Aikamatkat Oy

Q: Is it dangerous in St Petersburg and Moscow? Apart from mafia and criminality I’ve heard rumours that even the policemen might rob tourists.

A: Don’t worry, St Petersburg and Moscow aren’t more dangerous than any other big cities in Europe. If you take care of your belongings and know how to behave, you shouldn’t have any problems. Mafia is pretty invisible in Russia and they don’t care about tourists. On the contrary, “big boys” secure the tourists, because they bring money to the country. Corruption is unfortunately quite common in Russia, but the policemen won’t fine you, if you stay out of troubles and don’t drink too much.

Q: What can you eat and drink in Russia?

A: Russian food is very delicious and it has features from European and Asian cuisines. Typical for Russian kitchen is soups, stuffed pancakes, salads, pies various fish and meat courses and of course – the Russian vodka. If you want to stay on the safe side, it’s not recommended to drink water from the tap nor buy snacks that content meat in street shops (especially in summertime).In summer especially avoid food containing chicken, mayo, beef, and milk products. If you think you’ve eaten something bad, contact your tour conductor. He will help you in pharmacy or arrange medical care. 

Q: How much is...?

A: Entrance to a night club 150–350 roubles (4-10 euros)     
Lunch in a restaurant (depending on a place) 5-10 euros
Dinner in a restaurant (depending on a place) 10-20 euros
A bottle of vodka 1 l app. 200 roubles (6 euros)
Crate of beer 20 x 0,5 l app. 240 roubles (~8 euros)
Block of cigarettes app.110–150 roubles (4–5 euros)
Beer in a bar or a night club 0,5 l 50–150 roubles (1,5 – 4 euros)
Shot of vodka 50cl 50-100 roubles (1,5 – 3 euros)
A metro ticket 17 roubles (app. 50 sents)
Taxi (depends on a driver) 100–200 roubles (3-6 euros)
Bread 15 roubles (app. 40 sents)

Q: How come there are different prices for Russian visa for different nationalities?

A: Prices for Russian visas depend on the policy of Russian Embassy based on bilateral agreements with each country. Prices mentioned in our list are updated regularly according to Russian Embassy tariffs.

Q:, Which kind of student card will do for student discount in Russia?

A: For getting a student discount, ISIC, Finnish or any other valid student card will do. It will allow you to enter free State Hermitage museum, but in other places the discount is 50% off the price for foreign adults. If you know Russian, you can try to get a Russian entrance ticket, which is much cheaper.

Q: Which city I should go...to St.Petersburg or to Moscow?

A: Both cities are very beautiful. Moscow is the heart of Russia and true business city, when St.Petersburg is the cultural centre of Russia.

Q: What is the best Vodka brand?

A: Without advertising any vodka brand, we can recommend such vodka brands as Russky Standard, Beloe Zoloto, Flagman, Parlament, Gzhelka, Russki Razmer, Diplomat to mention a few. Alcohol counterfeiting is a big problem in Russia, due to which you should always buy vodka at outlet shops. Check that bottles bear a white excise stamp, glued over the cap. If interested, there’s a Vodka Museum in St Petersburg, introducing history of Russian vodka traditions provided with samples.

Q: Can I use my Finnish mobile phone in Russia?

A: All Finnish mobile operators have roaming in Russia, except from pre paid cards. Check from the homepages of your mobile operator, which is the cheapest co-operating operator in Russia. Sending SMS doesn’t cost more than 20 cents/ message, but calling or receiving or phone calls might rise your phone bill dramatically. Anyway, local calls are fairly inexpensive. If you have troubles, don’t hesitate to call tour conductor.         

Q: What does the included medical insurance cover?

A: Medical insurance is required for getting a visa. Insurance of our co-operating insurance company IngoNord covers all the medical costs in Russia due to illness. In case of emergency, illness or accident, contact your tour conductor who will do the arrangements. You can also use any other services, but always remember to save receipts and doctors statement. Insurance is valid also two weeks after the trip, if you have a doctor’s certificate proving, that the sickness occurred during the trip.

Q: What should I take with me to Russia?

A: The most important documents such as your passport, student card for discounts, insurance etc. Important medicine, contact information of your Embassy.

Q: What is the time differences between Finland and St Petersburg?

A: Finnish time +1 hour.

Q: Is there time differences between St.Petersburg and Moscow?

A: No

If you have other questions, please contact us!
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