By train
You can get from Moscow to Minsk in 8-10 hours. True, often the train costs about the same as the plane. You can also travel by train from other major cities.
By plane
The fastest way to get to Belarus is by plane – there are many direct flights to Minsk from Moscow, St. Petersburg and other major cities. You can fly from Moscow in just an hour and a half.
By bus or taxi
Of course, there are also bus routes, for example, from Moscow and cities on the border with Belarus. As many travelers note, the ideal option is to travel to Belarus by car – the roads here are good, you can drive comfortably, easily getting to any resorts and attractions. You can drive from Moscow to Minsk in nine hours.
Transport
The transport system in Belarus is well developed, there are always many ways to get to a particular resort.
Many locals and tourists prefer rail transport. Economy and business class trains run between regions and within the region. Tickets are sold at train stations or online. By train or train you can get to almost any location in the country.
There are practically no domestic flights.
Buses and minibuses run between cities, they mainly depart from bus stations and bus stations.
City transport as in Russia – buses, trams, trolleybuses and minibuses. There is a metro in Minsk, taxis are available in almost all cities. If you plan to travel often, it is better to buy a travel card for several modes of transport.
IMPORTANT: To drive around the country in your car, you need to purchase a special green card. You can also rent a car if you have rights, not necessarily international ones.
Money
Belarusian rubles are in use in the country, which have been reduced as BYR since July 1, 2016. Since that time, there has been a denomination of 10,000 times, so now banknotes in denominations from 5 to 500 rubles and coins from 1 kopeck to 2 rubles are in use. This means that now the Belarusian ruble is worth more than the Russian one.
The currency is non-convertible, so you cannot buy it abroad. But inside the country it is very easy to exchange any other currency, including Russian rubles. It is necessary to do this, since it will not work to pay with Russian money or dollars.
In large shopping centers and shops in large cities, you can pay with bank cards, including Russian ones.
Cuisine and restaurants
Many people choose Belarus for their holidays, including in order to try the local varied cuisine. It is very close to ours, but at the same time interesting in its own way.
The main components of the cuisine of Belarus are:
- Vegetables, and especially potatoes and white cabbage;
- Salo – once replaced meat;
- Legumes – peas and beans;
- Mushrooms – often the main part of the dish or just a snack;
- Dairy products are much more popular than dairy products;
- Fish, mostly river;
- Now meat has become popular, although it was used little before;
- Cereals – mainly oats, rye, buckwheat and barley;
- Flour, most often wheat, but another is also popular;
- Berries and fruits;
- Spices are used, but not for spiciness, but for flavor.
Now let’s look at the main traditional dishes:
- Kholodnik – beetroot soup with tops, kvass, sour cream and some other ingredients;
- Mushroom kvass – cold kvass soup with mushrooms;
- Zhur – soup based on a strained solution of oatmeal;
- Gryzhanka – soup made from rutabaga, potatoes, smoked pork and bacon;
- Garbuzok – pumpkin soup with lard and smoked meats;
- Vantrobyanka – boiled pork giblets in a pig’s stomach;
- Yuts – pork or beef stomach with cereals and meat;
- Piachisto – large pieces of meat;
- Tarkovanka – a dish made from grated raw potatoes with juice;
- Draniki, popular with us in Russia;
- Kapytka – small fried potato pancakes;
- Pies, pancakes, loaves and other sweet pastries;
- Kulaga is a thick jelly.
From drinks, compotes, kvass, birch sap and alcoholic tinctures are popular, as well as vodka and bison.
