Preparing for a Journey.
Getting a visa. In order to come t Azerbaijan, you have to get a visa in the embassy of the Republic of the Azerbaijan to your country. Visa is issue based on invitation from the business partner, private person or tourist agency. It is easier to get an Azeri visa via the tourist agency. State tax at the amount of 20 US dollars is charged from the tourists submitting tourist voucher or tourist permit since January 1, 2003.
How to pass custom house.
In order to simplify the procedure of the customs control for the citizens arriving in the country, they should fill in the customs declaration. Amount of the means of payment brought in the country is not limited. This sum should be noted in declaration and it is very convenient for the guest when he departing with confirmation of the removing currency. Free imports provided for the private use is allowed but there are some limitations: alcohol drinks- 3 liters, caviar- 600 grams, cigarettes- 3 boxes, medicine –according to the needs. Objects of the art, scientific, historical destination may be imported in unlimited quantity. Automobile fuel may be imported in accordance with the capacity of the fuel tank. Animals, plants, medicines and equipments applied in veterinary medicine might be imported with submission of the allowance of the appropriate bodies. It is forbidden the following goods to the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan:
- Weapon, explosives, defense technology;
- Ammunition (expert for hunting);
- Radioactive materials;
- Narcotics and psychotropic materials, as well as object for their appliance;
- Materials advertising and propagandizing violence, terrorism, immorality;
- Materials required for the preparation of narcotics, psychotropic, poisonous and explosive substances;
- Photos and printed materials against Azerbaijan.
Money.
Official monetary unit is manat. Manat is only monetary unit in the territory of the Republic. All the payments inside the country should be made in manats. Its possible to exchange any currency in numerous exchange stations all over the city. Currency rate is 1 dollar = 4900 manats. The manats in notes are produced at the tenor of 50, 100, 250, 500, 1000, 10000, 50000. The coins are not used.
Currency exchange.
Currency exchange rate is usually shown on the desk in front of the entry into the exchange station or bank. You may exchange the money through the cash dispensers, which can be found in the bank , large hotels, some trade centers. Its not recommended to exchange the money with natural persons in the railway stations.
Traveler’s checks.
Its very easy in Azerbaijan to find traveler’s cheks of American Express. The traveler’s cheks are exchanged for the manats according to the official currency rate of the national bank for the day of exchange in the local banks.
Credit cards.
The most distributed payment system in Azerbaijan are Viza, Eurocard, Mastercard and American Express. However, you should take into account that the cards are not accepted everywhere.
How much money should be taken and where should you stay.
Living expenditures, first of al, depend on the type of the hotel you are staying at. There a lot of hotels in Baku with various servicing level and accordingly the prices
You will have to pay 70 USD for normal double room with bath including breakfast at the center of the city.
There are numerous expensive hotels in the capital, such as Grand Hotel Europe with 159 rooms, Hyatt Regency with 160 rooms, Raddison SAS Plaza Hotel with 40 rooms, The Crescent Beach Hotel with 262 rooms, Park Hyatt Hotel with 160 rooms.
Living in the hotel is one of the cases of the tourist. Another important issue is eating. Its possible to say with confidence that there are quite reasonable prices in restaurants, cafes and bars in Baku city. They are considerable lower than in the European countries. It also should be specified to ask for of the national cuisine, which should be tried by each visitor to Azerbaijan. Along with it, it should be taken into account that the prices in big restaurants of large hotels the prices are close to European.
If you live in the Hotel located in the central part of the city, you will almost not need to use any public transport. All interesting historical places, theaters, restaurants, shops, museums are at the center not far from each other. It should be mentioned that the fare in the bus and tram is 10-20 cents. The taxi in the city outskirts 2,5 dollars.
Art amateurs have an opportunity to become familiar with various theater performances, exhibitions. The ticket cost for performance in the theater of opera and ballet is 8 -10 dollars, Russian Drama theater -1,5 dollars and over. The ticket for the concerts of the variety stars, which usually are held in the Palace of Republic - the best concert stage of Baku, costs 10 - 50 dollars depending on the popularity of the artist.
HOW TO COME TO AZERBAIJAN.
By plane.
It is the easiest way to reach Azerbaijan, its capital - Baku by this kind of transport, where the International airport named after Heydar Aliyev (25 kilometers to the city center) is located. Increasing number of the western air companies connect Baku with Europe and the world. Besides, several airlines connect Baku with CIS cities making Baku a regional center. For example, there are a few daily flights from Moscow to Baku (one-way ticket price is average 115 -160 dollars, flight time - 2 hours 30 minutes).
It is also possible to reach Azerbaijan via Turkey from European countries. There are plenty of flights and no problems.
Information system about the air flights will assist you in the search of the most convenient and economically beneficial flight. Representative offices of British Airways, Lufthansa, Aeroflot etc. function in Baku. Representative offices of the air companies AZAL, TURAN AIR etc. are in other big cities, such as Nakhchivan, Ganja, and Sumgayit.
The trip from the airport to Baku center will take you nearly half of hour. This will cost 10-20 dollars if you take a taxi. Choosing a taxi, give preference to the automobiles Volkswagen. Besides a taxi, it is much cheaper to get from the airport to the city by bus per 50 cents (number 16), which will bring you to the Railway Department and AZAL air company's ticket desks. It is not far from here to get to any hotel of the city and it will cost only 2-3 dollars by taxi.
By train.
It is possible to get to Azerbaijan by train from Russia, Ukraine and Georgia. The trains Moscow-Baku go on the route from Russia to Baku three times a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays (time of voyage is two and a half days). There is connection with Makhachkala, St-Petersburg, Ekaterinburg and Rostov.
From the Ukraine to Azerbaijan Kiev-Baku (on Tuesdays) and Kharkov-Baku (on Sundays) trains run.
