Belarus - Wit-Rusland

Belarus (Belarusian: еларусь, Belarus) is a republic in Eastern Europe and is adjacent to Latvia (141km), Lithuania (502km), Poland (605km), Russia (959 km) and Ukraine (891 miles). The capital is Minsk.

This article can be extended with text from the corresponding article from the English Wikivoyage. If you are familiar with this language, help translate!

This article can be extended with text from the corresponding article from the German-language Wikivoyage. If you are familiar with this language, help translate!

Info

Geography

Belarus is a flat country with a lot of forest and wetlands. At the end of winter, the southern part of Belarus is frequently flooded by the melting of the winter snow.

History

Culture

climate

Holidays

Regions

Towns

•    Minsk. The capital. Was largely destroyed in World War II, and is now full of Soviet architecture.
•    Hrodna (одна).
•    Brest. The main attraction is the Brest Fortress. An hour's drive away is the national park 'Belovezhskaya Pushcha', the oldest primeval forest in Europe, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
•    Homel (омель).
•    Vitebsky (ебск). Considered the cultural capital of the country. Birthplace of Mark Chagall

Other destinations

Arrive

Documents, currency, communication

Visa

A valid passport (with a minimum validity of 6 months at the time of travel), and a valid visa are required to enter and stay on Belarusian territory. This also applies to transit through Belarus, such as train journeys on popular routes such as Warsaw-Moscow and Saint Petersburg – Kiev.

An immigration card must be completed when entering the territory. This card must be kept carefully with the passport and must be returned to customs when leaving the territory.

For stays of more than 5 working days, travelers are required to register with the local police in the area where they are staying. Most hotels do this automatically for their customers.

For the attention in particular of persons who have dual Belgian and Belarusian nationality, reside in Belgium and wish to make a short trip to Belarus, in particular with their child born in Belgium (for example for family visits): you are required to carry a valid Belarusian passport in the name of the child in order to leave Belarus after your stay:

• The Embassy of Belarus in Brussels agrees to issue a passport to Belarusian citizens residing in Belgium on condition that they are registered in their population registers.
• The Embassy of Belarus in Brussels cannot apply a visa to the Belgian passport of the above-mentioned bipatride nationals. It can only issue to non-registered persons a document called “Reentry Certificate to the Republic of Belarus” which grants the beneficiary entry to Belarusian territory but which is in no way sufficient to allow them to leave the country after the stay.
• The bipatride traveling with a Belgian passport and such a safe-conduct must, upon arrival, submit an application to the local authorities for the issuance of a Belarusian passport on presentation of a certified copy of the birth certificate (with translation and apostille, in the case of a child born in Belgium to a Belarusian father or mother). The period for obtaining the passport in question on the spot is currently approximately 10 days. The child in question will remain blocked in Belarus until the family can present the Belarusian passport to the local border guard.

Since Belarus (in 2016?) has lifted border controls with Russia, citizens of the European Union are prohibited from using the E30 from Warszawa (Warsaw, in Poland) via Minsk (Belarus) to Moskva (Moscow, Russia) because visa control on the border between Belarus and Russia is no longer possible. Travelers to Russia are advised to forego transit through Belarus and instead drive from Poland via Lithuania and Latvia to Russia.

In 2020 it was agreed that Russia and Belarus will recognize each other's visas, so that after the Corona crisis it should again be possible for citizens of the European Union to use the E30 of Warszawa (Warsaw, in Poland) via Minsk (Belarus) to Moskva (Moscow, Russia), but this agreement has not yet been ratified by the parliaments of both countries.

From 2016, Belarus is experimenting with opening up the border region around Brest and Grodno to travelers without a visa, who have pre-booked a visit to a tourist attraction. Since 2018 it is possible to drive from Lithuania via Grodno/Hrodna (a historic through route) to Poland, without a visa. In 2019, this experiment was expanded to include visa-free travel throughout Belarus for travelers entering Belarus via Minsk airport. Travelers who enter Belarus by car without a visa should pay close attention to the traffic signs that demarcate the visa-free zone, because there is camera surveillance and violation of the rules is severely punished.

Drivers license

The Belgian driving license (European model) is valid but only for a stay of no longer than three months. For a longer period of stay, you must be in possession of a Belarusian driver's license.

