Russia Postcodes Explained for Sending Flowers and Gifts
A Russian postcode (pochtovy indeks) is a six-digit number, such as 101000 for central Moscow or 190000 for central St Petersburg, that identifies the area served by one local post office. The first three digits point to a region or large city, the last three to the specific office. You can look up any address on the Russian Post website, and for flower delivery the postcode mainly helps confirm that the street address is complete and correct.
If you are reading this because you want to send flowers or a gift to someone in Russia, the postcode is only one line of the address, but it is a useful one. Below I explain how the numbers are built, how Russians actually write an address, where people from abroad most often go wrong, and how to fill in an order with us so the bouquet reaches the right door without phone calls back and forth.
How a Russian Postcode Is Built
Every Russian postcode has exactly six digits, with no letters and no spaces. The first digit roughly marks a large zone of the country, the first three together mark a region or a big city, and the last three identify the post office that serves the street. Moscow addresses mostly begin with 1 (101, 105, 117, 119, 125 and so on), while St Petersburg addresses begin with 19 (190 to 199). Regional capitals have their own blocks: Kazan starts with 420, Yekaterinburg with 620, Novosibirsk with 630.
A postcode in Russia covers a much larger area than a UK or Canadian postcode. A single Moscow index may serve dozens of streets and thousands of flats, so it will not pin a building down on its own. Think of it as a district check rather than a precise location: it confirms that the street you have written really sits in the part of the city you expect.
One practical consequence: two buildings on the same long avenue can have different postcodes, because the street crosses the boundary between two post office areas. If the recipient lives on a major road such as Leninsky Prospekt in Moscow or Moskovsky Prospekt in St Petersburg, check the index for the exact house number, not just the street name.
How Russians Write an Address
Russian Post recommends writing an address from the smallest unit to the largest: street, house number, building or block (korpus), flat number, then city, region and finally the postcode. Many Russians still write it the older way, starting with the postcode and the city. Both versions are understood, so do not worry about the order. What matters is that nothing is missing.
The parts foreigners skip most often are the korpus and the stroenie. In big Russian cities one house number can cover several separate buildings: 'house 12, korpus 3' is a different entrance and sometimes a different courtyard from 'house 12, korpus 1'. If your friend writes '12k3' or '12/3', copy it exactly as written. Also ask for the entrance number (podyezd), the floor and the door code if there is one. None of this affects the postcode, but it saves a courier ten minutes at the gate.
When you type the address in Latin letters, transliteration varies. Ulitsa, ul. and street all mean the same thing, and a name like Zhukovskogo may appear as Zhukovsky or Joukovskogo. Copying the address in Cyrillic straight from a message from the recipient is the safest option, because that is what the courier will compare against the plate on the building.
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Finding the Right Postcode in a Few Minutes
The most reliable source is Russian Post itself: its website has an index search where you type the city, street and house number and get the six-digit code. Online maps used in Russia also show the postcode when you click on a building. If you see two different codes for the same address, trust the one tied to the exact house number. We go through the steps in more detail in Finding the Right Russian Postcode Before You Send Flowers.
The simplest way of all is to ask the recipient, if the gift is not a surprise. Russians know their index by heart because they write it on every utility form. If it is a surprise, ask a mutual friend or a relative, or check an old parcel label or a card they once sent you.
For Moscow and St Petersburg there is a quick sanity check: a Moscow code that starts with 19, or a St Petersburg code that starts with 1, almost certainly belongs to a different city or a typo. Addresses in the Moscow and Leningrad regions, outside the city limits, use their own blocks of numbers, so a suburb that looks like part of the city may carry a different index. Our guide on entering a Moscow or St Petersburg postcode covers these border cases.
Why the Postcode Matters Less for Flowers Than for Parcels
A parcel travels through sorting centres, and the postcode decides which van it ends up in. A bouquet does not: a courier carries it by hand straight to the door. For flowers, what the courier really needs is the street, the house, the korpus, the flat, the entrance and, above all, a working phone number for the recipient.
That said, the postcode still earns its place on the form. It helps the operator spot an incomplete address, tells us whether the street is inside the city or in a suburb, and settles the question of two streets with the same name in different districts. Names like Sadovaya or Lesnaya repeat across the city and its newly absorbed suburbs, and the index tells them apart instantly.
If you do not know the postcode, do not let it stop the order. Give the fullest address you can and the recipient's phone number; the operator confirms everything when confirming the order. A wrong postcode with a correct street is a small issue. A correct postcode with a missing flat number is the one that causes trouble.
Sending Flowers to a Russian Address with Turboflora
We deliver flowers across Russia. City delivery costs 500 RUB; for remote districts and suburbs the operator confirms the price when confirming the order, which is another reason an accurate postcode and district are useful. Choose a bouquet in the Bouquets catalogue, enter the address and the recipient's phone, and pay online by bank card, SBP or Yandex Pay.
In large cities express delivery takes 1-2 hours after the order is confirmed. You can also pick an exact time (plus or minus 30 minutes), a time window (09-12, 12-15, 15-18 or 18-21), or pre-order 1 to 30 days ahead, which is handy when you are several time zones away and want flowers on a birthday morning. Remember that Moscow and St Petersburg run on Moscow time, while cities in the Urals and Siberia are two to seven hours ahead.
The courier calls the recipient about 15 minutes before arrival. If nobody is home, we agree a second delivery the same day or leave the flowers with a neighbour or concierge, with your consent. Delivery is anonymous by default and the card with your text is free. If you are unsure about the address, the time or the wording of the card, message a manager on WhatsApp: they can also send you a photo of the bouquet before it leaves.
Small Details That Make a Delivery Go Smoothly
Write the recipient's name the way it appears on their door or intercom list, usually in Russian. If your friend lives with family, add a note such as 'ask for Anna, second floor' so the person who opens the door knows the flowers are for someone inside.
Check the phone number format. A Russian mobile number has eleven digits and starts with +7 9. Numbers written with a leading 8 are the domestic form of the same thing; either works, but a missing digit means the courier cannot call, and an unannounced visit to a building with a locked gate often fails.
Finally, think about the season. From November to March a bouquet should not wait outside or in an unheated entrance. Choosing a time window when you know the recipient is home matters more in winter than any line of the address, postcode included. We deliver bouquets across Russia in 1–2 hours.
Frequently asked questions
How many digits does a Russian postcode have?
Six digits, with no letters or spaces. The first three point to a region or large city, the last three to the local post office.
What is the postcode for Moscow?
Moscow has hundreds of postcodes, most beginning with 1, for example 101000 in the centre. Look up the exact code for the street and house number on the Russian Post website.
What is the postcode for St Petersburg?
St Petersburg codes begin with 190 to 199, and each district has its own. The exact index depends on the street and house number.
Can I order flowers to Russia without knowing the postcode?
Yes. Give the full street address, flat number and the recipient's phone; the operator confirms the details when confirming the order. You can also agree details with a manager on WhatsApp.
Where does the postcode go in a Russian address?
Russian Post recommends putting it last, after the region, but the older style with the postcode first is still common. Both are understood by couriers.
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