Guided tours of St. Petersburg, Russia - Personal tour guide, interpreter - individual tours for families, friends. St. Petersburg news, travel information. St. Petersburg with Anna, licenced St. Petersburg tour guide.

Here you can find some useful information on
time and open hours, national holidays, banks, Russian customs, museum rules, and answers to some frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Souvenir Shops
&
Art Galleries

Toiletries and pharmaceuticals.

Suitable boots or shoes.

Umbrella.

Travel alarm clock.

Clean and crisp bills (new banknotes are best if you can get them).

Photocopy of passport and visa (just in case police stops you to verify your registration status).

Warm hat, coat, clothes and gloves in winter.

Appropriate-type film and battery for your camera. If using APS, be sure to bring enough film, as APS film is not sold in many shops in Russia.

A power converter and adaptor. Russian standard is 220 Volts AC, 50 Hertz. If bringing a laptop or other electronics from US, bring an RJ-11 adaptor for the Russian plug, preferably with two RJ-11 sockets.

The Time in the European part of Russia is 3 hours more than Greenwich meridian time or two hours more than central European part. (+3 GMT or +2 CET).
During summer daylight saving time, Russia's time is + 4 hours to Greenwich. So if in London it's 10.00 in Moscow it's 13.00 (in Russia the 24-hour system is used).
Every year the clock goes 1 hour forward in the last Sunday of March and back 1 hour in the last Sunday of October.
There are 11 time zones in Russia - so when it's evening in Moscow, it's morning of the next day in Vladivostok (a Russian port on the Pacific Ocean).
Business Hours.
One great thing about Russia is that all shops are open even on Sunday. The food shops are usually open from 8.00 to 20.00, on sundays from 8.00 to 18.00, however many of them are open 24 hours a day. Big department stores, clothing stores, supermarkets are open all week long from 9.00-10.00 to 21.00-22.00.
State institutions, offices, companies are usually open from 9.00 or 10.00 to 18.00 or 19.00 and do not work on Saturday, Sundays and public holidays.
Most banks are open 9.00 to 17.00 Monday to Friday, some are open on Saturday as well. Self-service ATMs operate 24 hours a day usually.
There are many currency exchange offices in big cities (Moscow, St. Petersburg) working until late night and sometimes 24 hours a day.
On public holidays all banks, offices, museums and some shops are closed. However big department stores, food stores, supermarkets are all open.

    December 31 - January 1 - the New Year, one the main holidays in Russia, traditionally it's a family holiday. There's no Father Christmas, there's Father Frost in Russia. He comes on New Year's Eve and gives presents.
    January 7 - Orthodox Christmas. In Russia, contrary to many western countries, Christmas is celebrated not on December 25 but on January 7 (Orthodox Christmas).
    March 8 - Women's Day. Flowers are sold for double prices, and men suddenly realize the importance of women.
     May 1, 2 - May Day & the Day of Spring. In the Soviet times they called it The Day of Labor. Now it's just another free day to relax and meet friends.
     May 9 - the Victory Day, celebrating the victory in World War II
    June 12 - Independence Day. Still not everybody knows exactly why this particular date was chosen, but we reckon that this is the day when the first president of the Russian Federation was elected.
    November 7 - Day of Reconciliation and Harmony. After 1917 until 1992 that was the Day of the Great October Revolution (1917).
    December 12 - Constitution Day.

45 banks currently operate in St. Petersburg, including two foreign ones, providing wide range of banking services. Most of the banks are open to clients from 9.00 to 13.00. Currency exchange offices are usually open from 10.00 to 20.00. There are currency exchange centres where many currency nominations are accepted. Currency exchange transactions with private persons are illegal. Large hotels provide 24-hours banking services. Money is exchanged only upon presentation of a passport.

