Novosibirsk: practical information - A to Z Guide

Contents:
1. Business Travel
2. Emergency Cases
3. Health
4. Internet Access
5. Laundry
6. Money Issues
7. Open Hours & Peak Hours
8. Post & Courier Services
9. Safety
10. Shopping
11. Telephones
12. Web Resources


2. Emergency Cases:
In case you have an emergency, it's better to contact a manager of a hotel where you're staying, or local police.
The operators of emergency services speak Russian only:
01 - Fire
02 - Militsia (police)
03 - Ambulance
04 - Gas service.
In case you lost your credit card, you should dial Moscow numbers given in Practicalities / Money section.
If you have nowhere to stay, you can go to Novosibirsk railway station, which has a comfortable waiting area and an inexpensive hotel.

3. Health:
If you got ill, you can go to the government hospitals, but you'll have to stand long queues, talk to the doctor who speaks Russian only (in most cases) and I'm not sure about the quality of service. So, it's better to find a western clinic or wait until you get to Moscow.
To protect against encephalitis (read information about this illness at Trans-Siberian / Travelers Advice section), to get either a vaccination or after-treatment, one should contact in Novosibirsk:
The Hospital for Neuroinfections Prevention.
Novosibirsk, Akademgorodok, Pirogova St., 25. Tel.: (3832) 34-47-88.

4. Internet Access:
There are not many internet access places around Novosibirsk, however there are at least three of them in the centrum of the city and one -- in Akademgorodok.

24h Internet Club.
Doesn't have any name, located in a pedestrian subway and usually there are many gamers inside. 1 hour costs 30 R ($1 US). Opened 24 hours, break from 7 until 9 morning.
There's also a cafe with light snacks, drinks, and beer.
Address: Novosibirsk, center, Trudovaya St., 1 (just behind the fishing shop in the courtyard - along Vokzalnaya Magistral st). Tel.: (3832) 22-55-96

Galaxy Game Club.
The bowling club due to open in September 2003 already has an internet cafe opened from 12 until 6. There are also gaming servers installed, so many people play CounterStrike, WarCraft, Quake, etc.
Located just after the interseciton of Sovetskaya st. and Vokzalnaya Magistral, to the right in the courtyard (ask bowling).
Address: Vokzalnaya Magistral, #15 (courtyard).

Internet Club 5K. The club is opened 24h a day and has about 15 computers with slow connection. You can use their printer and record a CD for additional price. One hour of connection costs 30 R ($1 US). It's better to visit it early in the morning or in the afternoon: crazy gamers occupy local network all the rest of the day and your connection will be less speedy than nothing.
Address: Novosibirsk, Akademgorodok, Pirogova st., 14. Dormitory of the University #5, 4th floor. Open 24 h a day.

Internet Club. Doesn't have any name, located in a pedestrian subway and usually there are many gamers inside. 1 hour costs 30 R ($1 US).
Address: Novosibirsk, Centrum, Trudovaya St., 1. Tel.: (3832) 22-55-96

Post Office. There are only a few computers and always many people, so be prepared to queue for about 30 minutes.
Address: Novosibirsk, Centrum, Lenina St., 4, entrance from Sovetskaya St., 33. Map: B4 - circle #2

5. Laundry:
Unfortunately, there are no self-service laundromates in Novosibirsk, so the only thing you can do is either to ask a hotel manager (or a maid) to wash your stuff (it should costs about 100 R - $3 US), or wash everything in the sink. That's what most of Russians do actually, luckily, detergents are widely available.

6. Money Issues:
Novosibirsk is quite a modern city, so it won't be a big problem to find a currency exchange or an ATM. Just look for a bank office, or a big department store in the centrum.
The exchange rate is not favorable, you'll lose about 5% comparing to Moscow or St. Petersburg. Also, the exchange offices are not opened 24 hours a day, and most of them accept US dollars and Euros only. So our advice: bring in $ US or Euros, change them into Roubles in Moscow and St. Petersburg. When in Novosibirsk, take the first chance to exchange to roubles or to use an ATM -- you won't have time to look for another one, and they're all the same anyway.
Here are addresses of some currency exchange offices in Novosibirsk:
TSUM Department Store. Two currency exchange offices of the same bank. Opened 10.00 to 20.00 Mon to Sun. Address: Vokzalnaya Magistral St., 5. Map: B3 - circle #3

Guta Bank. Banking services, exchange, ATM. Novosibirsk, Krasny Prospekt 67, tel: (3832) 18-49-53, web: http://www.guta.ru/branches/place_4_123.htm

Alfa Bank. Banking services, exchange office, ATM. Novosibirsk, Dimitrova Prospekt, 1, tel: (3832) 23-97-39, email: novosibirsk@alfabank.ru web: http://www.alfabank.ru/branches/novosib/ / Map: B4 - circle #4. another office: Karla Marksa 2, tel.: (3832) 49-57-30 Open: 9.00-18.00 (mon-sat)

