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News Release from: Marks & Spencer Money | Subject: Travel advice
Edited by the Insidemoneytalk Editorial
Team on 05 May 2008
Know your Ruble from your Rooney!
M and S Money offers travel tips as 42,000 Brits converge on the world's most expensive city
On 21st May 2008 more Britons than ever before are likely to be travelling to Moscow for the first all-English final in the history of the Champions League Manchester United and Chelsea fans will be scrambling for flights and hotel rooms so they can see the match played out against the backdrop of the world's most expensive city
This article was originally published on Insidemoneytalk on 20 Feb 2007 at 8.00am (UK)
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The Russian consulate in London normally issues 60,000 visas a year, but in the next month they are set to process as many as 42,000 applications.
With the average hotel room rate around £236 and a huge increase in demand for the city's 35,000 hotel rooms, Britons travelling to Moscow for the game will need to make the most of their money.
Football fans are already enquiring about Russian currency at M and S Bureaux de Change where staff can offer travel money tips to help customers avoid confusion.
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Russian currency is the ruble which it is not widely available outside.
Russia Rubles are not generally held in stock at bureaux de change so it's important to order in advance and shop around for a good rate.
Buy your currency before you fly as it's often cheaper and avoids charges for withdrawing cash from ATMs abroad.
You DO need a visa to travel into Russia, so apply as soon as possible to the Russian Consulate at 5 Kensington Palace Gardens, London W8 4QS, tel: 020 7229 8027, Visa information 020 7499 1029.
You may want to consider using a visa service such as www.realrussia.co.uk, www.russiadirect.net or www.expresstorussia.com.
If planning to stay in the country for more than three days you MUST register your visa at the local migration office.
Import/export restrictions apply on cash: Local currency, 50,000 rubles (approx £1,100).
Foreign currency in/out, free up to 10,000 US dollars or equivalent, but any amount over 3,000 US dollars must be declared.
Check with your football club and shop around for travel deals and packages.
Make sure you have travel insurance, particularly if booking your own flights and accommodation - M and S annual travel insurance now includes cover for independent travellers.
Head of M and S Travel Money, Fraser Millar, said; "We were anticipating an increase in demand for rubles and have ordered more currency and are ensuring all bureaux staff are ready to help with enquiries.
If fans have trouble getting Russian currency we recommend they take US dollars or euros which they can change in at banks or exchange offices in Moscow." M and S Travel Money can be ordered and purchased from bureaux de change in over 100 M and S stores and by telephone on 0800 363 484.
To find their nearest bureaux, customers can go online at www.marksandspencer.com/travelmoney.
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