Russia is a country located in Asia and Europe with name that begins with letter R. Most of the Russian area is east of the Ural Mountains in Siberia, with Novosibirsk as the most important city. Siberia extends over 7,000 kilometers from the Urals to the Bering Strait. The north-south extension from the Arctic Ocean to the South Siberian Mountains is around 3,500 kilometers. Lake Baikal, which is drained by the Angara River, is also located in the South Siberian Mountains: with a water surface of over 31,000 km², the lake is larger than Belgium, and with a depth of up to 1,640 m it is the deepest freshwater lake in the world. It is also considered the oldest freshwater lake on earth.
Entry
The visa must be applied for at one of the Russian diplomatic missions abroad before entering the country. Please inquire about the current regulations at the respective Russian diplomatic mission abroad.
Climate on Lake Baikal
There is a continental, cold-temperate climate around the lake with lots of sunshine and little rainfall. The average temperature in the winter months is -20 °C, the average summer temperature + 16 °C. Due to its depth, Lake Baikal is hardly warmer than 10 °C on the surface, even in summer, only in some bays the water can reach up to 18 °C Heat up °C.
Medical advice
Citizens of the EU are required to have health insurance when traveling to the Russian Federation. When applying for a visa, an insurance policy must be presented. Medical care, especially outside the big cities, cannot be compared with medical care in Central Europe. No special vaccinations are required to enter Russia. A personal pharmacy with your own medicines is strongly recommended; it makes it easier to act in the event of illness.
Security
For some parts of the country of the Russian Federation there is an increased security risk or a travel warning. Please note the current warning notices from the respective diplomatic missions in your country.
Special provisions
- Even small amounts of drugs can lead to long prison sentences.
- Photographing militarily or strategically important facilities (bridges, airports) is prohibited.
- Homosexuality is not punishable in Russia, but “propaganda of non-traditional sexual relationships” is.
Climate and travel time
Due to the size of the country and the great distance of many regions from the sea, the climate is influenced differently. In general, however, it can be said that the continental climate is present in various forms. There is a continental, cold-temperate climate around Lake Baikal. There is a lot of sunshine and only little rainfall. In winter the average temperature is -20 °C and in summer + 16 °C: Since Lake Baikal is quite deep, it hardly warms up on the surface in summer (10 °C). Water temperatures of approx. 18 °C can only be measured in isolated bays.
All about money
Currency
Russian ruble (RUB)
General
Euros and US dollars can easily be exchanged for local currency. For this you can use authorized banks or the numerous exchange offices. Exchange offices are only allowed to do this, however, if they also offer other banking services, in order to prevent fraud in currency exchange. In addition, you should never allow money to be exchanged on the street or accept bills issued before 1997. Often the passport has to be shown when changing money. The bill of exchange must be kept because it may have to be presented at customs. The exchange rates here on site are generally better than in Europe. It is not absolutely necessary to have money exchanged before the trip, as you can get the Russian ruble at the ATMs at the airport. For withdrawals from such machines, which occur not only in the big cities of Russia, but also increasingly in smaller cities, you need a credit card (all common ones are suitable: VISA; Mastercard, American Express and Diners Club) or an EC card (giro card with Maestro logo, V-Pay cards cannot be used). When using these cards, please note that there are fees for every withdrawal, so you should check with your house bank beforehand. It is also important to check the current ruble / euro exchange rate before withdrawing or exchanging money. When using these cards, please note that there are fees for every withdrawal, so you should check with your house bank beforehand. It is also important to check the current ruble / euro exchange rate before withdrawing or exchanging money. When using these cards, please note that there are fees for every withdrawal, so you should check with your house bank beforehand. It is also important to check the current ruble / euro exchange rate before withdrawing or exchanging money.
In Russia it is still common to pay with cash. You can pay with a credit card in many shops and restaurants, but there are also some shops that do not accept them. You should therefore carry enough cash with you, especially when traveling inland. It is advisable to have small bills with you so that you can negotiate better in markets, for example.
Travelers checks are threatened with extinction and not particularly useful in Russia either.
Before the return journey, the remaining Russian rubles can easily be exchanged for euros – only the coins are excluded.
Banks
As a rule, banks in Russia are open Monday through Thursday from 9: 30 a.m. to 5: 00 p.m. and on Fridays until 4: 00 p.m.
Tip
Tipping is an expression of satisfaction with the service and should only be given then. For waiters and taxi drivers, an amount between 5 to 10 percent of the invoice amount is usual. In upscale restaurants and bars, tips of up to 15% can be added to the bill. The gas station attendant gets 10-30 rubles, the porter even 50-80 rubles and the housekeeper 30 to 50 rubles per day of stay.
Other essential information
Time difference
Time difference to CET in Russia is 0h to + 11h
Electricity in Russia
The voltage in Russia is 220 volts / 50 Hertz and sockets type C and F are used. You therefore do not need a suitable travel plug adapter. The small difference in mains voltage (in almost all of Europe this is only 230 volts / 50 Hertz) can also be neglected, since manufacturers of electrical devices allow for a certain tolerance. However, to be sure, you can check the label on the device. It can be quickly determined that some devices never need a voltage converter (for example cell phone chargers with an input: 100-240 volts).
