nurses comprise the largest section of the healthcare profession, and continuing shortages are still a real problem. The US Bureau of Labor and Statistics projects that over 1.2 million nurses are required to meet the current need and that employment opportunities for nurses are growing at a 15% rate through 2026 when compared to all other occupations (an average of 6% growth).

15. How Do I Become a Travel Nurse?

We’ve compiled a complete step-by-step guide on how to become a travel nurse . You can also fill out this short form to get connected with up to four travel nursing agencies. We work with the top staffing companies whose recruiters work hard to connect you with the best opportunities available.

Start your travel nursing adventure today!

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A Guide to Travel Nurse Assignments: Your FAQs Answered

Table of Contents

Whether you’re a new travel nurse or a seasoned traveler, travel nurse assignments can be confusing and sometimes difficult to understand the terms. Let’s review the advantages of working with a travel nursing agency and some FAQs below.

Find Travel Nursing opportunities all over the United States

Registered nurses have the opportunity to become travel nurses at any point during their nursing career. Most of the time, travel nursing agencies require at least two years of nursing experience before becoming a traveler. However, this varies by agency and specialty. 

Just like a career in nursing offers a variety of specialties and job opportunities, so does the world of travel nursing. As a travel nurse, you have the opportunity to work in your specialty while traveling the country. You get the opportunity to meet new people, work with a variety of patient populations, and expand your professional network.

If you’re interested in exploring what travel nursing opportunities are out there, many travel nurse agency websites offer job boards , including Health Carousel Travel Nursing. Most  job board postings detail the location, start date, assignment length, weekly hours, and expected pay ranges. Due to most job boards’ transparency in this criteria, it’s easy to compare agencies and nursing jobs.

Advantages of working with a professional Travel Nurse Agency 

There are several benefits of working with a professional travel nursing agency. Get to know your recruiter first. Your recruiter should understand your needs, wants, and preferences in an assignment. Once they understand your assignment preferences, they can help you with your travel nursing job search . Oftentimes, they can better filter nursing jobs and may offer new jobs that haven’t been made public yet. 

Next, your travel nurse agency recruiter is your assignment advocate and liaison between you and the healthcare facility. They will prepare you for your interview by providing typical questions and prepping your responses. If you need any days off or a more flexible schedule, they will help you ask for these as well. 

Once you have an offer, navigating a compensation package can be pretty difficult to understand. An advantage of working with an agency recruiter is that they will help you through every step of the process. This can include benefits, sick leave, stipend amounts, etc. If you don’t understand an area or amount, or would like more compensation, then ask. Your recruiter will help you negotiate Your recruiter will help you negotiate your travel nursing contract with the healthcare facility, depending on their company policy. Typically, no two contracts will look the same.

Now that we’ve reviewed the advantages of working with a travel nurse agency, let’s detail some frequently asked questions (FAQs) below.

How long are typical travel nurse assignments?

Travel nurse assignment lengths vary depending on the nursing demand, healthcare facility, unit, and season. Most assignments last 13 weeks but can be shorter or longer. Some crisis contracts are as little as two weeks. Other contracts start as 13-week assignments, but hospitals sometimes offer contract extensions of up to a year.

Do travel nurses get easy assignments?

Travel nurse assignments are based on nurse shortages and increased demands in the area and unit. Every travel nursing experience is different. There’s no way to determine beforehand if an assignment is going to be easy. We all know that one day at the hospital can be fairly easy and the next can be draining. 

To prepare, ask about typical unit assignments, patient-to-nurse ratios, and patient populations during the interview process. If the patient-to-nurse ratio seems high for your specialty, consider this before accepting an offer. 

How do I choose a travel nursing assignment?

Many travel nursing agencies offer nursing job boards for you to search for available assignments. Before beginning your search, write down a list of your preferences, including locations, units, and desired pay. This will help you filter your initial search. 

Many states are transitioning to the nursing licensure compact agreement . If you hold a compact license, this means you can practice nursing in that state without applying for a new nursing license. It makes it easier for travel nurses especially since they work in different states. However, keep in mind that you may only obtain a compact license if you reside in a compact state.

What type of travel nurses are most needed?

