South America Travel Tips


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Bring insect repellent if you plan on a visit to the rainforest. Brazil Average Temperatures: www.gate1travel.com/south-america-travel/weather/Brazil-weather.htm . Peru: Peru's climate can be divided into 2 seasons - wet and dry. The coast and the slopes of the Western Andes are dry with summer falling between December and April. In the Andean highlands, the dry season is from May to September, while the wet season takes up the remainder of the year. Bring casual, lightweight clothes that can be layered and a jacket if you are going up into the mountains. Bring sunscreen and a hat to protect against the strong sun along the coast and in the rainforest. Insect repellent is necessary as well. Peru Average Temperatures: www.gate1travel.com/south-america-travel/weather/Peru-weather.htm . Argentina: The climate of Argentina is mostly temperate; arid in the southeast and sub-Antarctic in the southwest. Bring lightweight clothes you can layer, a sweater and an all-weather coat. Dress is more formal in the city of Buenos Aires and a jacket a tie or cocktail dress may be required at some of the finer restaurants. Casual dress is more appropriate in the countryside. Argentina Average Temperatures: www.gate1travel.com/south-america-travel/weather/Argentina-weather.htm . Chile: Climate varies from subtropical and sunny in the extreme north; dry and arid in the Atacama north desert; mild, pleasant and Mediterranean in the fertile central valley; cool, temperate and rainy in the southern region; and covered with ice and snow in the Antarctic region. Chile Average Temperatures: www.gate1travel.com/south-america-travel/weather/Chile-weather.htm . Ecuador: The climate and geography of Ecuador vary widely. The highlands are cool and dry. Bring lightweight clothes, a jacket and comfortable shoes. Along the coast it's warm and sunny all year round. Sunscreen and a hat are important accessories to have on hand. The Amazon rain forest is tropical and humid. Light, layered clothing and plenty of insect repellent are advisable. Ecuador Average Temperatures: www.gate1travel.com/south-america-travel/weather/Ecuador-weather.htm . Language Brazil: The official language of Brazil is Portuguese. Some English is spoken in the major cities. Peru: Spanish is the official language of Peru. In most tourist center, English is spoken. Argentina: Spanish is the official language of Argentina. English is spoken at hotels and restaurants in Buenos Aires. Chile: Spanish is the official language in Chile, although English is often spoken in hotels, restaurants and shops. Ecuador: Ecuador has two official languages - Spanish and Quechua. English is spoken in the major tourist centers. Passports and Visas Brazil: Passport and visa required. Peru: Passport required. Visa not required for tourist stay of up to 90 days, extendible after arrival. Argentina: Passport required. Visa not required for business/tourist stay of up to 90 days. Chile: Passport required. Visa not required for stay of up to 90 days. Entry fee of $100 (U.S.) charged at airport. Ecuador: (including the Galapagos Islands) - Passport required. Visa not required for a stay of up to 90 days. Columbia: All U.S. citizens must have a valid passport and proof of return ticket to enter Columbia. No visa is required. Uruguay: All U.S. citizens must have a valid passport to enter Uruguay. No visa is required for stays up to 90 days. See http://www.gate1travel.com/visas.htm for more information. Currency Brazil: The currency of Brazil is the Real. U.S. currency can be exchanged at banks, exchanges and hotels. Peru: The official currency is the Peruvian Sol. Most tourist areas accept and exchange U.S. Dollars. Exchange your currency at your hotel or a bank. Argentina: The currency of Argentina is the Pesa. It is not always easy to change money in the interior of the country. Major credit cards are accepted in most hotels, restaurants and shops. Chile: The unit of currency is the Chilean peso (CHP$). U.S. dollars and travelers checks are easily changed in banks and exchange bureaus. Major credit cards are widely accepted in shops and hotels. Ecuador: Official currencies are the U.S. Dollar and the Sucre. Tipping Brazil: Most services get tipped a mandatory 10%, often included in the bill. If a waiter is friendly and helpful, you may like to give more. Because of Brazil's high unemployment rate, services that may seem superfluous are customarily tipped. Parking assistants are the