Travel information

Visa

To enter the Russian Federation you will need a visa if an international treaty between the Russian Federation and your country does not establish a
visa-free regime. The visa application procedure for the participants of the IAP Regional Conference events is standard. To obtain a visa you should apply for it to the Russian Embassy or Consulate in your country.

The Prosecutor General’s Office of the Russian Federation will do everything possible to simplify the visa application procedure for the participants of the IAP Regional Conference in Sochi and their accompanying persons (further referred to as “participants of the IAP Conference 2015”). 

In particular, it was agreed with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation that the participants of the IAP Conference 2015 will obtain visas under a simplified procedure:

- after registration every participant of the IAP Conference 2015 will receive a personal invitation of the IAP 2015 Organizing Committee by e-mail indicated in their registration form or by fax;

- after October 15, 2015 participants of the IAP Conference 2015 should apply for a visa to the Russian Embassy or Consulate in any country, including outside their country of permanent residence, with a print invitation, filled visa application form and a passport recognized in the Russian Federation (valid for at least 6 months from the date you intend to enter the Russian Federation), where they will obtain a single entry business visa as a matter of priority (within 1-3 days).

It is highly advisable not to apply for a visa to visa application centers or commercial intermediary organizations as in this case you will have to pay fees of the said visa application centers and organizations and it will take much more time to obtain a visa than if you apply for it to the Russian Embassy or Consulate directly.

Air transport

The Moscow airports are the largest transport hubs for Russia and beyond. They meet the highest world standards in regard to transportation and service.

The Moscow airports have reliable air connections with almost all capitals of the world. Flights to Moscow are also offered by the leading international airlines such as AirFrance, British Airways, Lufthansa, SAS and others. Air transport is the most common way that tourists access Moscow.

Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo and Vnukovo are the main international airports of Moscow, all of them are located in close proximity to the city.

Moscow International airport Sheremetyevo provides services to the highest number of foreign passengers.

The Moscow International Airport Sheremetyevo. Terminal C

Domodedovo Airport also provides international passenger flight services and is developing rapidly.

The Domodedovo Airport

Vnukovo airport is the closest to the capital of Moscow and also has international status and accepts airplanes from leading domestic and international airlines.

Vnukovo airport

All the Moscow airports carrying out international flights have extensive infrastructure: information terminals, modern system of passengers registration, convenient halls. Within their territory there are rooms for mother and child, cafes, restaurants, shops, drugstores, help for invalids and other services. The airports are well equipped and conform to the highest international standards in their operation — including flight safety.

Owing to the fact that all the Moscow airports are located in immediate proximity to the city, travel times from Moscow vary between 30 minutes to 1,5 hours, depending on the time of the day, congestion on the road and a type of transport.

City transport

There is a well-organized network of city transport in Moscow. Land transport (the length of the transport lines is more than 2000 km) - buses, trolleybuses and trams - carry over 5.5 million passengers a day. The daily traffic capacity of the Moscow metro (subway), the most popular transport means of the capital, is more than 9.5 million people.

The Moscow metro has always been and remains the pride of the Moscovites. This is the fastest, most reliable, convenient and inexpensive way to reach any corner of the capital. The metro or the capital is famous for its architecture and history. Everyone who comes to Moscow should go to the “Underground palace”, decorated with granite and marble, to admire mosaics, sculptures and stained-glass windows.

The bus in Moscow is the most popular and wide-spread type of transport after the metro. The first buses appeared in the city before the Revolution and today 18 bus parks provide services for around a thousand different routes. Modern and comfortable buses will transport you not only to any point of the city, but also to the suburbs of the capital.

Today the Moscow trolleybus network is the most extensive in the world. A trolleybus is an energy-saving and environmentally friendly type of transport. Within the limits of the huge megapolis which suffers from traffic jams, the advantages of this type of transport are evident.

The tram is the slowest, but at the same time the most environmentally - friendly of the land transport. A few tram routes have been preserved in the center of Moscow. On a Saturday or Sunday, you can take a wonderful trip in old Moscow with a seat by the window of tram 39 or the famous Annushka.

Tickets for travel in buses, trolleybuses and trams as well as travel cards for all kinds of public transport are usually purchased in specialized kiosks (there are around 3000 of them in Moscow) at bus stops or ticket offices in the metro. You can also buy tickets from the driver when boarding, but the price will be higher.

Information about fares on public transport can be found on the web-site of the State Unitary Enterprise Mosgortrans.

It is impossible to imagine the life of a big city without a taxi. Whether you are meeting or being seen off at airports and train stations, shopping, returning home late, travelling around an unknown city, a taxi is a part of our life. At the present time there are some 5000 official taxis in the city of Moscow.

Taxi services are provided by licensed private firms who use experienced and responsible drivers who know the city well and work on the route lines. Taxi drivers provide services on a daily basis as well as on special VIP-orders, using luxury cars.

Taximetres are not used in all cars, more often the fare is determined at the time you order the taxi. The fare depends not only on the mileage of the trip, but also on the model of the car, even on the year it was manufactured.

