How to Call Belarus From the United States

This former Soviet republic is not exactly a mecca for U.S. travelers, but some people love to explore this budding independent nation. If you need to call Belarus to make some travel plans, follow these easy steps.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Foreign Language Phrase Books
• Travel Guides
• Telephones
• Clocks
• Telephone Calling Cards

1. Determine what time it is in Belarus. Belarus is 2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time, which means it is 7 hours later in Belarus than it is on the East Coast of the United States, and 10 hours later than it is on the West Coast.
2. Keep in mind that many phone numbers in Minsk, the capital of Belarus, have changed in recent years. If you have a six-digit number for that city, add a 2 after the city code.
3. Dial 011, the international access code.
4. Dial 375, the Belarus country code.
5. Drop the 0 from the beginning of the city code. (The city code for Minsk is 017.)
6. Dial the remaining digits.

Tips & Warnings

• If you're having problems getting through, dial 00 for the international operator and ask him or her to place the call.
• Calling between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. or on weekends will often cost up to 50 percent less than calling during business hours. Call your long-distance carrier to find out which hours are cheapest to call internationally with your long-distance plan.
• If you're calling from a pay phone, you'll need to have a calling card or charge the call to a credit card - you won't be able to feed the phone with coins fast enough to keep yourself connected. Follow the instructions printed on the phone for placing the call.