What you must take with you on a trip to another city: a detailed list for drivers and passengers

Stress-free travel: why proper preparation is more important than the route

When going to another city - be it a business trip, vacation or visiting relatives - many people only pay attention to choosing a route or booking a hotel. But 90% of problems are on the road arise due to forgotten things or documents. According to traffic police statistics, every fifth driver turned back at least once due to lack of insurance or driver's license. And passengers are often faced with the fact that in a foreign city they cannot pay for travel (they forgot their card) or go to bed (there is no charger for their phone).

This article is not about abstract “things that may be useful.” Here - a specific list taking into account seasonality, duration of the trip and the composition of the company (with children, with animals, alone), as well as life hacks on how to pack everything compactly. We analyzed car club reports and traveler surveys to create an up-to-date list for 2026 - including digital services (e.g. electronic MTPL policies) and new transportation rules (as child restraints according to GOST R 41.44-2023).

📄 Documents: without which you will not be allowed to leave the city

Even if you are traveling by taxi or train, some documents must be with you in the original. For drivers, the list is stricter: the traffic police inspector has the right to check not only the license, but also the registration documents for the car. Moreover, from March 1, 2026, a new rule applies: if you electronic PTS, you just need to show it on your phone through the portal State services - but only if the device has access to the Internet.

Passengers shouldn't relax either. For example, if you are taking a child without parents (with grandmother, coaches), you will need notarized consent from both parents to leave. And for trips abroad (even to Belarus or Kazakhstan), children under 14 years old need foreign passport or entry into the parent’s passport.

• 🚗 For drivers: license (even if you are not driving - in case of an inspection), STS (vehicle registration certificate), MTPL policy (electronic or paper), diagnostic card (if the car is more than 4 years old), power of attorney (if the car is not yours).
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 For passengers with children: birth certificate (for children under 14 years old), consent to travel (if traveling without parents), medical insurance (in case of going to the clinic).
• 🏨 For booking: a printout or screenshot of your hotel reservation/tickets (sometimes they ask for confirmation at the reception), discount cards (if available).
• 💳 Financial documents: passport (for card payments in some banks), cash (in case of terminal failures).

⚠️ Attention: If you cross a regional border from COVID restrictions (relevant for some republics of the Russian Federation), check on the website Rospotrebnadzor, whether a vaccination certificate or PCR test is required. For example, in 2026, no documents are needed to enter Crimea from mainland Russia, but a migration card will be required to travel to Abkhazia.

💊 First aid kit: what should be at hand (Ministry of Emergency Situations list 2026)

Since 2023, Russia has had an updated list of mandatory medications for a car first aid kit (Ministry of Emergency Situations Order No. 148 dated March 15, 2023). Now into her not included analgin, activated carbon and ammonia - more modern drugs have been added instead. But this is the minimum set! If you are traveling with children, elderly people or people with allergies, the first aid kit needs to be supplemented.

Important: Check the expiration date of the medicines in the first aid kit in advance - the traffic police inspector can fine you 500 rubles for expired medicines (Article 12.5 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation). And if you are bringing prescription medications (for example, strong painkillers), have a prescription from your doctor with you - otherwise they may be confiscated at the regional border.

Category	Mandatory (according to the Ministry of Emergency Situations)	We recommend adding
Dressing materials	Sterile bandage 5 m × 5 cm, 7 m × 10 cm; gauze napkins; bactericidal adhesive plaster	Callus plaster, elastic bandage (for sprains)
Disinfection	Iodine 5% or brilliant green, bactericidal wipes	Chlorhexidine, antiseptic spray
Painkillers	Paracetamol or ibuprofen (tablets)	Spasmalgon, migrenol (if you are prone to headaches)
Cardiovascular	Nitroglycerin (if you have heart problems)	Validol, Corvalol
Other	Scissors, tweezers, medical gloves	Thermometer, disposable heating pad

⚠️ Attention: If you are carrying insulin or other medications that require refrigeration, use thermal bag with cold elements. You cannot store medications in the glove compartment in your car - the temperature there can exceed +50°C, which will ruin most medications.