You may pre-book a taxi at almost all firms. You may place an order for a taxi via the internet or by phone.

Taxis can also be ordered in advance at hotel receptions.

Attention!
In Moscow private taxi-drivers are widespread and popular, however, as in all countries; this service is always associated with high risk to passengers. Therefore, it is highly recommended to use professional taxi services, especially if you have to travel around the city at night.

Climate

The average daily temperature in Moscow in September rise to 17.5 C (63 F) and at night it may fall to 5 C (41 F).

The beginning of September in Russia is called the «Indian summer» or Golden autumn.

Warm and sunny weather often occurs in this period as glorified by many poets. This will make the stay of our guests in Moscow comfortable.

To see the current weather conditions in Moscow, you can visit the web-site on the Internet www.gismeteo.com or other relevant web pages.

Clothes

Clothes are casual, suitable for weather conditions of Central Europe. In September days are still warm, but it is desirable to have warm clothes for the evening.

Time zone

Moscow is located in the time zone of UTC/GMT+3 hours.

Electricity and water supply

The electric current which is used in Russia is 220W with a frequency of 50 Hz. At your request, the hotel will provide adapters and connectors.

Water in Moscow is absolutely safe for drinking and meets all sanitary standards. If you prefer bottled water, this can be purchased in the hotel or nearby in a grocery store.

Currency

According to law, all payments in the territory of the Russian Federation should be made in Russian roubles.

It is easy to change money in Moscow. There are exchange offices in all airports, banks, hotels, shopping centers and near the metro, some of them are open round the clock (7/24). Since all the exchange offices are commercial enterprises, their currency rates may be different, but the difference will not be significant.

As a rule, when exchanging foreign currency, banks charge commission. When performing currency exchanges, some banks may also ask you to show your passport or other identifying document. Moreover, you can use ATMs, located in banks, hotels and big shopping centers.

To check the current exchange rate of the rouble to foreign currency, visit the web site http://www.cbr.ru/eng/.

When exchanging money, it is necessary to remember that money should not be changed through private persons. As a rule, they offer more profitable exchange rates; however, you can become a victim of a swindler.

In Moscow you can use your plastic card in most restaurants, supermarkets and banks. Plastic cards of all the major international payment systems (VISA, EuroPay, Maestro, MasterCard, American Express, etc.) are accepted to pay for goods and services.

Communication

Country code: + 7
Codes of Moscow: +7 495, 496, 498, 499

In Moscow there are two and three-digit telephone numbers to be used in cases of emergency. The most important of them are as follows: 112 - one number to call the emergency services, 01 is to place a call for a fire brigade, 02 for the police, 03 - for the ambulance, 100 for the exact time service, 07 - for the reference call center on the numbers and the codes of phones of the company Rostelecom. Calling these and some other phone numbers are free of charge.

Guests, coming to Moscow, may use their own mobile phones and use the services of local operators via international roaming. In Russia standard networks of GSM900/1800, CDMA, NMT-45, DAMS/AMS, AMPS/NAMPS are used. Switching to the international roaming should be made in home countries before going to Moscow.

Telephone calls to other cities and countries can be made from the hotel or from any Moscow phone using the automatic phone services.

The rules of dialing to place a long-distance call:

• dial 8 and wait for the uninterrupted tone;
• dial a city code (can be specified in the telephone directory or by calling reference service 07 free of charge);
• dial the telephone users number.

The rules of dialing to place an international call:

• dial 8 and wait for the uninterrupted tone;
• dial 10 and the country code;
• dial the telephone users number.

Security

The situation with the personal security of the citizens and tourists is quite normal and stable in the Russian Federation.

To ensure maximum security at the time of the Conference, every participant will receive a badge at the registration desk. All participants must wear their badges in visible places for whole period of the Conference and at the time of events of the social program. Only having the badge, you will be allowed to enter the premises where the IAP events are held.

In addition, each participant of the events of the IAP receive the card with the phones to request assistance, if needed, including in the situations of emergency.

Attention!
The participants of the IAP events, subject to state protection, must inform the organizer about the number of accompanying persons from security services as soon as possible.

Insurance

Participants and accompanying persons are recommended to insure themselves in advance. Neither the International Association of Prosecutors nor the conference organizers bear any responsibility for accidents stipulated by the insurance policy. Please make sure that your policy covers all the expenses incurred by you as a result of the insured risk.

Working Time

Offices are open from 09:00 am to 18:00 pm from Monday to Friday.

Shopping

As a rule, all Moscow trade centers, supermarkets and department stores are open daily from 10:00 am in the morning to late at night. The prices of goods there are fixed. On many touristic routes of the city you can find numerous shops and kiosks where different craft items are sold. In the city center there are such shopping centers as TSUM (the Central Department Store), GUM (the State Department Store) and Okhotny Ryad. In Arbat Street, in the ancient part of the city, you can purchase various sorts of art, for instance, paintings, antiques.