When planning a trip to Belarus, it will be useful to get acquainted with the peculiarities of the country's payment system. But this article contains valuable information on this topic not only for guests of the Republic, but also for its inhabitants.
A bit of history
The Belarusian ruble is a relatively young national currency in Belarus. The monetary unit began its history of formation in the first half of the 90s, when the Soviet Union collapsed, Belarus became isolated, and the country needed its own money. Since 1992, coupons have been in circulation, but payment transactions for cashless payment were already carried out in Belarusian rubles. In 1993, there were settlement tickets, and starting from the end of July of that year, Soviet rubles began to be withdrawn from money circulation.
Since 1994, the Belarusian ruble has rightfully acquired the status of the country's only currency.
Belarusian banknotes of 1992 sample
Belarusian banknotes of 1994-1999 sample
Belarusian banknotes of 2000 sample
denominations
The formation of the modern money of the country was long and to some extent thorny. Already in 1994, the Bank of Belarus carried out the first denomination of the ruble 10 times. In 2000, the currency underwent a second transformation into face value, but already 1000 times.
On July 1, 2016, the country's economy again needed a denomination. The ratio was 1:10,000. Another innovation was the fact that the minting of state coins began at the same time.
The ratio of banknotes after denomination in 2016 (money of the Republic of Belarus of a new sample and obsolete)
Previously, the Belarusian ruble did not have change units, however, since 1996, the National Bank of the Republic of Belarus has issued commemorative coins, which are legal tender and represent a certain value for collectors. Such coins are minted from gold, silver or copper-nickel alloy on various topics.
Previously, the absence of coins distinguished Belarus from other countries. But this was done in order to save the state budget.
Now modern Belarusian rubles (abbreviated "Br") are represented by:
At the same time, 1 ruble is equal to 100 kopecks.
Both coins and paper bills regulated National Bank The Republic of Belarus.
For both guests and residents of the country, currency exchange is a sensitive and relevant issue. Therefore, further we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the features of the conversion Belarusian rubles.
Since the Belarusian currency is not freely convertible, it will not be possible to purchase it before entering the country.
Banks of Belarus easily convert foreign money into national ones. You can change the existing banknotes of other countries for Belarusian rubles at currency exchange offices. Such points are located in bank branches, shopping malls, markets, hotels. You can also convert cash at airports and train stations, but the exchange rate there is very unfavorable, so it’s better not to change money unless absolutely necessary.
It is convenient to quickly analyze the exchange rate using special online services that collect up-to-date information from the websites of local banks.
Ha note: usually the most favorable exchange rates are offered by medium and small banks.
When leaving Belarus, you should take care of transferring money into the currency of the destination country in advance. In this case, it is better to be guided by the golden rule: do not put all your eggs in one basket. Namely: take a small part in cash, changing them in the exchanger at the most favorable rate, and transfer the rest to the card. Heading to the countries European Union it is worth issuing a card in euros, in all others - in US dollars. In this case, when paying, the conversion will be direct: the local currency will be converted to EUR or USD. But paying with a ruble card abroad is extremely unprofitable due to double conversion: first, from local currency- in euros or US dollars, and then - in Belarusian rubles.
When making any payment transactions on the territory of Belarus, it is important not to forget to keep the knocked out checks, indicating the transaction. Perhaps they will be checked at customs.
In addition, since 2013, the value added tax (VAT) refund system has been in place. foreign citizens for purchases made on the territory of Belarus when leaving it. This system is called Tax Free, and about 50 countries are connected to it. It should be taken into account that:
Among all payment methods in Belarus, the most popular is non-cash through bank payment cards.
From debit plastic cards in the republic, Visa and MasterCard are more often used, there are also Belkart and Maestro. And from credit cards (more precisely, installment cards: the percentage per annum is 0.000001%), the most popular among the population are Khalva (MTBank), Purchase Card (Belgazprombank), Smart Card (Moscow-Minsk Bank), Magnit "(Belarusbank), "Turtle" (VTB Bank).
Traveler's checks
Until 2013, when traveling to Belarus, one could use American Express traveller's checks, which were the only payment system of this type. Today such payment system does not operate in the country.
Convenient and modern electronic payment systems operate in Belarus. Popular Belarusian EPS:
Since coins appeared in circulation not so long ago, tokens and payment cards have retained their relevance in the country. Where can they be applied and purchased:
A couple of decades ago, to the question “What kind of money is in Belarus?” there was no clear answer. But now there is an active development not only Belarusian currency, but also electronic systems payment.
