Thread: Visit to Russia

Hello!

I'd like to go to Moscow in July this year, and I had a few questions I was hoping someone could answer.

The first is regarding a visa - assuming the hotel sends an invitation to the RF and the details on the visa application are correct, is there much chance the visa will be refused?

Also, I'm wondering about how much money I need to save - for anyone who has recently had a visit to Moscow (or lives there) - how much would you allow for 5 days?

Finally, it seems a bit difficult to find rubles in the UK, so I guess it's best to change money when I get there. What currency is best to take?

Thanks very much for any help or information

Visas are never refused if you fill in the form properly and provide everything they ask for, unless you have a criminal record or have previously committed a crime in Russia etc.

You can get roubles from the post office when ordered online, or from travelex (I think). If you take money, I'd take Euros. Both Euros and Dollars are easily exchanged, but the dollar exachange rate is worse. Other than than you can just take any credit / debit card and withdraw case from ATMS. There are lots in Moscow. If you have a Nationwide account, withdrawls abroad are free.

As for the amount, it all depends on how what sort of budget you have.

Don't take dollars or euros. However good the exchange rate you get you'll be changing your money twice, three times if you have to change any back into pounds again on the way home, and you'll pay each time. It's not that much harder to change pounds in Moscow than dollars and euros, and in that case you only pay once which will still work out cheaper even if the rate for sterling is slightly worse.

There really isn't any point in carrying loads of cash into Russia nowadays anyway. Try to take a ton or so, changed into rubles in the UK, to tide you over when you first arrive and then withdraw money directly at an ATM once you're there. And don't forget that you can use credit cards in plenty of places too.

BTW, you can exchange pounds in Russia as well, and the rate isn't so bad. The only drawback is that pounds aren't so universally accepted as dollars and euros are - very few exchange offices accept them so you'll need to look for one or exchange them in banks (usually open from 10 am till 5 pm only on workdays).
The same with travel-checks. You CAN exchange them, but I once have felt really sorry for two foreigners who were trying to exchange travel-checks on Saturday evening. (Some hotels should provide such services even though their exchange rates can be considered a robbery).

Originally Posted by jamesb

Also, I'm wondering about how much money I need to save - for anyone who has recently had a visit to Moscow (or lives there) - how much would you allow for 5 days?

I guess pretty much the same as you'd need to visit London. Public transport is cheaper though.

Thanks very much for your replies. That's good news about the visa. I didn't realise the post office exchanged rubles, but from their website the exchange rate seems good.

Originally Posted by net surfer

Public transport is cheaper though.

Well that's a relief!

Thanks again. I hope it's OK if I post back with more questions

You can't spend Euros or dollars in Russia. Just get use you ATM card to get roubles. There are ATM everywhere.

Originally Posted by DDT

You can't spend Euros or dollars in Russia.

What?!

Officially you can't, no, but there are plenty of situations where you can spend Euros and Dollars.

Well, I never tried in any of the big hotels and touristy places but the regular grocery stores and such did not want my euros or dollars. And what's more, most places I shop won't accept credit cards either.

Originally Posted by TATY

Originally Posted by DDT

You can't spend Euros or dollars in Russia.

What?!

Officially you can't, no, but there are plenty of situations where you can spend Euros and Dollars.

It's hardly true now. They won't accept anything except roubles in stores and even though you can sometimes offer dollars or euros in some unofficial transactions, people get very suspicious about you (there are many stories about counterfeit money and it is really strange when there are exchange offices at every corner). And, even if someone agrees to take dollars you'd actually have to pay more compared to the equivalent amount in roubles.

Thanks for your comments

I have another question, if I may. I've heard people address shop assistants, waitresses, etc as 'девочка!', and also asking for something using 'дайте'. If this the usual way of saying this?

I only ask because it seems slightly rude - if someone said "Boy! Give me..." to me, I'd probably be quite offended, so I don't want to get it wrong.

Thanks!

Девушка! not девочка. In the US we say "Miss!" to get a waitress' attention, for example.

Дайте, пожалуйста, Х.
Please give me X.

Did I get that possessive right?

PS I am in the early stages of planning a trip for next spring to M and SPb. Will be interested to hear your experiences. Post a travel report here!

Молодой человек! Запостите, пожалуйста, на форуме отчет о вашей поездке в Россию!

Originally Posted by jamesb

I only ask because it seems slightly rude - if someone said "Boy! Give me..." to me, I'd probably be quite offended, so I don't want to get it wrong.

Thanks!

I thought the same thing when I first arrived here but as it turns out девушка is the normal way to address someone.

Originally Posted by DDT

Originally Posted by jamesb

I only ask because it seems slightly rude - if someone said "Boy! Give me..." to me, I'd probably be quite offended, so I don't want to get it wrong.

Thanks!

I thought the same thing when I first arrived here but as it turns out девушка is the normal way to address someone.

Even someone who is clearly not a девушка.

Originally Posted by scotcher

Originally Posted by DDT

Originally Posted by jamesb

I only ask because it seems slightly rude - if someone said "Boy! Give me..." to me, I'd probably be quite offended, so I don't want to get it wrong. :?

Thanks!

I thought the same thing when I first arrived here but as it turns out девушка is the normal way to address someone.

Even someone who is clearly not a девушка.

Like a бабушка?

Originally Posted by jamesb

I have another question, if I may...

Русский язык для футбольного фаната

Еда и питье
- pivo pojaluista.
- eshe piva.
- Chetyire butylku Baltiku i portsiya Shashlik pozhalsta – polonium nyet (Четыре бутылки "Балтики" и порцию шашлыка, пожалуйста. Полония не надо)
- mne ploho kak popugau

Культура

"Я глубоко восхищаюсь сочинениями Достоевского. Ну, а вы читали "Мою историю до сегодняшнего момента" Уэйна Руни?" – "Ya ochen lyuoblyu sochineniya Dostoevskovo a vyi izychili 'Moya povest do sikh por' y Yuaina Roonovo?"

Транспорт

"Сколько стоит такси до стадиона от моей гостиницы во Владивостоке?" – "Skolko taksi v stadion ot moei gostinitsu v Vladivostoke?"

Спорт

"Да, у нас в Англии очень хорошие гимнасты – Дидье Дрогба первоклассный акробат". – "Da, u nac v Anglii ochen khoroshie gimnasti – Didier Drogba yest pervoklassnyi akrobat"

Светская беседа после матча

"Спасибо, Москва. А теперь как мне отсюда выбраться, черт возьми?" – "Spasibo Moskva. A seichas kakim obrazom ya pobegu?"

Лол, да это была аццкая инструкция по русскому языку для англичан во время их приезда на финал лиги чемпионов в Москву

Говорить правду, я не люблю футбол. Мне кажется, когда я вижу это, всегда идет дождь...

тоже, аццкая - как по-англий?

Was that right?

Originally Posted by jamesb

Честно говоря, я не люблю футбол. Мне кажется, что когда я вижу его, товсегда идёт дождь...

И ещё, аццкая - это как по-английски?

Was that right?

Аццкий it's slangish expression and means at this case "crazy funny".

Or "по правде говоря".

"Мне кажется, когда я смотрю его, всегда идет дождь... " (without что and то) is ok too. I'd even say that то isn't needed at all.