Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
18
Fast Facts &
Toll-Free Numbers
1
FAST FACTS: MOSCOW
AIRPORT
See “Getting There & Get-
ting Around,” chapter 3.
AMERICAN EXPRESS
The main local
office is at 33 Usacheva Ulitsa, building 1
(
&
495/933-8400
). It's open from 9am to
7pm Monday through Friday. The office
doesn't sell or cash Amex checks itself, but
will tell you which nearby banks cash them.
In the U.S., call
&
800/221-7282.
BUSINESS HOURS
Businesses gener-
ally operate from 9am until 6pm. A few
stores and businesses still take a lunch
break around 1 to 2pm. Some shops are
closed Sunday, but museums and restau-
rants are generally open. Many restaurants
and bars are open 24 hours.
CAR RENTALS
See “Getting Around,”
chapter 3.
CLIMATE
shop around. Most don't charge a commis-
sion, and when they do, it's low—around
a dollar. Make sure your U.S. bills or euros
are new and untainted; crinkled or pre-
1995 bills will be rejected. Exchange
booths have signs out front with four fig-
ures: the buy and sell rates for U.S. dollars,
and the buy and sell rates for euros. To
exchange other currencies, try the banks,
the underground passage next to Arbats-
kaya metro station, and the booth on the
corner of Pokrovka Ulitsa and Pokrovsky
Bulvar. Banks can give cash advances on a
credit card in rubles.
DENTISTS
For good international-
standard dentistry, including emergencies,
try
US Dental Care,
7/5 Bolshaya Dmi-
trovka, building 2 (
&
495/933-8686;
www.usdentalcare.com).
DOCTORS
The following facilities offer
Western-standard medical care and Eng-
lish-speaking staff who can help with
everything from a broken limb to a bad
flu. They are private clinics whose services
are expensive and may not be covered by
your insurance company, so be sure to
check with your insurer before you go.
American Medical Center Moscow,
26
Prospekt Mira (
&
495/933-7700;
www.amcenter.ru/en).
European Medical Center,
5 Spirido-
nievskiy Pereulok 5, building 1 (
&
495/
933-6655;
www.emcmos.ru).
International SOS Clinic,
31 Grokholsky
Pereulok, 10th floor of Polyclinic no. 1
(
&
495/937-5760
; www.sosclinic.ru).
See “When to Go,” in chap-
ter 3.
CONVENTION CENTERS
Most of
Moscow's big hotels are equipped to
accommodate conventions and large con-
ferences. The chief venue is the
World
Trade Center
at Mezhdunarodnaya Hotel,
12 Krasnopresnenskaya Naberezhnaya
(
&
495/258-1212;
http://wtcmoscow.ru).
CURRENCY EXCHANGE
Exchange
booths
(obmen valyuty)
are found in every
hotel, at many restaurants, and near all
major metro stations. Many are open 24
hours, and most are well-guarded, reliable
places to change cash. Rates are better than
in most banks, and they're competitive, so