There are many folk holidays in the Belarusian calendar of holidays - Generosity, Radunitsa, Gromnitsy, Magpies ... Each of them has its own traditions and rituals, which Belarusians carefully carry through the centuries. Generosity is a festive walk around the houses, accompanied by generosity songs and congratulations. It is very similar to Carols - they go generous just at Christmas time. In the group of generous people there is always a Reason
Holidays in Belarus are becoming more popular every year, so the tourist infrastructure is actively developing. In local hotels there is no “star” system generally accepted in Europe, but tourists note the high quality of service and the friendliness of the owners. Prices in hotels in Belarus depend on the location, but in general, they are very affordable. In great demand among tourists are
Belarus is a country that combines Western and Slavic culture. Here, modest old houses side by side with grandiose Gothic cathedrals and giant futuristic buildings, neat eastern cities reminiscent of the Soviet Union - with the European architecture of western capitals. It is not surprising that there are at least a few unusual and noteworthy sights in Belarus.
The climate of Belarus can hardly be called ideal: summers are cool and humid, winters are mild, spring and autumn are changeable. But, despite the vagaries of the weather, tourists speak only positively about holidays in Belarus. The peak season in Belarus falls on summer and new year holidays. Many tourists travel to Europe, so often the occupancy of Belarusian hotels depends on the
The resorts of Belarus are famous not only for interesting sights and picturesque nature, but also rich history. Wherever you go, be prepared for a rich cultural program. Minsk is the most visited resort city in Belarus. In it, the past is intertwined with the present and the future, Soviet architecture coexists with Gothic cathedrals and futuristic hypercubes, and m
Coin value and description:
Belarusian ruble
The issuer of the Belarusian ruble is the Republic of Belarus. Now coins and banknotes are used for payments, although previously the monetary unit was not fractional. One Belarusian ruble includes 100 kopecks. The currency was introduced on May 25, 1992. Prior to that, the USSR ruble was in circulation in the country, as well as Russian ruble. Note that during its existence, the official currency of Belarus changed the ISO code three times. The emission center for the production of the official banknote is the National Bank.
Where did the name "ruble" come from?
Brief historical background
Interesting Facts:
Life without millions: how was the denomination
In this regard, a natural question arose as to how the Belarusian ruble will be equated with the Russian ruble, as well as with the hryvnia, dollar, and euro. At the beginning of 2017, about 50 euro cents accounted for every Belarusian ruble. It should also be said that the rate of the American currency is 1 USD = 1.892 BYN. After adjusting the denominations, 8 coins and 7 new banknotes were put into circulation.
Now Belarusians can use old and new banknotes, since the withdrawal of banknotes of the old sample from circulation is planned to be carried out gradually until the end of 2021 inclusive. Also, residents of the country can contact any bank to exchange banknotes and old-style coins for new ones. At the same time, there are no restrictions on the amounts, and no commission will be charged when exchanging. Given that the old money will soon be withdrawn from circulation, collectors have already become interested in how much the Belarusian ruble with four zeros costs if it is saved and sold after a while.
By Decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus dated November 4, 2015 No. 450, the 3rd denomination was announced national currency since the collapse of the Soviet Union. The money exchange of 2000, which began on July 1, 2016, was the result of prolonged hyperinflation in the Republic. The exchange of old money for new in Belarus is carried out for:
For the population, the key questions were where, how and until what time it is possible to exchange old money for new ones.
Denomination in simple understanding removes extra zeros from banknotes. Year 2000 banknotes are worthless on their own. Until December 31, 2016, in fact, there was a double price tag for goods in the country, that is, it was possible to pay with both old and new money.
In all stores in Belarus, one could see the conversion table:
New denomination | old denomination |
1 kop. | 100 BYR |
2 kop. | 200 BYR |
5 kop. | 500 BYR |
10 kop. | 1000 BYR |
20 kop. | 2000 BYR |
50 kop. | 5 000 BYR |
1 BYR | 10 000 BYR |
2 BYR | 20 000 BYR |
5 BYR | 50 000 BYR |
10 BYR | 100 000 BYR |
20 BYR | 200 000 BYR |
50 BYR | BYR 500 000 |
100 BYR | 1 000 000 BYR |
200 BYR | 2 000 000 BYR |
500 BYR | 5 000 000 BYR |
Starting from January 1, 2017, only Belarusian banknotes of 2009 have value. The exchange of old money for new ones in Belarus is not only possible, but has become a necessary reality. It makes no sense to keep waste paper that is worth nothing.
The exchange amount must be a multiple of 100. If the amount is less than the established limit, the National Bank simply has nothing to give you.