Travel nurses are  always needed. However, the demand for what specialty of travel nursing varies greatly, depending on the area, nursing shortages, and employers. Most of the time, there is a high demand for medical-surgical, intensive care, and emergency room nurses.

Is it hard to find jobs as a travel nurse?

Typically, it’s not hard to find travel nursing jobs. You may not get your first assignment choice, but there are always plenty of other options available. To make it easier during your job search, apply for several assignments and obtain your compact state nursing license if you haven’t already done so. 

Is travel nursing risky?

Working as a travel nurse comes with the same risks as working as a staff registered nurse. You will need to understand the state regulations, the scope of practice, and the healthcare facility’s company policies as you would with any other new nursing job. 

Is travel nursing worth the money?

Many registered nurses transition to travelers and make travel nursing their career. Most travel nurses find travel nursing worth the time and money. You get to travel the country, typically make higher pay than staff nurses, and make your schedule (for the most part). ZipRecruiter shows that the national average salary for travel nurses is $118,400, which is well beyond the average staff nurse salary.

Health Carousel Travel Nursing Boasts Travel Nursing Assignments To Advance Your Career

Health Carousel Travel Nursing has travel nursing jobs available for you throughout the country. Our recruiters work to understand your needs and want to keep you aligned with your career goals. We partner with top healthcare facilities throughout the United States, so you have many career options available. We also offer great benefits, including medical and dental insurance, and sick leave.

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Everything you need to know before accepting a travel nursing assignment.

Travel nurses and allied professionals go where the wind takes them. Or rather, where there is a shortage or immediate need for their skills. Travel nursing was created to address shortages of registered nurses in various parts of the country. There is always demand for qualified nurses anywhere you go, but there’s not always enough personnel to meet the demand. This is even more true in times of a medical crisis. 

Because travel nursing and allied pro assignments are run as-needed, the length of time and the kind of work you can expect to do as a travel nurse will vary from post to post. You might find yourself filling in for a nurse on parental leave for 6 months on one job. Then turn around and help an overloaded ER for a week on your next assignment. What you need to take with you and how you prepare for each job will change with each assignment. In this article, we’ll go over need-to-know information to help you prepare for your next adventure as a travel nurse.

How Does Travel Nursing Work?

Before we jump in, let’s talk about what it takes to be a travel nurse. The basic qualifications to become a travel nurse are the same as standard nursing. Travel nurses must hold an associates or bachelor’s degree in nursing, be certified in BLS and ACLS, and hold an LVN or RN certification. Here at Medely we also require a minimum of one to two years working in the specialty of the specific assignment. 

The most common length of travel nursing and allied pro assignments is around 13 weeks, although shifts can vary from 1 week to upwards of 26, depending on the need and your preferences. Many agencies, including Medely, allow travel nurses to search for assignments with specific time parameters. Getting travel assignments with Medely works essentially the same as any other job-hunting platform. Positions are posted by the facilities, allowing you to browse potential assignments. Urgent needs may be highlighted or promoted. Nurses and allied pros can apply for your ideal position with the click of a button, which will kick off an interview and approval process. Once the facility approves your application and you sign your contract, you’re off on your adventure!

But before you hop on a plane, there are a few things to get in order: 

• Housing – Staying in a hotel gets old fast. The good news is, there’s better options.
• Pet/Plant Sitting – Do you have plants or animals that will need care, either with you or while you’re away?
• License – Travel nurses have to be licensed in the state they are working in. Make sure your license and other credentials are up-to-date for the state your assignment is in.?
• Travel – How are you getting to your new assignment? Does your agency offer reimbursement? (Medely does)
• Expenses – What is the cost of living in the new city? How much does your agency cover? (again, Medely has you covered with the maximum tax-free stipends available for your assignment)

In the next section, we’ll talk more about specific needs and top tips to follow, no matter the length of your assignment. 

Nursing and Allied Pro Assignments by Length

1 week travel nursing assignment.

Shorter assignments, including week-long jobs, typically fall under the “rapid-response” category. This means nurses working these fast-turnaround positions will need to be ready to go in as little as two days. 

