By plane

International flights arrive at the National Airport Minsk [1] (MSQ, formerly known as Minsk-2) located 35 km north-east from the city border. The spacious terminal building is impressive from outside, yet its interior and infrastructure are ideal examples of poor USSR-style design that renders the quiet airport with very sparse traffic ugly and inconvenient.

By train

The width of the train tracks is different in Poland and in Belarus, so if you choose to arrive by train please be prepared for long wheel changing. However, if you are arriving from say, Kiev, Moscow, or Lviv (Lvov) you need not worry about this. Plus as an added bonus, the prices are substantially cheaper from CIS countries.     

By bus

There are several bus routes from Vilnius central bus station to "Avtovokzal Vostochniy" bus station in Minsk. The Minsk bus station is not very close to downtown, however you can have a taxi ride with 10000 roubles (less than €4). The bus also drops passengers off outside the railway station (look out for two Stalinist towers) in the centre of Minsk before proceeding to the Vostochniy (Eastern) station. The bus service takes up to 5 hours and costs around 36 litas (be prepared to spend more than 1.5 hours at the border). Due to the bad quality of the train service, bus ride should be preferred.

By car

Driving in, while possible, requires knowledge of the border system. This is a border of European Union, so control is very strict. Crossing it can take 2 hours. They may check your bags. Without knowledge of Russian, Belarusian or Polish, this can be very hard. There is a very long line of cars at every border crossing. However, if you have passport, VISA and car registration papers prepared, act honest and helpful and arrives as a tourist in a personal car the border crossing can go very smoothly and be over within 45 minutes.
 

Former Residence of Lee Harvey Oswald, St Mary Magdeline Church, Saint Peter & Saint Paul Church, Belarus National Museum of History & Culture, Palats Mastatsva, Mastatsky Salon

Former Residence of Lee Harvey Oswald

    Former Residence of Lee Harvey Oswald, Vulitsa Kamunistychnaja 4 (the bottom left apartment). Lee arrived in the Soviet Union in December 1959 wanting to denounce his US citizenship and was sent to Minsk. He changed his name to Alek and married a native woman, Marina Prusakova, with whom he had a child. The young family left for the United States on June 1, 1962.

St Mary Magdeline Church

   St Mary Magdeline Church (Tsarkva Svyati Mary Magdaleny), Vulitsa Kisjaleva 42. Metro: Njamiha. It was built in 1847 in the Orthodox style - with a pointed octagonal bell tower over the entrance.


Saint Peter & Saint Paul Church

    Saint Peter & Saint Paul Church, Vulitsa Rakovskaja 4. Metro: Njamiha. Built in 1613 and restored in 1871, it is the oldest church in Minsk. It is worthwhile to go inside.

Belarus National Museum of History & Culture

   Belarus National Museum of History & Culture, Vulitsa Karla Marxa 12. Admission 7,000BYR. Open Thursdays to Tuesdays from 11AM to 7PM. There is plenty to see here, sadly there is only Belarusian explanation panels.

Palats Mastatsva

   Palats Mastatsva (Art Palace), Vulitsa Kazlova 3. Admission Free. Open Tuesdays to Sundays from 10AM to 7PM. Several exhibition spaces showing modern art, second hand books and antiques stalls.

Mastatsky Salon

   Mastatsky Salon, Praspekt Francyska Skaryny 12. Open Mondays to Saturdays from 10AM to 8PM. An art gallery with local artists exhibitions and some overpriced souvenirs.

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