Business appointments in Belarus should be made well in advance through a local third party with a good reputation and connections. When meeting, address people with their surnames and a brief handshake. Meetings are usually formal, and negotiations can be protracted. A great deal of concessionary bargaining is expected. Bureaucracy and legal matters in Belarus are very complicated so it is best to hire local professionals to assist. Dates in Belarus are written with the day first, then the month and then the year.

Belarus has a temperate continental climate, with cold, snowy winters and warm, pleasant summers. Humidity and precipitation is generally high all year round. Expect rain in summer, or snow in winter, every couple of days. In the north of the country winters are more extreme, the temperature often plummeting well below zero.

The international dialling code for Belarus is +375. To dial out on an international call dial 8, wait for the tone, then dial 10 followed by the country code, area code and number you are calling (e.g. 8-10 44 for the UK). Payphones are widely available but most cannot be used to call internationally. Payphones operate only on special cards, sold at post offices and newspaper kiosks. There are four mobile network operators in Belarus, two of which operate GSM networks. Coverage is good in the major towns and along the highways, but not available in rural areas. Mobile phones may be rented from local service providers. The Internet can be accessed from a network of state run (Beltelecom) cybercafés, and some private cafes, in the major towns.

While visiting in Belarus, do not take photographs of government buildings, military installations or uniformed officials. Be aware that jaywalkers are heavily fined. Whistling inside a building is considered bad luck.

The duty free allowance for visitors entering Belarus is 1.5 litres of spirits, 2l of wine, 1000 cigarettes or 1000g of tobacco products, a reasonable quantity of perfume for personal use and goods up to the value of US$1, 000.

Electrical current is 220 volts, 50Hz. European two-prong plugs with circular pins are in use. Schuko plugs are also in use.

The main health risks associated with visiting Belarus are tick-borne encephalitis (for those who intend foot-slogging through the forests), measles (outbreaks occur) and diphtheria, so travellers should ensure they are vaccinated against these diseases. There have also been recent cases of human rabies infection in the rural areas, identified as originating with bites from foxes, raccoon, dogs and cats. Visitors should not drink unpurified tap water, unpasteurised milk or consume undercooked food. Medical care is limited and essential medications are frequently not available. Medical facilities lack modern equipment. The best equipped are private clinics, which are available in Minsk. Doctors and hospitals expect payment in cash. Travel health insurance with air evacuation cover is highly recommended.

Russian and Belarussian are both official languages, with the majority speaking Russian.

The currency is the Belarussian ruble (BYR), which is equal to 100 kopeks. There are no coins in circulation (plastic cards and tokens are used for the metro and public telephones). Currency and travellers cheques can be exchanged at banks and official bureaux de changes in Minsk and the larger towns. US Dollars and Euros are preferred and some currencies may not be accepted. Exchange offices may reject old/damaged notes and it is advisable to keep all receipts for exchange transactions as these may be required on departure, or when re-converting your leftover rubles. Mastercard and Visa are accepted at the larger hotels and tourist restaurants, but American Express and Discovery cards are not accepted at all. ATMs are widely accessible in major towns and banking hours are weekdays from 9am to 5pm.

Visitors from countries where there is no Belarussian consulate or embassy may obtain a tourist visa on arrival at Minsk-2 Airport at a cost of US$80, but it is strongly recommended that an effort is made to obtain a visa prior to arrival. Visas are only issued on the basis of invitation from hotels, tour companies or Belarussian citizens. All visitors have to buy health insurance on arrival; US$4 for a stay of seven days or US$15 for one month. Foreigners not staying at a hotel must register with the authorities on arrival and such registration must be entered on their visa. Hotels automatically register their guests.

Most visits to Belarus are trouble free. The crime rate is very low, however precautions should be taken against mugging, pick-pocketing and theft from vehicles or hotel rooms. There have been instances of theft from travellers on sleeper trains between Warsaw and Moscow.

Local time is GMT +2. (GMT +3 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).

Tipping in Belarus is not as common as in many other countries, but it is adequate to round up the bill or taxi fare, and a 10% tip for excellent service will not go amiss.