Emergency and Health in Petersburg city

Petty crime, which presents itself mostly as pick pocketing, is all that should worry you in Russia. Sensible precautions include making photocopies of your passport and visa, leaving passports and tickets in the hotel safe, and noting down travelers' cheque and credit card numbers. Do not carry large sums of money around with you and use a money belt if possible. Particularly be careful of gypsies!

The police (militsia) can be recognized by their blue-grey uniforms; some may be armed. If you do have something stolen, report it to the militsia: try the phrase "Menya obokrali" ("I have been robbed"). It's unlikely that there'll be anyone who speaks English, and even less likely that your belongings will be retrieved, but you'll need a statement detailing what you've lost for your insurance claim.

PHARMACIES
Visitors to Russia are advised to get booster shots for diphtheria, tetanus and polio. If you are on prescribed medication (particularly insulin), bring enough supplies for your stay, although high-street pharmacies offer many familiar medicines over the counter. Foreigners tend to rely for treatment on private clinics, which charge excessively high rates, so it's a good idea to take out insurance.

The pharmacies (АПТЕКА - "Apteka") in St.Petersburg are reliable and well stocked with medicaments, including Western brand names. Pharmacies are also recognizable by a green cross-displayed outside or within the store window. Regular business hours for pharmacies are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. A listing of local pharmacies open outside of regular business hours can be found by consulting your hotel concierge or the phone book "Yellow Pages". There are also a number of pharmacy kiosks at metro stations and at the hotels.

HEALTH
City Ambulance Service Tel.: 03 (Russian language only)

Russia has no vaccination requirements. However it will make sense to consult with your doctor. Some people may have trouble adjusting to Russian cuisine, which includes heavy breads, thick greasy soups, smoked fish and sour cream. Bring indigestion or stomach disorder remedies. Do not drink the contaminated tap water, it contains a high prevalence of gastrointestinal infections. Drink bottled or boiled water. Pasteurized dairy products are safe for consumption. The water has a drying effect so it is reasonable to bring along some moisture skin cream. Travelers, visiting forest areas out-of-town in summer time, are at risk of being bitted by encephalitis ticks. Long-sleeved shirt and long pants will prevent illnesses carried by insects. Each hotel usually has its own resident physician.

Treatment in normal Russian hospitals and clinics is fairly basic. Treatment at Western-style centers is good but rather expensive. A few middle of the range private Russian clinics were established recently. Medical evacuation to your home country for medical treatment is extremely expensive. It is therefore very important that you get a good medical insurance before you travel. If you take a certain type of medication regularly, make sure you bring a sufficient supply of it with you, as it may not be available locally.