Useful information when you are travelling to Murmansk/Russia
Passport check and migration card
Everyone must have a passport with a visa on the trip. There is no possibility to cross the border without a valid passport or visa.
Norwegian border crossing point and passport control (Storskog):
Everyone must come into the customs station building to show passport and visa. When leaving the country (Norway) luggage may be remained in the bus. When entering into Norway you have to take your luggage out of the buss and carry it through the customs control (green or red zone).
Russian customs and passport control:
Passport must be shown to the border authorities two times on the way to Murmansk:
- 1. First time right after border crossing at the Russian customs (100 metres from the Norwegian border crossing point. Everybody must fill in a migration card and put it inside the passport (migration card will be handed to you by a border guard on the Russian customs). It is important to keep a migration card lying inside your passport during the whole time of your stay in Russia, even when you are handing over your passport to the hotel reception. The migration card is just as an important document as a passport. Everyone must enter the customs station building. At the customs you have to show your passport with visa, fill in a migration card and a customs declaration form (customs declaration form for those who are driving to Russia by own car). Two copies of a customs declaration form is to be filled in by the car driver when entering and leaving Russia. Luggage is to be taken out of the car for customs control on the way to Russia and on the way back to Norway. There is a toilet on the Russian border crossing point. The next toilet is situated in 100 kilometres. The toilet should be used before the passport control.
- 2. At Titovka, ca. 100 km away from the Russian customs in the direction to Murmansk passport and visa will be checked for the second time.
Opening hours for the border: 07:00 - 21:00 norwegian time, 09:00 - 23:00 corresponding russian time. You must be at the border at least 1 hour before closing.
Way between Kirkenes and Murmansk
The distance between Kirkenes and Murmansk is 250 kilometres. The road E 105 which leads to Murmansk is of a standard road level but usually the quality of Russian roads is lower than Norwegian one. The driving time without long pauses is approximately 5 hours but it may be longer due to slow document processing at the customs or military exercises along the road, etc.
Currency exchange (exchange rate is now 1 NOK = 4,5 RUB)
There is no bank at the Russian customs, nearest ATM to take out russian currency is in Nikel.
The only approved currency in Russia is russian rubles. There are many cash dispensers (ATM) in Murmansk, for example, in the Hotel Polyarnie Zori and Hotel Meridian. At these hotels there are cash dispensers, which accept Visa-card. The most favourable exchange rate is usually provided by automatic cash dispensers.
When shopping in Murmansk is usual to pay in cash. In some shops Visa card may not be accepted.
It is not allowed to exchange currency on the streets by private persons. You are at risk of being fooled. You can use the rest of RUB at the Tax free shop on the border crossing point on the way back to Norway (one of the cheapest Tax free shops in Europe). NOK, Euro, Dollar and RUB are accepted at the Tax free shop. Assortment may vary but usually there is a wide choice of beer, wine, spirits of all sorts, cigarettes, perfumes and chocolate.
Time / Clock
Murmansk lies in the so-called Moscow time zone. Moscow time zone means Norwegian time + 2 hours. Please, remember that all time we mean is local time.
Mobile phone (GSM)
On the way to Murmansk there is mobile coverage some kilometres after we have passed through Zapoliarny. It is expensive to use a Norwegian mobile net operator in Russia. It concerns both outgoing and incoming calls (NOK 25 per a minute). It is rather reasonable to send and receive text messages.
Drinking water
We recommend you not to drink water from a water tap but it is ok to clean teeth with it. We recommend you to drink bottled water. You can buy bottled water in the mini bar in your room or in the hall of the hotel at the water machine. You can also buy drinking water in a shop.
Shops
Most shops are situated in the main street Lenin Avenue. You can easily reach the Lenin Avenue if you go downstairs from the Poliarny Zori Hotel and then turn to the right. This road will lead you to the centre of the City. Downhill straight on the crossroad there is a big shopping centre “Detskiy Mir”.
Handing in the passport and visa at the hotel
You must hand in your passport and visa to the reception on your arrival at the hotel for registration. You’ll get your passport back on the day of your departure or after your first night at the hotel. Please, check that you have got back the right passport and that the migration card is also inside the passport.
Service office
There is no Pasvikturist service office in Murmansk but our experienced guides and tour conductors with local skills will give you the best advice if you need any help. Personnel at the hotel reception can help you by reserving a table at restaurants, ordering a taxi (when ordering a taxi you have to tell where you are going to drive, because Russian drivers can mainly speak only Russian. Number of a taxi is the same as the registration number). Personnel at the hotel reception can speak good English.
Pasvikturist AS will hand out maps to everyone with detailed tour description before the trip.
We wish you a nice trip to Russia!