most notable as they receive no wages, but petrol-station attendants, shoe shiners and barbers are also frequently tipped. Taxi drivers are an exception: most people round the price up, but a tip is not expected. Peru: A combination of taxes and service charges are added to bills in the best hotels and restaurants and can total as much as 28%. The cheaper hotels and restaurants don't add taxes. Tipping is not expected in budget restaurants. A tip of 10-15% is fine in upmarket restaurants if a service charge has not already been added to the bill. Taxi drivers are not tipped - bargain hard beforehand and stick to your price. Local guides should be tipped US$3-5 per day. Argentina: Tipping around 10% is customary in restaurants. Chile: In restaurants, it is customary to tip about 10% of the bill. In general, waiters and waitresses are poorly paid, so if you can afford to eat out, you can afford to tip. Taxi drivers do not require tips, although you may round off the fare for convenience. Ecuador: Tipping is expected by tour guides, porters and other tourist industry workers, though not by taxi drivers. Quality restaurants add 10% tax and a 10% service charge to their bills; cheaper restaurants usually don't. If you want to tip your server, give the money to them directly - don't just leave it on the table. Please refer to our main brochure under www.gate1travel.com/tipping.htm for additional tipping suggestions. Electricity Brazil: Brazil's voltage is 110, however some hotels operate on 220. Peru, Argentina & Chile: The voltage used is 220. Ecuador: Ecuador's voltage is 110. *Note: The U.S. uses 120 volts and you can purchase a converter and transformer at most hardware stores for your 120V appliances. Shopping Brazil: Shops are open from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Monday through Friday and until 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. Brazil has a rich array of native crafts from Afro-Brazilian textiles to Bahian pottery and delicate lace tablecloths. Peru: Duty-free shops and artisan's shops offer tourists the opportunity to purchase Peruvian handicrafts such as pottery, carvings, and weavings. Argentina: Business hours are from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. Banking hours are from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The shops open at 9 a.m. and generally close at 7 p.m. Saturday hours are 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Good buys include leather goods, jewelry and furs. Chile: Good shopping can be found in the streets of Providencia and Santiago. There are also a few big shopping malls. Handicrafts in Chile are the best bargains. Local jewelry made of lapis lazuli, found only in Chile and Afghanistan, makes a beautiful souvenir. Ecuador: Duty-free shops and artisan's shops offer visitors the opportunity to buy Ecuadorian handcrafts such as ponchos, tapestries, ceramics, jewelry. Health Precautions Brazil: No vaccinations are required to enter Brazil. However, it may be advisable to get inoculated against yellow fever, malaria and typhoid. Be sure to consult your doctor before your trip, especially if you are planning to go up the Amazon River. Drink only bottled water and do not eat raw fruits and vegetables. Peru: A yellow fever vaccination is recommended if you are going into the Amazon rain forest. Travelers with heart conditions or high blood pressure should check with their doctor about high-altitude travel if you will be visiting the mountainous regions. Avoid the tap water and raw fruits and vegetables. Bottled water is widely available Argentina: No inoculations are necessary when arriving in Argentina from the U.S. Chile: Tap water is fairly safe to drink, but it is advisable to drink bottled water. Consult with your doctor if you are planning to visit the higher altitudes. English speaking doctors are easy to find in all major cities. Ecuador: No inoculations are required for entry. Travelers with heart conditions or high blood pressure who plan to visit the highlands should check with their doctor about high-altitude travel. Bottled water is advisable and is available everywhere. *To prevent "Montezuma's Revenge," avoid the tap water, including raw fruits and vegetables washed in tap water. Your stomach may still become upset due to the change in diet. Bring anti-diarrhea medicine just in case. *For the latest overseas travel health information, call the Center for Disease Control's traveler's hotline at 404-332-4559. Or visit their web site at www.cdc.gov