An area code plus the number format tells you the region. Here is how to read it without guessing.
Area code versus mobile code
Landline codes are geographic: 495 is Moscow, 812 Saint Petersburg, 383 Novosibirsk. Mobile codes (9xx) are not tied to a region — the number was issued somewhere, but the subscriber can be anywhere.
What the code alone tells you
The city or the group of cities served by that code. A large region can have several codes, and a small town shares one code with its district.
How to check a specific number
Enter the full number: the lookup matches the code and the following digits against the operator ranges and returns the city and the operator. This works for landlines and for mobile numbers alike.
Why "8" and "+7" both appear
8 is the domestic trunk prefix, +7 the country code. The digits after them are the same, so any number can be converted by dropping the 8 and adding +7.
Common mistakes
- Keeping a leading zero in a foreign city code.
- Assuming a mobile code means the person lives in that region.
- Reading a four-digit code as a city code when it is a service number.
See also: Russian area codes, 9xx mobile codes.