Welcome to Russia

Article contributed by Alexey Tkalich - Han Kang Travel
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USEFUL INFORMATION

Passport and Visa

•Foreigners should be in possession of a valid national internal or foreign passport for entry and exit from Russia or for transit through Russia .

•  Foreigners can enter and leave Russia or travel by transit with or without a visa.
Russian entry and exit visas are issued by Russian Consulates and Consular Departments of Russian Embassies abroad.

To obtain a visa, the following documents should be presented to the Consular Office:

•  a valid passport, duly completed visa application, one recent passport photo (3x4 cm);

•  a letter from the travel agency and a copy of notice confirming the booking of tourist services – to secure a tourist visa.

•  a ticket (or a voucher for a ticket) with confirmed dates and itinerary of transit travel through Russia, as well as a letter from the travel agency with confirmation of services provided on arrival and departure, transfer and excursions in the points reserved by the client – to secure a transit visa.

•  a written invitation from an organization or relatives (friends), located or residing in Russia – to get an ordinary (guest) visa.

The above mentioned documents should be presented in advance to the Russian Consulate in your country, in accordance with the rules established by them.

•  For transit through Russia en route to and from Armenia , Belarus , Georgia , Kazakhstan , Kyrgyzstan , Tadzhikistan and Uzbekistan , foreigners should be in possession of a valid visa for travel to one of the above mentioned states.

•  For transit through Russia en route to and from Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Ukraine, Moldova, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and other foreign states, foreigners should be in possession of a transit visa for both parts of the journey.
Such transit visas are issued by the Russian Consulates to travelers possessing a valid visa to the above mentioned countries, unless no other formalities are observed by interstate agreements.

•  No visa is required for foreign tourists traveling as cruise passengers on board foreign ships or ships registered in Russian ports and going ashore in Russian ports if they are in possession of a valid national internal or foreign passport, and on condition that:

•  Visas for entry to the states of the former USSR can be obtained in Consular Offices of the newly independent states abroad or through the embassies of these states in Moscow . More detailed information on visa requirements can be obtained in Consular Offices of Russia abroad.

Time

Climate

Tourists should be advised of the following average temperatures (Centigrade) in places of their itineraries:

National Holidays and Festivals in Russia

Arts and Folk Festivals

Working Hours

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DURING YOUR STAY

Tipping

Tipping is not required in Russia and no one should feel obliged to do so. However, many visitors use tipping as a way to show appreciation for a job well done and this is certainly acceptable. Such gestures are voluntary and at the sole discretion of the visitor.

Currency Regulations

The Russian monetary unit is the rouble. There is no limit to the amount of foreign currency allowed to be brought into Russia . However, all money brought into the country (including traveler's checks) must be declared upon entering the country. In Russia , tourists can exchange any amount of hard currency for roubles at any of the following locations: authorized Russian banks, exchange offices or foreign currency offices located in major hotels, international airports and sea ports.
Exchange rates between the rouble and hard currencies are set by authorized Russian banks within Russia and by authorized banks within each of the independent republics. It is prohibited to take roubles out of Russia . All major credit cards are accepted in Russia including American Express, Diners Club, Eurocard/Mastercard, Visa International and others.

Shopping in Moscow

The best stores for shopping in Moscow are the GUM State Department Store on Red Square, Detsky Mir (Children's World), Passazh Shopping Center on Petrovka Street and recently opened Manezh Shopping Center on The Manezh square. Such traditional Russian souvenirs as matryoshka dolls, Palekh boxes and shawls can be bought in numerous shops on Arbat street and Izmailovo Park . All payments are made in roubles. Working hours for food stores are from 8-9 a.m. to 8-9 pm , for department stores – from 10-11 a.m. to 7-8 p.m. Most department stores are closed on Sundays.

Russian Cuisine

Russian food is famous for its meat dishes, ukha (fish soup), shchi (cabbage soup), pokhlyobka (thick broth), okroshka (cold vegetable soup), bliny (pancakes) with sour cream or caviar, cabbage pie, and beef a la Stroganoff. Siberia is known for its pelmeni (dumplings). Tea with lemon is the traditional Russian beverage.

Entertainment

Theater, concerts, folklore performances, circus can be visited by tourists in big cities. Also numerous restaurants, bars, casinos and night clubs are also available. All information of evening entertainments in Moscow can be obtained at specialized Travel Service Bureau or specialized desks at the hotels.

Mail and Telephone Services

The tariff for postal services and international and local telephone service on the territory of Russia is in roubles. Major hotels have post office facilities. Automatic dial telephone service is available in most areas of Russia . Tourists can dial directly from their room phone or from special pay phones in the lobby.

Insurance

It is recommended to purchase travel insurance before departing for Russia and the CIS or to buy insurance from a CIS insurance company.