These assignments are easy to pack for but the planning and financial aspect can be rough. Last-minute plane tickets get expensive fast. However most agencies reimburse travel costs, especially for rapid-response assignments. 

Housing can also be a little tricky, but you might be able to get away with staying in a hotel for such a short duration. 

If you have children or pets that need to stay home, longer assignments might be a better fit for you. 

As with all short-term assignments, be prepared for a potential extension.

2 Week Travel Nursing Assignment

These assignments are rare. But if you’ve been bit by the travel bug and only have a small window of availability, you ask your agency to keep an eye out for these short assignments. 

As with 1 week assignments, you might need to be ready to move fast as facilities will typically need you to start right away. We recommend finding housing through a travel-nursing specific website, for a more affordable and more amenity-filled home away from home during your stay.

3 Week Travel Nursing Assignment

The biggest considerations as nursing assignments lengthen are housing-related. It’s easy enough to pack everything you need for short-term assignments, but you want to start thinking about practical concerns as your job extends. Look for affordable, comfortable housing with proximity to your place of work, laundry facilities, and grocery stores or restaurants. 

4-6 Week Travel Nursing Assignment

One month is the magic number for many nursing assignments. In fact, it’s the minimum length of assignment  Medely offers. Additionally, many travel nurse housing sites also have a four week minimum. 

Four week and longer assignments typically have time between application and orientation, giving you some breathing room when it comes to planning housing and travel. We recommend looking for locations you think you’ll enjoy when considering these longer assignments.

8+ Week Travel Nursing Assignment

Nurses on tour! Home and home-away-from-home begin to blend together when you’re working in a new location for this long. But they are often easier to budget and plan for and you can take your time in figuring out next steps. Longer assignments are often a good bet for travel nurses with families and animals.  The assignment length means you have the time to make the necessary arrangements for your loved ones. 

Last Thoughts: Travel Nurse Assignments

What you need for your next travel assignment will vary by length. There’s a world of difference between a 1-week stay and a 2 month job. But by planning and preparing ahead of time, you’ll be ready to go no matter what. 

Not sure what to pack? Medely has the answers. Check out our post: The Nomad’s Packing Guide for Travel Nurses .

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Home > The Best 2 Week Russia Itinerary: What To See & Do In Russia

The Best 2 Week Russia Itinerary: What To See & Do In Russia

Written by our local expert SJ

Sarah-Jane has lived in Croatia for 10+ years. SJ, as she is known, has been traveling the Balkans & beyond since 2000. She now shares her passion for traveling with her husband & kids.

Written by Campbell & Alya of  Stingy Nomads. They’ve traveled together to over 30 countries globally, including Africa, Latin America, Asia & Europe.

For many travelers visiting Russia is an adventure on its own ; with huge countries like Russia, it’s often difficult to decide where to go, how to move around. This two-week Russia itinerary allows you to visit both must-see places and more off-the-beaten paths destinations in Russia.

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Best Ways To Move Around Russia

Russia is a vast country for long-distance travel . We’d suggest flying, but budget airline options are quite limited in Russia – so be prepared to shell out some serious Russian Ruble. Also, if you are flying with a local airline, check for their luggage allowance, as it can vary.

For many tourists taking a train in Russia is a must-have experience, especially the Transsiberian or an overnight train from Moscow to St Petersburg . The train system is quite good in general for moving around Russia.

Taking a bus in Russia is also an option, but the costs for a coach are the same as for traveling by train for the same distance and the travel time might be a lot longer and buses, as you know, are much less comfortable.

Renting a car is not very popular for travelers to Russia, as it tends to be a bit of a hassle. There are always lengthy traffic jams, poor road maintenance, and random police inspections. So instead, look to get a private transfer service. 

The Best Two Week Russia Itinerary

Day 1 – 3: st.petersburg.

Russia’s most beautiful and romantic city has a lot to offer, from top world art museums and stunning royal residences to nightlife and shopping.

The best time to visit St.Petersburg is in the summer months of June and July to witness famous White Nights when the city literally doesn’t sleep, and neither do you.

