Cheap car rental Russia - Special Circumstances

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Special Circumstances

SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: The ruble is the only legal tender. It is illegal to pay for goods and services in U.S. dollars except at authorized retail establishments. Old or very worn dollar bills are often not accepted at banks and exchange offices, even though this constitutes a violation of currency laws. Travelers’ checks and credit cards are not generally accepted outside of Moscow and St. Petersburg. Even in these cities, the acceptance of credit cards is subject to change, and even some shops that advertise the acceptance of credit cards do not then accept them at the point of purchase. Check with your credit card and travelers check companies to learn if and where these can be used in Russia.

Travelers may experience some difficulty in obtaining dollars in Russia, although dollars can be easily exchanged into rubles. Travelers should not rely on automated teller machines (ATM) for cash. Over the last several years there have been numerous incidents reported of ATM numbers being stolen from stand-alone machines. Major hotels or the American express offices in Moscow or St. Petersburg may be able to suggest locations for cashing travelers checks or obtaining cash advances on credit cards. Western union agents in Moscow, St. Petersburg and some other large cities, which disburse money wired from the U.S. to Russia, sometimes experience periodic cash shortages. Most travelers go to Russia with a sufficient supply of hard currency to cover their obligations during travel. If traveling to Moscow and Saint Petersburg, travelers may opt to bring a combination of cash, credit cards, and travelers checks to cover expenses. In other areas, cash is still generally the preferred method of payment.