SURVIVAL GUIDE

CHANGE MONEY at your hotel's bank or at an official bank or exchange office, never on the street. Avoid changing large sums at one time; you may need less than you think.
DON'T LOSE YOUR CUSTOMS DECLARATION form (it's the one you filled out on the plane) and remember to have it stamped by a cashier at least once when you change money. YOU WILL NEED THIS FORM at the airport upon exiting Russia.
There are NO AUTOMATIC TELLER MACHINES in St Petersburg. Some banks offer a cash advance on major credit cards (Western banks charge lower commission). Travellers checks are not generally accepted as payment. American Express travellers checks can be purchased by cardholders with a personal check at the AMEX office in the Grand Hotel Europe.
Many Western stores now accept CREDIT CARDS, but the procedure is often far from routine, so be wary, get your card back, and keep the receipt. Many restaurants do not accept credit cards. Some may bear symbols in their windows but, at the end of your meal, not accpet your card. Check first and always carry enough roubles to cover the meal. Tip in cash.

DON'T CARRY ALL YOUR CASH IN ONE PLACE, and never display large sums of money. Be especially careful while purchasing souvenirs from street vendors – criminals may be noting how much money you have and where it is. Keep your bag and camera tucked securely under your arm while shopping.
There are many GYPSIES, who prey on foreigners. As disadvantaged as they may seem, beware the impulse to help out. Keep a firm grip on your valuables, keep walking, and avoid eye contact. If you are surrounded by a group of them, don't be shy about making a scene: shout, run, and generally attract attention while keeping track of your valuables.
Watch out also for the GROUPS OF DEAF-MUTES who seek your assistance (we are not making this up). Many are just normal teenagers with a disablity, but some — particularly on Nevsky Prospect — are on the make.
Be aware that as a foreigner YOU STAND OUT more than if you were visiting a western European city.
- ALWAYS CARRY A CARD which says, in Russian, where you are staying and the telephone number. If you get lost, seek assistance in any hotel, or hail a taxi and show the driver the card.

DON'T DRINK THE TAP WATER. It contains the giardia lambia parasite, various toxins, and heavy metals. If your hotel does not filter the water, use bottled water, even for brushing teeth. On the street, stick to bottles or cans.
AVOID PURCHASING ALCOHOL FROM KIOSKS. Name-brand bottles may have been emptied of their original contents and refilled with homebrew.
For longer term visitors, or those with delicate medical conditions, can sign up at a Western-managed MEDICAL CENTER which will provide emergency service to members. Currently, the only medical centre in the city we know of using western staff is the American Medical Center.

WATCH WHERE YOU WALK. Many manholes are without covers, and you could end up down the drain. Avoid stepping on manhole covers when they do exist — many are not securely fastened. Keep an eye out for other pits and metal objects in the middle of the sidewalk.
BE VERY ALERT AROUND TRAFFIC, especially when crossing the street. If available, use the underground passageways, marked переход. Otherwise, only cross at traffic signals, and never attempt to cross once the green light starts flashing. If you are in the middle of the street when this happens, follow the Russians' example and RUN. Drivers are reckless and are used to pedestrians jumping out of their way, so don't risk your life challenging them. Also, be on guard for cars swerving around corners. (Commonwealth citizens should keep in mind that, like most of the rest of the world, Russians drive on the “wrong” side of the road).
BEWARE OF DOORS not equipped with dampers, they can swing in your face with enough force to knock you down. Watch also for door frames. Many have two inch high lips which it's easy to trip over.

If you can find a PUBLIC PHONE which works, use a metro token, which is placed in the slot on top of the phone. When someone answers, depending on the type of phone, the token may drop by itself (good for 3 minutes - you can place the next token as soon as the first one drops), or on touchtone phones push the # button to connect the call. Bad connection? Shout.
EMERGENCY CALLS. From all payphones, calls to Fire (01), Police (02), and Ambulance (03) are free.
POSTING LETTERS. International postcards cost 600 roubles, and letters 900 roubles. Stamps are called “marki” (марки), and can be purchased at a counter in a post office. For more reliable delivery, send mail from the main post office, near St Isaac's Cathedral. From the square, walk a block down Pochtamtskaya (почтамтская), the street with the arch. Inside, the counter on the immediate right (closed 1pm-2pm for lunch) sells pre-stamped international envelopes, “mezhduna-rodni konverti,” and stamps for postcards “marki dla mezhdunarodni otkritki.” There are several long tables where you may comfortably write, then mail them in the slot marked между-народные by the exit. Parcels can be sent from Russia, but it's not a real option for someone who does not speak Russian and doesn't have a week to spend on the process.

While SOUVENIER SHOPPING, don't jump at the first price, no matter how good it seems. The dollar goes farther than in the West, and bargaining is expected. Shop around before making any purchase, to get a sense of what is available in terms of quality and prices. Don't spend a lot of money on a Russian icon or artwork. Theoretically ALL artwork leaving Russia needs to be approved, and a fee paid. Customs officials are particularly strict about antique icons, and their metal trim makes them easy to spot at airport x-ray checkpoints.
In RUSSIAN STORES, you are still not allowed to handle the merchandise. Have a look at what's available behind the counter, have your selection set aside. Sometimes you will be given a bill to take to the kassa, a payment point with a cash register — sometimes set some distance from the counter where you found the goods. Pay at the kassa, and take the receipt back to the original counter to pick up your purchase.
There is a widespread, somewhat controversial practice of DUAL-PRICING in St Petersburg, with foreigners being charged a significantly higher price for some services than Russians. Use the phrase glossery below, feel free to ask in Russian for your ticket and hope for the best.

DEVELOP FILM BEFORE LEAVING THE COUNTRY because Russian aiports' “filmsafe” x-rays may damage film. Use one of the several one-hour Kodak outlets, or carry undeveloped film in your pocket for hand inspection at the airport.
Ignore the insistence of airport security that it is safe to run your LAPTOP COMPUTER THROUGH THE X-RAY MACHINE. Assert “nelzya” (“forbidden”), and step to the side for a hand inspection