Conservation/Code of Conduct Brazil: Handshaking is customary on meeting and taking ones leave, and normal European courtesies are observed. Frequent offers of coffee and tea are customary. Flowers are acceptable as a gift on arrival or following a visit for a meal. A souvenir from the visitors home country will be well received as a gift of appreciation. Casual wear is normal, particularly during hot weather. In nightclubs smart-casual (eg blazer, no tie) is acceptable. For more formal occasions the mode of dress will be indicated on invitations. Smoking is acceptable unless notified otherwise. The Catholic Church is highly respected in the community, something which should be kept in mind by the visitor. Peru: Shaking hands is the customary form of greeting. Visitors should follow normal social courtesies and the atmosphere is generally informal. A small gift from a company or home country is sufficient. Dress is usually informal, although for some business meetings and social occasions men wear a jacket and tie. Life is conducted at a leisurely pace. Argentina: The most common form of greeting between friends is kissing cheeks. When invited to somebodys house it is quite common to take a homemade dish or dessert. Dinner is usually served between 7pm - 10pm. Avoid casual discussion of the Falklands/Malvinas war. Dress is not usually formal, though clothes should be conservative away from the beach. Formal wear is worn for official functions and dinners, particularly in exclusive restaurants. Smoking is prohibited on public transport, in cinemas and theatres. Chile: Handshaking is the customary form of greeting. Most Chileans use a double surname and only the first part should be used in addressing them. Normal courtesies should be observed when visiting local people. It is very common to entertain at home and it is acceptable for invitees to give small presents as a token of thanks. Informal, conservative clothes are acceptable in most places but women should not wear shorts outside resort areas. Ecuador: Casual wear is widely acceptable, but businesspeople are expected to dress smartly. It is important to be punctual when arriving for meetings. Smart clothes are often required when visiting hotel dining rooms and better restaurants. Beachwear should only be worn on the beach and revealing clothes should not be worn in towns. Smoking is widely accepted. A tip may be requested if you wish to take someones photograph and it is better to seek permission first. Luggage *Gate 1 tour packages allow one piece of luggage per person, plus carry-on bag. Additional baggage will be subject to handling charges of up to $100 per piece. As Gate 1 will not be responsible for loss or damage to luggage and personal belongings, you MUST report any loss or damage immediately at the time of the incident and obtain a written report from the local authority for submission to your insurance provider. If you luggage is lost or damaged by the airlines, a baggage claim form MUST be filed with the carrier before leaving the airport. See www.gate1travel.com/destinations/luggage.htm for Important Baggage Information for U.S. Travelers. Departure Tax There is no Departure tax levied in Brazil. Please see www.gate1travel.com/Destinations/departure_tax.htm for more information. Travel Insurance We strongly recommend the purchase of travel insurance as additional security in the case of cancellation or interruption of travel plans, lost or damaged luggage, travel delays, illness, or accident. Keep all boarding passes, ticket copies and receipts for expenses paid during your trip if it later becomes necessary to file a claim. Local Emergency Phone # Brazil: general emergency: 911 Peru: general emergency: 011 or 5114 Argentina: ambulance/medical: 101 fire: 107 police: 101 Chile: ambulance/medical: 131 fire: 132 police: 133 Ecuador: ambulance/medical: 131 Holidays Brazil : Public Holidays Jan 1 New Years Day Jan 20 *Founding of Rio de Janeiro Jan 25 *Founding of So Paulo Feb 19-23 Carnival Mar 25 Good Friday Apr 21 Tiradentes May 1 St of Brazil May 26 Corpus Christi Sep 7 Independence Day Oct 12 Our Lady Aparecida, Patron St of Brazil. Nov 2 All Souls Day Nov 15 Republic Day Dec 24 Christmas Eve (half day) Dec 25 Christmas Day Dec 31 New Years Eve (half day) *Note: Regional observances only. Argentina : Public Holidays Jan 1 New Years Day Mar 24 Maundy Thursday Mar 25 Good Friday Apr 4 Malvinas Day May 1 Labor Day May 25 National Day (Anniversary of the 1810 Revolution) June 20 National Flag Day Jul 9 Independence