Payment methods

Major credit cards are accepted in Belarus, at least in institutions of a certain level. In the major cities it is fairly easy to withdraw money at the ATMs. It is forbidden to pay in a currency other than Belarusian rubles. Euros or dollars are best exchanged in hotels, banks, or an authorized kiosk. It is prohibited to exchange money on the street. In case of loss, theft or fraud of a Belgian credit or bank card, contact Cardstop immediately (0032 70 344 344).

travel insurance

Please check whether your health insurance fund offers sufficient cover for your destination and your mode of travel. Please note that this insurance expires after a stay of 3 months. An adapted travel insurance with a sufficient cover limit (travel assistance, repatriation, legal assistance) is absolutely necessary.

In addition, taking out local insurance is mandatory, even for travelers who have international travel assistance insurance. Such local insurance policies can easily be taken out at the counters upon arrival at the airport or at the border. Travelers traveling on the Vilnius-Minsk train route can only purchase such insurance in Vilnius or Minsk.

Consular assistance

In the event of unforeseen serious difficulties abroad, Belgians can request assistance from the embassies and consulates of Belgium. Consular assistance is provided to compatriots who have sought help from the competent local authorities (local police) or service companies (banks) in vain. , insurance agent), and can only contact a Belgian diplomatic or consular post. This assistance will be terminated as soon as the travelers can continue on their own.

There is no Belgian embassy in Belarus. Compatriots can contact the Belgian embassy in Moscow for consular assistance (during office hours: 7 (495) 780 03 31; outside office hours and only in emergencies: 7 (495) 763 55 42) and the Honorary Consulate of Belgium in Minsk (375 (17) 293 19 44) or, if the honorary consulate cannot be reached, the diplomatic mission of another Member State of the European Union in Minsk.

By plane

By train

EuroNight 447Amsterdam - Utrecht - Arnhem - Oberhausen Hbf – Duisburg Hbf – Düsseldorf Hbf – CologneHbf – Solingen Hbf (direction Warsaw only) – Wuppertal Hbf – Hagen Hbf – Dortmund Hbf – Hamm(Westf) – Bielefeld Hbf – Hannover Hbf (service stop) – Berlin Hbf – Berlin Ostbahnhof – Frankfurt Oder (service stop) – Rzepin – Poznan Gl. – Konin – Kutno – Warsaw Centralna – Warsaw Wschodnia - Brest Central - Minsk

Brussels-South - CologneCologne - Brest CentralBrest Central - Minskea journey of 24 to 30 hours

Despite the rise of budget airlines, train travel can still be a cheap, fast and certainly more convenient option for transportation. Because train stations are often located in the city centres, the train on the medium distance (for example Enschede - Paris or Bruges - Wolfsburg) can compete very well with the plane.

Currently in Belgium and at the Deutsche Bahn online only to order tickets for the neighboring countries of Belgium, resp. Germany and a number of easily accessible cities further on. Other tickets can only be purchased by telephone or at the counter, or of course in the country concerned. The latter is often much cheaper. Also keep an eye out for the many Sparpreis offers at the Deutsche Bahn, which can be very advantageous for a travel route to or via Germany.

However, it is quite possible to train journey map out from home. The two sites listed immediately below provide information not only about journeys from the Benelux, but also about all train connections throughout Europe and in the Russian part of Asia, e.g. between Moscow and Madrid. It is about this the site of the Belgian railways and the Dutch site of the Deutsche Bahn.

NS Hispeed only offers information about travel between the Netherlands and a few large foreign cities. As a rule, this information is also limited to trains that run directly to or from abroad (i.e. no connections between Utrecht and Paris or between Rotterdam and Germany, because there is always a transfer within the Netherlands). To plan trips within the Netherlands, it is best this website use.

NS Hispeed sells online a small range of journeys departing from the Netherlands to other countries (one-way and return journeys), and a very limited number of routes from abroad to (other) foreign countries (one-way and return journeys). You can book other trips by telephone via the Telesales department (0900-9296, €0.35 p.m.) and at the counters in the Tickets and Service shops at the (medium) large stations. This is the online International counter of the Dutch railways.

Smoking is prohibited on the train in all European countries.

By car

The condition of the roads is good in the big cities and on the main roads. The roads in the countryside are relatively quiet and well maintained. In areas outside the cities there is often little signage. The climatic conditions in winter and during the thaw period can make travel difficult, especially at night and outside the cities.

