Communications
The international access code for Russia is +7.
When calling Russia from abroad, the initial zero on the area code
must not be omitted. The outgoing code is 8 followed by 10 (a
second tone should sound after 8), followed by the relevant country
code (e.g. 81044 for the United Kingdom). City/area codes are in
use, e.g. 495 for Moscow and 812 for St. Petersburg. Public phones
are good for local and international calls; they take phonecards,
which can be bought at newspaper kiosks and post offices. Phone
booths in airports and major hotels usually take Amex or Visa cards
but are generally much more expensive than street phones. Mobile
phones work in most large towns and cities. There are numerous
local operators using GSM 900/1800 networks, each covering
relatively small areas. Internet access is available at Internet
cafes throughout the major towns and cities.
