Money and Banks
Russia’s currency is the
ruble, divided into 100 kopeks. There are coins of 1, 5, 10, 20 and 50 kopeks and 1, 2 and 5 rubles, and notes of 5, 10, 50, 100, 500 and 1000 rubles. Everything is paid for in rubles, although some hostels make a habit of citing prices in either euros or dollars. At the time of writing £1=R45, €1=R40 and US$1=R28. Only
change money in an official bank or currency exchange. Most
exchange offices are open Monday to Saturday 10am to 8pm or later, and
ATMs are plentiful. In general, prices in both cities range from “new Russian” prices down to what the average Russian salary will cover, making many shops, bars and cafés affordable for the budget-conscious traveller.
There are special discounts for students and the youth. “Foreigner prices” at museums and galleries are often steeper than for Russian citizens, though most museums offer tickets for foreign students which cost half or two-thirds of the full price. An ISIC card is your best bet, though other student cards often work too. Ask for adeen studyencheskiy bilyet (one student ticket) in your most authentic accent.
Opening hours and holidays
Most
shops are open Monday to Saturday 8am to 7pm or later; Sunday hours are slightly shorter.
Museums tend to open 9am–5pm, with last ticket sales an hour before closing time, and they are invariably closed one day a week, with one day a month put aside as a “cleaning day”.
Churches are accessible from 8am until the end of evening service.
Clubs open late – many until 6am – or don’t close at all, morphing into early-morning cafés. Russian
public holidays fall on January 1, 6, 7 and 19, February 23 (Defender of the Motherland Day), March 8 (Women’s Day), May 1 and 2 (Labour Day), May 9 (Victory Day), June 12 (Russia Day), and November 4 (Day of Popular Unity).
Visas
For visa information see "
Russian red tape".
