We advise anyone who has not yet visited Armenia to definitely pay a visit. You don’t need a special excuse to visit our hospitable country; all you need to do is pack your suitcases and travel to Armenia!
We gathered some useful information for you in order to save you some time. This will all come in handy when you travel to Armenia.
What flight routes go to Armenia?
More than 50 cities worldwide offer flights to Yerevan and back. Some of these cities include Moscow, Kiev, Minsk, Paris, Vienna, Prague, Brussels, Rome, London, Beirut, Tel Aviv, Dubai, St. Petersburg, Tehran, Milan, Warsaw, and Istanbul. Armenia has two main airports that service civilian flights. The main airport is the Zvartnots International Airport, which is located 12 kilometers (approximately 7 miles) away from Yerevan. The second one is the Shirak Airport in Gyumri. This airport is located 5 km (3 miles) away from Gyumri, and 120 km (approximately 75 miles) away from Yerevan.
Armenia can also be reached via land and water from Georgia and Iran.
What can I do in order to avoid problems at customs?
Importing and exporting currency is possible without any restrictions, but any amount of money over 10,000 USD or its equivalent in another international currency must be declared.
Importation of 2 liters of strong alcohol and 50 packs of cigarettes is allowed without any customs fees. You will face problems at the Armenian border if you attempt to take antiques, manuscripts, precious stones, coins, and artwork without the proper permission.
Where can I exchange currency?
The national currency in Armenia is the Armenian dram (AMD). All cash transactions in our country may only be carried out through using our national currency. There are banks and currency exchange offices everywhere, which will allow you to exchange your foreign currency for Armenian dram. There are currency exchange offices open from 9 AM until 10 PM or 12 AM on breaks, holidays, or work days.
You can view the current exchange rate on the rate.am website.
The national language is Armenian, but many people speak Russian or English.
The national language of Armenia is Armenian. However, the signs on public buildings and in public places are also available in other languages. Besides Armenian, Russian is widely spoken in our country, and many people also speak English.
The time in Armenia
Armenia does not have Daylight Savings Time or Standard Time. This has been the case since 2012.
Regardless of the season, bring warm clothes with you.
The climate in Armenia is very different during the day and at night. Therefore, regardless of whether you come to Armenia in the winter or the summer, it is best to bring warm clothes with you. Even in the summer, the evenings get quite chilly, especially in the mountains.
Overall, the climate in Armenia is dry and tropical. Sunny days dominate throughout the year. The average temperature in the summertime is between +22 and +36 degrees Celsius (between 71 and 96 degrees Fahrenheit). The winter is rather cold, being between -15 and -1 degrees Celsius on average (between 5 and 30 degrees Fahrenheit). The peaks of tall mountains are always covered in a layer of snow.
How to travel throughout Armenia
Yerevan has a metro, but it does not have the best accomodations for tourists. Locals joke that the metro connects Yerevan’s center to its center. The metro has one route that runs from north to south of the city that has ten stations. It costs 100 AMD to travel on the metro (less than 25 cents).
Buses travel on the main routes. Minibuses with between 12 and 15 seats travel everywhere. The cost to travel on buses and minibuses is 100 AMD in the capital. Unlike many other countries, taking a taxi cab in Armenia is quite affordable. One kilometer costs 100 AMD. Besides being able to order a taxi on online apps, there are also many offices that service taxis, and they accept orders by phone. One can also find a taxi on street intersections and in places where there are lots of people.
Trains in Armenia are slower than buses. That is why it is better to use minibuses in the regions as opposed to trains. The trains stop at three stations owned by private companies. The Kilikia bus station on Admiral Isakov Avenue services international and suburban routes, the Sasuntsi Davit station typically services trips to the Ararat region, and the Northern station services trips to the Tavush, Gegharkunik, and Kotayk regions. It is also possible to rent a car or helicopter in Armenia.
How to make international calls to Armenia
From a landline: +374 (Armenia’s calling code) + local calling code + phone number
From a mobile phone: +374 (Armenia’s calling code) + mobile prefix + phone number
How to make international calls from Armenia
From a landline: 0 + local code + phone number
From a mobile phone: 0 + mobile prefix + phone number
Important phone numbers
Fire department: 101
Police: 102
Ambulance: 103
Airport: 187
Railway enquiry: 184
Weather: 186
Time: 110
How to receive an Armenian visa
Armenia is a country that has some of the best visa conditions for tourists. Armenia has a unilateral visa-free regime for tourists from many countries (you can view the list here). There are also countries with which Armenia has a bilateral visa-free regime (you can view the list here).
People who hold all other national passports, regardless of the type (diplomatic, service, citizenship, or travel documents), including UN Laissez-Passer, must obtain an entry visa.
There are also several countries whose citizens are allowed to obtain an entry visa upon arrival (you can view the list here). The process takes approximately 20 to 25 minutes. It costs 3,000 AMD (approximately 6 USD/6 EUR) for 21 days, and 15,000 AMD (approximately 31 USD/27 euro) for 120 days.
People can also obtain visas before arrival via an online application. They need to apply to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for an e-visa at this address. E-visas are $10 for 21 days, and $60 for 120 days. Payment can only be made via debit or credit card.
Lusine Budaghyan
