Frequently Asked Questions

Traveling to Pittsburgh for the first time? The Fairmont Pittsburgh puts all the important Pittsburgh tourist information at your fingertips. From climate and currency facts, to tipping and time zone information, we make Pittsburgh tourism easy.

Climate

The warmest month of the year in Pittsburgh, as in most of the northern hemisphere, is July. The average high temperature is 83 °F (28 °C), with overnight low temperatures averaging 62 °F (17 °C). July is often humid, resulting in a considerable heat index. The coldest month of the year is January, when the average high temperature is 35 °F (2 °C). Overnight low temperatures average 20 °F (-7 °C).

Clothing

Casual wear is acceptable most of the time. Some establishments (nightclubs and bars) have a "no jeans, no running shoes" policy. Certain dining rooms require men to wear jackets to dinner.

Credit Cards

Credit cards are widely accepted throughout the United States. Bank machines can be found everywhere and debit cards are also widely used. If you are using a foreign card at a bank machine, your money will be disbursed in U.S. funds.

Currency

Financial institutions will provide a credible rate of exchange when switching your currency for U.S. dollars.

Electrical Current

110 Volts, 60 Cycles AC (same as Canada and Mexico).

Health Insurance

The United States has a very high quality of medical care. It is a private system. You should consider the purchase of your own health insurance a necessity. Even if you are covered by your home country's national health insurance system, your country will probably not pay all costs associated with health care in the U.S., so additional coverage is necessary. Visitors taking medicine prescribed by a doctor should bring a copy of the prescription in case it needs to be renewed by a doctor in the U.S.

Liquor Laws

In the United States, all states require that you be 21 years of age or older to purchase and/or consume alcoholic beverages.

Public Holidays

Time Zones

The continental United States has four time zones: Eastern, Central (1 hour behind Eastern), Mountain (2 hours behind Eastern), and Pacific (3 hours behind Eastern). Pittsburgh is in the Eastern time zone.

Tipping

Tips or service charges are not usually added to a bill in the U.S. The exception to this is when a large group of approximately eight or more are dining together in a restaurant, in which case the establishment may state in advance that a gratuity of 15% will automatically be added to the bill. In general, a tip of 15% of the sub-total (before taxes) is given. This applies to waiters, waitresses, barbers and hairdressers, taxi drivers, etc. At hotels, airports and railway stations, bellhops, doormen, redcaps (porters), etc. are generally paid $1-2 per item of luggage.