By air. The main
way to Armenia, due to the geopolitical situation of the region
is by air. You can come to Armenia via Amsterdam, Athens, Beirut
Dubai, Frankfurt, Istanbul, Moscow, London and Zurich.
Carriers. Armenian Airlines (tel. 593184, 583969)
is the national carrier of the Republic of Armenia. Other airlines,
serving the country include Aeroflot - Russian International
Airlines (tel. 532131) from Russia, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
(tel. 567208, 567308) from the Netherlands, Swissair (tel. 523082,
520780) from Switzerland and British Airways (tel. 521383) from
the UK. Flying time to Yerevan from Amsterdam is 5 hours.
Airport. Yerevan "Zvartnots" Airport
handles flights from different parts of the World. It has ICAO
2-nd category certificate with 24 hours service. There are Business
and 2 VIP halls and modern Duty Free Shops.
Between Airport and town. The Airport (tel. 533311,
533411) is 10 kilometers (6 miles) southwest of Yerevan. You
can come from the Airport to Yerevan by bus, minibus (working
hours: 08.00 - 20.00) and taxi. The bus frequency is half an
hour; cost of the ticket is $0.3/$0.4. Cost of the trip Airport
- city center by taxi is about $6 - $8.
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PASSPORTS &
VISAS
Passport required except for holders of return
certificates and refugee travel documents. Passports or passport
replacing documents must be valid at least for the period of
the validity of the visa.
Tourist Visa cost is $60.00 US and may obtained
online via http://www.armeniaforeignministry.am/eVisa/
or in person at Armenian Embassy. The validity of visa may be
prolonged.
Visa required, except for Nationals of Armenia,
and some countries listed here: http://www.armeniaforeignministry.com/consular/visawaiver.html
For further instructions, please visit Visa
Application Guidelines http://www.armeniaforeignministry.com/consular/visa.html
Those continuing within three days to CIS country, provided
all documents required for the destination. Visa may be issued
by consulates or embassies of Armenia. Visa also is available
upon arrival to any passengers for a stay not exceeding three
days.
Health Info: No vaccinations are
required to enter Armenia for any country. No risk of inflectional
diseases in tourist areas.
For additional info, please see Armenian
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Website or if you are a US resident,
you may contact the following Embassies :
Los Angeles:
50 North La Cienega Blvd.
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
Tel: (310) 657-6102
Fax: (310) 657-7419)
Washington DC:
2225 R Street, NW
Washington, DC 20008
Tel: (202)319-1976
Fax: (202) 319-2982
Email: amembusadm@msn.com
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CUSTOMS & DUTIES
Export of foreign currency of more than $10000
or other currency equivalent to more than $10000, is allowable
upon the presence of a currency declaration about import of
currency, or a certificate given by banks and exchange points.
There are no other restrictions, including restrictions on import
of foreign currency. There are no limits on goods (such as perfume,
cigarettes, or alcohol) brought into Armenia from another country,
provided that they are for personal use.
Exit Duty. Exit duty for departing air passengers
(AMD 10000 closely to USD 20) is levied on all passengers embarking
in Armenia for destinations abroad at the airport of departure.
Exceptions: eligible dependants under 12 years; transit passengers;
representatives of the International Organizations registered
in Ministry of Foreign Affairs of RA; holders of diplomatic
passports; employees of foreign Embassies and Consulates and
members of their families; Officials and Participants of Delegations
arriving in Armenia at the invitation of the President of Armenia,
Chairman of the National Assembly, Chairman of Constitutional
Court, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs.
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ARMENIA: GENERAL DATA
State organization.
Official name - Republic of Armenia (RA), briefly - Armenia.
State flag of the RA - three horizontal stripes - red, blue
and orange. Head of executive power - President of the RA. The
legislative power in Armenia belongs to the National Assembly
(Parliament) of Armenia.
Religion. Armenians are Christians. Armenia was the
first country that adopted Christianity as a national religion
(301 A.D.). The central Armenia Apostolic church is seated in
Echmiadzin that is 25 kilometers far from Yerevan. Language.
