Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Central Asia to have a credit
or debit card.
Major credit cards can
be used for payment at
top-end hotels and restau-
rants, central airline offices,
major travel agencies and
a few shops throughout
the region. Visa is the most
widely recognised brand, but
others are accepted in most
places, as are the Cirrus and
Maestro systems.
If you can't find an ATM
to accept your card, it's
possible to get a cash ad-
vance against a Visa card or
MasterCard in capitals for
commissions of 1% to 3%.
You will need your PIN to
access the ATMs but not for
a cash advance. Asking for
the '
terminal'
(the hand-held
machine that processes the
card transaction) indicates
that you want a cash ad-
vance. Always get a receipt,
in case you are asked for
proof of changing money at
customs or if there is any
discrepancy when you get
home.
Remember that by using
credit cards in Uzbekistan
you fail to make use of the
black market.
International
Transfers
Money transfers are pos-
sible through major banks
in all capitals and through
Western Union
(www.
westernunion.com)
, which
has partners in banks and
post offices everywhere and
remains the easiest way to
send money. Commissions
of 1% to 4% are typical.
Moneychangers
Dealing with licensed
moneychangers is the
easiest way to change cash
in Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan
and Tajikistan. They are
found in small kiosks on
nearly every block, and
some will give a receipt if
you ask them; rates vary by
1% to 2% at most. Licensed
changers are completely
legal. Moneychangers are
marked by signs such as
ОБМЕН ВАЛЮТЫ
(
obmen
valyuty;
currency exchange)
and
ОБМЕННЬІЙ ПУНКТ
(obmenny punkt;
exchange
point).
Nearly all tourist hotels
have bank-exchange desks,
though double check the
rates.
declaration form or you
won't be able to cash them.
Security
ATMs and travellers cheques
are becoming more common
in Central Asia, but you may
still end up carrying large
wads of cash.
Don't leave money in any
form lying around your hotel
room. Lock it deep in your
luggage or carry it securely
zipped in a money belt, with
only what you'll need that
day accessible in an exterior
pocket, wallet or purse.
When paying for anything
substantial (eg a hotel bill
or an expensive souvenir)
or changing money on the
street at an exchange kiosk,
count out the money before-
hand, out of public sight;
don't go fumbling in your
money belt in full view. There
are tales of thieves targeting
people coming out of banks
with fat cash advances, so
keep your eyes open.
Make sure you note the
numbers of your cards and
travellers cheques and keep
the telephone numbers
handy to call if they are lost
or stolen - and keep all num-
bers separate from the cards
and cheques.
Tipping & Bargaining
Tipping is common in Central
Asian cities. Most cafes and
restaurants in the capitals
add a 10% service charge
to the bill, or expect you to
round up the total.
¨
Shops have fixed prices
but in markets (food, art
or souvenirs) bargaining is
usually expected.
¨
Always negotiate when
arranging transport hire.
¨
In Kyrgyzstan bargaining is
usually reserved only for taxi
drivers.
¨
In the markets asking
prices tend to be in a sane
proportion to the expected
outcome. Sellers will be
genuinely surprised if you
reply to their '5000' with
'1000'; they're more likely
EXCHANGE RECEIPTS
Whenever you change
money, ask for a receipt
(
kvitantsiya
or
spravka
in
Russian) showing your name,
the date, the amounts in both
currencies, the exchange rate
and an official signature. Not
everyone will give you one,
but if you need to resell local
currency through the banks
(in Uzbekistan or Turkmeni-
stan) you may need enough
receipts to cover what you
want to resell. You will not
need a receipt to sell local
currency into US dollars with
moneychangers in other
countries. Customs officials
may want to see exchange
receipts at crossings to non-
CIS countries but it's unlikely.
Technically you can only
sell Uzbek som back at a
main city office of the Nation-
al Bank - not at the airport or
the hotels, or the border. The
easiest thing, of course, is
to spend it before you leave,
change it to neighbouring
currencies on the black mar-
ket or swap it with travellers
going the other way.
Travellers Cheques
Travellers cheques can be
cashed in the major Cen-
tral Asian capitals (except
Dushanbe, Tajikistan) but
it is becoming increasingly
difficult to do so, particularly
in Kazakhstan and Turkmeni-
stan. US-dollar travellers
cheques are the best cur-
rency to bring. Commissions
run between 1% and 3%. It is
possible to get your money
in dollars instead of local
currency, though the com-
mission rate may be a little
different.
If visiting Uzbekistan you
need to list your travellers
cheques on your customs
