BASICS AND ESSENTIALS
CLIMATE
There are unofficially two seasons in Russia : winter and summer. Spring and autumn are really just short periods of oscillating extremes. Overall, however, except for the rare wild summer thunderstorm, the weather here is essentially non-violent. Winds are relatively gentle, if at all existent, snowfall is almost always light and peaceful, the summer humidity is rarely stifling, and the winter cold rarely burns the skin.
Winter
 After a brief autumn, the first snows of winter usually come rather quickly around mid-October or early November. Temperatures usually hover between +5 and –5C (41 and 23F ) until around mid-January, where it averages -10 or -15C (14 or 5F ) through mid-March. Be advised that winter temps can briefly drop as low as -25C ( -13F ) or flirt with 0C ( 32F ) for a number of weeks. If you visit in the winter, it is a good idea to prepare yourself for the extreme cold with a heavy jacket, gloves, hat, scarf, and a good set of shoes or boots to handle both icy and slushy conditions.
Spring
 The first signs of spring can come as early as mid to late March and as late as the end of April or early May. As this season tends to have an extreme nature, one day can be full of 17C ( 57F ) sunshine while the following 3 days can drop to -3C ( 26F ) with light snow. Prepare yourself for generally slushy conditions during days, and icy conditions in the evenings, and later in the season, expect summer to arrive in full effect by the end of May.
Summer
 Like the Russian winter, summer has a way of sneaking up on you. Sometimes, it seems, the snow has barely begun to melt before the mercury begins to ascend steadily upward without looking back. But once it's here, expect an occasional warm thundershower and average temperatures around 23- 30C (73- 86F ). Sometimes thermometers will read 35C ( 95F ), but more often than not, the weather is comfortable with a touch of humidity in the air. More than that, the entire population of the city seems to spend as much time outdoors as possible, surrounding themselves with the lush greenery, and late hours of sunlight. At times it can be hot and sticky, so be sure to wear light, loose fitting clothes and remember to hydrate yourself regularly.
Autumn
 Like Spring, the short Autumn season feels more like a quick buffer between summer and winter. Nonetheless, as the warm season dims, you can usually expect one last hurrah in early to mid-September affectionately referred to as “Women's Summer”. Temperatures will vary widely during these months, ranging from a warm and sunny 25C ( 77F ) one week to a cool and overcast 10C ( 50F ) the next. It will be a good idea to dress in layers during this time, and always keep an extra sweater handy, even if it is warm during the day.
MONEY AND EXCHANGE
Although the Russian economy is presently undergoing a period of rapid expansion, the banking sector continues to reel from the painful crash of 1998 when the ruble plummeted and many people lost their life savings within the blink of an eye. Some people are only just now beginning to regain some confidence in the banking system, however this is taking place at a very, very slow rate. It is therefore no great surprise that on the consumer level, Russia is, and perhaps will remain for some time, a cash-based economy. With only a slowly increasing demand for bank supported monetary instruments like checks and credit cards, there is currently little motivation for the average retailer to accept them. Recently, however, Tver is beginning to offer a greater diversity of banking services than ever before, which directly benefits visitors in that they no longer have to endure the nervousness of traveling with a large amount of cash.
Automated Teller Machines (ATM/Bankomat)
As of late, Tver has seen an explosion in the number of automated bank tellers throughout the city center, meaning that the days when visitors would arrive with a bundle of cash in their pockets to fund their expenses is over. Bankcards and credit cards with Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, Plus, Star, and several other network affiliations are accepted. As of this writing, Russian banks don't add surcharges, so depending on how much your own bank charges for using a non-network machine, this might be a good way to exchange to rubles as you will get the national bank rate (which is much better than if you exchange with cash).
Credit Cards
Although credit cards are still not widely accepted here in Tver, they are accepted by major hotels, a few of the finer restaurants, and Paterson (the 24 hour grocery store). You can also get cash advances at Bankomats, should the need arise, and if you plan to travel to Moscow or St. Petersburg , you will find plenty of opportunities to put them to use. Don't count on being able to use anything other than Visa or MasterCard, however.
Traveler's Cheques
Be forewarned that if you decide to bring traveler's cheques to Tver, there are only a few selected banks and exchange bureaus that will cash them, and you will be charged high commissions (5-7%). Considering that you will also be at the mercy of long lines and quirky business hours, we recommend that you have additional means of funding your expenses as well.
Cash
Exchanging Dollars and Euros is quick and easy to do at several Western Union outlets, exchange bureaus, and banks. In Tver, however, these places will charge a small premium in addition to the national bank rate, unlike the Bankomat machines. For the best rates, your interpreter will likely take you to a trusted money exchanger (be sure to let her handle the transaction for you). Also one very important item about exchanging cash in Russia : make sure that your native currency is clean and crisp without tears or ink marks, or they will generally give you a poor rate if they accept it at all.
COMMUNICATIONS
Telephone
The international dialing code for placing a call to Russia is (7), and the area code for Tver is 4822. For example, if you are calling from the US , dial 011-7-4822-(phone number). To make an international call from within Russia , we recommend that you purchase a phone card and follow the instructions provided (the rates are 20-25% the cost of dialing direct). You can purchase phone cards at Paterson, Mobile Phone Stores, and a few selected kiosks. Another option is to visit the main Post and Telephone office at Ulitsa Sovetskaya 31, where international phone calls may be made 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. Keep in mind, however, that the phones there use pulse dialing, which may present a problem if you are trying to access voice mail, etc.
Internet
TverRomance provides internet access for all of our clients in our office, however, should you require it when you are out and about or after hours, there are several internet cafes around the city center, some of which are 24 hours.
ARRIVING/DEPARTING
Air
Most visitors from the west enter Russia via Sheremetyevo or Domodedovo Airports in Moscow by means of a variety of carriers including Aeroflot, Delta, British Airways, KLM, Lufthansa, and Air France, among others. Flight times range from 2-3 hours to/from most of Europe, and an average of about 10 hours to/from the US and Canada. Fares tend to be the lowest from late fall through the Christmas and New Year holiday season, and from mid-January through mid-April.
Rail
Traveling directly to Moscow (Belarusskaya Station) by train takes about 40-48 hours from many points in Central Europe, and although it may be a cheaper alternative than flying, keep in mind that you will have to pass through either Belarus or Ukraine , each of which requires transit visas for most westerners. While obtaining one may not be very costly, it will most likely be very time-consuming and potentially frustrating, especially if you consider that you will probably not even set foot on their soil. On the other hand, there is a route through the Baltic states (who don't require visas from most countries) to St. Petersburg 's Baltisky Station that can be an interesting journey as well. From St. Pete, Tver is only a 6-8 hour train ride.
ACCOMMODATIONS
There is a variety of possible accommodations in Tver, both hotel and non-hotel.
Russian Style Apartment |
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