Travellers usefull tips

Things to know about Azerbaijan

Capital: Baku

Religion: Most Azerbaijanis are Shia Muslims. However, you can meet Orthodox Christians and members of other religions there. Talking about religion, Azerbaijan is one of the most tolerant countries in the Islamic world. Representatives of all world religions live in the country.

Official language: Azerbaijani. Russian and Armenian are widely spread among the older generation.

Climate: Azerbaijan has two types of climate. Dry and humid subtropical climate is called Lankaran. The Greater Caucasus Range has a mountain tundra climate. The temperature ranges from 15°C in the lowlands to 0°C in the mountains. In summer, the temperature usually is 26°C in the lowlands and up to 5°C in the mountains. In winter, the temperature varies from 3°C to 10°C. The highlands receive the biggest number of precipitation in winter – about 1400-1700mm, while plains don’t have more than 300mm. Azerbaijan has dry summers, that’s why the best period for visiting the country is from April to October.

The average temperature in Baku:

January +3 °C
February +3°C
March +6°C
April +12°C
May +17°C
June +21°C
July +24°C
August +24°C
September +20°C
October +14°C
November +10°C
December +6°C

Currency: Manat. International code – AZN. It is subdivided into 100 qəpik. Manat has six kinds of coins of 1, 3, 5, 10, 20, 50 qəpik, and six kinds of banknotes of 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 manat.

Means of payment: mostly cash. However, in hotels you can use credit cards. In business centres, large shops and subway stations you can find ATMs to get cash. Mastercard and Visa cards are accepted everywhere.

Currency exchange: you are advised to exchange currency at public institutions. You can convert foreign currency and traveller’s cheques to Azerbaijan manat at all banks. In addition, foreign currency can be exchanged in any official exchange office. Don’t forget, you should save currency exchange receipt while being in the country. Banks are usually open from 8:00 (9:00)am till 5:00 (6:00)pm.

Calls to Azerbaijan from other countries
The international dialling code of Azerbaijan is +994. To make a call to Azerbaijan from a landline, you should dial an international access code – 994 – dialling code – phone number. To make a call to Azerbaijan from mobile phone, you should follow such scheme: +994 − dialling code − phone number itself.

Calls from Azerbaijan to other countries
To make a call from Azerbaijan to other country, you should dial international access code – country code – dialling code – phone number. To make a call within the country, first of all you should dial – 0. It would be cheaper to call within the country using local mobile operators. Azercell, Bakcell and Nar are the main mobile operators in the country. You can also use public phone boxes. To make a call within the country, you should follow the scheme used for landline calls. To call abroad from a public phone, you need to contact an operator. Calls are paid by phone cards, which you can buy at newsagents and post offices.

Useful phone numbers in Azerbaijan:
Information desk – 09/009
International information desk – 07,
Lost and Found Department – 909 119,
Police – 102,
Ambulance – 103
Fire department – 101

Time zone: UTC / GMT +4 hour
Daylight saving time in winter and summer is as you would expect.

Customs
All foreign currency must be declared when you entry the country.
You can bring into country duty-free:
- up to 600gr of black caviar;
- up to 3l of alcohol beverage;
- 3 blocks of cigarettes of 1 kg of tobacco;
- products up to 10,000 U.S. dollars of the total value, medicine for personal using, personal goods.
It is prohibited to bring into the country:
- Animals, except cats and dogs,
- Fresh fruit and vegetables,
- Valuable tree species,
- Horns of deer and roedeer.
Foreigners are also not allowed to import and export national currency – manat.

Shopping in Azerbaijan

Most shops located in the capital and big cities are open from 9:00 – 10:00am to 9:00 – 10:00pm. In the suburb, they usually work till 7:00-8:00pm. In department stores and large shops you can use your credit cards; however, they don’t accept foreign currency. Discount season is usually at the end of the tourist season – from late autumn to early winter. In Azerbaijan, you can buy different carpets or carpet goods as souvenirs.

Transport in Azerbaijan

1) Public transport
1. Subway. In Baku, the subway is the fastest kind of transport. It consists of two lines and 21 stations. Ticket price is 0.15 euro or 15 qəpik.

2. Bus. The most popular public transport is a bus. The trip of a distance up to 30 km will cost you 20 qəpik, up to 50 km – 30 qəpik, 50 km and over – 50 qəpik.

3. Taxi is the best way to get somewhere quickly. You’re advised to arrange payment in advance, because taxis work without taximeters. However, the average fare around Baku is 5 manat. If you need to get to an airport or a railway station, be ready to pay more.

2) Long-distance transport
1. As a rule the bus service in Azerbaijan is faster and more comfortable than the railway service, especially for short and medium distances. Buses run quite frequently several times a day in such directions: Baku – Balakən, Baku –Shaki, Baku – Ganja, Baku – Red Bridge (a crossing point located on the border with Georgia); Baku – Quba, Baku – Astara (on the border with Iran) and some other routes. The approximate cost of a trip by bus from Baku to Zaqatala is about 7 euros, to Shaki – about 5 euros, to Lahic – 4 euros.

2. The Railway system of Azerbaijan is well-developed. Trains are used to transport passengers in the following directions:
Baku – Yevlakh – Ganja – Boyuk Kesik
Baku – Yevlakh – Shaki – Balakən
Baku – Lankaran – Astara
Baku – Khachmaz – Yalama
The trains which follow the routes to Boyuk Kesik and Balakən have sleeping cars and compartment cars.

3. Aircraft. The Azerbaijani airports serve such domestic flights: Baku – Ganja (everyday); Baku – Nakhichevan (4 times a day); Nakhichevan – Ganja (4 times a week). The ticket price for the flight Baku – Nakhichevan costs 65 manat, Baku – Ganja is about 30 manat, Nakhichevan – Ganja – 39 manat.

Water transport is the cheapest kind of transport in Azerbaijan. Baku, the starting point of all sea routes of the country, is also the largest port city. Its wharf has the name of the Caspian Sea. You can sail from Baku to Astrakhan, Makhachkala, Central Asia, the Iranian port of Anzali. The railway ferry crossing connects two river banks and serves for such directions as Baku – Turkmenbashi, Baku – Aktau and Baku – Bekdash. Such crossing takes 11 hours. The river transport is used only for excursion trips on the Kura River.

Car rental: Several companies provide such service in Azerbaijan. Alternatively, you can rent a car from an individual. For renting you must show your license, driving experience, and passport. You can rent a car for an hour, a day, a week or a month. The average monthly price of rent depends on the age of a vehicle and its engine volume – from 1000 to 1500 American dollars.

Hotels in Azerbaijan: Hotel business is developing in Azerbaijan now. That’s why many hotels in the country have only three-star quality, according to the world star-rating system. However, all hotels have high service.

Tipping in Azerbaijan
It’s usually 5-10% of the total in cafes and restaurants. You can give a porter at the airport or hotel 5-10 manat, depending on the size of your luggage.

National holidays in Azerbaijan:
1 January – New Year
8 March – International Woman’s Day
20-21 March – Spring Festival
9 May – Victory Day
28 May – Republic Day
15 June - National Salvation Day
26 June - Azerbaijan Armed Forces Day
18 October – Independence Day
12 November – Constitution Day
17 November – Day of the National Revival
31 December - International Solidarity Day of the Azerbaijanis
Celebration dates of Thanksgiving Day and Ramadan are changed every year according to the Lunar Calendar.
Memorable Days:
20 January - Martyrs' Day (who died for the country)
26 February – Memorial Day for Victims of the Khojaly Massacre
31 March – Day of the Azerbaijani Genocide

Electricity in Azerbaijan: voltage – 220 V, and the current frequency – 50 Hz. The country uses standard sockets of the East-European type.

Rules of conduct in Azerbaijan: Most rules and norms comply with the Islamic traditions. For example, in public places, women shouldn’t wear low-cut and tight clothes, and men are not advised to wear T-shirts and shorts. Foreigners are advised to avoid crowded places during either religious holidays, or memorial dates such as the Khojaly Tragedy and the Day of the Azerbaijani Genocide. You should know, that a toast at the times of various celebrations can be proposed for hours. It is impolite to drink from a glass during a toast. Restaurants of the national cuisine don’t serve dishes with pork. However, there are also restaurants of the European, Chinese, Russian and Ukrainian cuisines. Residents of Azerbaijan are very hospitable. A rejection of the invitation to visit their home can be considered a personal offence. As a rule, you should leave your footwear before entering the house.

Visa in Azerbaijan: Visa is not required for the citizens of Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Foreigners and persons without citizenship, to visit the Republic of Azerbaijan, must have either an entry visa or a transit visa.