Day Aug 17 Death of General Jos de San Martn Oct 12 Day of the Americas (Columbus Day). Dec 8 Immaculate Conception Dec 25 Christmas Day Dec 31 New Years Eve Dec 25 Christmas Day Dec 31 New Years Eve (half day) Peru : Public Holidays Jan 1 New Years Day Mar 24 Maundy Thursday (half day) Mar 25 Good Friday May 1 Labor Day Jun 29 St Peters and St Pauls Day Jul 28-29 Independence Day Celebrations Aug 30 St Rosa of Lima Day Oct 8 Angamos Battle Nov 1 All Saints Day Dec 8 Immaculate Conception Dec 24 Christmas Eve (half day) Dec 25 Christmas Day Chile : Public Holidays Jan 1 New Years Day Mar 25 Good Friday Mar 26 Holy Saturday May 1 Labor Day May 21 Navy Day May 23 *Corpus Christi Jun 29 St Peter and St Paul Aug 15 Assumption Sep 5 Reconciliation Day Sep 18 Independence Day Sep 19 Army Day Oct 12 Dia de la Raza (Columbus Day) Nov 1 All Saints Day Dec 8 Immaculate Conception Dec 25 Christmas Day *Note: Corpus Christi dates for 2004 and 2005 are actually Jun 10 and May 26 respectively, however, the holiday is observed on the Monday closest to these dates. Ecuador : Public Holidays Jan 1 New Years Day Feb 7-8 *Carnival Mar 24 Maundy Thursday Mar 25 Good Friday May 1 Labor Day May 24 Battle of Pichincha May 26 Corpus Christi Jul 24 Simon Bolivar Day Aug 10 Independence Day Oct 9 *Foundation of Guayaquil Nov 2 All Souls Day Nov 3 *Foundation of Cuenca Dec 6 *Foundation of Quito Dec 25 Christmas Day Dec 31 New Years Eve *Note: These holidays are not official public holidays, but are widely observed. Other holidays, in addition to the above, may be marked locally. Driving Brazil: Brazil has 1,940,400km (1,202,800 miles) of roads. Traffic drives on the right. Peru: The Central Highway connects Lima with La Oroya and Huancayo. From La Oroya there is a road connecting Cerro de Pasco, Hunuco, Tingo Mara and Pucallpa on the Ucayali River. Landslides are frequent in the rainy season (December to March), making for slow travel. The Touring y Automvil Club del Per and the Instituto Geogrfico Nacional sell maps. Travel guides like Gua Toyota and Gua Inca del Per include good road maps. Traffic drives on the right. Argentina: Major privatization programmes have resulted in many trunk roads being upgraded, and roads are generally in good condition. Expect tolls on motorways. Rural roads, composed of packed dirt, become impassable after rain. Nonetheless, buses are considered to be a more reliable form of long-distance transport than trains. Traffic drives on the right. Car hire: There are a number of agencies in Buenos Aires (including Avis , Dollar and Hertz ). Drivers must be at least 21 years of age (sometimes up to 25 years of age). International Driving Permit is required and this must be stamped at the offices of the Automvil Club Argentino (website: www.aca.org.ar ). These documents must be carried at all times whilst driving: proof of ownership, proof of insurance and receipt for last tax payment. Chile: Chile has about 80,000km (49,460 miles) of good roads. The Pan American Highway crosses the country from north to south (a total of 3455km or 2147 miles) from the Peruvian border to Puerto Montt. It is advisable in remoter areas to carry spare petrol and an additional spare tyre. Tires should be hard-wearing. Traffic drives on the right. Ecuador: Traffic drives on the right. An extensive network of roads spreads out from the main northsouth axis of the Pan-American Highway. The Government and PetroEcuador are developing highways into the Oriente. In general, road improvements are being put into effect rapidly but, due to the effect of earthquakes and flooding (in the south) during the last 10 years, conditions remain variable; potholes and cracks in the road are sometimes sizable.The roads between Quito and Guayaquil and between Quito, Latacunga, Ambato and Riobamba are completely paved. A road connects Quito, Otavalo, Ibarra and Tulcn, the frontier with Colombia. Airport Tax - Chile There is an entry fee of $45 per passenger that must be paid before proceeding through Immigration. Return to the South America brochure More TravelInformation Email This Page to a Friend © 2005 Gate 1 Travel Home | About Us | Travel Agent | Free Brochure | Help | Site Map | (800) 682-3333 Read our privacy policy . Contact Us . This site can be best viewed using Internet Explorer 4.0, or higher. The browser software can be downloaded, free of charge, from the Microsoft website at http://www.microsoft.com . All external sites will open in a new browser. Gate1travel.com does not endorse external sites.