In Russia and Kazakhstan, since January 1, 2017, the exchange of the Belarusian currency of the 2000 sample for the domestic one is not possible due to their withdrawal. The only option is to exchange them for banknotes of 2009. Then, if desired, you can buy any currency for them.
Only banknotes of general use are subject to exchange. The denomination did not affect the investment and commemorative coins issued by the National Bank of the Republic of Belarus in last years before denomination. They are valid for any payments. The value of each banknote is equated to their face value.
The denomination of 2016 was planned as early as 2008. New banknotes were developed in 2007, but struck world economy the crisis of 2008 did not allow Belarus to carry out the monetary reform in time. The exchange of money of the old sample in Belarus is carried out at the rate of 10,000:1. This rate is set to be the same for the entire exchange.
Both cash and cards can be exchanged. The exchange when withdrawing money from the card occurs automatically at the accepted rate. Owners of deposits will not have to write an application for the recalculation of funds in a new way. Some banks were able to reorganize instantly, and their customers could withdraw savings through ATMs in new currency starting July 1, 2016
Instead of thousandth bills, the following are introduced into circulation:
Denomination - consolidation of the monetary unit of the country. As of June 1, 2016, more than 97% of the amount and 60% of all banknotes in circulation in the form of cash were seized.
Monetary reform is a measure that the economy of the Republic needed 8-9 years ago. Hyperinflation has made every first inhabitant of the country a millionaire. At the same time, banknotes of truly high value were extremely rare. Belarusians had to carry a real money bag with them, while the coins were completely out of circulation. Because of this, the Belarusian banknote has become one of the strangest currencies in Europe.
Consolidation is a purely technical undertaking. It does not affect the level of inflation, wages, the amount of debt, the exchanger works automatically. What can not be said about special management and accounting programs, such as 1C. With the introduction of kopecks, it became necessary to switch to new configurations, it will be necessary not only to finalize the form, but also update the metadata. This can be done independently according to the instructions if the simplest accounting system is used. In other cases, the help of specialists is needed.
The denomination in the Republic of Belarus began not only 8 years later than the due account, but also under very strange circumstances. The National Bank has officially recognized that the first batch of new money with a spelling error (“pyatsdzesyat” instead of “pyatsdzyasyat”) costs a facsimile of the former head central bank Belarus. The fact is that the banknotes were printed back in 2008, since then the country has undergone a change in the leadership of the National Bank and a reform of the language. And since they printed a decent amount of banknotes, they did not alter anything.
The design of the new banknotes, although imbued with pride in national places, was developed by EU artists. Many note the fact that the new Belarusian ruble is similar to the euro. It is noteworthy that money was also printed abroad, in particular, in the UK.
Most of the old banknotes were changed in 2017. But until now, up to 7 requests are received every day to exchange old Belarusian money for new ones. The Republic of Belarus approved the following dates and places where it is still possible to change the old den. signs:
On January 1, 2022, the 2000 banknotes were officially declared invalid. The population of Belarus, as well as citizens of other countries who still have that kind of money, have 5 years.
Most of those who have not changed the old money at the moment, or the owners of banknotes with a face value of 50 rubles. (at the devaluation rate, such money simply cannot be exchanged for in a single amount) or with a face value of 100,000 rubles. and more. It is likely that after some time, banknotes of large denominations will be of interest to collectors. Already, there are ads on the net selling them for n-amount in dollars. Entrepreneurial "millionaires" should keep in mind that numismatists will be interested in specimens preserved in looking good, as well as a rare series.
It may not always be profitable to exchange old Belarusian money for new ones. For those who do not understand bonistics, below is a list of banknotes for which collectors are already ready to pay you a tidy sum of money.
Banknotes of rare series:
Defective banknotes are also of interest. For example, marriage paper jams when printing. It is very difficult to find them, but if you succeed, you will get 10 times more than their real face value.
The 2016 denomination is a breath of fresh air in the economy of Belarus. It is difficult to say whether the decision was right to push back the deadlines by as much as 8 years. Reforms are always difficult, because any violation of the usual way of life, especially financial well-being of the population, is a period of denial, rampant fraudulent schemes. But in conditions of hyperinflation, this is the only tool that can save the country from default.
14.5 € (34.2 Belarusian rubles / 988.5 ₽) – minimum daily budgetin Minsk 🇧🇾. That's enough for a good budget hostel, two trips to public transport and food (an amount equal to two lunches in inexpensive cafes).