Police and customs checks at border posts (Lithuania, Poland, Latvia) are generally lengthy and rigorous. Travelers are advised not to accept any offer from private persons if they would offer their services when crossing the border.

The green car insurance card is not valid in Belarus if the BY box is crossed out. However, you will be asked for the green card at the border. A green card printed on white paper, or only on a smartphone, will not be accepted. With many Dutch car insurance policies, Belarus is co-insured, but an additional request must be made for sending a paper green card, because this is often no longer sent as standard.

When crossing the border, from the EU, a form written in Cyrillic must be filled in, stating that the vehicle is being imported. This form must be checked and handed in again when you leave the country. The speed limits (60 km/h in cities, 90 km/h on the roads and 120 km/h on the highways) and traffic rules are strictly controlled and there is zero tolerance for drinking and driving.

Tolls must be paid on all through roads in Belarus, based on a rate per kilometer driven. Beltoll is the official body that collects all road tolls in Belarus. In recent years, foreigners had to rent a toll box (OBU = On Board Unit) to pay the road toll, which had to be stuck behind the windscreen and registered the toll, according to the same system that is used in Germany for tolls for trucks. This OBU system regularly led to problems, such as a lack of toll booths to rent and the non-refund of too many prepaid tolls, or the deposit for the OBU.

From 2021, Belarus will replace the toll payment system via the OBU with a toll vignette, whereby the road toll will be paid according to length of stay and no longer per kilometer. The toll sticker must be purchased online. It is unclear whether the toll sticker will also be sold at Beltoll offices at border crossings, where previously the used OBU had to be handed in on exit, or an OBU could be rented upon entry. Look out: http://beltoll.by/index.php/en/ is not a secure website and with https:// in front of it it doesn't work, so the Beltoll website is not suitable for paying the road toll sticker securely with a credit card.

The fuel supply is satisfactory but it is sometimes difficult to find Euro 95 petrol outside the main roads and the cities.

By bus

When traveling by train, especially at night, it is advisable to lock the door of the train compartment properly. Thefts have been reported on the Warsaw - Minsk and Minsk - Moscow routes. As everywhere else, travelers are advised to make their own luggage and to guard it during all journeys. As elsewhere, it is not recommended to accept parcels from unknown persons. It is advised not to share taxis with strangers and to be careful when using unofficial taxis. In Minsk, the public traffic network is well developed, practical, efficient and safe.

Safety / info train and bus traffic

By boat

Travel around

By plane

By train

By car

By bus

By boat

Language

Belarus has two official languages: Russian and Belarusian. Younger generation in the cities has reasonable knowledge of English.

In the countryside they prefer to speak his mother tongues.

Learn to read the Cyrillic alphabet so you can decipher signposts. At least learn enough Russian to be able to say "please," "thank you," and "I don't speak Russian." Bring a Russian phrasebook and make sure you can get by if no one speaks English.

Search Wikipedia for information about the Belarusian language. Many Belarusians speak Russian more often than Belarusian. The status of Belarusian is formally equated with Russian, but use of the Belarusian language is by no means encouraged by the authoritarian regime.

There are several spellings for Belarusian. Tarashkevitsa is the preferred spelling of the highly educated members of the opposition to President Lukashenka's regime. Use of Tarashkievica is considered an act of resistance and is therefore severely punished.

To look at

To do

To buy

Cost

Food

You don't have to count on culinary delights in Belarus. The local dishes are generally hearty and simple. Even in the capital Minsk you will not find any special restaurants. The main ingredient in Belarusian cuisine is - just like in neighboring Lithuania - the mushroom. In addition, meals are usually generously seasoned with caraway and garlic. Specialties are 'mokanka' (a meal salad) and dumplings called 'kletski' or 'galushki'.

There is no shortage of drink in Belarus. First of all vodka, of course, but also worth trying is the very spicy herbal drink 'Beloveshskaya Bitter'

Going out

As a visitor to Belarus, you are, like the residents themselves, subject to the laws of the host country.

drugs

Drug legislation is applied very strictly without making any distinction between the nature and quantity of the drugs concerned. Penalties for drug possession range from fines to 5 years in prison. Serious drug offenses are punishable by prison terms ranging from 7 to 15 years.

