Going to Minsk from Vilnius

We are planning on going to Minsk from Vilnious on a day trip - we will not be staying overnight as we are returning the same day. Do you know if we still need an invite or just a visa?

Also do the locals speak English as I know only a couple of words of Russian.

Thanks

Dave V.

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you will need a transit visa. google %26quot;belarus consulate%26quot; and check their webpage. i will be able to tell you in a couple of months but i highly doubt that the locals speak very much, if any english. the border/customs people might know a bit, but i wouldnt bank on anything. i would pick up a small russian phrase-book. even though belarussian is slightly different, it will work.

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Labas/Hi,

Just a normal tourist visa, you can get eg from railway station of

Vilnius even in one day, colour picture needed, no invitation

Please note that for transit visa you need a nother visa already

in your passport

You can find people who can speak english, recommend to try with young people (especially if they look students)

Regards

Tuomo H (Finn from Vilnius)

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this is an edit/clarification to my earlier post.

the belarussian language is actually quite different from russian, but most everyone there will speak russian.

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Eeeeeek, no I don%26#39;t think you can%26#39;t get a visa for Belarus in Vilnius - not with a UK passport - unless you%26#39;re flying between the two in which case you can get one at Minsk aiport. You need to get a transit visa before you leave the UK. Either look at the consular website at http://www.belembassy.org/uk/consular.html or use an agency like www.realrussia.co.uk (they also cover Belarus).

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the locals speak mostly Russian

turn to young people

they will know bits and pieces of English

it%26#39;s compulsory at schools

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I%26#39;ve just returned from Minsk, having travelled from Vilnius by train. I got my visa by using the Kelvita agency in the International hall of the Vilnius railway station, this took 48 hours and was something like €20 more expensive than the actual visa fee. There are both buses and trains from Vilnius to Minsk, these take 4 hours so it would a long day trip. While English is easily used in tourist facilities in Vilnius, this is not so in Minsk!

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ha-ha!

i%26#39;ve always known in those agencies they employ workers from the countryside knowing just two words in english:o%26#39;k and McDonald%26#39;s:)

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