The official language is Armenian, which has Indo - European
roots, and completes a separate branch in that family. Russian
is also widely used in Armenia. Many people in Armenia, especially
in Yerevan have a good command of English too.
Time. The Armenian time outstrips
the Greenwich time for 4 hours (3 hours Central European time).
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GEOGRAPHY & CLIMATE
Geography. Armenia
is situated in the south of Transcaucasus, and it is bordered
by Georgia, Iran, Turkey and Azerbaijan. Armenia has an area
of 29800 square kilometers (360 kilometers long and 200 kilometers
wide) and it is situated from 1000 to 2500 meters above sea
level. Armenia is famous for its lofty mountains. The highest
peak Aragats is (4090) meters. Population - 3.5 million. 98%
- Armenians. Capital of Armenia - Yerevan, with a population
of 1 million people.
Climate. The climate is almost tropical
in summer and the winters are warmer than in the regions north
to the Caucasus. Cold spells, however, do occur and low temperatures
are frequent, both on the high mountains and in the deep, enclosed
valleys. The average temperatures are: -5 0C in winter, +11
0C in spring, +25 0C in summer and +13 0C in autumn.
What clothes should you bring in Armenia?
People in Armenia dress like in Europe. Early in spring and
late in autumn short changes in temperature are possible here
at the flowing of one day. For spring or autumn we advise you
to take warm and comfortable clothes. Summers are hot in Armenia,
but be sure to bring an umbrella in the case of rain.
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MONEY
Armenian national currency is Dram. 10, 25,
50, 100, 1000, 5000, 20000 Dram notes are used. During last
month Armenian Dram rate is about 530 - 540 AMD per 1 USD.
Currency Exchange. The currency
exchange is not a problem in Armenia. Foreign currency (USD,
Dutch Marks, English Pound Sterling, Swiss Franks, French Franks,
Canadian Dollars, Japanese Jen, Holland Guilden, Russian Rubles)
can be changed at banks. USD and Russian Rubles can be changed
in currency exchange points available everywhere in the city.
There is no limitation on the amount of money exchanged. No
exchange commission is charged.
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TRANSPORT
Armenia uses the right - side movement principle.
When crossing the road its necessary to look left at first.
Transport connection between cities is by buses and mini - vans.
Principle transportation in Yerevan - bus, trolley bus, tram,
subway and taxi. Yerevan Subway works from 6:30 a.m. to 11:00
p.m. Public transportation in Armenia is very cheap. Tickets
for bus, trolley bus and subway cost 10 cents not depending
upon the length of the journey. Taxis are also rather cheap,
costing about $1 for 4-5 kilometer, though meters are practically
not used by taxi drivers. There is a number of taxi-by-phone
services available in Yerevan.
Car rental. Car rental service is
still not available in Armenia. Here you can hire car only with
a driver.
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TELEPHONY
The country code for Armenia is 374. The area
code for Yerevan is 2. While calling from the CIS countries
the old code 8852 should be used.
Local calls. Local calls can be
made from the street by public coin operated telephones. One
call costs AMD 70.
International calls. To call outside
Armenia, dial 8, followed by the country code ( 1 for USA and
Canada, 31 for the Netherlands ), area code and number. International
calls can be made from the Post building on the Republic Square
as well as from many private international phone service providers
available in Yeravan.
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MISCELLANEOUS
Food. The Armenian
kitchen is close to European. Different kindes of chees, bread,
alcohol and soft drinks and other widespread foods are available.
There are a lot of restaurants, snack-bars and cafes, offering
both traditional and European meals. Costs vary, but generally
eating-out is affordable and much cheaper than in the Western
Countries. Service is usually included in the prices though
it is customary to tip 5%-10%.
Working hours. State organizations
are closed on Saturdays and Sundays and mainly work from 09:00
- 17:30 (18:00). Banks are open weekdays from 09:00 to 18:00.
Fairs, markets and most of the stores run every day, all year
round.
Power supply. The electrical current
in the Republic of Armenia is 220 V, 50 Hz alternating current;
wall outlets take continental-type plugs, with two round prongs.
To use US-purchased electric-powered equipment, bring a converter
and an adapter.
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Armenia: Travel Guide.
Gate to Armenia
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