Russia-Travel Warnings

Travel Warnings

Customs rules

On you internship or volunteering trip make sure to think well about the things you bring in or out of the country. These guidelines should provide general information about traveling to Russia and going through customs The following items are subject to declaration and limited entry to Russia. These items (or excess) should be declared and you should pass through the "red corridor". Some of the items that are being brought to Russia permanently, for sale or commercial use, may incur customs tax, which can go up to 30% of the total price (that is usually determined by the customs officials).

• Cash foreign currencies (if equivalent or more than $3000 US) or rubles (if more than 500 minimum salaries, equals approximately 75,000 RUB which is approximately $2500 at today's rate)
• Stocks and securities, including travelers checks
• Alcohol (if more than 2 liters)
• 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)

Tipping

When doing a study abroad program in Russia, it is almost certain that you will visit some of the local restaurants to taste the local cuisine. Some of the guidelines on when and how much to tip are as follows: at the restaurants and bars - 10 % from the account (if the service charges do not enter into it); in cheap snack bars or in cafe– tips are not necessary; to the porter in hotel or the airport- no tips are needed.

Safety

Russia is regarded as somewhat of a criminal country. Although things have been improving in the past years, it is not recommended to carry with you expensive jewelry, large sums of money and other valuables. If you are there on a volunteering program, some of the local guides will give you detailed instructions as on how to avoid any unnecessary incidents.

Communication

While volunteering or studying abroad in Russia it is important to keep in mind some of the communication means available to you. In all of the Russian cities you will find pay phones, they may vary from city to city but they all may be used for communication within the city limits. Usually plastic cards are bought and used for pay phones, their cost depends on the amount of minutes that a particular card holds. if no payphones are available you may approach a pedestrian and ask if you may use their cell phone for a price.

Holidays and days off

When traveling to Russia there are a few dates one might keep in mind. If your study abroad or volunteering program happens to be during some of the holidays you will have a great chance to learn even more about Russia’s culture and traditions. Some of the celebrations happen on January, 1st (New Year), January 7(Russian Orthodox Christmas), February 23 (Protector of Motherland Day), March 8 (International Women’s day), May 9 (Victory Day over Nazi Germany).

Emergency phones

When traveling in Russia, keep the emergency phone near you. In Russian Federation there’s only 1 emergency number much like in the United States, the number is: