According to the publication www.66.ru, Russian travel firms started offering tour packages to Tashkent to get Visa and Mastercard cards. Flights on planes of Uzbekistan Airways and Uzbekistan Express are to be operated from Yekaterinburg, Moscow, Kazan, Ufa and Mineralnye Vody.
According to Vedi Group, to apply for a card, one only needs a passport and there is a bonus - a ruble account tied to the Uzbek Visa/Mastercard for exchange.
Fee of the package to Tashkent is 23,000 rubles or around 220 US dollars per person for twin/double bed for two nights.
The price includes: airport and bank transfer, accommodation at choice in a four-star hotel, accompanying visit to bank, preparation of documents to bank, courrier services, medical insurance with coverage up to 2 million rubles.
While, medical insurance of 700 rubles (about $ 7), sightseeing and air travel are to be paid separately. Return ticket from: Yekaterinburg - from 47,000 rubles ($450), Moscow - from 28,000 rubles ($270), Mineralnye Vody - from 42,100 rubles ($400), Ufa - from 43,100 rubles ($415), Kazan - from 42,800 rubles ($405).
Thus, if a Russian takes this tour from Yekaterinburg, one bank card will cost at least 70,000 rubles ($670 or 7.7 million soums).
On March 6, Visa and Mastercard announced the suspension of all operations in Russia. Now Russian tour operators are offering special tours so that Russians can obtain these cards in Uzbekistan.
