Location: Europe
Local Time: Zone 1 (including Kaliningrad):
From 30 Oct 11 to 25 Mar 12 GMT +2
From 25 Mar 12 to 28 Oct 12 GMT +3
From 29 Oct 12 to 30 Mar 13 GMT +2
From 31 Mar 13 to 27 Oct 13 GMT +3
Zone 2 (including Moscow, St. Petersburg, Astrakhan & Naryan-Mar, Izhevsk, Samara):
From 30 Oct 11 to 25 Mar 12 GMT +3
From 25 Mar 12 to 28 Oct 12 GMT +4
From 29 Oct 12 to 30 Mar 13 GMT +3
From 31 Mar 13 to 27 Oct 13 GMT +4
Zone 4 (including Perm, Nizhnevartovsk, Ekaterinburg):
From 30 Oct 11 to 25 Mar 12 GMT +5
From 25 Mar 12 to 28 Oct 12 GMT +6
From 29 Oct 12 to 30 Mar 13 GMT +5
From 31 Mar 13 to 27 Oct 13 GMT +6
Zone 5 (including Omsk, Novosibirsk, Kemerovo):
From 30 Oct 11 to 25 Mar 12 GMT +6
From 25 Mar 12 to 28 Oct 12 GMT +7
From 29 Oct 12 to 30 Mar 13 GMT +6
From 31 Mar 13 to 27 Oct 13 GMT +7
Zone 6 (including Norilsk, Kyzyl):
From 30 Oct 11 to 25 Mar 12 GMT +7
From 25 Mar 12 to 28 Oct 12 GMT +8
From 29 Oct 12 to 30 Mar 13 GMT +7
From 31 Mar 13 to 27 Oct 13 GMT +8
Zone 7 (including Bratsk, Ulan-Ude):
From 30 Oct 11 to 25 Mar 12 GMT +8
From 25 Mar 12 to 28 Oct 12 GMT +9
From 29 Oct 12 to 30 Mar 13 GMT +8
From 31 Mar 13 to 27 Oct 13 GMT +9
Zone 8 (including Chita, Yakutsk):
From 30 Oct 11 to 25 Mar 12 GMT +9
From 25 Mar 12 to 28 Oct 12 GMT +10
From 29 Oct 12 to 30 Mar 13 GMT +9
From 31 Mar 13 to 27 Oct 13 GMT +10
Zone 9 (including Khabarovsk, Vladivostock, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk):
From 30 Oct 11 to 25 Mar 12 GMT +10
From 25 Mar 12 to 28 Oct 12 GMT +11
From 29 Oct 12 to 30 Mar 13 GMT +10
From 31 Mar 13 to 27 Oct 13 GMT +11
Zone 10 (including Magadan, Chukotka, Kamchatka):
From 30 Oct 11 to 25 Mar 12 GMT +11
From 25 Mar 12 to 28 Oct 11 GMT +12
From 29 Oct 12 to 30 Mar 13 GMT +11
From 31 Mar 13 to 27 Oct 13 GMT +12
Capital City: Moscow
Population: 143 million
Area: 17,075,200357,021 square km, 6,592,735 square miles.
Language(s): Russian, many local languages
Dialling Code: 7
Emergency: Police: 02. Fire: 01. Ambulance: 03
TV Standard: PAL
Driving: Driving is on the right. National licence with authorised translation or International Driving Permit required. Self drive car hire is very limited and not recommended for westerners
Electricity: 220V AC 50Hz
Currency: Russian Rouble (RUR)
Notes: RUR: 10, 50, 100, 500, 1,000
Coins: RUR: 1, 2, 5
Credit Cards/Travellers Cheques: Credit cards and travellers cheques are not widely accepted, exceptions are major hotels and western shops. If taking travellers cheques it is advisable to take them in US dollars, same applies to cash. Dollar notes should preferably be dated after 1993 and be in good condition. The exchange of travellers cheques into US dollars is difficult
Opening Hours
Bank: 0930-1730 Mon-Fri
Office: 0900-1800 Mon-Fri
Shops: 0900-1900 Mon-Sat (Sun mostly food shops)
Public Holidays
2012
12 Dec : Constitution Day
Business/Social Hints: English is widely spoken and German is also a useful language when visiting. Alcohol is available and smoking is widespread
Tipping: Customary, particularly in international hotels
