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st-erik
Just Starting
Joined: 23 Jun 2008
Posts: 1
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 Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 5:53 pm Post subject: Any way to avoid foreigner rates at museums? |
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I'm travelling to Moscow on a tight budget, and I understand that there is a dual-pricing system at museums. Is it possible to avoid the foreigner rates? I speak (rather rusty) Russian, but I was wondering what EXACTLY would a Russian say when buying one adult ticket for a museum? Also, does anyone know how staff react if they catch you trying to impersonate a Russian…?
Does the dual pricing also apply to theatre and concert tickets (e.g. at MKhat, Maly Teatr)?
Thanks. |
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greg222
VIP
Joined: 15 Feb 2005
Posts: 599
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| Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 9:31 am Post subject: |
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You can get away with it sometimes. Keep it as short as possible: just say "Odin" and put the money down. If you say too much they'll hear the accent. But read the sign first as there are often different tickets (getting you into different areas) available. If they realise you're a foreigner they'll shout a bit and (if there is one) tell you to get in the foreigner queue. No harm done so it's always worth a shot.
If you fail you can also just ask a Russian to buy your ticket for you. |
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Paul-Varjak
Frequent Guest
Joined: 30 Jul 2005
Posts: 37
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| Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 9:05 pm Post subject: |
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I got into a museam in St. Petersburg at Russian prices, because I was with a Russian girl and let her do the talking. But once inside and they realised I was not Russian I had to pay the foreigner price.
On another occasion I did a bus tour (with another Russian girl) but manged to avoid the foreigner price even though we were with the tour guide all day (I think he was a bit drunk). |
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JuicyFruit
Just Starting
Joined: 18 Nov 2008
Posts: 3
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| Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2008 3:57 pm Post subject: |
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| Hi, all this talk about Russian prices vs. foreign prices has me wondering: how much of a difference are we talking here? [b]How much can a foreigner typically expect to pay for entry to one of the more tourist-y museums (i.e. Hermitage)?[/b] I suppose I shouldn't ask any Russians to purchase a ticket for me since I probably won't pass as a Russian! |
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RuslanK
Frequent Guest
Joined: 03 Nov 2008
Posts: 15
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| Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 12:30 pm Post subject: |
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| The point is : it is illegal in Russia to ask more money from foreign people, go to administration and complain, tell them that you are with the embassy and you will complain to MID ÌÈÄ !!! |
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Ender
WayToRussified
Joined: 23 Aug 2006
Posts: 498
Location: Urals
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| Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 8:03 pm Post subject: |
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| RuslanK wrote: | | The point is : it is illegal in Russia to ask more money from foreign people, go to administration and complain, tell them that you are with the embassy and you will complain to MID ÌÈÄ !!! |
Last time I was in the "Orugheinaya palata" inside the Kremlin there was absolutely official difference in ticket prices between local residents and foreigners. |
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greg222
VIP
Joined: 15 Feb 2005
Posts: 599
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| Posted: Sun Dec 07, 2008 6:57 am Post subject: |
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| Yeah, it happens everywhere: the Kremlin, the Hermitage, the cathedrals in St Petersburg... A few years back, even some of the private river cruise companies in St Pete had the nerve to charge foreigners more. Usually foreigners pay about double, but I've seen the foreigner price as much as 10 times higher than the Russian price. |
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Ender
WayToRussified
Joined: 23 Aug 2006
Posts: 498
Location: Urals
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| Posted: Sun Dec 07, 2008 12:46 pm Post subject: |
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| I guess all price differences are limited to various culture places like cathedrals or museums. In an ordinary shop or cafee you won't be charged more than local resident. Of course one always can find a place where he will spend 10 times more money than expected. |
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Andylewis99
Frequent Guest
Joined: 30 Mar 2007
Posts: 11
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| Posted: Sun Dec 07, 2008 11:15 pm Post subject: It is ilegal to charge more |
