Getting to Belarus: some usefull information
Flights to Belarus
Most travellers to Belarus arrive by plane. The National Airport in Minsk is the major national airport for Belarus. It is a modern airport with facilities including banks, restaurants and shops.
The national airline of Belarus is Belavia, which operates daily flights between many major European cities, including:
Frankfurt
Vienna
Kiev
London
Moscow
Paris
Riga
Rome
Warsaw
Other major airlines that fly into Minsk:
Lufthansa (Germany)
Austrian Airlines
Lot (Poland)
El Al (Israel)
Etihad Airways (UAE)
The airport is about 30 km from the city centre. Once you have cleared passport control you have a range of options to get to the centre of town:
bus (hourly departures)
taxi (pay around 20 euros)
hire a car (Belarus car hire is available in the Arrivals hall)
Belarus travel: by train
Belarus has excellent international rail links. You can take a train to Minsk from almost every major city in Europe and the CIS.
Minsk’s new Central Station is one of the largest in Europe. It’s open 24 hours a day and offers a wide range of facilities including:
restaurants
bars
shops
pharmacy
lockers
games room
Belarus travel: by car
You can travel to Belarus by car from Europe and the CIS. There are several Belarus border crossings and an extensive road network running across the country.
You need an international driving licence to drive in Belarus. Traffic drives on the right. The motorway speed limit is 120 km/h (75 mph).
Very few foreign travel insurance policies are accepted in Belarus. Insurance can be purchased at the border; charges start at 5 euros for 15 days.
All vehicles entering Belarus must pay a tax, with charges ranging from 20 USD to 155 USD. The M1/E30 highway is a toll road, with a 1 USD charge for passenger vehicles.
Road signs are in Cyrillic, although signs at major junctions are also in Latin script.
Belarus travel: by bus
Most international bus arrivals in Belarus terminate at the Central Bus Station in Minsk.
Although there are few facilities at the bus station, it is located next to the Central Train Station and travellers are free to use the facilities there.
Do you have to make a customs declaration when you enter Belarus?
Yes. All people arriving in and leaving Belarus must complete a customs and goods declaration form. These are usually available on the plane and at the airport.
What are the rules for personal luggage?
Travellers are allowed to take up to 50 kg of personal luggage with them to Belarus, up to a value of 1,500 euros.
Any items in addition to this are subject to duty at 30% and not less than 4 euros per kilo.
Are there any duty-free limits?
Yes. The following items are restricted for import:
spirits (including beer containing more than 7% Vol. alcohol) 3 litres
cigarettes 200 or 250 g tobaccoHow much money can you take into Belarus?
There is no limit on the amount of foreign currency that you can take with you into Belarus.
You must declare amounts over 10,000 USD on entry to Belarus on the declaration form.
What items are not allowed to be taken into Belarus?
The following items can NOT be carried by travellers to Belarus:
firearms
military equipment
narcotics
poisons
radioactive and explosive substances
Animals and plants can only be brought into Belarus with the appropriate health and veterinary certificates.