This amount does not include the cost of flights and insurance. A direct round-trip flight from Moscow will cost 5-6 thousand rubles (and sometimes cheaper if you get on the Belavia promotion). Slightly cheaper during sales (subscribe to the @samokatus telegram channel so you don't miss them).
Screenshot from @samokatus telegram channel
Insurance can be picked up at the service. Turtle - Aviasales in the world of insurance, chooses from dozens of options the cheapest or the most suitable in terms of parameters. Turtle is our partner and we recommend him as the best insurance aggregator.
From Minsk airport you can get to the center in the following ways:
Taxi prices in Minsk depend on the carrier company. The landing price is 3-5 rubles (86.8–144.6 ₽), and the average distance for a kilometer is 70 kopecks (20.2 ₽).
An inexpensive way to get around Minsk is Uber and Yandex.Taxi, working together. The landing fare (including 3 kilometers) will be 3.35 rubles (96.9 ₽), and a kilometer will cost 41 kopecks (11.9 ₽).
Relatively recently, Bolt came to Minsk. Get a discount on your first trip by downloading the app.
A liter of gasoline 92 in Minsk costs an average of 1.52 rubles (44.0 ₽). In paid parking zones, an hour costs about 1 ruble (28.9 ₽).
Renting a bike will cost 5 rubles (144.6 ₽) per hour or 15-20 rubles (433.8–578.4 ₽) per day (for example, velotrek.by).
You can rent an electric scooter in Minsk using the Eleven application - 2 rubles (57.8 ₽) at the start of the trip and 0.2 rubles (5.8 ₽) for each minute.
Hotels: In inexpensive guest houses, prices for double rooms start from 15-20 €, depending on the season (for example, Guest House Crocus, Pobeda or Tulip). At this price, you can find apartments near the center.
In a three-star hotel, room prices start from 30-35 € (for example, Olimpiyskiy , Orbita or Aqua-Minsk Hotel), usually these options are further from the center, but with good ratings. A room in a three-star hotel closer to the center with good ratings will cost from 45-50 € (for example, Yubileiny, Planet or Garni).
In a four-star hotel - from 65-70 € (for example, Gubernsky or Minsk hotel).
For lovers of chain hotels in Minsk there are (sorted from cheapest to most expensive):
Hostels: prices for a bed in a dormitory start from 6-8 €, but many hostels are far from the center. In the off-season, for 7 € you can stay at the centrally located Stary Minsk hostel (9.2/10) or the K&C hostel, a little further from the center. A double room in a hostel will cost 15-20 €.
Airbnb: a good apartment in the center of Minsk can be rented for 20-25€. If you book in advance and have some luck, you can find a room for 9-12 €, but most options cost from 15 € and up.
If you don't have an AirBnb account, you can get €36 off your first booking by registering through this link.
Thus, a good budget accommodation in Minsk will cost you 6-10 € per night per person.
An unlimited tariff will cost about 8.5 rubles per month (245.8 ₽) from MTS or 7 rubles (202.4 ₽) from Life.
A way to save on communications is to order a SIM card for travelers in Russia DrimSim. What we like about Drimsim:
Delivery of the card costs 10€, and by issuing it via this link you will receive 7€ to your account as a gift. The minimum deposit amount for Drimsim is 25€. Take note of this moment.
In Belarus, 1 GB of Internet at Drimsim costs 10 €
Prices in Minsk for groceries in supermarkets are 14% cheaper than in Moscow. Dairy products, vegetables, fruits, some types of meat are much cheaper. It is profitable to buy products in hypermarkets or on the Komarovsky market.
There are several free tours in Minsk with different frequency: every day or once a week. If you are ready to pay for an interesting excursion, options are available on the website.
A bus tour lasting 1 hour 40 minutes will cost 30 rubles (867.6 ₽). A trip on a yacht will cost 140 rubles (4,049.0 ₽)
A visit to the Museum of Miniatures “Mini Country” will cost 15 rubles (433.8 ₽), and the interactive center “Quantum” - 13 rubles (376.0 ₽) on weekdays or 16 rubles (462.7 ₽) on weekends.
Prices for souvenirs are approximately the following:
What is brought from Belarus?
Cool designer souvenirs can be bought at the Vyaliki Dzyakui! ( Oktyabrskaya 23A)
The most famous flea market in Minsk is the so-called “Field of Miracles” market. On a vast territory, they sell almost everything here: from twenty-year-old posters from the Molotok magazine to auto parts and relics of the Second World War.
All this splendor is spread out on the street. Timiryazeva, 123 (Tsimirazeva, 123, if you like) and is open from Tuesday to Sunday in the morning.
Prices in Minsk for entrance tickets to museums vary greatly.