Language

The residents of Kansas mostly speak a neutral American English with little accent or dialect. The southeastern corner of the state has a faint southern lilt dating back to the Civil War era when pro-slavery settlers flooded in to snatch up land. In western Kansas, there are communities with deep German, Swedish, and Russian roots due to immigration here in the 1800s. You may hear an accent or two in this part of the state.

Currency

The only currency accepted in Kansas is the US dollar (US $). Banknotes come in denominations of US$1, 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100. There are 100 cents in US$1, with coins available in denominations of 1, 5, 10 and 25 cents. Foreign cash and travelers’ checks can be exchanged at main bank branches in the large cities, while ATMs are easily found in town centers, supermarkets, and gas stations. Credit cards are accepted virtually everywhere in Kansas except in perhaps the smallest mom and pop stores in the rural areas.

Time

Kansas is in the Central Time Zone (GMT -5 or GMT -4 during March 12 to November 4).

Electricity

Kansas and the rest of America use 110-120V, 60Hz for its electricity. Flat two-prong plugs are almost exclusively used, so it’s recommended to bring a universal plug adapter kit if you are traveling with electrical goods from Europe, the UK, or Asia.

Communications

The dialing code for the United States is +1. Kansas has four area codes: 316 (Wichita), 785 (Abilene), 913 (Kansas City), and 620, which serves most of southern Kansas. Cell phone coverage is good in Kansas though there may be a few dead pockets in extreme rural farming areas where few people reside. Internet cafés are not common in Kansas towns, but most public libraries have computers with internet for the use of visitors.

Duty-free

Each arriving passenger to the US over the age of 18 is allowed to carry one liter of alcohol, 200 cigarettes (or 50 non-Cuban cigars or two kilograms of tobacco), and gifts with a value of US$400 without paying any duty.

Tourist Office

Kansas Tourism Office: 534 S. Kansas Ave suite 1210, Topeka, KS 66603. Phone: +1-800-452-6727; email: helpcenter@ink.org; website: http://www.travelks.com/

Consulates serving Kansas

Canadian Consulate, Dallas: +1-214-922-9806 German Consulate, Kansas City: +1-913-642-5134 Netherlands Consulate, Chicago: +1-877-388-2443 French Consulate, Chicago: +1-312-787-5359 Australian Consulate, Chicago: +1-312-419-1480 British Consulate, Chicago: +1-312-970-3800

Emergency

Emergency services: 911