Do hostels in Belarus accept cards or only cash?

I’ve backpacked across Belarus and honestly, cash was king. In Vitebsk, Mogilev, and smaller towns, every hostel I checked into wanted rubles only. Minsk was more flexible, but even then, they sometimes gave a “discount” if you paid in cash. The ATMs in the city are reliable but don’t count on them working perfectly in rural areas. If you want to avoid ATM runs at the last minute, bring cash from the start. It will save you plenty of hassle.

Belarus is mixed when it comes to hostel payments. The larger, newer hostels in Minsk (like Trinity or Flatcom Hostel) generally accept Visa and Mastercard without issue, but even then sometimes the machine goes offline. I wouldn’t expect smooth card payments in smaller cities. I’d recommend withdrawing from a big bank like Priorbank right after you arrive. That way you can relax and not worry if a hostel turns you down for card payments. It’s always safer to keep extra rubles.

Don’t trust the booking site listings too much - my hostel in Minsk advertised card payment, but their terminal “wasn’t working.” Luckily there was a Belarusbank ATM right around the corner. I had to pay cash anyway. Seems like many smaller hostels don’t want to deal with card fees. If you’re traveling around Belarus, definitely avoid showing up without rubles on hand. Carrying enough for your first two nights will save you the stress of last-minute ATM runs.

When I stayed in Minsk, the hostel near Victory Square had a card machine and I paid with Mastercard, no problem. But when I moved to Grodno, the hostel owner insisted on cash in Belarusian rubles. Even though Belarus is relatively modern in the capital, outside Minsk you’ll often need cash. ATMs from Priorbank and Belarusbank worked fine for me, but queues were sometimes long. I’d suggest having at least a backup of local currency before heading to smaller towns.