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| I have visited many museums both with my Russian wife and alone. Although I speak Russian and work in Russia I have never been charged more as a foreigner. It is actualy ilegal now to charge any foreigner more that a Russian citizen for any service or entrance fee. Should you be asked for more then ask to see the administrator and inform them you will call the militsiya. |
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krasatulya
VIP
Joined: 29 May 2005
Posts: 590
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| Posted: Mon Dec 08, 2008 12:07 am Post subject: |
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What a bunch of b.s.! Just reading about this dual-pricing really burns me. I'm fortunate that i'm a.) a woman and b.) have a pretty intimidating looking Russian husband. I believe the latter is probably the reason why no one tried to pull any of this crap  But I feel bad for those that have been ripped-off. It makes me wonder if Russia doesn't realize the bad impression they make with tourists bringing money in their country, or if they just don't care. Once again, I'm going to assume the latter  |
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Gustavo
Frequent Guest
Joined: 21 Sep 2008
Posts: 33
Location: Chile
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| Posted: Mon Dec 08, 2008 2:21 am Post subject: |
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Hopefully this thing will end when I go in May
It would suck to spend most of my tight budget just for being "foreigner". |
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krasatulya
VIP
Joined: 29 May 2005
Posts: 590
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| Posted: Mon Dec 08, 2008 7:34 am Post subject: |
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| ¡Que tenga buena suerte, Gustavo! |
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Ender
WayToRussified
Joined: 23 Aug 2006
Posts: 498
Location: Urals
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| Posted: Mon Dec 08, 2008 10:36 am Post subject: |
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| krasatulya wrote: | | What a bunch of b.s.! Just reading about this dual-pricing really burns me. I'm fortunate that i'm a.) a woman and b.) have a pretty intimidating looking Russian husband. I believe the latter is probably the reason why no one tried to pull any of this crap |
I'm glad for you and your husband. Believe to me having an intimidating look is good on a dark street but it doesn't matter in Alexandrovsky garden or in an ordinary food shop (except a case when a sales-person is simply rude). There was price difference few years ago (and it really wasn't monitored) but it looks like the prices are equal now. At least in Kremlin. As far as I know they have never been different in other places.
| krasatulya wrote: | | But I feel bad for those that have been ripped-off. It makes me wonder if Russia doesn't realize the bad impression they make with tourists bringing money in their country, or if they just don't care. Once again, I'm going to assume the latter |
Yeah, Russia is bad by default. Yawn. Have you ever tried to read sources before spread b.s?
http://www.kremlin.museum.ru/en/main/info/visitors/tickets
For example in Turkey any goods in shops always cost more for tourists. There are special "shoping-tours" (and every second excursion) where pople are pushed into special shops with overpriced goods. Moreover guides in hotels usually charge you two times more money for an excursion. So what? Bad image for Turkey?
Last edited by Ender on Mon Dec 08, 2008 10:52 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Ender
WayToRussified
Joined: 23 Aug 2006
Posts: 498
Location: Urals
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| Posted: Mon Dec 08, 2008 10:45 am Post subject: |
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| greg222 wrote: | | Yeah, it happens everywhere: the Kremlin, the Hermitage, the cathedrals in St Petersburg... A few years back, even some of the private river cruise companies in St Pete had the nerve to charge foreigners more. Usually foreigners pay about double, but I've seen the foreigner price as much as 10 times higher than the Russian price. |
Yes, there was price difference few years ago. I was to Moscow in 2005 last time. As far as I remember 50 or 70 roubles for citizen and 300 or 350 roubles for foreigner. I have seen several smart orient looking guys who asked Russian to buy tickets for them. Nobody checked them anyway and guards at the entrance into museum simply didn't care about who is who. |
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greg222
VIP
Joined: 15 Feb 2005
Posts: 599
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| Posted: Mon Dec 08, 2008 1:55 pm Post subject: |
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| Ender wrote: | | For example in Turkey any goods in shops always cost more for tourists. There are special "shoping-tours" (and every second excursion) where pople are pushed into special shops with overpriced goods. Moreover guides in hotels usually charge you two times more money for an excursion. So what? Bad image for Turkey? |
Definitely. Turkey's a fascinating country. But you get sick of constantly having to deal with people trying to rip you off.
I'm glad to hear they no longer charge foreigners higher prices at sightseeing attractions in Russia. It was such a stupid policy. |
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