The ruble is the only legal tender. It is illegal to pay for goods and services in U.S. dollars except at authorized retail establishments. Old or much worn dollar bills are often not accepted at banks and exchange offices.

The modern Russian ruble appeared in 1992. During a period of high inflation there were different issues of banknotes in 1992, 1993, 1994 and 1995. Beginning with 1998 a monetary reform took place, new ruble replaced old ones. In 2001 the modified banknotes of 1997 were introduced, with improved security features. One ruble equals 100 kopecks.

Coins and paper banknotes that are in circulation now

Coins: 1,5,10 and 50 kopecks; 1, 2 and 5 rubles.
Paper banknotes: 10, 50,100, 500, 1000 and 5000 rubles.

5 Rubles
This banknote has been replaced by a 5 ruble coin. On the banknote you may see the Millennium of Russia monument on background of Saint Sophia Cathedral in Veliky Novgorod. The reverse displays fortress wall of the Novgorod Kremlin.

10 Rubles
It’s a dark-green and dark-brown note with an image of a bridge across Yenisei River in Krasnoyarsk. Yenisei is the major Siberian city and Yenisei River is the world’s fifth-longest river. The reverse shows the Krasnoyarsk hydroelectric power station dam- the city’s major landmark. 10 ruble coins are also in use.

50 Rubles
The blue and violet note displays a sculpture at the foot of one of two Rostral Columns in St. Petersburg. Flanking the former Stock Exchange Building, the columns served as oil-fired navigation beacons in the 1800s (on some public holidays, gas torches are still lit on them). In the background is the famous Petropavlovsk fortress. Established by Peter the Great, it became a jail for high-ranking political prisoners. The fortress is now a museum. The reverse has the former Stock Exchange Building that now houses the city’s Central Naval Museum.

100 Rubles
The Brown-green-burgundy banknote shows a sculpture on the portico of Moscow’s legendary Bolshoi Theatre and a horse-drawn chariot of Apollo (the god of the arts in Greek mythology). The reverse displays the entire building of The Bolshoi Theatre.

500 Rubles
The violet and blue banknote displays a monument to Peter the Great, a sailing ship and sea terminal in Arkhangelsk, the city in the northern part of Russia. The reverse shows the Solovetsky Monastery. Founded in the XVth century it was a major spiritual centre and pilgrimage destination. Today, it’s a World Heritage Site, museum and home to a handful of monks.

1000 Rubles
It is the blue-green note with a monument to Yaroslav the Wise and chapel of the Yaroslavl Kremlin. Yaroslav was the founder of the city of Yaroslavl, 250 km from Moscow. His long reign turned Russia into a cultural and military power in the XIth century. Behind, is a chapel of the city’s Kremlin. On the back side you may see the Church of St. John the Precursor in Yaroslavl.

5000 Rubles
The red-orange banknote displays a monument to Nikolay Muravyov-Amursky in Khabarovsk, a XIXth century Russian statesman and diplomat, who played a major role in the expansion of the Russian Empire towards the Pacific Rim. The monument situated in Khabarovsk - the major city in the Russian Far East. On the reverse you may see the Khabarovsk Bridge, taking the Trans-Siberian Railway across the Amur River.

Currency exchange

Dollars can be easily exchanged into rubles in banks.

We strongly recommend you to change currency in banks or official exchange offices only.

Please be prepared to show the passport and the customs declaration while in a bank. The exchange rate can be usually found on the display near the entrance of the bank or you may ask a teller.

Credit cards are widely spread in Ekaterinburg. Most of hotels, shops and other establishments accept Visa, Master Card, Euro card, American Express, Maestro. Traveler’s checks are not so common. Before you leave home, check with your credit card and travelers check companies to learn if and where these can be used in Ekaterinburg.

You may also you ATMs. They are usually located in shopping centers, large grocery stores, banks, public offices and at Metro stations. The majority of bank’s ATMs operating with international bank card associations. The easiest way to convert money is to withdraw rubles using a bank card.

