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Dear Friends! About the Place Rostov Region plays an important geopolitical role in Russia due to its location at the crossroads between the Black Sea area and the Caspian Sea area. Rostov Region ranks 5th in Russia in terms of population, which is 4.28 million people. The diverse ethnic mix of the Region is represented by more than 100 nationalities including Russians, Ukrainians, Armenians, Belorussians, Tartars, Greeks, Turks, Georgians, Jews, and Germans. The total area of the Region is 100.8 thousand sq. km, which equals the territory of Belgium, the Netherlands and Denmark taken together. 84.7% of the territory is occupied by farmlands, 2.8% - by forests, 3.4% - by water bodies, and 9.1% - by other territories. The capital of the Region is the city of Rostov-on-Don. The Region has a mid-latitude and moderately continental climate. In January the average temperatures range between 8.8 degrees below zero in the North-East and 4.8 degrees below zero in the South-West of the Region. In July the average temperatures range between 21.7 degrees above zero in the North-East and 24.4 degrees above zero in the South-West of the Region. The main waterway of the Region is the Don River. It is 1870 km long. Soils are the natural treasure of the Region, with 64.2% of black soils, 26. 6% of brown soils, and 8% of bog soils and meadow soils of the river basins. The main natural resources are coal, natural gas, raw materials for construction industry, and non-ferrous metals for iron-and-steel industry. The main industries of the Region are :
Airports, Railway and Bus Stations, Local Transportation Travelling down from Moscow to Rostov and back to the capital is easy. Domestic flights from Vnukovo, Sheremetyevo, and Domodedovo airports in Mocsow take ninety minutes. Direct international flights from Europe are operated by Lufthansa and Austrian Airlines. The city airport is located in the suburbs, and a 15-minute bus ride will take you downtown. The bus stop is located right in front of the airport's passenger terminal. You can also take a taxi, yet it is advisable NOT to take private cars to get to the city centre. Information Service of Rostov-on-Don Airport: # 7 (863) 267-02-10 If you wish to travel by an intercity bus, you may first contact the Bus Information Service Operator at # 7 (863) 244-10-10 or go right to the Bus Terminal at Siversa Str., 1 (across the square from the Main Railway Station). The city public transportation system operates quite efficiently. Buses, trams and trolleybuses run at frequent intervals, though not scheduled. Diagrams inside the vehicles show every route itinerary. Passengers get on through the front door and get off through the back and middle doors, and are to pay the fares in cash to the driver when they get on the bus. Season tickets for students (valid for one month) are inexpensive and are accepted by all municipal and some of the commercial bus companies. Visa Information A visa is a form of entry permit issued by one country to the citizens of other countries. If you need a visa to travel to Southern Federal University in Russia, you are to send down to us a copy of your passport and certain personal information for making out an invitation. The invitation generally takes about a month to be issued at the local Migration Service. Please note that you can go to the Consulate of Russian Federation and submit papers to get your Russian visa only after you have got back the original of your letter of invitation. Legal Status Local Passports and Visas Service will expect you to find out and understand the requirements and benefits of your visa status, to meet those requirements and to maintain the status at all times while in Russia. You also have the responsibility to inform the Office of International Affairs or the Center for International Education of any changes in your residence that might affect your visa status. The designated University staff will be happy to help you understand your visa responsibilities. Health Care International students and long-term international visitors staying at SFedU are to take out health insurance policy; the University is authorized to make respective arrangements. Students and long-term visitors are free to choose the insurance company and the insurance terms offered. Insurance plans may cover varying periods of time. Note that student's health insurance is a necessary prerequisite to obtain your local visa registration. In case of emergency, please call an ambulance at 03. The ambulance service is free of charge. Money, Banks, Credit Cards Services The official Russian currency is Rouble (RUR). One rouble is worth 100 kopeks. To find out the official exchange rates you can use the online currency converters at http://www.xe.net/pca/ or http://www.oanda.com For new arrivals in Russia it is advisable to have some cash to pay for living expenses (transport, accommodation, food) during the initial period; whereas the remaining sum may be in traveler's checks. If you plan to travel to small towns, go on cruises, tours or to the countryside, it is advisable to take cash only, because you might have problems looking for places to cash your travelers' checks or withdraw cash from ATM. Paying in cash is a most widely accepted practice. It is advisable to have cash in US dollars or Euros so that you can buy roubles with it anywhere in Rostov and in Russia. Travelers' checks are probably the most secure way of keeping your money. The banks charge commission for cashing checks (about 2-3%). The most popular checks in Russia are American Express. Please, note that you cannot pay with travelers' checks in Russia; you can only exchange them for money in the banks. Below is the list of some banks accepting checks: "Center-Invest" Commercial Bank
"Alfa-Bank", Rostov Branch
Credit Cards. Plenty of ATMs are available in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and big cities like Rostov. Plastic money is safe if you wish to pay for things and services at big stores and hotels. Places to stay (Hotels, Halls of Residence, Rented Accomodation) Your choice of accommodation is one of the most important decisions you will make. There are several options for both long- and short-term visitors. Traditionally, foreign visitors coming on short visits choose to stay at some of the hotels listed below:
"Don-Plaza"
"Amaks"
These hotels are conveniently situated either within walking distance from the University premises or within a short driving distance, and provide all the necessary visa registrations. Students' Halls of Residence are within walking distance of the Natural Sciences Faculties of the university and a 30 minute bus ride takes you to the downtown Faculties of Humanities. No meal plans are offered at the Halls of Residence, so students can either use shared cooking facilities to do their own cooking or eat out at local cafeterias. Off-campus housing. Accommodations (apartments and rooms) for rent are advertised in the local newspapers. Note that living in privately rented accommodation imposes additional requirements for you to get registration. Recreation The Don Region is famous for the scenic beauty of the south-Russian nature and numerous places of interest. There are 22 museums featuring a variety of regular exhibitions and permanent displays, 7 theatres, a number of concert halls and the zoo in the city.
Rostov Regional Museum of History and Ethnography
Rostov State Museum of Fine Arts
Rostov State Musical Theatre
Gorky Drama Theatre
Rostov Youth Theatre
Rostov-on-Don State Circus
Don Public Library
The information centers of the library include:
Representative Office of Goethe Cultural Center
German Reading Room and Learning Materials
German Club
Center of French Civilization
Representative Office of German Service for Academic Exchanges (DAAD)
Communications Telephone companies in Rostov use the system of pulse dialing and 7-digit phone numbers. The area code of Rostov is 863. Local calls are free. To make calls from a telephone box, it is necessary to purchase a telephone card. Cards can be purchased at kiosks, banks, telegraph offices, and petrol stations. We strongly advise you against buying telephone cards from the unauthorized individuals at bus stations and street markets. Quite a number of companies provide mobile phone services in the region. Round-the-clock telegraph services are provided 7 days a week at 50, Budionnovsky Ave. (Tel. 261-96-96, 269-69-69, 261-99-69): local and regional phone calls, sending telegrams, faxes, e-mails, access to the Internet.
Post Offices
Express Mail services are offered by:
Dimex:
CityExpress
Where to Shop Quite a number of local stores are supermarkets using the "self-service" system, which means that you take the items you have selected down to the checkout counter, where the cashier collects money for your purchases and issues a sales receipt. Paying in cash is the easiest way of payment, although some supermarkets accept credit cards. Supermarkets, grocery stores and street markets are conveniently located in every city district and are within easy reach. University Services University Library
Important Numbers
Airport Information Service 258-98-38, 254-88-01
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