ski vacations in Park
Park City Utah Lodging Condos Hotels and Vacation Home Rentals Park City Vacation Rentals; We have over 1,000 lodging options of all kinds for you to choose from feel free to contact us at 1-800-754-9378 >> Deer Valley Resort >> Park City Mountain >> The Canyons, UT >> Alta, UT >> Brighton, UT >> Solitude, UT Call us at 1-800-754-9378 ski vacations in Park City made easy Site Map • Lodging • Resorts • Weather • Groups • Packages/Specials • Contact • Home 12/28/2005 1 Bedroom 2 Bedrooms 3 Bedrooms 4+ Bedrooms Park City Utah Lodging Vacation Rentals and Ski Accommodation at their Best! Featured Lodging The Lodge at Mountain Village The Lodge at the Mountain Village is unlike any other hotel in the Park City area. Set at the base of the Park City Mountain Resort, the Lodge brings the mountains and "The Greatest Snow on Earth" right to your door . Town Point 2 MIN walk to the Park City Town Lift 1BR to 4BD Condominiums. 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Arrival: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 2005 2006 Depart: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 2005 2006 Price: 0 $250 $500 to List All $250 $500 $750 / night Bedrooms: All 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 All Listings: --View Listings-- 1106 Empire Ave Home 1010 Woodside Ave 1012 Empire 1025 Park Avenue Home 1120B Empire Avenue 1136 Woodside Ave 1165 Empire Ave 1203 Empire Home 1261 Norfolk 1285 Park Avenue Duplex 131 Daly Ave 13th Street Home 1420 Park Avenue 1475 Park Ave #6 14th Street Townhomes 19 Morningstar 205 Upper Norfolk Home 214 Upper Norfolk Home 2265 Monarch 2300 Ina Ave. 2447 Fairway Village 2455 Queen Esther 258 Norfolk 262 Grant Avenue 272 Park Avenue 2836 Holiday Ranch Loop Road 304 Norfolk Ave 312 Park Avenue Home 312 Upper Norfolk House 353 Daly Avenue 360 Marsac Ave 3B Parkwood 445 Park Avenue Home 458 Marsac Ave 560 Rossie Hill Home 860 Norfolk 928 Norfolk Ave All Seasons Alpine Shadows April Inn Bear Run Home Best Western Landmark Bonanza Flats Boothill Brookridge House (236 or 238 Norfolk) Caledonian Canyon Crossing Carriage House Chatham Crossing Club Lespri Boutique Inn and Spa Coalition View Home Comstock Copperbottom Inn Cottages on the Park Crescent Ridge Daly Daly Doubles Deer Valley 500A Doublejack Condominiums Edelweiss Haus Edelweiss House Empire Avenue Homes Empire Canyon Condo Empire Coalition Fairway Village Fashion Coalition Four Lakes Village Fourteenth Street Galleria Gambler 1 Garofolo Home Golden Way Hampton Inn and Suites/Park City Holiday Inn, Park City Hotel Park City Imperial Bed and Breakfast Ina Avenue 2236 Interline Jackalope Home Jefferson House King Road - Park City La Casa Grande Lakeview - Park City Lift Line Liftline Little Bessie House Lowell Avenue Private Homes Lupine Duplex - Park City Main Street Main Street 166 Monarch 2166 Monarch 2227 Monarch Drive Motherlode - Park City Nastar Duplexes New Claim New Claim/Suncreek Newpark Norfolk - Park City Norfolk 830 Ontario Ontario 226 Ontario 253 Ontario 451 - Park City Ontario Canyon - Park City Park Avenue - Park City Park Hotel Park Place - Park City Park Plaza Park Regency Park Station Park View Townhomes Parkside Ski Townhomes Parkview - Park City Parkwood Payday - Park City Poison Creek Portico Powder Keg Powder Point Powder Ridge Powder Ridge - Park City Powderpoint Powderwood Prospector Square