Public transport works quite well in the city with the Metro being the fastest and the easiest way of moving around. One metro trip costs 0,5 Euro. There are hundreds of accommodation options in the city, from hostels to B&Bs and fancy hotels.

St.Petersburg Highlights

• The Hermitage Museum/Winter Palace:  One of the top art museums in the world. It says if you stop at every item (painting, sculpture, or artifact) for 1 second, you’ll need years to finish. In summer, it gets hectic with thousands of people surrounding the main art treasures; Da Vinci, Raphael, Rembrandt’s paintings. Buy your ticket online; it’ll save you a lot of time staying in a long queue outside .
• St. Isaac’s Cathedral: A stunning building crowned with a massive golden dome, inside it’s even more impressive. Not to miss the view from its colonnade, especially at night time.
• Church Of The Savior On Spilled Blood : Probably the most famous and photographed building in the city. Built in the traditional Russian style with many, very similar to the famous St.Basil cathedral on the Red Square in Moscow . Do yourself a favor and go inside; you won’t be disappointed; the interior is impressive, richly decorated in gold, with many fresque paintings.
• The Russian Museum: A great collection of Russian art from old icons to modern painting.
• The Mariinsky Theatre: The main city theatre has three stages; the original one (Old Stage), the Concert Hall, and the Second (modern) stage. All three give performances; ballet, opera, Philharmonic orchestra almost every day.
• Peterhof:  The fountain residence and ex-summer royal residence built as a repetition of Versaille. An impressive palace with golden, hundreds of small and big fountains, a beautiful park, it’s a must-visit place. If you travel with children, they will enjoy a visit there are many joke fountains where they can get soaking wet. Just be sure to bring extra clothes and a towel with you.
• The Catherine Palace and Park:  Another ex-royal summer residence in the southern suburb of St.Petersburg. Catherine Palace is probably the most beautiful palace in the city. The main highlights are the famous restored Amber Room and the Grand Hall.

• White Nights and Drawing Bridges:  These two are strongly associated with each other. White Nights is a fascinating phenomenon when the daylight is basically 24 hours. The shortest night, June 21, in St.Petersburg is less than 2 hours, but in fact , it never gets really dark. Summer is navigation season in the city, the Neva river gets quite busy, but it starts only at night when all the bridges are closed for traffic. The show of opening bridges begins with music and lights between 1 am, and 2 am; thousands of people, locals, and tourists watch it every day.
• St.Petersburg Metro:  Named one of the most beautiful metro systems in the world, and it deserves two hours of your time to explore. The most beautiful metro stations; Admiralteiskaya (the second deepest metro station in the world, 102m), Avtovo, Bukharestskaya, Kirovsky Zavod, Mezhdunarodnaya.

Day 4: Veliky Novgorod

Distance from St.Petersburg 195km takes 2h50min to get here by train.

Located between St.Petersburg and Moscow, the oldest Russian city, founded in 859, is definitely worthy of a day stop, especially for those who like history.

Veliky Novgorod is not a usual stop on any Russia itinerary, but it has many old churches and monasteries . The city is relatively small you can move on foot between the main attractions. To get from the train station take a bus, there is a bus stop in front of it.

You’ll notice that everything here is cheaper than in the capital cities; food, accommodation, souvenirs , and entrance fees. There are three of four hostels and quite a few hotels, both budget, and luxury , in the city.

Veliky Novgorod Highlights

• Novgorod Kremlin (Detinets):  The oldest Kremlin in Russia.
• St.Sophia Cathedral
• Yuriev Monastery
• The Millenium of Russia Monument
• Vitoslavlitsy Museum Of Wooden Architecture

Day 5 – 7: Moscow

Distance from Novgorod 537km takes 8 hours to arrive by night train.

Crazy and bustling Russian capital city is a strange mix of everything; old-style Russian churches neighboring with skyscrapers of Moscow City. Moscow is famous for the terrible traffic; the Metro is the best way to move around the city , it’s cheap, 0,6 Euro per trip, and fast in the rush hours it gets hectic.

There are many hostels, B&Bs and hotels in the city for any budget , the most important thing is to find a place in the city center, or as close to it as possible otherwise you risk spending quite a lot of time commuting.

