Communications with the outside world

IF YOU COUNT ON STATE-RUN services, communicating with the outside world can be somewhat hampered. Mail from Russia can take anywhere from two weeks to several lifetimes to reach any destination and the telephone system, though cheaper than its Western equivalents, is still rather under-developed. If a letter or phone call just has to get through, you may want to rely on one of the number of alternatives to standard state services; these are naturally more expensive but also much more reliable.

Russia has plenty of mailboxes and post offices, but they're only usesful for letters that don't need to arrive within a month and wouldn't be missed if they never arrived. If you need to send anything else, you're better off using an international or national delivery service.

Receiving Mail in Russia You can recieve mail slowly and somewhat unreliably at the post office inside the Central Telegraph office. Sending Mail from Russia For important letters it's best to use a private express mail service. If you're just sending postcards, they'll probably make it if you drop them off at a large post office. Mailboxes on the street are less reliable.