Prospector Square Lodge Queen Esther Quittin Time Quittin Time 435 Racquet Club - Park City Radisson Hotel Resort Plaza Richards Home Rossi Hill Saddleview Townhome Shadow Ridge Shadow Ridge 206 Shadow Ridge Hotel and Conference Center Shadow Ridge Suite Hotel Sidewinder Drive Silver Belle Silver Cliff Silver Cliff Village Silver King Silver King Hotel Silver Skiis Silvertown Ski Team Skiers Lodge Snow Flower Snowblaze Snowcloud Snowcrest - Park City Snowgrotto House Struggler Sun Spot Suncreek Sunflower Sweetwater Lift Takeley Home Temptation The Cove - Park City The Gables - Park City The Lift Lodge The Lodge at Mountain Village The Loft at Mountain Village The Shaps House The Yarrow Hotel Three Kings Town Lift - Park City Town Lift Home Annex Town Pointe Treasure Mountain Inn Victorian Village Village Loft Washington School Inn Winddrift 25 Windrift Winterwood Duplex Winterwood Townhouses Woodside Woodside 1027 Woodside 225 Woodside 733 Woodside Ave Duplexes Woodside Avenue Private Homes Worel Home Yellowslicker Start Planning for the 2005 Season NOW! Popular dates are filling fast! Don't be left out in the cold. Book your Christmas and Holiday dates today! View our Park City Featured Lodging Page! CLICK HERE NOW >> How About a Discount Cruise? Read our Security Statement Read our Policies We had a great 2003-04 season and we enjoyed hosting the world at the Olympics, now it's time to look forward to next season! Book your Park City rentals early and prepare yourself for the Best Snow on Earth! Park City is the place to be this winter and SkiParkCityUtah.net will help you plan your visit and find the accommodations that fit your individual needs. With over 1000 vacation homes, lodges, condominiums, and four star Park City hotels , we have every kind of accomodation you could want. Our travel specialists are standing by to fulfill your online reservations request or phone request at 1-800-754-9378 . Our agents are trained to shop all lodging providers, as well as our own inventory, to find you the best possible fit for your lodging and travel needs. Please call us today for the best rates in town! Click Here To View Our Park City Inventory of lodging options! Click here for: The Canyons Utah Lodging Park City Utah Ski Vacations - Custom Packages Designed for you with Ease Easy, Professional, Dependable Whether you're looking for hotels, resorts, lodges, or condominiums, this is the best place for Park City Ut lodging. Making travel arrangements online makes you the agent. You see all of the options and prices before making a decision. Please feel free to give us a call at 1-800-754-9378 if you need any help planning your getaway no matter if your looking for Park City vacation rental of any kind. We have luxury homes, hotels, condos, or anything else you could possibly think of! Keep in mind that we offer great deals on lift tickets, ski rentals, plane tickets and rental cars to help make you vacation planning easy and perfect. Deer Valley and the Deer Valley deer-head logo are federally registered trademarks of Deer Valley Resort Company and are used with permission. Otravel.com is an independent tour operator authorized to sell certain Deer Valley Resort brand products. © 2005 Overstock.com. All rights reserved. Ski Park City Utah
