|
Russia Holidays, Flights & Travel Guide
Russia travel guide - Russia
holidays, holiday packages & Russia hotels.
|
!
Search & Compare Discount on Russia Hotels
and Holiday Packages to Russia
|
Top destination guides for Russia
holidays;
Moscow Holidays
| Moscow Sherem Holidays
| St. Petersburg Holidays
|
Russia Holidays, Russia Holiday
Packages Overview
As Russia moves forward into the
21st century, it leaves behind a turbulent history of tyranny and a
crippled economy: from Ivan the Terrible to Peter the Great, from
the fall of the tsars to the dictatorship of the Soviet government.
Today it is a nation embracing its newfound freedom and future
potential, whilst enjoying a renewal of the rich cultural heritage
of its past. Despite the visible effects of
hardship and economic disparity, and its previous isolation from
the rest of the world, travellers will encounter a country of
enormous diversity and vitality, with cultural treasures and
historical monuments, great imperial cities and glittering
cathedrals. Visitors will experience the enchantment of
Tchaikovsky, the Kirov and Bolshoi Ballet, and marvel at priceless
Russian icons and the unique style of decorative onion-domed
architecture. Most westerners associate Russia
with the great imperial centres of Moscow and St Petersburg, and
although these two cities, the capital and the beautiful 'Venice of
the North' are a must-see, they are a mere scratching on the
surface of this vast and varied land. Straddling two continents and
11 time zones, the Russian Federation is the largest country on
earth, nearly twice the size of the United States of America.
Within this impressive expanse lie natural wonders such as Lake
Baikal, the deepest lake in the world, and beautiful mountains,
rivers and forests abounding with wildlife as well as timeless
traditional villages scattered across the Siberian
landscape. Visitors taking the opportunity to
explore Russia will not be disappointed: its impressive museums,
overwhelming sense of history, culture and unspoilt wilderness will
leave one with a desire to see
more.
Tourist Offices - Russian National Group, Moscow: +7 (0)95
980 8440 or www.russia-travel.com
Search for a Holiday deal.
There are options for all Russia holidays,
Russia Flights and Russia travel with the
multi-search
booking engine.
Entry Requirements
for Russia Holidays & Russia Travel
Visitors must carry ID at all times whilst
in Russia; a photocopy of your passport and visa will suffice. An
Immigrant Card will be issued on board the aircraft or on arrival.
All visitors staying for longer than three days must register their
Immigrant Cards with their hotel or sponsor. Technically anyone
applying for a tourist visa needs to have pre-arranged
accommodation, but hostels or hotels can often provide an
invitation as long as the first night is spent there. Exit permits
are required on departure. These are usually issued with the visa,
or can be obtained at hotels not less than two days before
departure. Passports must be valid for period of intended
stay.
- For Australians -
Australian citizens must have a passport valid for the
length of their stay, and a visa.
- New Zealand nationals require a passport valid for the
length of their stay and a visa for entry to Russia.
- United States passport holders must have passport
valid for the length of their stay. A visa is
required.
- United States passport holders must have passport
valid for the length of their stay. A visa is
required.
- British citizens must have a passport valid for the
length of their stay. A visa is required.
Russia Holidays - Currency of Russia
The official currency is the Ruble (RUB) or Rouble,
divided into 100 kopeks. Most major credit cards are accepted in
the larger hotels and at places that deal with foreign tourists.
Currency can be changed at banks, currency exchange booths and
hotels. Travellers cheques are difficult and expensive to cash, but
if necessary it is advised to take them in US Dollars or Euro. ATMs
are widely available in major cities. It is hard to get rubles
outside Russia and travellers are advised to take good condition US
dollars or Euro notes to change once there. It is illegal to pay
for goods or services in hard currency, though it is often
accepted.
Russia
Telephone Access Codes and Communications
The international access code for Russia
is +7. When calling Russia from abroad the initial zero on the area
code must not be omitted. The outgoing code is 810 followed by the
relevant country code (e.g. 81044 for the United Kingdom).
City/area codes are in use, e.g. 095 for Moscow and 812 for St.
Petersburg. Public phones are good for local and international
calls; they take phonecards, which can be bought at newspaper
kiosks and post offices. Phone booths in airports and major hotels
usually take Amex or Visa cards but are generally much more
expensive than street phones. Mobile phones work in most large
towns and cities. There are numerous local operators using GSM
networks, each covering relatively small areas. Visitors are
required to declare mobile phones at customs when entering Russia.
Email and Internet access is available at Internet cafes throughout
the major towns and cities.
Russia
Duty Free Allowances & Restrictions
Customs inspections on entering Russia are
stringent. Visitors have to declare on a form items such as
currency and valuables, which they are bringing in for their own
use. Duty free allowances change often and at short notice, but in
general travellers can bring 400 cigarettes, 50 cigars, 200
cigarillos 0r 500g tobacco products; 2 litres of alcohol (for those
over 21 years of age); perfume for personal use; 250g caviar
(provided this is factory packed) and gifts to the value of 65,000
rubles.
Russia
Holidays & Packages- Tipping Information
A 10% tip is expected at restaurants, if a
service charge hasn't been added. Hotel bills in the large cities
include a 10 to 15% service charge; otherwise 10% is usual. Tipping
in bars and nightclubs is common.
|