    If you have any goods or items that are subject to declaration, you should fill in a special customs declaration form (available upon arrival) and pass through the "red corridor" at a Russian airport or customs point at the border. If you don't have anything to declare, you may cross the Russian border through the "green corridor". If you bring in something that you think may be questioned when you come out of Russia, it's better to declare it directly when you come in. Always make sure you keep the stamped declaration until the end of your trip to avoid problems when leaving the country.

    Limitations.
    The following items are subject to declaration and limited entry to Russia. These items (or an excess) should be declared and you should pass through the "red corridor". Cash foreign currencies (if equivalent or more than $3000 US) or rubles (if more than 500 minimum salaries, equals approximately 75,000 RUB), stocks and securities, alcohol (if more than 2 litres), cigarettes (if more than 100), tobacco (if more than 250 gram), cigars (in more than 50), caviar (if more than 250 gram), sturgeon (if more than 250 gram), items for commercial activity (including advertising materials).
    If you have less amount of the items listed above (e.g. $2000 US in currency, 100 gm of caviar, 1 bottle of vodka etc.), then you do not need to declare it when you come / leave Russia and you don't have to pay extra money to be able to bring it through. Just go through the "green corridor".

    Special permissions.
    The following items are necessary to declare and are subject to special permission valid in Russia or your doctor's prescription when bringing in (and out): apparels, guns, explosives, ammunition, strong medicines (anaesthesiacs, sleeping pills, etc.), psychotropic medicines, items, that have cultural value for Russia (usually, more than 70 years old), poisons, strong sedatives, radioactive materials, wild flora & fauna that is in danger of extinction, technical telecommunication devices (radio phones, stations, cable TVs with a frequency more than 900Ghz (except cell phones), printed materials (of fascist, racial, pornographic content), merchandise for production or commercial activities.

    Customs tax on commercial goods and items for personal use.
    The goods that are brought to Russia for professional use or for merchandise should be declared and will be subject to the customs fee if their total value exceeds 65 thousand rubles (approx. $2150 US) or if their total weight is more than 50 kilograms. The customs fee will be 30% of the total value (determined by the customs officers), but not less than 4 EUR per kilogram.
    It is up to the customs officers to determine which goods are considered to be for professional use, and which goods are for personal use, and this border is a bit blurred. For example, if you bring in a laptop, you don't need to declare it and no tax should be paid, even if you know it costs more than $2150 US. However, if you bring in two laptops, the customs may consider that you may sell the second laptop, or you will be using it for commercial activity. In that case, they will sum up their total cost and you will have to pay 30% (that is, if the value of the both laptops is valued at $4000, you will pay $1200). If you bring in a DV camera, which you have used before, you won't need to declare it. However, if you bring, say, two new DV cameras, packed, and the total value of which is about $3000 US, you will have to pay $900 to the customs. If you bring in a professional video camera, even if its value is less than $2000, the customs officers may consider that it is an item for commercial use, and may oblige you to pay a 30% tax on the value (which they will determine). In case you do not want to pay the customs tax, you can leave the item at the border and take it back when leaving the country. In this case you will need to get an official paper from the customs which describes exactly what item was taken, its value, and the reason for it being "detained" at the border.

    The customs rules and procedures change often, so to get the latest update contact Customs Department of Sheremetyevo II international airport in Moscow at +7 095 578-7653. There are also customs information desks in the airport.
    Also, we should notice, that the Russian customs is generally quite relaxed, so it is very unlikely somebody will search through your bags or try to tax everything you have. Just follow the rules, and you will be fine. If you need to bring it more than $3000, you can always keep them on credit cards, as there's no limit on the amount of money you have there. A general rule for the items is to make sure they don't look new, like this you can always say they are for personal use and are not worth much, to avoid being taxed.

Large bags, cases, rucksacks (backpacks), umbrellas, etc. should be left in the cloackrooms.

In most museums an additional charge is made for photography and video filming, they are allowed only if the visitor buys a special ticket at the museum ticket office.

In most museums it is requested not to speak over mobile phones.