Moscow Highlights

Like any capital city, there are many things to do and places to see , to explore Moscow you’ll need a lot of time, but you’ll be able to visit its highlights in three days.

• Moscow Kremlin:  The most iconic building in Russia and one of the most famous in the world. The complex is big with a lot to see; Armoury museum, Diamond Fund, the Grand Kremlin Palace, Patriarch Palace, Ivan the Great Bell Tower, Assumption Cathedral, and more.
• Red Square:  Its name doesn’t come from the color as many people think; in old Russian, “red” (Rus. “Krasny”) meant “beautiful.” Most of the central city sights are located on the square. Tip. Come here early morning, at 6 am, and you’ll get the square all to yourself without the crowds.
• St. Basil’s Cathedral: A favorite tourist attraction, its colorful domes and strange, vivid decoration contrast with traditional Russian churches found all over the city. It was built in the 16th century during the reign of Ivan the Terrible. City legend says that the cathedral architects were blinded to make sure they would not be able to build anything similar ever again.
• The Tretyakov Gallery:  The most significant collection of Russian art from to XX century. The building itself is fascinating.
• The Novodevichy Convent and Cemetery: The convent was founded in 1524 by Vasili III; during its history hosted many ladies from the Russian royal family who were forced to take the veil.
• Kolomenskoye:  Located 12km from Moscow, this complex consists of many buildings representing different eras of traditional Russian architecture; the White Column of Kolomenskoye, the Wooden Palace, Church of John the Baptist, Church of Our Lady of Kazan, etc. This trip takes half of a day .
• Moscow Metro: 212 stations with a total route length of 360km; it is the sixth-longest metro system in the world. But it is not just the size that is most impressive – it is also about its beauty.  Some stations look like palaces. The most spectacular stations are Komsomolskaya, Kievskaya, Novoslobodskaya, and Ploshchad’ Revolyutsii. The best time to explore the Moscow metro is Saturday and Sunday morning.

Day 8 – 9: Kazan

Distance from Moscow 825km takes 11 hours to get by night train.

Kazan is very different from St.Petersburg and Moscow, and visiting it will give you a more complete picture of Russia.

The city is becoming a new tourist attraction in Russia; in the last years, its infrastructure was improved significantly with FIFA World Cup games taking place here, the city got a new stadium and even a new metro. However, it’s relatively small and has only ten stations.

Kazan has the largest Muslim population in Russia, an interesting place to come, a unique mix of European and Asian traditions and culture. Due to recent significant sports events, many hostels and budget hotels were recently opened in the city.

Kazan Highlights

• Kazan Kremlin:  Don’t be surprised, there is a Kremlin in every old Russian town. In fact, the Moscow Kremlin is one of the youngest out of all of them, although the most famous one.
• Kul Sharif Mosque:  The biggest mosque in Russia.
• Millenium Park of Kazan
• Epiphany Cathedral and The Bell Tower
• Syuyumbike Leaning Tower

Day 10 – 12: Sochi

Distance from Kazan 2000km, there are three flights per week, duration 2h40min.

A subtropical sea city might be the last most people imagine when thinking of Russia.

The city is busy all year round; in summer, many locals come here seeking sea and sun; in winter, it welcomes ski and snowboard enthusiasts, mainly from the capital cities. The local infrastructure and hospitality service was improved quite a lot for the Winter Olympic Games.

There are many hotels and resorts in the city for holiday travelers, but it’s possible to find a hostel, price from 5 Euro per dorm bed. Chilling on the beach (though it’s rocky), swimming in warm water, hiking to the waterfalls , or exploring the nearby subtropical forest, all these you can do here.

Sochi Highlights

• Sochi Botanical Garden
• Olympic Sochi Park
• Krasnaya Polyana
• Aquapark Amphibius
• Caucasian Biosphere Reserve

Day 13: Sochi to St.Petersburg, Train/Flight

The longest distance traveled on this trip , 2339km. A train journey takes almost two days, usually two nights and one full day. For a comfortable ride, take the Severnaya Palmira train; it has AC, wi-fi, personal power outlets, showers, hot water boiler, and includes a hot meal. A flight is a better option if you have some extra cash; there are three daily flights between two cities, duration 3h10min.

