travel to Minsk

I hope to meet a lady living in Minsk next year around February/March 2010. I checked airline dates and how they get to Minsk. One flight has me leaving Reno, Nevada to Los Angeles, California to Moscow, then to Minsk which is 28 hours. But in my search, I find I need visas from Russia %26amp; Belarus. Other flights have me going thru London, Frankfort and then, Minsk. But travel time is 38 hours. Will I need visas if I am just passing thru London %26amp; Frankfort? Which route will get me to Minsk with the least amount of hassle? And is there anyone from the U.S. who has recently traveled to Minsk? I appreciate and thank you for any help/information given.

|||

%26gt; Will I need visas if I am just passing thru London %26amp; Frankfort?

I am about 99.9% sure that if you hold a US passport then you don%26#39;t need visas to enter UK and Germany.

|||

There are many better ways to travel to Minsk. (Not via Moscow, but via NY).

Lufthansa airlines are the best. Many Travel agencies in NY, Chicago, LA specialized in travel to former Soviet Republics. They have best deals and best suggestions on this subject.

|||

Try NY-Vilnius as intermediate destinations. i%26#39;m sure you%26#39;ll find many deals. From Vilnius to Minsk they usually take a train(3.5 hrs)

Frankly speaking there is no border between Russia and Belarus, so if this is gonna be a short visit(1-2 days) youi might try to cheat and take a train from Moscow to MInsk. They do not check passports on the way. You just go to sleep in your compartment in Moscow and wake up in Minsk.

But since your are non-Russian speaking it would be quite hard to look like a Russian guy.

Anyway I know lots of people just take a train/bus from Moscow to MInsk - that%26#39;s it. But if you get caught you will surely get into trouble...