Here's a list of ATM in Novosibirsk: TSUM department store (open same as shop), Guta Bank (open 10.00-19.00 ex sat & sun), Alfa Bank branches, Akademgorodok: Morskoy Prospekt, 23 "House of Scientist" daily 8.00-23.00


7. Open Hours and Peak Hours:
There's not this abundance of 24h shops that you can find in Moscow or St. Petersburg, but still, many grocery shops are opened all night long.
The normal opening times for shops are 10.00 to 19.00 Mon to Fri, with shorter times on Saturdays. Many shops are closed on Sundays, but not the big ones, or the ones selling food. You can also always use stalls -- there are many on the streets.
Offices are normally opened 9.00 to 18.00.
Cafes, restaurants, and clubs are usually opened from 12.00 to 2.00.
There are a lot of taxis in Novosibirsk, so even if you're late, don't worry: it'll be easy to get from one place to another.
Novosibirsk is not a very busy city, but during peak hours it gets a bit hectic, especially in transport. Try to avoid, if you can, 8.00 to 10.00 and 16.30 to 20.00 times.

8. Post and Courier Services:
If you want to send something by post from Russia, you can do it either through government post service or courier services - the difference is price and speed.

State Post Service is unexpensive, but slow and unefficient. It'll take about 3-4 weeks for your letter or parcel to be delivered, unless you pay more and send it as "priority air mail" (even in that case, it'll take 2 weeks from Novosibirsk to Europe or USA).
To send anything, you should buy the post stamps at the post offices, which you can find by "èÓ˜Ú‡" (Pochta) sign. Post offices usually work monday - friday from 9.00 to 19.00 and saturday - 9.00 to 17.00, sunday is day off. It costs around 20 roubles (0.7$) to send a letter to western Europe. You can send your letter or a postcard using any of light blue post boxes on the streets or directly at the post office (better). Sending an average (around 500gm) parcel costs around $15.
Central Novosibirsk Post Office. Open: mon-sat 9.00-19.45, sun 10.00-17.45. Address: Nosibirsk, Centrum, Lenina St, #4. Entrance from Sovetskaya St, #33. Map: B4 - circle #2.

Courier Services are much more reliable, fast, and much more expensive. The letter will arrive in about 3-4 days, and will cost about $50 to send it. A small parcel (200gm) will cost from 2500 R ($80 US) to send. Here are contacts of some courier post service providers in Novosibirsk:

Federal Express courier service. Address: Novosibirsk, Centrum, Lenina St, #12 (Close to New York Pizza cafe), 6th floor, office 608. Tel.: (3832) 22-61-88.

DHL Express Mail. Novosibirsk, Chaplygina, 46, 1st floor. Phone: (3832)--23-87-78, (3832)-18-25-97. Also in Akademgorodok: Musy Jalia St., 11, office 229. tel.:(3832)-39-79-68

TNT Express. Novosibirsk, Potaninskaya, 12, office 100. Tel: (3832) 580-809, Email: tnt@tamkon.ru

UPS Mail. Novosibirsk, Lavrwentyeva str, 6. Director of the center - Anatoly Semenov. Tel.: (3832) 396-400 or 396-291

9. Safety:
Novosibirsk seems to be a very safe place. Life is not so fast as in other big cities, and people seem to be very friendly. In fact, the whole Siberia is the place to experience the famous Russian hospitality, and Novosibirsk is a great place to start.
Of course, it is advisable to practice your normal traveler's safety, not to "flash" your cash, and to avoid dark, empty streets during the night.
However, there are a lot of official taxis in the city and around at any time of the day and night, so you can always move around in a car.
When we were in Novosibirsk, we didn't stay in a hotel, but just went to Akademgorodok, which is a university campus area on the outskirts of the city. We camped in a forest there for two nights -- something we would never have done in Moscow or St. Petersburg, or any other city, except Ulan-Ude maybe, which also seemed to be quite calm.

10. Shopping & Travel Gear:
Novosibirsk is the best place for shopping. Never thought it was, but after I came there, I left with nice new clothes, good stock of food and travel gear, interesting books, and a lot of other useful stuff.
All the best shops are located on Vokzalnaya Magistral St., which is a big avenue going from the railway station to the centrum. It takes about 15 minutes to walk it.
For food, stock in "Maxima" supermarket, which is conveniently located very close to the railway staiton. Address: Vokzalnaya Magistral, 6a (Map: B3 - circle #5). If it is closed, there are many food stalls just in front of the railway station.

For personal hygiene, household goods, brand clothes, and basic travel gear try TSUM department store, located 5 minutes walking from the railway station along Vokzalnaya Magistral St. There's also a currency exchange office in this shop (Map: B3 - circle #3).