Day 14: St.Petersburg

On the last day, you can relax, do souvenir shopping , wander around the city or maybe visit more city attractions. As an alternative to the standard sights and tours, you can do a roof tour or visit one of the modern art museums , e.g., Street Art museum, Erarta.

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Russia Travel Planning Tips

To move around the country take night trains this way you save time by traveling at night and save money on accommodation. Night trains have bunk beds and are comfortable enough for sleeping.

In big cities Moscow, St.Petersburg, Kazan, Couchsurfing is quite popular if you’d like to get some insider tips and meet locals , it’s a great way to do it.

Buy train tickets online on the official Russian Railways website – it’s easy you can choose your seats and best price range, it’s easier than trying to explain all these at a ticket office.

Download Google Translator as it works well with Russian – English language combination and translates even written text if you scan it.

How To Get To Russia

Flying to russia.

This is the fastest way to get the most out of any Russia itinerary.

More than likely, your flight will arrive in Moscow as it has the best air connection with international destinations . If you have a connecting flight to catch in Moscow: make sure your arrival and departure airport are not the same. There are three airports in the city , and sometimes all operate local and international flights, and to commute between them is a nightmare even at night.

Your second option is to fly into St.Petersburg. Numerous international airlines arrive and depart there. If you have a choice, choose this one, as it’s an easier option. There is only one airport and to get to the city center by public transport only takes 30-40min.

Taking A Train To Russia

Several train routes connect St.Petersburg and Moscow with some European capitals; Helsinki, Berlin, Warsaw, Vienna, Prague, Tallinn; most of them depart once a week , except Helsinki and Tallinn, these go every day. Prices are between 30 Euro and 250 Euro, depending on the distance.

Russia  By Bus

It’s an option if you come from one of the nearby countries; many buses connect St.Petersburg with Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Belarus . Bus tickets are usually relatively cheap, from 10 Euro.

Arriving To Russia By Sea

This option is basically limited to St.Petersburg; several cruises go to Scandinavian countries , Finland and Estonia, and make a stop here; ferries passengers are allowed to stay within St.Petersburg without a visa for 72 hours.

More Russia Travel Blogs

• What’s So Great About Russia? Know Before You Go!
• Traditional Food In Russia You have a Try

Comments (21)

thanks for sharing,pictures are really cool

I appreciate for your blog post, Thanks for sharing.

Nice Blog, I have been Russia in the month of August and I indeed such a beautiful country it is, will consider this to visit it again.

Nice Blog, I hope I have a chance to go to Russia.

Did any of your hotels register you during your stay ?

Yes, all of them had to back when I went – maybe rules are different now.

This two week experience is the finest experience for every new travelers who want to go for Russia. Thanks

This is a very nice itinerary that enables you to explore the country in just a few days. Thank you for giving us transport at a glance, this enables people plan better.

Really enjoyed this, thanks for the information you provided here!

Very nice Itinerary! It cover the best travel essential in Russia. Great Photography Too.

great blog…….i loved russia

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Mourners attend a funeral service and a farewell ceremony for Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny at the Soothe My Sorrows church in Moscow, Russia, Mar 1, 2024. (Photo: REUTERS/Stringer)

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MOSCOW: Thousands of Russians chanted Alexei Navalny's name and said they would not forgive the authorities  for his death  as the opposition leader was laid to rest in Moscow on Friday (Mar 1). At a cemetery not far from where Navalny once lived, his mother Lyudmila and father Anatoly stooped over his open coffin to kiss him for the last time as a small group of musicians played. Crossing themselves, mourners stepped forward to caress his face before a priest gently placed a white shroud over him and the coffin was closed. Navalny, President Vladimir Putin's fiercest critic inside Russia, died at the age of 47 in an Arctic penal colony on Feb 16, sparking accusations from his supporters that he had been murdered . The Kremlin has denied any state involvement in his death. The authorities have outlawed his movement as extremist and cast his supporters as US-backed troublemakers out to foment revolution. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he had nothing to say to Navalny's family.

Many thousands of people turned out to pay their respects at the cemetery and earlier outside the Soothe My Sorrows church in southeast Moscow where the funeral took place.