Banks

There are more then 200 banks — commercial and state — providing their services in Ekaterinburg. The main banks are:
 

• The Ural branch of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation ("Sberbank")
  Address:
  Ekaterinburg, Malysheva ul., 31-v (ул. Малышева, 31В)
  Phone: (343) 269 51 04
  urb.sbrf.ru 
   
• Ekaterinburg National City Bank (Bank “Ekaterinburg”)
  Address:
  Ekaterinburg, Vosmogo Marta Ulitsa, 13 (ул. Восьмого (8) Марта, 13)
  Phone: (343) 377-66-55
  www.emb.ru 
   
• “Severnaya Kazna” — “Alfa-Bank”
  Address:
  Ekaterinburg, Gorkogo ul., 17 (ул. Горького, 17)
  Phone: (343) 359 27 27
  http://www.kazna.ru 
   
• The Ural Bank for Reconstruction and Development
  Address:
  Ekaterinburg, Lenina Prospect, 29 (Проспект Ленина, 29)
  Phone: (343) 378 90 20
  www.ubrr.ru
  

Currency exchange offices

• Offices of the Ural Bank for Reconstruction and Development:
  
  Lenina prospect, 29 (Проспект Ленина, 29)
  
  Lenina prospect, 36 (Проспект Ленина, 36)
  
  Working hours:
  Monday-Friday, 09:00-18:00
  Saturday, 09:00-17:00
  Sunday, 09:00-15:00

24-hours currency exchange offices

• “Koltsovo” international airport, main terminal, departure lounge
  Phone: (343) 226 80 81 
   
• "SKB-Bank" office, Lenina prospect, 40 (Проспект Ленина, 40)
  Phone: (343) 371 38 24
   
• Atrium Palace Hotel, Kuibysheva ul., 44 (ул. Куйбышева, 44)
  Phone: (343) 359 60 00

ATMs

24/7 ATMs:
 

• Bank 24.RU
  Malysheva ul., 84 (ул. Малышева, 84); Lenina avenue, 48 (Проспект Ленина, 48) 
   
• "Alfa-Bank"
  Malysheva ul., 31D (ул. Малышева, 31Д); Gorkogo ul., 17 (ул. Горького, 17) 
   
• “Dragozennosti Urala” Bank
  Gagarina ul., 14 (ул. Гагарина, 14) 
   
• "SKB-Bank"
  Mira ul., 19 (ул. Мира 19); Lenina prospect, 40 (Проспект Ленина, 40); Lenina prospect, 81/83 (Проспект Ленина, 81/83) 
   
• "URSA-Bank"
  Chebysheva ul., 4V (ул. Чебышева, 4В) 
   
• "Uraltransbank"
  Mamina-Sibiryaka ul., 145 (ул. Мамина-Сибиряка, 145); Sverdlova ul., 6 (ул. Свердлова, 6); “Koltsovo” international airport, main terminal, departure lounge 
   
• The Ural Bank for Reconstruction and Development
  Kuibysheva ul., 44 (ул. Куйбышева, 44); Sverdlova ul., 25 (ул. Свердлова, 25); Lunacharskogo ul., 128 (ул. Луначарского, 128).

Traveler's checks

You may cash traveler’s checks in the following banks:
 

• "VTB Bank"
  The bank accepts American Express; American Express Secure Funds; Visa Interpayment, Visa; Thomas Cook, ETC-Thomas Cook; ETC-Thomas Cook/MasterCard, MasterCard.
  Address:
  Stepana Razina ul., 16 (ул. Степана Разина, 16)
  Phone: (343) 217 81 00 
   
• "SKB-Bank"
  The bank accepts American Express traveler’s checks.
  Address:
  Kuibysheva ul., 75 (ул. Куйбышева, 75)
  Phone: (343) 261 73 81 
   
• "Alfa-Bank"
  The bank accepts American Express checks.
  Address:
  Lenina Prospect, 99 (Проспект Ленина, 99)
  Phone: (343) 374 51 51