All the taxis work in accordance with a unified tariff system, so taxi rates can only be changed depending on the time of day. Some firms charge an additional fee for luggage. Travellers who expect to make taxi rides outside the city should negotiate the cost of a ride with taxi drivers in advance.
The most beneficial way to make phone calls is to use public pay phones, which can be found close to all government institutions and shopping centers. They are operated by special plastic cards or coins. The calls by such phones made from 8:00 to 18:00 will be the cheapest.
Money can be easily exchanged at any bank or post office. While exchanging your money, do not forget to pay attention not only to the exchange rate, but also to the size of commission charged. Different establishments can charge significantly different commissions.
Banks and other government agencies usually serve clients from 8:00 to 15:00. Many establishments close for a small lunch break during the daytime. Thursday is considered a long working day, on which all the facilities are open until 17:30. Saturday and Sunday are days off.
Travellers are not obliged to leave tips in restaurants and cafes, but they are free to leave a small monetary reward to a waiter for good service. A tip of 5% of the total cost will be enough. In luxury restaurants service charges may be already included in the bill.
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