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Russia Travel Guide - Driving You are here: About > Travel > Eastern Europe for Visitors > Russia-Belarus-Ukraine > Russia Travel Resources > Travel Essentials - Russia > Russia Travel Guide - Driving Travel Go Eastern Europe Essentials Best of Eastern Europe Map of Central/Eastern Europe Photo Gallery Country Profiles Discount Travel Websites Articles & Resources Planning Your Trip Ways to Travel What to Do in East Europe Maps for Eastern Europe Czech-SlovakTravel Hungary Travel Poland Travel Russia-Belarus-Ukraine Romania-Moldova Travel Baltic Travel Balkan Travel Culture and Holidays Photo Galleries East Europe Travel and Language Books Forums Help FREE Newsletter Sign Up Now for the Eastern Europe for Visitors newsletter! See Online Courses Search Eastern Europe for Visitors Traffic Stay up to date! Traffic Email to a friend Print this page Most Popular First Christmas Tree Europe map Best of Eastern Europe Croatia Naturism and Nudism Discount Travel Websites What's Hot Krakow Photo Gallery Profiles of Eastern Europe Moscow City Profile Czech Republic Photo Gallery - Charles Bridge and castle Sofia's Religous Buildings Related Topics Hotels / Resorts / Inns European History Architecture Air Travel Europe for Visitors Cars and Driving - Russia From Apply Now , Your Guide to Eastern Europe for Visitors . FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now! Russia Travel Guide Driving in Russia can be a challenge, given poorly maintained roads, road hazards, corrupt traffic police, and the frequent accidents. Also, with trains and public transportation systems, there's not much reason to drive. Furthermore, according to Russia's Ministry of Transportation, only about 40 percent of Russia's 135,000 towns are connected by roads, and of those, about 40 percent are substandard. The other roads aren't much better.
However, Russia's eastern part is now connected to its western part, thanks to a newly opened section of highway linking Chita to Khabarovsk in Russia's Far East. With this highway section, is now possible to drive the 6,214 miles (10,000 km) from Moscow to Vladivostok. Of course, eager drivers should be aware that only about one-quarter of the eastern section of the highway is paved. The rest is gravel-topped, with plans to have the entire highway paved by 2080.
Russian officials expect that the transcontinental highway will help move goods as well as people, lowering costs of items intended for the burgeoning Chinese market. Prior to the highway, air travel or the famous Trans-Siberian rail routes were the only other feasible ways to cross Russia's vast geography.
Like elsewhere in Eastern Europe, car theft is common. Park in secured lots or well-lit areas.
You will not find many car rental agencies, and those that exist will usually want to give you a driver as well as the car.
Rules of the Road
So, you still want to drive? Then here are some rules of the road.
When you are stopped by the traffic police, you will be informed of the violation. Theoretically, you will issued a ticket and the officer can take your fine on the spot and give you a receipt for it. They are also known to take "payments" without receipts. Larger fines need to be paid at a Sherbank office.
You need a valid drivers license from your home country, and a certified translation of it. If you are planning to drive in Russia for more than six months, you will need to get a Russian drivers license.
Do not drink and drive.
