Capital: Algiers
Time zone: GMT + 1
Telephone services: Country Code: 213
Outgoing Code: 00
Emergency telephone numbers: Not available at present.
Tourist information: Algerian Consulate 6 Hyde Park London SW7 5EW Tel: (020) 7589 6885 Fax: (020) 7589 7725
Passport information: Valid passport required by all. Return Ticket Required may be subject to change at short notice. Contact the Consulate before travelling.
Visa information: Visa required by all except nationals of the following countries: Argentina, Benin, Bosnia, Herzegovina, Croatia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea Republic, Libya, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Senegal, Seychelles, Slovenia, Syria, Tunisia, Yemen, Serbia and Montenegro.
Health information: Polio Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Malaria: Limited Risk
Yellow Fever: Recommended. Certificate is required if arriving from infected areas.
Other Health Risks: Bilharzia present.
Food & drink: Water is untreated and not safe to drink. Take local advice and normal precations with food.
Currency: Algerian Dinar (AD) = 100 centimes
NOTE: when exchanging money a receipt is required that should be presented on departure. Foreign money must be declared via a declaration form and stamped at arrival.
Very limited acceptance of credit cards. Travellers cheques can only be changed in 4-star hotels. French francs are the preferred currency.
ATM availability: Over 100 locations.
Cost of living: Visitors should expect to pay much more than local people.
Languages: Arabic French and English are spoken in tourist centres.
Weather: During the Summer the temperatures can be very high with humid weather in the North. Travel delays can be caused by sandstorms and coastal towns are also prone to storms.
Electricity: 127/220 Volts. Plugs = European 2-pin
Post: Airmail from the main cities takes 3-4 days from elsewhere it takes much longer.
Transport: RAIL: Daily services between the main centres. COACH: Not recommended for long journeys. ROAD: Most are in good condition. NOTE: For desert travel vehicles must be in good working order as breakdown facilities are virtually non-existent. Water and petrol supplies must be carried. DOCUMENTATION: IDP is required. If your own car is used a Carnet de Passage also be required. Insurance must be purchased at the border. Proof of ownership is essential.
Special information: HIGH RISK. The Travel Advice Unit of the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office advises against travel to Algeria unless on essential business. There have been a number of attacks on tourists. Because of the situation of global and regional insecurity at present, travellers who intend to travel despite this advice should exercise extreme caution and make only necessary journeys in Algeria.