    Q: I have an invitation to visit a certain city in Russia. Will I be allowed to travel to other cities in Russia as well?
    Yes, you will.

    Q: How can I get a multiple-entry visa?
    The best solution for frequent travelers to Russia is to obtain a business visa which allows for unlimited number of entries. Tourist visa can only be issued for a maximum of two entries only in case your tour itinerary requires so.

    Q: I will spend several weeks in St. Petersburg. While there, I want to travel to Finland and/or the Baltic States for a few days. Will my Russian visa be sufficient?
    No. Russian visa only gets you into Russia. To travel to other countries you will need to follow their respective visa regulations for citizens of your country. In most cases US citizens do not need any visa to travel to these countries for a short time. However, you must make sure that your Russian visa is at least double-entry, as each crossing of the Russian border counts as one entry. So, in case you have a single-entry visa and will leave Russian even for several hours, you will not be able to get back to Russia - another entry is required. Please make sure to plan your trip well ahead and get the right type of visa to avoid any frustration.

    Q: How much money can I bring to Russia and take home after my trip?
    You can bring any amount with you to Russia, but you must declare any sum over US $3000. This is important because the Russian Law allows you to take home only US $3000 (or equivalent in other currencies) without any paperwork. If you want to take more money back with you, you must present a special certificate (Permission to Export Currency) which can be obtained at any bank in Russia and comes at a price (usually, you have to pay the difference between their buy and sell rate). Please note that these regulations only apply to cash. Travelers' checks can be taken home in unlimited quantity without any extra permissions.

    Q: I plan to go back to Russia shortly. Can I keep all the rubles with me for my next trip?
    No. Russian customs regulations forbid exporting rubles. Please get all your rubles exchanged back into your home currency before departure.

    Q: I heard that one can find a better exchange rate offered in the street by private money changers. If I can get more rubles per dollar, why should I go to a bank and get less rubles for my money?
    First of all, it is illegal to exchange money this way. Secondly, you risk losing your money not getting a kopeck back. In many cases street money changers will offer attractive rate just to lure you away from the official exchange place - and will disappear the moment they put their hands on your money. Quite often they stage up a little surprise show to persuade you that, for some reason, they do not want your money anymore, and then they leave you hastily giving you a counterfeit bill. The trouble is when you realize it is counterfeit, it will be too late - the tricksters will disappear.

    Q: Are there ATM machines in Russia?
    Yes, there are plenty of ATM machines in Russia nowadays. They differ in the amount of commission a local bank (which owns the machine) charges you per withdrawal. ATMs which bear Alfabank logo on them charge 0% commission - you will only pay your home bank's flat ATM withdrawal fee.

    Q: Are there any restrictions on travelers' checks or credit cards in Russia?
    No, there are no restrictions. You can easily pay with credit cards in most shops and restaurants. Unlike in your home country, travelers' checks cannot be used for payment for goods and services - you must cash them first.

     Q:Can I cash personal checks in Russia?
     Yes, you can. But it can take up to several weeks, as your check will need to travel back to the issuing bank abroad for verification. So, if you need to get money fast, either use international travelers' checks (American Express, Thomas Cook, Visa, etc.) or ATM machines.

    Q: What do I do in emergency when in Russia?
    In any case of emergency the first thing you should do is to contact your country's Embassy (if you are in Moscow) or the nearest Consulate to inform them that there is a foreigner in danger. Also, you should contact the Russian authorities at the following emergency numbers (calls are free from mobile phones and street phones):

01 - fire brigade. You should say "Pozhar" (fire) and give your address.
02 - police ("Militsiya"). You can speak in English, as they have a phone tracking system and will be able to locate you by your phone number (if you call from stationary phone).
03 - ambulance ("Skoraya!) If you come to Russian for an extended period of time, it is a good idea to get registered with an American Medical Center available in major cities.
04 - gas authority (in case you stay in an old building and can suddenly smell gas from a gas pipe leak).