Speeds are 60 km per hour (37 mph) in urban areas and 90 km per hour (55 mph) outside of these areas. Speeding can get you fined. Russia Travel Guide Index
Profile of Russia
City Profile: Moscow
City Profile: St. Petersburg
Before You Go
Need to Know
Money Matters
Intercity Travel
City Transit
Driving
Health and Safety
Lodging
Dining and Drinking
Communications
Shopping
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London Vacation
Vacation Packages - Paris Travel Deals, London Travel Deals, Britain Travel Deals Best Virgin Bargains Value-Plus Virgin Virgin Deluxe & Different Virgins Holiday Getaways Air Only Beyond London South Africa Cambodia China Hong Kong India Indonesia Japan Singapore Thailand Vietnam Australia Fiji Islands New Zealand Tahiti Argentina Belize Brazil Chile Costa Rica Ecuador Guatemala Honduras Panama Peru Uruguay Asia Europe Austria Belgium Czech Republic Denmark England Finland France Germany Greece Hungary Ireland Italy Malta Netherlands Norway Portugal Scotland Spain Sweden Switzerland Turkey Aruba Dominican Republic Jamaica Mexico St. Martins Home \\ Check Reservation \\ Contact Us \\ Site Map \\ Privacy Policy Virgin`s 3-Night London Super Fling (Air Inclusive) Experience all that is London; the changing of the Guard, Big Ben, Trafalgar Square and so much more with 3 night package. Enjoy roundtrip airfare with accommodations ranging from budget to superior class hotel properties. Add sightseeing and other optional extras to make this a most enjoyable and affordable getaway! Package Includes Round-trip Economy air on Virgin Atlantic 3 nights hotel accommodations with private bath Continental Breakfast daily Hotel taxes and service charges Mandated airline fuel surcharges Package price excludes airport taxes and fees Package Categories Prices based from 1/10/2006 to 2/25/2006 Title Category Location Double Triple Single Tria Hotel Budget London $399 $399 $539 Comfort Inn Kensington Hotel Tourist London $449 $449 $589 Holiday Villa Hotel Tourist London $469 $469 $609 Novotel London West Hotel Standard London $479 $479 $619 Ramada Marylebone Hotel Tourist London $489 N/A $629 Somerset Bayswater Hotel Standard London $509 N/A $699 Thistle Kensington Gardens Hotel Standard London $519 $519 $699 Millennium Knightsbridge Hotel Superior London $549 N/A $749 Royal Lancaster Hotel Superior London $569 $569 $769 Harrington Hall Hotel Superior London $599 $599 $839 Montcalm Hotel Nikko Superior London $629 $629 $899 Royal Garden Hotel Deluxe London $759 $759 $1109 Sheraton Park Lane Hotel Deluxe London $809 $809 $1229 Hotel Category Help Departure cities: $0 - New York JFK Newark-NJ $30 - Boston-MA $80 - Washington Dulles $170 - Albany-NY Hartford-CT Philadelphia-PA Providence-RI $210 - Buffalo-NY Manchester-NH Rochester-NY Syracuse-NY $220 - Burlington - VT Cleveland-OH Norfolk-VA Ottawa Portland-ME $230 - Los Angeles-CA Miami-FL Orlando International San Francisco-CA $380 - Las Vegas-NV Notes & Restrictions Notes: Space is limited and your desired travel dates may not be available if you wait, so book early to avoid disappointment. We highly recommend 2nd and 3rd choices for travel dates and/or accommodations. Please note : Our award-winning carrier Virgin Atlantic Airways operates non-stop flights to London from JFK, Newark, Boston, Washington Dulles, Orlando, Miami, Los Angeles San Francisco and Las Vegas. All other destinations within the U.S. are serviced by Continental Airlines and will be routed to connect through to Virgin's New York gateway. Passport Requirements: It is the sole responsibility of each passenger to obtain the necessary documents for travel, not excluding passports and visas. A valid passport is normally the only requirement for U.S. citizens. Visa requirements do change without notice and vary by nationality. Please check with the consulate office of the destination country as to visa requirements. Full payment due within 1 day of booking by 2pm. Non refundable and non changeable package. Restrictions: Prices are per person based on double occupancy and a 21-day advance purchase. Purchases within 21 days will incur additional fees. Flight departure times may be at any time on your requested departure day. Surcharges of $35 per person each way may apply for travel Thursday through Sunday. Prices already include the mandated airline fuel surcharges. Air taxes/Government-imposed fees/surcharges are excluded. These fees are in addition to the package prices and will be added to invoice. Travel is valid for these dates only. Certain other restrictions may apply, and offer is subject to change without notice. Once submitted your request can take at least 24 hours to confirm. Book This Package 1/10/2006-2/25/2006 from $399 ' CLASS=SubmitBtn style='width:150px' Purchase Deadline Feb 20, 06 - Mon Helpful Links Return to previous page Print this page Send this page to a friend -- Personal Service Can't find what you're looking for? Call us for further information or to book. 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Central America Travel
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