Social Conventions Visitors to Azerbaijan may find themselves the recipients of an unexpected bounty in the form of gifts of flowers, food and souvenirs. It is therefore advisable to travel equipped with suitable items – consumables or souvenirs – with which to reciprocate. Local women, particularly in rural areas, tend to be extremely retiring. They will serve a meal, but seldom eat with foreign guests. Visitors may present women with flowers, but overenthusiastic attempts to engage them in conversation may cause offence and embarrassment. Foreign women are treated with elaborate
courtesy which can develop into excessive attention. It is therefore advisable for women to dress modestly, especially in the rural areas, and cultivate a certain coolness of manner. Still, many local and foreign women dress in western-style clothes and this is seen as perfectly acceptable. Both men and women should, however, avoid wearing shorts as this will attract unwelcome attention. Although mostly Muslim in population, Azerbaijan is a largely secular society that views religion as a private matter. Handshaking is the normal form of greeting. Business cards are invariably exchanged at any kind of official meeting, and not infrequently on first meeting socially as well.
International Travel:
Getting There by Air The national airline is Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) (J2), which operates regular flights to Ankara, London (via Istanbul), Kiev, Dubai, Tehran and Tel Aviv.
Air Passes None.
Departure Tax None.
Main Airports Baku Bina (BAK) is 25km (16 miles) east of Baku (journey time – 40 minutes). To/from the airport: Taxis and buses are available to the center. Facilities: Car hire, bank/bureau de change, left luggage facilities and a VIP lounge.
Getting There by Water Winter storms may disrupt services in Azerbaijan.
Main ports:Baku offers a range of shipping services across the Caspian Sea, including regular trips to Turkmenbashi in Turkmenistan, and to Bandar Anzali and Bandar Nowshar in Iran.
Getting There by Rail Azerbaijan is connected with Tbilisi in Georgia and Makhachkala in Dagestan (Russian Federation), as well as Moscow and other major cities in the CIS. There is a railway connecting the autonomous republic of Nakhichevan with Tabriz in Iran but there are not yet any connections to the main part of Azerbaijan. Rail travel is slow, and there have been reports of robbery by bandits on some routes.
Getting There by Road There are routes from Azerbaijan to Iran, Georgia and the Russian Federation. It may be quicker to use public transport than to drive, owing to lengthy delays at the borders. Bus: There are regular services on the following routes: Baku–Tehran, Baku–Tblisi and Baku–Derbent (Russian Federation).
Overview The following goods may be imported into Azerbaijan by persons over 16 years of age without incurring customs duty: 1000 cigarettes or 1000g of tobacco products; 1.5l of spirits and 2l of wine; a reasonable quantity of perfume for personal use; goods up to a value of US$10,000.
On entering the country, tourists must complete a customs declaration form which must be retained until departure. This allows the import of articles intended for personal use, including currency and valuables which must be registered on the declaration form.
Weapons and ammunition, narcotics, live animals (subject to special permit), photographs and printed material directed against Azerbaijan, fruit and vegetables.
Weapons and ammunition, precious metals, works of art and antiques (unless permission has been granted by the Ministry of Culture) and furs.
Internal Travel:
Getting Around by Road Azerbaijan’s road network totals around 57,770km (34,346 miles). Nowadays most roads are in better condition (but still pretty poor) and 4-wheel-drive vehicles are recommended for journeys into the mountains, eg west of Kuba. Roads are badly lit. Regulations: Traffic drives on the right. Visitors should note that many local drivers do not adhere to traffic regulations and that cars are badly maintained. There is zero tolerance on alcohol consumption while driving. Car hire: Car hire facilities are available through Avis and Hertz in Baku. Documentation: An International Driving Permit is required or license issued by an EU country.
Getting Around Towns and Cities Taxi fares should always be negotiated before starting a journey, and visitors should be aware that rates proposed initially are likely to be unreasonably high. There is an underground system totaling 28km (17.5 miles) but most visitors use taxis or private cars. Baku Metro is poorly maintained and the system is often inadequately safe and overcrowded. Buses run from central Baku to the suburbs but they tend to be overcrowded.
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