For really inexpensive travel clothes and some fashion stuff, go to "Depo" store, which is a good place to find . . The owner of this shop brings inexpensive streetwear from Hong-Kong to Novosibirsk. So, you can buy really cool trousers and raincoats that are also good for travel for 500 R ($15 US). Address: Vokzalnaya Magistral, 5. Open: 10.00 to 20.00. Tel.: (3832) 21-49-31, 21-76-44. (Map: B3 - circle #5)

Fotoland - Photo Shop
A good choice of photography equipment and films (including professional Kodak films), film developing and printing, digital photo. Opened mon-fri from 8.00 until 20.00, sat-sun: 10.00-20.00
Address: Krasny Prospekt st., #59 (near the metro Krasny Prospekt)

Second Hand Clothes
New and second hand, relatively inexpensive clothes from England. Everything, from t-shirts to raincoats (I bought a new Berghaus raincoat there for $30). Opened 10-19 daily, except sunday.
Address: Sovetskaya, 26 (entrance in the courtyard - walk along Potanina st. and turn to the left - just after the Ecco shoe shop).
Many other shops are located on the right-hand side of Krasny Prospekt if you walk from the metro Krasny Prospekt to Lenina square.

For professional travel gear:

AlpIndustria Travel Gear Shop.
The best choice of trekking gear in Novosibirsk. You can find backpacks, clothes, gas, various alpinist and trekking equipment and anything else. Located outside of the center, 15 minutes by metro, just outside of Pl. Marksa metro (down the red line to the south). Opened from 10.00 until 20.00 daily.
Address: Vagutina St., #27, Contact: (3832) 46-20-28. Internet (including map): http://www.alpindustria.ru/shops/novosibirsk/

Also, try "Aleut" store, which is located very close to "Depo" store. This travel gear and outdoor equipment shop is owned and run by professionals in skiing, mountaneering, trekking and extreme sports. You can find all kinds of travel equipment there as well as a good advice. However, expect to pay about 50% more than in Moscow or St. Pete. From time to time the people who work at the shop go on trips to nearby Altai mountains, which you can join as well. Ask Pavel (director) or Max. Open: 10.00 to 19.00, Monday to Saturday. (Map: B3 - circle #7)
Address: Dmitrova Prospekt, 18, tel.: 22-22-24, email: z3000@online.nsk.su

Among other good travel equipment store are "Na Grani", which also sells skateboards, snowboard equipment, bikes etc. Open: 10.00 to 20.00 daily. Address: Sovetskaya, 65. tel.: (3832) 125-113. (Map: B3 - circle #8)
If you love fishing, also try "Rybolov Center", where you can find all kinds of equipment. Address: Sovetskaya, 20. tel.: (3832) 22-40-57. (Map: B3 - circle #9)

11. Telephones:
The international phone code of Russia is "7", the code of Novosibirsk is "3832".
If you call to Novosibirsk from abroad, you should dial international access number (usually 00 or "+"), then the code of Russia "7", then Novosibirsk: "3832", and then the 6-digit city number.
If you call to Novosibirsk from any place in Russia, dial 8, wait for a tone, then dial Novosibirsk code (3832), and then the 6-digit city number.
If you dial a Novosibirsk number inside Novosibirsk, just dial the 6-digit number, without any prefixes. The calls inside the city are free, except in hotels (check how much they charge).
The best place to make phonecalls is the central postoffice, however, we recommend you to bring your mobiles and subscribe to a Russian operator (MTS or BeeLine) if you intend to use your phone much.
The mobile network is quite well developed in Novosibirsk. The network covers the whole city, Akademgorodok, and a large area around. There are two main GSM operators: MTS and BeeLine, you can either subscribe to their services, or use roaming. In case you subscribe in Moscow, 1 minute will cost about $0.30 US, if you subscribe in Novosibirsk, it'll be twice less, if you use roaming, expect to pay about $2 / minute for international calls (incoming and outgoing) and about $0.80 for local calls. Check with your provider.
You can make international phonecalls from:

Central Novosibirsk Post Office. Open: mon-sat 9.00-19.45, sun 10.00-17.45. Address: Nosibirsk, Centrum, Lenina St, #4. Entrance from Sovetskaya St, #33. Map: B4 - circle #2.
To make a phone call, first queue to the operator, pay an advance for a call (about 50 R) and then she'll tell you what cabin to go to make a call. Once your call is finished, you can get the money you paid, if you haven't used them all.

12. Novosibirsk Web Resources

Novosibirsk.Ru
The main portal of Novosibirsk: city information, news, weather, links to relevant websites, catalogue, photo gallery. All in Russian.
http://novosibirsk.ru | clicks:

NovosibOut.Ru
Clubs, cinema, concerts, events listing. All in Russian.
http://novosibout.ru | clicks:

AllNight.Ru
A listing of what's on in Novosibirsk. Focus on nightlife. All in Russian.
http://allnight.ru | clicks: