Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Most
postoffices
areopenMondaytoSaturday8amto7pm,andbluepostboxesareaffixed
to walls across both cities. However, local mail is slow and not particularly reliable, so for
urgent letters use DHL.
Internet cafés
are abundant and cheap, and most hostels offer in-
ternetaccessandwi-fiforfree,whilevirtuallyallcafésandrestaurants alsohave
wi-fi
.For
international calls
get a pre-paid international phonecard such as the Zebra Telecom card
or Evroset card, usable from any phone. Ask at a bank or telecoms kiosk for a
telefonnaya
karta
.Non-Russian
mobiles
workonroaming via local providers, but you'll pay a fortune.
You could also consider getting a local SIM card for R200-400 (bring your passport with
you to buy one). Note that when calling a local number from a Russian mobile or landline
youneedtodial 8beforethenumber.However,ifdialling fromaninternational mobile the
8 is not necessary. Dial the country code +7 followed directly by the number.
EMERGENCIES
Beware of
petty crime
, particularly pickpockets in the metro and in bus and train stations
during rush hour. Don't leave valuables in your hotel room. If you are dark-skinned ex-
ercise extra caution, especially at night, as racist attacks are not unknown. Your embassy
will be able to advise you on what to do if you get robbed. The
police
(полиция) wear
blue-grey uniforms; always make sure you have photocopies of your passport, visa, im-
migration card and registration on you, as they do stop people at random and often look
for an excuse to fine you. When traversing busy roads, look for an underground crossing
(
perekhod
/переход) as many drivers do not honour zebra crossings. High-street
pharma-
cies
(
aptéka
) offer many familiar medicines over the counter. Foreigners tend to rely on
expensive
private clinics
for treatment, so travel insurance is essential. St Petersburg
wa-
ter
may still contain the giardia parasite, which can cause severe diarrhoea - metranidazol
is the cure and can be bought over the counter. The tap water of both cities contains high
levels of heavy metals, so it's best to drink the bottled stuff.
