With the festive season approaching, many are curious about the work schedules of important institutions such as banks, postal services, and social funds across Russia during the 2024 holiday period. This guide aims to provide comprehensive information on when these organizations will be open and closed so you can plan your holiday errands without any surprises.
The 2024-2025 New Year holidays will span 11 days, starting from December 29, 2024, and running through to January 8, 2025. The last working day of 2024 will be Saturday, December 28, the day on which most organizations will operate normally, as officially designated holidays do not commence until December 29.
According to Bankiros.ru, clients should check directly with their respective banks for the most current information on working hours during this period. For Sberbank, the schedule from December 28, 2024, to January 9, 2025, is as follows: operations will continue until December 30, with closures on January 1-3. Select branches will remain on duty from January 4-6, closed on January 7, and resume normal operations on January 9.
VTB Bank, similarly, will have most of its branches closed during the New Year holidays. Clients can visit duty branches, operational on December 28 and 29, with limited services on December 30, and only on-duty branches accessible from January 1-8. They will reopen for regular business hours on January 9.
For T-Bank, it is noteworthy to mention they do not have physical branch offices; instead, their customer support services will remain available 24/7 throughout the holiday period.
Alpha Bank is also adjusting its services accordingly. Customers will find their branches open normally on December 29, operating on Saturday hours on December 30 with a shortened workday on December 31. They will close from January 1-3, then have on-duty branches from January 4-6, throughout January 8, and return to standard operations on January 9.
Raiffeisen Bank, on the other hand, will suspend its services completely from December 29 through January 8. Only December 28 and January 9 will see the bank operating under regular weekday hours.
According to Sovcombank's holiday schedule, there will be some branches open on December 30 and 31, but overall, many will be closed from January 1-2, and January 7 will bring more closures, followed by the resumption of regular operation on January 9. For the most accurate information, customers should visit their official website.
How about the postal service? The schedule for "Post of Russia" indicates it will follow its regular timetable but may operate on reduced hours. Most offices are closed on December 31 and from January 1-3, with only some operating on the 4th and the 6th, and resuming normal hours by January 9.
Multi-Functional Centers (MFC) will follow suit, with complete closures from January 1-5. Limited services will commence on January 6-8, and again, full operation resumes on January 9.
The Social Fund of Russia (SFR) will open until December 28, though some regions may operate on shortened hours from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM. They will be entirely closed from December 29 until January 8, reopening on the 9th.
An interesting observation from SuperJob’s research show indicates many Russian employers (61%) will maintain December 28 as a working day. Only about 1% reported plans to allow their employees the day off without needing to compensate later. Fittingly, the same research noted 27% of businesses decided on reduced hours for the day.
Given these insights, it’s noteworthy how the weekend of 28-30 December has been officially designated for extended holidays based on labor law regulations. This means Friday’s working schedule will remain standard, followed by holiday celebrations starting December 29.
It's important to stay informed and aware of various operational hours so you don't miss anything during this holiday period. The 2024-2025 New Year holidays will offer ample time for celebration, and planning will help keep inconveniences at bay.
Stay tuned as we observe these changes and keep you updated on adjustments made as relevant updates come from institutions or regulations. Enjoy your holiday season!