Health care and Medical Services

Currently, there are no medical restrictions for entry into Russia . More detailed information is available in local health offices.
First aid is provided free of charge if the tourist does not require a doctor or hospitalization.
In an emergency, the unused part of the cost of the tour will be used to pay any hospital bills. If the cost of the stay in hospital exceeds the unused part of the tour, then the tourist is responsible for the remainder of the bill.

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MISCELLANOUS

Handicapped

Mentally or physically handicapped persons are welcome to travel in Russia if accompanied by a person to cater for them.

Electric Current

The electric current in Russia is 220V. European type plugs are required.

Transport

The Metro is the most comfortable and fastest public transportation within a city. The fare for metro journey irrespective of distance in any city is flat. In Moscow passengers buy special travel cards for one, two or more trips in the vestibule of the metro station, put in a turnstile and pass through when the light turns green. Tickets are required for bus, trolleybus and train journeys. One ticket must be validated for each journey. It is best to purchase tickets prior to boarding, but they can also be purchased directly from the driver once you are on board. If you need to get a taxi you can either order it at your hotel or hail in the street. Taxis are normally yellow with checkers. Green light indicates availability of the taxi.

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HIGHLIGHTS OF THE DAY

Vladimir

• Panorama of Vladimir from the platform of St. George Cathedral, a unique architectural example of the 13th century stone carvings.
• Assumption Cathedral – a 12th–18th centuries construction, which has preserved world famous frescoes of Andrei Rublev.
• A breathtaking display of traditional Russian handicrafts and folk art – lacquer miniature papier-mÉchÎ boxes; embroidery, rock crystal and glass pieces.

Suzdal

• A sightseeing tour of Suzdal including the Kremlin grounds, the Cathedral of Nativity, the largest relic of which is the Golden gates, Europe 's rarest survival of the 13th century copper gilding.
• A breathtaking collection of the historical and archaeological department of the museum inside Archbishop's Palace, whose architectural masterpiece is the Cross-Vaulted Chamber.
• Spaso-Yevfimievsky Monastery of Our Saviour where one can enjoy live bell music.
• Museum of Wooden Architecture in the open air with church and civil structures of the 18th–19th century.
• A downtown-trading arcade, a glimpse into the life of a thriving merchant community of the 18th century.
  P.S. In winter months a wonderful display of the Golden Treasury museum may be suggested instead of the Wooden Architecture Museum .

Kostroma

• The Ipatievsky Monastery is famous for both: as a place of artistic value and as a place closely connected with tsarist family where in 1613 the boyars gathering at the Ipatievsky Monastery blessed young Michael Romanov to become the Tsar of Russia.
• Admire the 17th century frescoes of the Trinity Cathedral built in 1652 and its majestic five-tier iconostasis made by the Kostroma eminent wood-carves. This cathedral contains the family burial vault of the Godunov Boyars.
• Join us on a tour to the unique elk-farm that is the only farm of such kind in the world. Elk-cows were tamed to get precious milk. While visiting the elk-farm you will have a pleasure to feed tamed animals out of your hand. You will have a unique chance to see baby elks (during May-September period) and to taste elk milk that is of great curative value.

Yaroslavl

• The City tour in Yaroslavl gives a unique chance to enjoy its great number of artistic, architectural and historical monuments, the most eminent of them are the Spasso-Preobrazensky Monastery (Transfiguration of Our Savior Monastery) and the Church of St.Elijah the Prophet. The major cathedral of the Spasso-Preobrazensky Monastery was built at the beginning of the 13th century. The Spasso-Preobrazensky Monastery presents the majestic ensemble of white-stone buildings richly decorated with frescoes. The monastery was located in Rubleniy Gorod (Town) made of logs with the help of axes.
• Enjoy the Yaroslavl churches of the 17th centuries with their great dimensions, multiple domes, picturesque asymmetry created by side-chapels, vestibules and porches. Pay visit to the Church of St.Elijah the Prophet that is extremely interesting from the point of view of architecture. The Cathedral has five cupolas on a tall semi-basement, a two-tiered gallery and side alters. All of its entire interior space is covered with frescoes, which considered to be the best among the wall paintings of Kostroma churches.

Rostov Veliky

• Take a chance to have an excursion to the amazingly well preserved ensemble of the Rostov Kremlin. In contrast to the other Kremlin complexes the Rostov Kremlin was built not as a fortress but as a magnificent residence reminiscent of a comfortable and mysterious medieval castle. The unique ensemble of the Rostov Kremlin built in the 17th century as the Metropolitan's residence. The Kremlin was designed so that a visitor may view all of its churches, towers, chambers and other buildings by walking along its walls without descending to its ground floor.
• Enjoy a unique opportunity to appreciate the world known Rostov enamelwork. The craft of enamelwork has been known in Old Russia since 12th century. The art of enamel painting especially flourished in Rostov in the 19th century. First it served for church needs. Enamel was used to decorate church utensils, miniature icons, crosses, bindings of the Gospels, etc. In 1960 a factory « Rostov enamel» was founded. The Rostov enamel is famous for its unique technology

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