📱Technology and gadgets: how not to be left without communication

A smartphone, powerbank and headphones are a basic set, but on a long trip it can fail. For example, in some regions (for example, in the mountainous regions of the Caucasus or Transbaikalia) no 4G coverage, and the navigator on your phone will stop working. And if you forget the charging cable, then after 5-6 hours of active use the phone will run out.

Another trap - roaming. If you cross the regional border with another operator (for example, traveling from Moscow to Crimea), the tariff may change. Check your operator's website for coverage area and cost of minutes/SMS. For example, at Tele2 in 2026 there will be free roaming throughout Russia, and MTS - only in the home region.

• 🔌 Chargers: a cable for a phone (preferably 2 pieces - in case of loss), a powerbank with a capacity of 10,000 mAh (enough for 3-4 full charges), a car charger with USB ports (if you are traveling by car).
• 🗺️ Navigation: offline maps (Yandex.Navigator or Google Maps), a separate GPS navigator (if you are traveling to a deserted area).
• 🎧 Entertainment: noise-canceling headphones (for the train), tablet with downloaded movies, e-reader.
• 📷 Additionally: camera (if the quality of the pictures is important), external hard drive (for backup copies of photos).

👕 Clothes and shoes: how to pack for any occasion

The main rule when collecting clothes is layering. Even in summer it can be cold in the car (due to the air conditioning), and stuffy on the train. Optimal set: T-shirt + sweatshirt + light jacket. Take comfortable shoes: if you are traveling by car, take a spare pair (for example, sneakers for walks and flip-flops for a shower in a hotel).

Don't forget about climatic features region. For example, in Sochi in summer the humidity is high - take clothes made of “breathable” fabrics (linen, cotton). And if you are traveling to St. Petersburg, even in July, take an umbrella and a windbreaker: there is frequent rain and sharp gusts of wind. For mountainous regions (Caucasus, Altai), warm clothing is required - at night the temperature can drop to +5°C even in June.

• 🧥 Outerwear: jacket (waterproof in spring/autumn), sweater or hoodie, scarf (if you are traveling north).
• 👟 Shoes: main pair (comfortable for walking), replacement pair (light), slippers (for hotel).
• 🧦 Accessories: socks (1-2 days more than the duration of the trip), underwear, headwear (cap or hat depending on the season).
• 🌂 In case of rain: compact umbrella, raincoat (if you are riding a motorcycle or bicycle).

What to take to the mountains?

In mountainous areas, temperatures can vary by 15–20°C during the day. Take thermal underwear, trekking poles and sunglasses with a UV filter of 400. Don't forget sunscreen with SPF 50+ - in the mountains you get sunburn even in cloudy weather.

🍎 Food and water: how not to waste time looking for a cafe

If you are traveling by car, take food that does not require heating and does not spoil without refrigeration: nuts, dried fruits, vacuum-packed sausage sandwiches, cookies. Drinks include water (at the rate of 1.5 liters per person per day) and a thermos with tea/coffee. You can take it on the train electric kettle (if permitted by the carrier's rules) and instant soups.

Beware perishable products: yoghurts, cheeses, sliced sausages - all this will spoil in 4-6 hours without refrigeration. If you are bringing fruit, choose those that do not wrinkle: apples, bananas, oranges. It is better not to take grapes or strawberries - they will quickly turn into mush.

Trip type	What to take from food	What to take from drinks
By car (1–2 days)	Sandwiches, energy bars, crackers, canned goods (tuna, corn)	Water 5–10 l, juices in tetra packs, thermos with tea
By train (long trip)	Instant noodles, crackers, nuts, cookies	Tea/coffee bags, sugar, water 3–5 l
With children	Baby purees, instant cereals, fruit purees in tubes	Baby water, juice without sugar, compote in a thermos

⚠️ Attention: If you are carrying alcohol, remember: it can only be transported in a car in the trunk (not in the passenger compartment!). On a train, restrictions depend on the carrier - e.g. Peregrine falcons Alcohol over 5% alcohol is prohibited, and in reserved seats – over 16%.