From Georgia to Baku train departures every day in 18-55, and the other train departures on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays in 20-50. Modern, comfortable express Tbilisi-Baku runs every day except for Wednesday and Friday. Voyage time is 12 hours. SI ltd Company organized train running between Baku and Tbilisi for the amateurs of the comfortable voyage of "Lux" class (ticket price is high enough, it costs 168 US dollars in one way, 270 dollars - both ways).
Arriver may reach metro station "28 May" just from the railway station in Baku located in the center of city. There are a lot of buses and taxes here as well. It will cost 10.000 - 20.000 manats (2 - 4 $) to get to any hotel by taxi.
There are 2.125 kilometers of local railway lines in Azerbaijan. The main routes are electrified (1.278 kilometers). The head line of the railway runs along the coast of the Caspian Sea from Russia until Iran. You may reach Lankaran via this line. Another line is from Baku to Georgian bound. You may reach the cities of Ganja, Gazakh,Sheki, and Zagatala via this line.
On ship
It is possible to reach Baku on ship from Aktau (Kazakhstan) and Turkmenbashi (Turkmenistan). The trip will take 12 hours. Price of the ticket from Baku is 46 - 60 US dollars.
By bus.
It is possible to get to Azerbaijan by bus from Russia, Turkey, Ukraine, Iran, and Georgia. Total amount of the autobus routes is nearly 30. Usually this transport is used by the CIS countries' citizens. Some queues, inspections may take place at the border. Departure and arrival is executed at the new bus station (phone: 93 5945) in Baku situated near the metro station "20 January". Autobus connection with the following CIS cities is arranged.
By car.
It is possible to get to Azerbaijan by car via Russia, Georgia, Turkey, Iran, as through the countries bordering on Azerbaijan.
Visa for the automobilists is prepared in the same way as for other tourists. Automobile insurance is obligatory. It might be prepared in the local and foreign representative insurance companies that function in Baku. Local reps of the road police are usually kind to the foreigners. They respect women-drivers very much. Motorcar enthusiasts requiring Azeri highway atlas may purchase it in the bookshops in Istiglaliyyat Street and in " Book house" (near Fountains square).
Roads.
One of two main highways of the country passes along the coast of the Caspian Sea from Russia to Iran through Baku. Another highway brings to the west from Baku to Georgian border. All the main cities have road connection with one of the main routes. Wide inter-city autobus servicing is the main mean of the inter-city connection.
Communication.
In order to call from Azerbaijan to any country, you should dial 0 (international code) + 10 + country code+ city code+ subscriber number. If you want to phone by the cell phone to the ordinary phone in Baku, you should dial 012 before dialing the number. In order to phone to the cell phones, you should dial 0-50 (Azercell) or 0-55 (Bakcell) before the number. List of international codes is in each point of the longdistance communication. Telephone code of Baku • 994 12
System of the automate phones in Azerbaijan is widely developed in the city of Baku. There are a lot of automate phones in the streets. It is possible to dial only Baku city phones from them. The special metallic coins should be bought, which are sold in major of the news-stalls and cost 500 manats -10 cents. Conversation time is not limited. Besides, "Arzu" and "mk" systems are used as well. Having bought telephone card in the stalls and currency exchanges, you will be able to call to any point in the world from the special coil telephones mostly placed at the entrances to metro stations by these systems.
Mobile phones
There are two cell communication systems in Azerbaijan: Azercell and Bakcell. Popularity of the cell phones among the population is very large. Cell phones of any model: new and second hand are sold in Baku everywhere.
Internet
System of Internet services is widely applied in Baku. Internet-cafe and Internet-clubs have wide network, some of which work 24 hours. There are nearly 200 in Baku. There five most popular Internet providers in Azerbaijan - Azeurotel, Intrans, Adanet, Azeronline, Bakinternet. The most concentration of the Internet users is observed in Baku: up to 85% among the whole amount of the users in the country. Average price per one hour is 60-70 cents. All Azeri providers offer unlimited access to Internet at the price of nearly 45-50 dollars a month, i.e. cheaper than in some European countries. Baku production association of telephone communication Bakinternet is a provider of the world Internet. Bakinternet furnishes a security of the lowest prices, provides high speed and quality of connection to the international net.
Mail.
Phone numbers of the Head Post Office: 98 32 76, 93 54 06. Post office departments work from 9-00 to 18-00. You may receive money transfer in the same time period. Day-off is Sunday. Head Post Office works daily from 9-00 to 22-00 and situated in Azerbaijan avenue near the hotel "Azerbaijan". Sending a letter or postcard at the weight of up to 20 grams costs 7500 manats.
Extreme situations.
If you are stopped by police and asked to submit a passport or identity card, which you do not have at that moment, if you can, show the copy of your passport (its inside copy) or a document, which may identify you or indicate where you are staying. Usually, police does not disturb foreign citizens. Remember that drug taking in Azerbaijan is forbidden and strictly punished by the law.
If you feel sick.
Medical insurance is an important element of your staying in Azerbaijan. Up to 95% of the guests come to Azerbaijan with already validated insurance policies. You will not have any problems with the medical servicing in Baku.
Working days and hours of the shops and banks.
Baku banks are open on the working days from 9-00 to 18-00. On Saturdays and Sundays they do not work. Customer servicing is from 10-00 to 16-00, break is usually from 13-00 to 14-00.
Large department stores usually open at 9-00 and work until 21-00 or 22-00. Shops selling the cloths, shoes and industrial goods open at 09-00 and work until 21-00. Majority of them work without days-off and breaks.
Most of chemist's shops open at 9-00 and work until 22-00. There are chemist's shops open after normal closing hours or on holidays working 24 hours.
Restaurants, bars, cafes are open daily from 10-00 and work till late at night. There are nightclubs.
