Things to know when visiting Minsk

Visa and Passport
Belarus can be visited without a visa until December 31, 2025 for citizens of many European countries.

Currency
Belarusian ruble (BYN), 10 BYN = 0.3,05 USD or 2,95 Euro. 1 USD = 3,28 BYR. 1 Euro = 3,39 BYR (2025-02-09).

Money exchange
Dollar, Euro and Russian rubles are the most suitable currencies to change in Minsk. Change your Belarusian roubles before leaving Belarus as it may be hard to change them in some places outside Belarus.

Cash machines
There are lots of cash machines in Minsk but at the moment many international cards does not work.

Student cards
If studying in Belarus and having a Belarusian student card you are entitled to discounts on public transport in Minsk.

Under 18
Under ages are not allowed to be alone in the streets of Minsk after 23.00.

Alcohol policy
One most be 18 years to buy alcohol in Belarus or to visit night clubs. Alcohol is now allowed to be consumed in the streets. Spirits and beer is sold until 23.00 in the shops, after 23.00 shops are only entitled to sell wine and champagne.

Timezone
Minsk time is GMT +2. Plus one hour from CET and plus 2 hours from London time. Eg when time is 12.00 in London, Minsk is 14.00.

Water
Avoid drinking tap water in Minsk.

Electricity
European standard, 230 volt.

Using mobile phones in Belarus
The mobile network is well-developed in Minsk and the rest of Belarus. However, roaming can be quite expensive. So, make sure to check the costs before departure. It is possible to get a Belarusian prepaid subscription that is valid for the duration of your stay in Minsk. However, just because the subscription is prepaid doesn’t mean you can’t overdraft the account, as it may take some time for your calls to be registered in the system.

Mobile Internet
You should probably turn off mobile internet if you using roaming, as it can become very expensive. Buying a local SIM card with a data package can often be a convenient solution for sharing internet with a computer or tablet, or simply using it in your phone. Mobile operators in Minsk include Life, A1 (fd. Velcom), MTS.

Post:
Letters from Minsk to Europe is usually delivered within a weeks, letters for U.S. and other destinations more far away may take more time.

Language
In hotels and better restaurants it is quite often possible to use English. Also the most restaurants have menus in English, even if the employees not always speaks it. Russian is the language everybody is speaking but traffic signs as well as signs in the subway are in Belarusian. It is a god idea to learn the cyrrilic alphabet, which is quite easy to learn.

What is going on in Minsk?:
A good source to be aware of if you want to keep track of what's happening in Minsk is the website Afisha relax, which provides information about what's playing at the cinema, theater, etc.

Important phone-numbers
Fire-brigade 101, Police 102, Ambulance 103, Gas-alarm 104.

Prices A Mak Burger combo (Big Mac and Co) at Mak (formerly McDonald's) costs 15.4 BYN, Which is equivalent to 4,7 USD or 4,5 EUR (price as of February 8, 2025).

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MINSK TRAVEL GUIDE - BELARUS
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