👶 With children and animals: special rules

Traveling with a child requires special preparation. According to statistics Roskachestvo, every third family forgets to take baby car seat or takes the wrong weight. We remind you: since 2026, new rules for the transportation of children have been in force in Russia (GOST R 41.44-2023), according to which:

• Children under 7 years old necessarily must travel in a car seat or booster seat.
• Children from 7 to 12 years old can ride in the back seat with a regular seat belt, but only if they are over 150 cm tall.
• A child under 12 years old can ride in the front seat only in a car seat with the airbag disabled.

There are also nuances with animals. To transport dogs and cats in transport you need:

• 🐕 For dogs: muzzle (for large breeds), leash, veterinary passport with a rabies vaccination stamp (done no later than 1 year ago).
• 🐱 For cats: carrier (hard, with ventilation), bedding, tray and filler (if the trip is long).

Don't forget about sedatives for animals (spray or drops) - many pets panic in transport. And if you are transporting a bird or rodent, check the transportation rules with the transport company - some species (for example, parrots) require permission from Rosselkhoznadzor.

🔧 Additional little things that save you on the road

There are things that you remember only when you urgently need them. For example, paperclip for the SIM card (if the phone stops receiving the network), spare light bulb for headlights (if they burn out at night), or plastic bags (useful for garbage, wet clothes or motion sickness). Here is a complete list of such “saving little things”:

• 🔦 For car: flashlight (preferably a headlamp), spare tire + jack, towing cables, warning triangle, windshield washer fluid.
• 🧴 Hygiene: wet wipes, hand sanitizer, toilet paper, toothpaste and brush (even on a day trip!).
• 🔑 Tools: Swiss Army knife, electrical tape, screwdriver, spare batteries (for hotel remote control or flashlight).
• 📄 Paper copies: a printout of the route (if the navigator breaks down), copies of documents (in case the originals are stolen).

If you are traveling to an unfamiliar city, take offline map (for example, from a road atlas) - in some areas (for example, in the outback of Siberia) there may not only be no Internet, but also no coverage for calls.

🚨 FAQ: Answers to frequently asked questions

Is it possible to travel without a printed version of the MTPL policy?

Yes, from 2023, an electronic MTPL policy has the same legal force as a paper one. The main thing is that you have access to the Internet in order to show it to the inspector through the application RSA or Public services. If there is no Internet, you can show screenshot of the policy indicating the number and expiration date - but this is at the discretion of the inspector.

What to do if you forgot your license at home?

If you are traveling by car, you can:

1. Ask someone to bring your license (for example, through a document delivery service).
2. Apply for a temporary driving permit at the nearest traffic police office (a passport and application will be required).
3. If you are driving nearby, take a risk and drive without a license, but be prepared for a fine of 500–1500 rubles (Article 12.3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation).

For passengers, the problem is not so critical - the main thing is that the driver has all the documents.

Do I need to take my laptop with me?

Depends on the purpose of the trip:

• If you're going on a business trip, take it, but put it in hard case (a laptop can be damaged in luggage).
• If you're on vacation, a tablet or smartphone is enough, unless you plan to work remotely.
• For children you can take children's tablet with preloaded cartoons.

Remember: some hotels do not have sockets near the bed - take extension cord.

How to pack things so they don't get wrinkled?

Use method "rolls" (rolling clothes) - this way things take up less space and wrinkle less. For suits and dresses, take covers on hangers or put them in vacuum bags. Pack shoes in separate bags (for example, made of fabric) so as not to stain your clothes.

Is it possible to carry a gas cylinder for a camping stove in a car?

Yes, but subject to the rules:

• The cylinder must be no more than 80% filled.
• Transport only to vertical position in the trunk (not in the cabin!).
• It is prohibited to carry cylinders with a capacity of more than 22 l without special permission.

For violating the rules for transporting dangerous goods, the fine is up to 2,500 rubles (Article 12.21.2 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation).