Arrivals and Departure
NYI staff will meet all students arriving from foreign countries. International students will receive confirmation that NYI staff will meet you. Foreign students do not have to pay for arrival or departure transportation costs
All out-of-towners must send their exact travel information in advance so that NYI staff can meet you
and/or help you check in at the dorm.
Students arriving from other Russian Federation cities and CIS countries will not be met unless a special request is made,
but you will be given detailed directions by the Dorm Coordinator
Cell Phones
It is advisable to have a working cell phone in St. Petersburg
Local pre-paid SIM cards are by far the most economical option, and are easy to arrange and pay for. Please let the NYI Staff knmow if you are interested in acquiring a local SIM card
You can add money to your SIM card in many locations, including with special machines located in many places.
NB: Your phone must be able to take a SIM card (for US carriers this means only T-Mobile and Cingular), and it must be "triple band"
For US phones it must also be "unlocked" for international use. US Students: Arrange this with your service provider before departure.
US Students: almost all chargers work on 110-240, and so no transformrrs are needed. All you need is the small shape shifters from the flat pins to the European standard round ones. These are readily available and cost abotut $1 each. We recommend a small supply in advance.
Money
ATMs (bank machines) can be found around the city in multiple locations, including the University building that hosts NYI
These machines take almost all European and American bank cards, credit cards, ATM cards and give rouble cash.
Some also give cash in US dollars.
The machines usually do not charge a fee beyond what your home bank charges.
Foreign exchange places are located throughout the city.
Credit cards can be used at many restauarants, stores and supermarkets. American Express is much less readily accepted than Visa or Mastercard