All prices are generally quoted in rubles. 1 rouble = 100 kopecks. Notes are in denominations of 10, 50, 100, 500, 1000 Roubles. Coins are in denominations of 1, 2, and 5 Roubles. Currency can be freely converted at banks, hotels and kiosks specifically for tourists. Major European and international credit cards are accepted: Visa, MasterCard and Union cards, as well as Travel Checks. It’s easy to find a bank cash machine so you will be able to cash your money any time.

Banking hours

09:00 a.m. - 05:00 p.m. Monday to Friday. Some of Money exchange offices are open 24 hours.

Currency:

Public Holidays

January 1 New Year,

January 7 Russian Orthodox Christmas

March 8 International women’s Day

April or May Russian Orthodox Easter

May 1 The Day of Spring and Peace

May 9 Victory Day

June 12 Independence Day

August 22 National Flag Day

December 12 Constitution Day

Electricity is 220volt/50hz. The plug is the two-pin thin European standard.

If you bring a hair dryer or an electric razor, you must bring an adapter and converter for 220v.

Taxi fees are usually negotiated with the driver ahead of time. Do not use gypsy cabs or a taxi without “taxi” signs.

In spite of the fact that crime has been rising, it is still safer here than in many American cities.

Precautions include not flaunting valuables or walking alone in the night through streets and parks.

Water quality varies widely. You’d better to drink bottled water that can be easily bought in any shop.

Time in Yekaterinburg is GMT+5

Time is GMT+ 3 for Moscow & St.Petersburg both.

For summer time you should pack:

In winter time you should bring really warm clothes; don’t forget to take a warm hat, a fur hat better, you can by it just here, as fur clothes is popular in Russia.

Each traveler should be in possession of valid, signed passport that will remain valid for at least six months beyond the completion of the trip.

Make a copy of your visa and the photo of your passport to have with you in case your original documents are lost. Keep these copies in your luggage separate from the actual passport. Carry them with you at all the time.

Any person applying for a visa for a stay of more than three months must present a certificate showing that the individual is HIV negative. The certificate must contain the applicant's passport data, proposed length of stay in Russia, blood test results for HIV infection, including date of the test, signature of the doctor conducting the test, medical examination results, diagnostic series, and seal of the hospital/medical organization. The certificate must be in both Russian and English and valid for three months from the date of medical examination and blood test. For information concerning entry, exit, and HIV requirements, travelers can contact the Russian Embassy.

Smoking is quite prevalent in Russia. Non-smoking sections are rarely available.

American women should not be surprised if they are treated differently than their male counterparts. Many Russian people follow the same cultural protocols, as do other Europeans.

Men offer to carry heavy bags for a women, help her getting of a bus or car, as well as assisting her to put on her coat. Also, in mixed groups, Russian men will address the males in the group with a handshake.

One of the greatest extensions of hospitality in Russia is when someone invites you into their home. Guests have a special status. So don’t be surprised if you receive the red carpet treatment. Expect to sit and to do while you’re there. Your host will probably put out enough food for twenty people and continually ask you to eat all of it. This isn’t a serious request; of course, it’s just an attempt to be as hospitable as possible. Don’t feel you have to eat something if you don’t like it. Your host will understand.

Russia is famous for producing alcoholic beverages such as vodka, beer, wine, brandy, sparkling wine.

Your hosts will undoubtedly encourage trying them. If you do plan to drink at dinner or celebration, start slowly. If you choose not to drink, inform your hosts early of an allergy or religious objections to drinking or eating meat, it will help to avoid awkwardness later.

Don’t think we discourage you from trying some specialties. Traditional Russian Cuisine is unique and delicious. Try Russian pelmeny (meat dumplings), blinchiki (pancakes) that can be combined with honey, herring or black/red caviar, borsch (beet-root soup) and many others.

A trip to the Russian baths (banya) can be a memorable experience. The banya begins in the dressing and undressing room, where everyone strips down (public banyas are segregated by sex). Towels in the form of large white sheets are available and most people grab one or two. Warm up in the Finnish-style dry sauna (heated to between 100° and 120° C). Take a small break to cool down and then check out the steam room (parilka), where you can be beaten about the body with dried branches (vennik), usually birch, oak or juniper. Half the people in the parilka will claim there's not enough heat and start calling for someone to throw more water on the hot rocks, while the other half feebly croak "too much, too much" - the guys who want more steam usually win. This combination of heat, steam, and physical abuse purges your body of impurities and gives you a clean unattainable by mere showers or baths.

