Here in Russia you are usually picked after school only while in grade school. You hit your 10th birthday - you are on your own, pal.

That being said - kids are playing alone since like 6-7 years. Hell, I was living near the Volga river and we were allowed to go swimming with older kids when we were 5 or so. No problem, son, just make sure you're home by eight.

It also depends on whether the family lives in a city or rural area. In a village kids can do and go wherever they please, and bikes only allow them to go even further. In fact, they are expected to move a lot, since they are a cheap way to go to a remote shop or pass something to a relative in a nearby village.

In a city though, kids are far more restricted. It depends on any large roads your child needs to cross, deserted areas or too populated area (like marketplaces) along the way. Still, going to and from scool alone from 9-10 years old is expected.

I was living in Cheboksary till University. It's not big, but still just a little less than half a million people. I had to take bus to school too, around 20 minutes one way.

Also unlike the US (at least based on movies, lol) we don't have school bases. Public transport only.