2015
How to get Apatity?
The closest major airport to Apatity, Russia is Kirovsk-Apatity Airport (KVK) . This airport located at 18 km from the center of Apatity, and servicing domestic flights from St. Petersburg (Pulkovo Airport, LED) and Moscow (Domodedovo, DME); the flight takes ~1.5 hours from LED and 2.5 hours from DME. You can use this booking system Destinia or Skyscanner
There are regular buses from airport to Apatity (not to Kirovsk), but much more useful to take a taxi. Telephone of Taxi +7(81555)6-40-40 There is no English-spreaking dispatcher, but you can ask aiport staff to help you. Taxi drivers usually can’t speak English, but they can read name of hotel from your voucher or booking letter. Fare costs approximately 300 rubels to Apatity and 680 rubles to Kirovsk (4.5 and 10 euro). You have to change money in advance.
Alternatively, Apatity can be reached by intercity bus or train (you will need local bus or taxi to ralway or bus stantion) from airport Murmansk, Russia (MMK), which is connected by international flights with Tromsø (TOS) in Norway (note: this is not a direct flight!), as well as St. Petersburg, Moscow and other Russian cities. Airport located 196 km north from Apatity.
The simplest way from Murmansk to Apatity/Kirovsk is taxi. Way to Apatity (Hotel Ametist) takes 3 hours and to Kirovsk (Hotel Severnaya)- 3.5 hours. Drivers usually cannot speak English, but they can read name of hotel, writhed by English letters.
You can call «Aerotaxi» +7(911)5054070. There is English-spreaking dispatcher. Taxi will come approximately 20 minutes after your call. The fare between Murmansk and Apatity cost 3000 rubels (approx. 50 Euro, you have to change money in advance). You can obtain taxi just near the exit of airport, but there is not guaranty of comfort in your way.
If you will have problems with calling taxi, you can ask airport staff to help you.
Finally, for real adventurers, there are train connections that will take you from Moscow (34 hours) and St.Peterburg (23 hours).
Visa application procedure -
If you require a visa to enter the Russian Federation, you will need an official invitation from the Organizing Committee to apply for one.
We already send official invitations to all participants, asked us.
After you recive our letter to obtain a visa, you will need to apply to the Russian Embassy or Consulate in your country, fill out the required forms and enclose the invitation in your application package. Each Consulate/Embassy has their own regulations and standard turn-around times for visa applications. Make sure to inquire about these regulations prior to submitting your application. Note that a number of companies offer their help with visa application for an additional fee (for example, VFS Global in the UK or Invisa Logistic Services in the USA). It is entirely at your discretion whether you seek their help or apply in person.
Anyway, when you will come to Russian Consulate, you should ask "Business" visa or "Humanitarian - Scientific" (NOT Touristic visa). All official invitations we have sent you are invitations for Busness visas. Owervise you can have problems with excursions and with an entrance to Geological Institute
Medical insurance is not obligatory for obtaining a Russian visa, but is
desirable, especially if you are going to participate in the geological
excursions.
Sample export procedure
If you are planning on collecting a considerable amount of material (rock
and mineral samples) during the Kola excursions and taking this material
outside of Russia, you will need a special,
state-issued permit regardless of whether you will be tucking the
samples into your suitcase or mailing them. As we indicated in the
Conference Circular, you will need at least three days in St. Petersburg
during your return journey from Kola in order to sort out the required
paperwork. The Organizing Committee will assist you with this, but there
is certain information that you will need to provide ahead of time and
certain steps that you will need to take during your visit, in order to
avoid any unfortunate delays and problems further down the road.
Detailed instructions explaining these steps are given below.
(1) By July 31, 2015, please email
Prof. Anatoly Zaitsev (burbankite(@)gmail.com)
the following:
- a copy of the photo page from your passport clearly showing your name,
passport number, expiry date, etc.;
- a copy of the passport page that has your Russian visa;
- a copy of your electronic ticket clearly showing the date of your
departure from St. Petersburg;
- the dates of your stay in St. Petersburg;
- your home address and contact phone number;
(2) While in Kola, you will need to:
- keep track of the samples you are collecting in order to be able to
compose their detailed list, which will be submitted along with your
permit application;
- photograph the samples you collected (several pieces can appear in the
same shot) with a scale, and sample number indicated next to each;
- obtain a letter from the Geological Institute (Kola Science Centre)
that the listed samples were donated to you for research by the
Institute (a template of this letter will be prepared and circulated
ahead of time);
(3) While in St. Petersburg, you will need to:
- make sure that you have adequate funds (in roubles) to pay for the
supporting documentation and permit (detailed pricing information will
be circulated in July);
- print three color copies of each sample photo (any copy shop will be
able to do it for you);
- make the above documentation available to an evaluation expert, who
will examine it and, hopefully, approve it;
- make yourself available for a drop-off and pick-up of the paperwork.
Let us know if you have any further questions....