We invite you to visit the Russian banya, one of the most interesting and the oldest attribute of Russian life style, located on the Finnish Gulf shore on the tourist complex' territory. The banya it self is situated in the separate building, contains a cloak room, a hall with the fire place, Russian steam room, a sauna, a swimming pool. You are offered birch and oak dried branches, towels, etc. Also you can order various drinks. After visiting banya you can try popular dishes of Russian and European cuisine at the restaurant of the tourist complex

Take mementos that are unique for your country, your city or institution such as calendars, postcards, special food, pens, and pictures of your family or house. Note, Russian people are cordial and warm-hearted, susceptible to any signs of attention.

Fire 01

Police (Milicia) 02

Ambulance 03

Gas Leaks 04

Directory Assistance 09

FAQ

Q: Is it dangerous to come to Russia?
A: Russia a safe place, if you know, where to stay and practice usual safety. The guns are illegal (without special permission), there're no gangs shootings on the streets, Mafia's minding it's own business and everybody's got their own things to do rather than trying to harass you. The Mafiosi spend all their time making business, the gangs spend all their time dealing with each other, so you certainly will not experience any of that. In the news they say much about Mafia and criminal. That's because it's media and they have to make news. It's like a trademark: for Russia it's 'vodka', 'Russian winter', 'Russian mafia'. You can only have contact with criminals when you're into something illegal, like buying or selling drugs, or are really looking for trouble. So, do your traveler's things, and you'll be ok’.

A: Russians are not racists. Even in the communist time people were raised up on the idea that everybody is equal. Russians are very open, hospitable and generous to foreigners. Just don’t hurt anybody's patriotic feelings.

Q: Is it difficult to travel around Russia, if I speak only English?
A: There are quite many people who speak English. Especially young people and students. Besides, the scripts and signs are often written in English (metro stations, shops, directions etc.). But anyway, the names of the streets are written in Russian only and it's good if you know Russian alphabet and some basic expressions. If you are in small town try to talk to young people; they sometimes speak a little English. Surely, the best way to make your trip successful is to be accompanied by a guide, who is able to show you the sights, and to easy your conversations. We can offer you services of guides, speaking English, German, French, Spanish and Chinese.

A: It's not very cold, though sometimes it might be quite freezing. But if you have warm clothes, you'll be ok. Generally, it is about 10 or 15 Celsius below the zero in winter, though it might be sometimes go till 25 or 30 degrees below the zero, but even that is not very cold, because it's not humid. The truth is that Russian winter is fascinating, and there are many things to do in winter!

Q: Is skiing popular in Russia?
A: Yes, quite popular. For the recent years Mountain skiing has become a most popular with Russians. There are many Mountain-Skiing resorts and Skiing Tourist centers, especially in the Urals, which provide all the services for having a good rest and going in for sport. Moreover, their services are of high grade and the Skiing season lasts from November to March.

Q: Isn’t it hard to get here? Going to Russia takes too much time and paper work!
A: If you know what is need, there is no problem then. You need your passport and an invitation from Russia. It's easy now to get the invitation, and you don't need to book an expensive hotel for the whole period of your stay. The invitations can be made through hotels where you should book one night, or a travel agencies, in this case you are only to pay money, and the price in both cases will be $25-$35 US. The invitation can be sent to you by fax. Visa costs around $50-$60 US (for this price it's ready in 7-14 days), and if you pay more it takes only one day to make a visa.

What is more, Russia is close to the Eastern Europe, so it is not expensive and not too long to get here.A one way ticket for train from Latvia to Moscow costs $25 US (and it takes 15-16 hours), a one way bus ticket from Estonia to St. Petersburg costs $10 (and it takes 5 hours), a one way train ticket from Poland to St. Petersburg (if you don't go through Belarus, to avoid hassles with transit visa) will be around $50 US.

Q: How do Russian live, and what to do there?
A: Russia is a country of contrasts. Nevertheless, life is perfect here. Russians have incredible cense of humor and hospitality. Russians are optimists and cheerful people. There are great many places to see and things to do. You could go to the major cities or small provincial ones, you could go on a tour through provincial Russian towns or go snowboarding in the southern mountains or you could go to a real Russian village. A huge territory, Historical Cultural sights and unique Forest Reserves, rivers and lakes of exciting beauty made the country one of the beautiful in the world.