Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
RULES
See
“Getting
305
DRIVING
the establishment you want to visit to
make sure it's open. See “When to Go” in
chapter 3 for a list of Russian holidays.
HOSPITALS
Some doctors speak Eng-
lish, but most of the Russian hospital staff
is unlikely to, so get a translator if you
need hospitalization. Ask your hotel for
translator suggestions. These are some of
the biggest and (relatively) good hospitals:
Botkin City Hospital,
5 Second Botkin-
sky Proyezd;
&
495/252-9488.
City Hospital No. 1
(Pirogovksy), 8 Len-
insky Prospekt;
&
499/764-5022.
Morozovskaya Children's Hospital,
1/9
4 Dobryninskiy Pereulok;
&
495/959-
8904.
Around,” chapter 3.
DRUGSTORES
See “Pharmacies,”
below.
ELECTRICITY
Russia operates on 220-
volt AC, like the rest of Europe. Bring
converters if you have electrical equipment
from North America, since they're harder
to find in Russia. Most modern hotels use
plugs with two thick prongs, as in conti-
nental Europe; some older hotels will need
plugs with two thinner prongs. Small plas-
tic adapters for these old plugs are avail-
able in Russian hardware stores, or often
from the hotel staff. To guard against elec-
tricity surges for items like laptops, bring a
stabilizer, too.
EMBASSIES
All embassies are located
in Moscow, the capital, with consulates for
several countries in St. Petersburg as well.
United States:
8 Bolshoi Devyatinsky
Pereulok;
&
495/728-5000;
emergency
after hours 495/728-5025.
Britain:
10 Smolenskaya Naberezhnaya;
&
495/956-7200.
Canada:
23 Starokonyushenniy Pereulok;
&
495/925-6000;
night line 495/925-
6000.
Australia:
10A/2 Podkolokolny Pereulok;
&
495/956-6070.
Ireland:
INFORMATION
See “Visitor Informa-
tion,” chapter 3.
INTERNET ACCESS
Though most
Russians don't have computers, much less
online access, Internet cafes are increas-
ingly available in downtown Moscow.
Most hotel business centers also offer
Wi-Fi or online access, though at steeper
rates. Try 24-hour
Time Online
on the
bottom floor of the Okhotny Ryad shop-
ping center next to the Kremlin (1 Mane-
zhnaya Ploshchad; www.timeonline.ru).
Or try
CafeMax,
a chain of cafes around
town. Two convenient ones are at 25 Pyat-
nitskaya, building 1, near Novokuznets-
kaya metro station; and at 3
Novoslobodskaya Ulitsa, near Novoslo-
bodskaya metro station. See www.cafemax.
ru for other locations.
LANGUAGE
Russian is the principal
language, a Slavic tongue that uses the
Cyrillic alphabet. English is becoming
more common but is not as widespread as
in western Europe. In most hotels, at tour-
ist sites, and in central Moscow, visitors
should have no trouble communicating in
English. Younger people are far more
likely to speak it well than their elders.
The main challenge is the Russian alpha-
bet. Despite efforts to print signs in the
Latin alphabet (the one used for western
18
5
Grokholsky
Pereulok;
&
495/937-5911.
EMERGENCIES
For fire, dial
&
01;
police,
&
02;
ambulance,
&
03.
For
medical emergencies, see the “Doctors”
listing, above. In extreme cases, the interna-
tional clinics will send you to a better-
equipped Russian hospital with a translator.
EYEGLASS REPAIR
Almost any eye-
glass store, called
optika,
will make minor
repairs, often for free.
HOLIDAYS
Moscow's pace slows a bit
during holidays, but it doesn't come to a
halt. Many museums and restaurants
remain open but with limited hours.
Check with your hotel concierge or call
