Brest (Belarus)

Brest is a border town in the south-west corner of Belarus, near Terespol in Poland. Understand Get in Train, car, bus connections are with the local town on the Polish side, Terespol. By plane Atlant Soyuz (Russian Airline) recently started direct service from Moscow. Tickets are ~$175 round-trip. It is 2hr40min flight. You can book tickets on the airline website. [1] You can also fly to Minsk or Warsaw and take the train (see Trains section for details) By train See Belarus. Get out: the customs control in the Brest train station is not very obvious. About an hour or so before the train leaves, you'll see people waiting at a railing next to some glass walls which look they open up to some rather bland and unused empty room. They look a bit like people waiting for arrivals at an airport, except that it's not obvious who they are waiting for. In fact, they are waiting for the customs office to open. If you're trying to leave Belarus, then join the queue a good deal of time before your train leaves. If you arrive only ten minutes before the train leaves, chances are good that the train will leave without you, not because the queue is too long, but just because the rules are strict. The train from Warsaw runs 3-4 times a day and costs 150 zloty (~$60USD). Alternatively, you can take the train from Warsaw to Terespol (on the other side of the border from Brest) for 40-60 zloty ($15-20USD) and then take a commuter train from Terespol to Brest (runs twice a day) for ~2USD. You can check the schedule for both types of train on Polish Railways website [2] The train to/from Minsk runs ~20 times per day and costs ~$5-20USD. You can check the schedule on the Belarussian Railways website (note: only in Russian), which has a graphical map to select cities. [3] By car See Belarus. There are six control lines of various sorts at the crossing. Allow something like 2 hours to get through them all. If you are already in Terespol and need to cross over to Brest, you can walk over to the border crossing and "hitchhike" across with one of the cars that is already towards front of the line. They might be happy to take you across as they can "assign" some goods as belonging to you for the purposes of customs. Just go along with the arrangement. Alternatively, they might ask for a modest payment of $5USD or so. By boat Get around Transport within Brest city is very regular, with many different bus route through the city, and also regular trolley-buses through the city. Taxis are also easy to order and "mashrutkas" (Private minivan taxis that follow bus routes) also operate throughout the city. The main attractions are all within walking distance. See Naberezhnaya (Riverfront), naberezhnaya st (riverfront between TSUM and pr Shevchenko). If you just happen to wander around the city this is my best place, especially late summer - fall. The riverfront has a lot of willow trees and there are a lot of ducks swimming in the river. There are some chairs under the willow trees sitting on which is very relaxing. The Fortress of Brest (PL: Brześć Litewski)[4] preserves the ruins of a massive fortification built in XIX century by Russian Empire, that achieved "Hero Fortress" status during World War II. Admission fee. Walking the grounds of this great fortification is a moving experience that gives a good sense of the privations faced by the forces that were besieged there. There is a museum, where you can learn about fight between attacking Germans and defending Soviets. There is also small part about Polish defenders of this place, who were attacked earlier by Germans and Soviets. The history of Brest Fortress is complicated, as you can see, and worth learning. Gogolya st, ulica Gogolya (between Cosmonavtov blvd and Naganova st). This is nice alley with two lines of old chestnut trees on both sides. Gives you nice quiet walk in summer and fall. Brest City Park [5] for a pleasant walk on a summer afternoon. Beware of millions of mosquitoes descending in the evening. Outdoor Railway Museum [6] - located on Ul. Maskouskaya right before you get to Fortress of Brest Do Explore Brest Hero Fortress Walk on Sovetskaya Ul with all shops and restaurants Go ice-skating in the Ice Palace on the intersection of Ul. Maskouskaya and Ul. 28 Iyulya Learn Brest is home to two Universities: A.S.Pushkin State University [7] State Technical University [8] - offers 3-12 months Russian language courses Work Buy There are many shops and boutiques on Sovetskaya street, which sell all kinds of products from fishing gear to real designer wear. Smaller shops are dotted around the town centre and there is a big "TSUM"- Central Department Store on Moskovskaya street. Eat Restaurant Vesta. Venezia Restaurant. Restaurant Y ozera. In a town park , good meat and starters. Good for business lunches. Retro Pizza (Half way down Sovetskaya street, near the cinema "Belarus" Drink Sleep Budget Mid-range Hotel Belarus 6, Shevchenko blvd. Central location, several blocks away from river Muhovetz. Rooms can run anywhere between $30-70/night for foreign citizens. Belorussian citizens still enjoy lower rates. Contact Stay safe Belarus has a low rate of crime, and mostly the atmosphere is very friendly even on big celebrations (when everyone is drunk) :) Try not to wander off too far at night. Cope Buses will not run after 11.30 so you would need a taxi. Get out Belavezhskaya Pushcha [9] is an ancient woodland straddling the border between Belarus and Poland, located 70 km (43 mi) north from Brest. It is one of the last and largest remaining parts of the immense primeval forest which once spread across the European Plain. It is a UNSECO World Heritage Site. This article is an outline and needs more content. It has a template, but there is not enough information present. Please plunge forward and help it grow!