Among the large crowd, many people clutched bunches of flowers and some joined in a series of chants - "Russia will be free", "No to war", "Russia without Putin", "We won't forgive" and "Putin is a murderer".

Police were present in large numbers at what evolved into one of the biggest displays of anti-Kremlin dissent in years, but for the most part did not intervene. A rights group, OVD-Info, reported that 91 people had been detained in 12 towns and cities, including Moscow.

The Kremlin had warned that action would be taken against "unauthorised" protests and there was a large police presence at the funeral service and burial in Moscow.

Navalny, the most outspoken critic of Russia's President Vladimir Putin, died in an Arctic prison, authorities announced on Feb 16.

"There are more than 10,000 people here, and no one is afraid," said a young woman, Kamila, in the crowd. "We came here in order to honour the memory of a man who also wasn't afraid, who wasn't afraid of anything." Kirill, 25, said: "It's very sad for the future of Russia ... We won't give up, we will believe in something better."

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Risky and rare.

Public demonstrations in Russia are risky and rare, especially since the start of the war in Ukraine that the Kremlin calls a "special military operation". More than 20,000 people have been detained in the past two years. Despite Friday's high turnout and flashes of defiance, Navalny's death leaves Russia's fragmented opposition in an even more precarious position as Putin prepares to extend his 24-year rule by another six years in an election this month. All of the president's leading critics are behind bars or have fled the country. Even from prison, Navalny had cheered his supporters with displays of resilience and humour in his frequent legal hearings and social media posts. His death leaves many feeling bereft. "I want to do what Navalny told us to and not give up but I don't know what to do right now," said one young man in the crowd. On a memorial website, more than 140,000 people lit "virtual candles" for Navalny. It was unclear how many of those were inside Russia.

MOTHER'S STRUGGLE

Navalny's mother Lyudmila, 69, had travelled to the "Polar Wolf" penal colony after his death and battled with authorities  for a week to get them to release his body. She accused them of putting pressure on her to bury him without a public funeral, something the Kremlin denied. The service was brief and took place in a church whose worshippers had raised funds to buy drones and other equipment to support Russian soldiers in the Ukraine war that Navalny condemned as an act of madness by Putin. Inside, Lyudmila was pictured seated and holding a candle as priests in white robes stood over her son's coffin. "This is a photograph that is very hard to look at," said Ruslan Shaveddinov, co-host of a live-streamed event by Navalny aides now based outside Russia, who struggled to contain their emotions as the pictures and footage rolled in. State media gave scant coverage of the funeral. The RIA news agency reported the fact of Navalny's burial, noting the presence of foreign envoys including the US, French and German ambassadors, and recalled that he had been jailed on a host of charges including fraud, contempt of court and extremism. Navalny denied all those charges, saying they had been trumped up by the authorities to silence his criticism of Putin.

KREMLIN WARNING

More than a quarter of a million people watched the farewell to Navalny on his YouTube channel, which is blocked inside Russia. Messages, mostly expressing sadness but some also defiance, streamed down beside the video. Allies of Navalny outside Russia have called on people who want to honour his memory but could not attend his funeral service to instead go to memorials to Soviet-era repression in their own towns on Friday evening at 7.00pm local time. The Kremlin said any unsanctioned gatherings in support of Navalny would violate the law and those who took part would be held accountable. Navalny's wife Yulia and two children, who are living outside Russia, did not attend the funeral. Yulia Navalnaya, who has pledged to continue her husband's work, thanked him for "26 years of absolute happiness". She posted on X: "I don’t know how to live without you, but I will try my best to make you up there happy for me and proud of me. I don't know if I'll manage it or not, but I will try." Navalny, a former lawyer, mounted the most determined political challenge against Putin since the Russian leader came to power at the end of 1999, organising street protests and publishing high-profile investigations into the alleged corruption of some in the ruling elite. Navalny decided to return to Russia from Germany in 2021 after being treated for what Western doctors said was poisoning with a nerve agent only to be immediately taken into custody. Putin has yet to comment on Navalny's death and has for years avoided mentioning him by name.

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