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Since the call of the Cold War, and the
reformation of Russia, the fastest growing is the business economy.
Many businessman around the world flock to Russia to take advantage of
Russia special resources like the biggest market oil and gas
industrial, mining like coal and precious minerals (gold, nickels,
diamonds, coppers, etc). Also it has many manufacturing power and
technologies that used to be only for militaries, but now are open for
all sort of industries example transportation (vehicles, trains, boats,
airplanes), constructions materials and heavy machinery. Some extend of
textiles are also part of its raw products. Below are some handy tips
for Business Travel in Russia.
Russia Business Travel Quick Tips:
ATM Machines: Located in major
cities.
Credit Cards: Welcome in Russian hotels and many restaurants,
but many museums and some train stations take only cash. Cards most
commonly accepted in Russia are American Express, Visa, MasterCard and
Eurocard. Use your Corporate Travel Card whenever possible.
Currency: Russian currency is the ruble. You cannot purchase
rubles in advance or exchange them after your trip. Take U.S. dollars
or euros and exchange when you reach your destination. Note that many
prices listed on menus and in shops are often in dollars or euros,
though only rubles are accepted as payment. Ask if you are unsure.
Water: Drink bottled water, avoid ice cubes.
Driving: Russians drive on the right side of the street.
Electricity: Russia has 220V current and uses the standard
European round, double prong power plug. All hotels and the most offices use the RJ45 phone connector (U.S. standard).
Language & Signs: English not widely spoken. Most signs will be in the
Cyrillic alphabet. It may be worth it to learn the 33-letter alphabet,
which is very phonetic and shares many letters with English. A good
phrasebook with phonetic transliterations of Russian words is handy.
Mobile phones: European GSM subscribers should be able to roam
in major Russian cities. Service is less reliable outside main cities.
Time Zones: Russia has 11 time zones. Moscow and St. Petersburg
are three hours ahead of London, eight hours ahead of New York, and 11
hours ahead of San Francisco. Russia switches to Daylight Savings Time
with the rest of Europe in March and back again in October.
Tipping: 5-15% - usually expected in tourist establishments, not
much elsewhere. Cash vs. credit card is preferred for tipping.
Travelers Checks: Few places in Russia accept traveler's checks
outside major hotels and restaurants, and those that do often only
accept American Express.
Expect access to most resources in cities, but limited resources
outside of major cities.
Placing Phone Calls:
Long distance calls: To make call to international or in within Russia
contingents, just press 8 first, then wait for a tone. Note: Some
mobile phone numbers also require
you to hit 8 first.
To make international calls: To make international calls from
Russia, first dial 8, then wait for a tone, then dial 10, then the
country code (U.S. or Canada 1, U.K. 44, Ireland 353, Australia 61, New
Zealand 64 ). Next, dial the area code and number. If you are calling
from a hotel you may have to dial 9 before dialing the 8.
To call from city to city within Russia: First dial 8, wait for a tone,
then dial the city code and the 7-digit number.
From Nizhny Novgorod to Moscow: 8 <Wait for the Dial Tone>495
<Local Number>
From Moscow to Nizhny Novgorod: 8<Wait for the Dial Tone>8312
<Local Number>
To call within Russian cities: Just dial the 7-digit number.
Local calls are free.
For operator assistance: If you need operator assistance in
making a call, dial 8, then wait for a tone, then dial 194 if you're
trying to make an international call. If you want to call a number in
Russia dial 08, but few operators speak English.
Toll-free numbers: You cannot phone a 1-800 number to the U.S.
from Russia, so be sure to have standard toll numbers for all your
credit card companies and travel agencies before you leave.
International calling cards: Direct access numbers for AT&T in
Moscow are 755-5042 and 325-5042; MCI is 747-3322; BT Direct is 8
(tone) 10-80-01-10-1044; Canada Direct is 755-5045 or 747-3325.
Visa Requirements:
The basic visa/passport requirements for
travel to Russia from your point of origin include:
- Business visa
- Certificate of business invitation
- Passport with six months validity beyond the validity period of the
requested visa
- Letter from employer
Your visa and certificate of invitation must reflect the exact dates of
your travels, otherwise you will not be granted entry to the country.
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