Holiday planning
Long Weekends in Russia 2026
Russia has 8 long weekends in 2026. The longest natural break is 11 days around New Year's Day & New Year holiday & Christmas Day (Orthodox) & New Year Holiday & Substitute Holiday for New Year Holiday (Thu 1 Jan – Sun 11 Jan). Take Wednesday off and turn the New Year's Day & New Year holiday & Christmas Day (Orthodox) & New Year Holiday & Substitute Holiday for New Year Holiday break into a 12-day run.
8
Long weekends
12
Longest break (days)
8
Bridge day opportunities
All long weekends in Russia 2026
Sorted by calendar date. "Days off" = the natural break without any annual leave. "Bridge days" = working days to take as paid leave to extend the break.
| Date range | Holiday | Days off | Bridge days to take | Total break |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wed 31 Dec – Sun 11 Jan | New Year's Day, New Year holiday, Christmas Day (Orthodox), New Year Holiday, Substitute Holiday for New Year Holiday | 11 | Wednesday(Wed 31 Dec) | 12d |
| Fri 20 Feb – Mon 23 Feb | Defender of the Fatherland Day | 3 | Friday(Fri 20 Feb) | 4d |
| Fri 6 Mar – Mon 9 Mar | International Women's Day, Day off for International Women's Day | 3 | Friday(Fri 6 Mar) | 4d |
| Thu 30 Apr – Sun 3 May | Labour Day | 3 | Thursday(Thu 30 Apr) | 4d |
| Fri 8 May – Mon 11 May | Victory Day, Day off for Victory Day | 3 | Friday(Fri 8 May) | 4d |
| Thu 11 Jun – Sun 14 Jun | Russia Day | 3 | Thursday(Thu 11 Jun) | 4d |
| Sat 31 Oct – Wed 4 Nov | Unity Day | 1 | Monday + Tuesday(Mon 2 Nov, Tue 3 Nov) | 5d |
| Thu 31 Dec – Sun 3 Jan | Substitute Holiday for New Year Holiday | 1 | Friday(Fri 1 Jan) | 4d |
Best long weekends in Russia 2026
The top breaks ranked by total consecutive days off.
January
New Year's Day & New Year holiday & Christmas Day (Orthodox) & New Year Holiday & Substitute Holiday for New Year Holiday
Wed 31 Dec – Sun 11 Jan
12
days
November
Unity Day
Sat 31 Oct – Wed 4 Nov
5
days
February
Defender of the Fatherland Day
Fri 20 Feb – Mon 23 Feb
4
days
March
International Women's Day & Day off for International Women's Day
Fri 6 Mar – Mon 9 Mar
4
days
How to use bridge days in Russia
A bridge day (sometimes called a sandwiched day) is a working day that sits between a public holiday and a weekend. By taking it as paid annual leave, you connect the holiday to the weekend and create a longer uninterrupted break.
For example, if a public holiday falls on a Thursday, taking Friday off gives you Thursday + Friday + Saturday + Sunday — four consecutive days using only one day of leave.
In Russia 2026, there are 8 bridge day opportunities highlighted in the table above. The biggest gain is around New Year's Day & New Year holiday & Christmas Day (Orthodox) & New Year Holiday & Substitute Holiday for New Year Holiday: take Wednesday off to turn a 11-day break into 12 consecutive days using only 1 day of annual leave.
Public holidays linked to long weekends
New Year's Day
Thu 1 Jan
New Year holiday
Fri 2 Jan
Christmas Day (Orthodox)
Wed 7 Jan
New Year Holiday
Thu 8 Jan
Substitute Holiday for New Year Holiday
Fri 9 Jan
Unity Day
Wed 4 Nov
Defender of the Fatherland Day
Mon 23 Feb
International Women's Day
Sun 8 Mar
Day off for International Women's Day
Mon 9 Mar
Labour Day
Fri 1 May
Victory Day
Sat 9 May
Day off for Victory Day
Mon 11 May
Russia Day
Fri 12 Jun
Continue exploring
More for Russia 2026
Public holidays
Public holidays in Russia 2026
Full list of 16 public holidays with dates and observance notes.
Working days
Working days in Russia 2026
Monthly breakdown of weekdays minus public holidays.
Other year
Long weekends in Russia 2027
Same bridge day analysis for 2027.
Region guide
Public holidays across Europe
Compare holiday calendars for neighbouring countries in the region.
Calculator
Working Days Between Two Dates
Net working days for any date range — public holidays excluded, 192 countries.
Frequently asked questions
How many long weekends does Russia have in 2026?
Russia has 8 long weekends in 2026 where a public holiday creates a break of three or more consecutive days.
What is a bridge day?
A bridge day is a regular working day that falls between a public holiday and a weekend. Taking it as annual leave creates an uninterrupted break of four or more days using just one or two days of paid leave — maximising your time off.
What is the longest long weekend in Russia in 2026?
The longest break is 12 days from Wednesday, 31 December 2025 to Sunday, 11 January 2026, centred around New Year's Day and New Year holiday and Christmas Day (Orthodox) and New Year Holiday and Substitute Holiday for New Year Holiday (taking Wednesday as annual leave).
How can I get the most days off with the least leave in Russia 2026?
The best bridge day opportunity is around New Year's Day & New Year holiday & Christmas Day (Orthodox) & New Year Holiday & Substitute Holiday for New Year Holiday (Thu 1 Jan – Sun 11 Jan). Take Wednesday as annual leave to get a 12-day break using only 1 day of paid leave.
Are bridge days public holidays in Russia?
No. Bridge days are ordinary working days — employees choose to take them as paid annual leave. They are not legally mandated public holidays.