Passport/Visa Requirements - Passport, visa and proof of onward passage is needed. (Reconfirm travel document requirements with your carrier before departure.) Unless you hold an official invitation, it's best to apply for a tourist visa through a travel agent. Officially, you need to get every city you plan to visit entered in your visa, but in practice it's unlikely anyone will check. You also officially need to register your visa with the local police within three days of your arrival - but in practice your hotel should do this for you as a matter of course.

Customs - Both on arrival in and departure from Russia, you must fill in a customs declaration indicating the exact sum of money to be declared. It is very important to keep this custom declaration till departure day in order to show it to the customs control !!! Some valuable objects of art, icons, antiques, etc are banned for export. Make sure you retain receipts for all goods purchased abroad.

Language - Russian is the language spoken and written. English is understood and spoken in most hotels, upscale restaurants and business situations. Our agency will arrange interpreters and guides - a must if your Russian is nonexistent, since few people you'll encounter on the street speak English. Interpreters are readily available. Do not expect taxi drivers to speak English.

Currency - Contrary to popular opinion-and representing a dramatic change from only four years ago - the dollar is no longer king in Russia. Although many expensive restaurants and shops still indicate their prices in U.S. dollars, it's illegal to use dollars in retail transactions in Russia. (Virtually the only transactions still carried out in dollars are fares paid to airport taxi drivers.) Many restaurants and stores still do not accept credit cards; therefore, you should always carry enough rubles to handle what you plan to do that day. Rubles are not available outside Russia, but there are literally thousands of exchange desks and kiosks dotted all over Moscow, many open 24 hours. Important: Take along crisp, new dollar bills to exchange (and remember that pre-1993 bills are rarely accepted because of the possibility of forgeries).

At press time, the exchange rate was 25 rubles to the U.S. dollar.

Voltage Requirements - 220 volts. Russian outlets take plugs with two round prongs.

Business Hours - Business hours are typically 10 am-6 p.m., with a lunch break from 1-2 p.m. or 2-3 p.m., although more and more businesses and almost all nongovernmental professional offices operate without a lunch break. Offices sometimes close earlier on Fridays or on days preceding holidays.

Dress - Choose business suits for meetings. Shorts in public tend to raise a few eyebrows, and they're sometimes not permitted when visiting churches and tombs. Young, local women often wear extremely short skirts; older women don't usually wear slacks, but instead don conservative skirts or dresses. In winter, good water-resistant boots, gloves and a warm coat and hat are absolutely essential (Moscow lies roughly along the same latitude as southern Alaska).

Tipping - Tip 7-10% in restaurants, but check that they haven't already included a service charge in the bill. Coat attendants do not expect tips except in expensive restaurants. Tip 5-10% to hairdressers and in hotels. Do not tip taxi drivers.

Weather - Very cold winters; mild summers. Heaviest rain in July and August. Average temperatures: Jan 3-15 Fahrenheit/-16 to -9 Celsius; Feb 8-22 F/-14 to -6 C; Mar 18-32 F/-8 to 0 C; Apr 34-50 F/1-10 C; May 46-66 F/8-19 C; Jun 51-70 F/11-21 C; Jul 55-73 F/13-23 C; Aug 53-72 F/12-22 C; Sep 45-61 F/7-16 C; Oct 37-48 F/3-9 C; Nov 26-35 F/-3 to 2 C; Dec 15-24 F/-10 to -5 C.

Holidays -  last Sunday Apr, Orthodox Easter; 1, 2 May, May Day; 9 May, Victory Day; 12 June, Russia Sovereignty Day; 29 Jun, public holiday; 7 Nov, Day of Accord and Reconciliation (formerly Revolution Day); 12 Dec, Constitution Day. 1, 2 Jan, New Year's; 7 Jan, Russian Orthodox Christmas; 8 Mar, Women's Day; If the holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the following Monday is declared a public holiday.

Sales or Use Tax -The value-added tax (VAT) on consumer goods is 20%. There's an extra 2% city tax. Some hotels do not include tax in the rates they quote, so be sure to check.

Crime - Despite justifiable alarm at the city's crime rates, Moscow is safer for tourists than New York or London. The city center is very heavily policed, and crimes against foreigners have fallen sharply since the economic crisis of the early '90s. Muggers are unlikely to attack in the crowded center of the city. Take the same precautions you would in any large city - that is, avoid dark side streets at night, don't get into conversation with over-friendly drunks in bars, beware of girls spiking your drinks in clubs. Avoid unofficial "gypsy" cabs if you are not a Russian speaker, and never get in a cab that already has a passenger - this might mean you're being set up for a mugging or, at the least, a scam designed to intimidate you into paying more than is customary. Guard your wallet or handbag and camera in tourist spots such as Red Square or GUM, the department store.

Emergency Numbers - The police number is 02, but the police understand only Russian. Try contacting your embassy in case of a crime resulting in the theft of your passport. For medical emergencies, you can dial 03. The International Medical Clinic, 280-7138 or 280-8374 or 280-7177; the European Medical Center, 251-6099.

Telephone Codes - The country code for Russia is 7; the city code for Moscow is 095. If you are calling Moscow from outside the city but within Russia, dial 8 and wait for a tone before dialing the number.

Business/Cultural Practices - Russian business etiquette is broadly similar to European/Western practice, with one important exception: vodka. Though the younger generation of businessmen have largely dropped heavy drinking as a way to seal a deal, it's still considered essential by many Russian men to get ripping drunk with new business partners to cement business relationships. In extreme cases, your new friends may invite you to a Russian banya (sauna), where you're expected to strip naked and sweat in a steam room while being beaten with birch twigs. A compulsory part of the banya experience is heavy drinking: It's considered rude not to drain your glass when drinking a toast.

Miscellaneous observations - Women should not be shocked at apparent sexist or patronizing behavior by male colleagues, such as comments about appearance. Attempted flattery is very much part of Russian culture; political correctness isn't. Shake hands often, and don't be surprised if you get heartily kissed on both cheeks (this applies to men as well as women). Men should avoid sitting with an ankle on a knee. It's customary at business meetings to offer tea, coffee and snacks and don't be surprised if a coatroom attendant forces you to give up your overcoat at a restaurant or the theater (it's considered uncivilized to wear outdoor clothes inside).