Sexuality

Homosexuality has not been prosecuted criminally since 1994, but it is still difficult to accept socially. As a reminder, Belgian legislation allows for legal prosecution in Belgium of nationals who committed sexual offenses against minors or who were involved in human trafficking (law of 13 April 1995).

Photography

It is prohibited to photograph military installations, government buildings and officials in uniform. Not all military objects are clearly recognizable as such, so it is not entirely inconceivable that an unsuspecting tourist could get into trouble by photographing an apparently random building.

miscellaneous

Travelers must declare imports of more than 10,000 US dollars in foreign currency. The following goods are also subject to import restrictions: alcoholic beverages (maximum 2 liters); cigarettes (maximum 200 cigarettes or 200 grams of tobacco); maximum 5 jewels; maximum 5 kg of food. This list may be subject to change; travelers should therefore consult the website www.belarus.by (“customs regulations”).

stay overnight

To learn

To work

Safety

Belarus is generally considered a safe country. However, outside the major centers, organized tours offer more security guarantees than individual tours. As in most countries, it is not recommended to openly display valuable objects or cash in public.

As in other countries in Europe, the risk of terrorist attacks in Belarus cannot be excluded. On April 11, 2011, a terrorist attack took place at the Oktyabrskaya metro station in Minsk, killing at least 12 and injuring about 200. As elsewhere in the world, travelers are therefore advised to be vigilant in crowded public places and tourist sites. Travelers are strongly discouraged from participating in politically oriented manifestations. Travelers would also do well to follow current events.

Presidential elections were held again on December 19, 2010, which were followed by a series of demonstrations involving the use of force. In May 2011, Belarus experienced a currency depreciation of more than 50%, which led to a sudden rise in longevity and unrest among the population. Demonstrations regularly take place in the capital Minsk and other major cities that often degenerate into strict police action and arrests.

Travelers are strongly advised to be vigilant in public places and to avoid demonstrations. Travelers would do well to follow current events.

The old flag of Belarus was white-red-white. This flag was widely used by opposition supporters demonstrating against President Lukashenka's regime after the rigged elections in 2020. Anyone who ends up in such a demonstration should not wear white-red-white striped clothing.

Crime

Although petty crime is fairly rare compared to most western countries, it does exist in the larger cities. As elsewhere, vigilance and common sense are advised.

Health

Costs / infrastructure medical care

It is mandatory to take out local medical insurance when entering the territory. Since the level of medical care and infrastructure does not correspond to the quality level in Belgium, travelers are advised to be repatriated for any somewhat serious medical problem. That is why it is strongly recommended to take out medical insurance in Belgium before departure, with sufficient cover, including repatriation. Don't forget to bring a decent travel pharmacy!

English-language medical consultations are offered in Minsk by the confidential doctor of the German embassy, ​​Dr. Knyasev, or by his representative Dr. Volkov. dr. Knyasev can be reached at the following address: 1 Kinderklinik, Pr. Nesawisimosti 64, 220013 Minsk (phone: 290.71.76 or 290.21.75). dr. Volkov can be reached by phone at 292.39.54.

Safety water and food

It is not recommended to drink water from the tap (without filtering or boiling the water beforehand). It is best to use mineral water.

The southeast of the country (the border with Ukraine) is considered a risk zone because of the nuclear pollution after the Chernobyl disaster in 1986. It is therefore strongly advised not to eat berries, milk products or mushrooms from this region, as well as when the origin of these products is not guaranteed.

Vaccinations and vaccines

A renewal of vaccination against tetanus, polio, diphtheria and poliomyelitis, as well as a vaccination against hepatitis A, is recommended. Consult the websites of the Institute of Tropical Medicine (www.itg.be) and the World Health Organization (www.who.int) 6 to at least 2 weeks before your departure for more detailed information and ask a doctor.

Source: Health and hygiene

respect

Do not be critical of President Lukashenko. Doing so may result in a penalty. Also, do not photograph government buildings and officials such as military or police officers.

Contact

The telecommunications systems work well in Belarus, at least in the major cities. The GSM technology is being applied and the Belgian mobile operators have concluded roaming agreements with their counterparts in Belarus. It is recommended to ask the Belgian operator in advance what the costs are and how this service, which is not always automatic, can be activated.

This article is still completely under construction . It contains a template, but not yet enough information to be useful to a traveler. Dive in and expand it!

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