Getting There
Air
St. Petersburg is serviced by Pulkovo II International Airport and Pulkovo I Domestic Airport (LED) +8 812 704 3444/http://www.pulkovoairport.ru/eng/. They are approximately 18 kilometers (11 miles) from the city center. Airlines servicing the airports include:
Aeroflot (http://www.aeroflot.com)
Air France (http://www.airfrance.com)
Air Malta (+33 1 58 18 64 05 / http://www.airmalta.com/)
Austrian Airlines (http://www.aua.com/us/eng)
British Airways (http://www.britishairways.com)
Czech Airlines (http://www.czechairlines.com)
Delta Airlines (http://www.delta.com)
Finnair (http://www.finnair.com)
KLM (http://www.klm.com)
Lufthansa (http://www.lufthansa.com)
Swissair (http://www.swiss.com)
There are multiple ways of getting from the airport to your final destination. Taxis: (+7 812 312 0022) are available outside the arrivals area of each airport. Bus No.39 and Bus No. 13 offer service to Moskovskay Subway Station.
Taxi Companies include:
New Yellow Taxi (+7 812 600 8888)
Taxi 068 (+7 812 324 7777)
Car Rental Agencies include:
Bairaks Rent (+7 812 310 5356)
Europecar (http://www.europcar.com)
Train
St. Petersburg has six major train stations easily accessible by subway. Stations include Baltiyskiy Station, Finlandskiy Station, Moskovskiy Station, Varshavskiy Station, Vitebskiy Station and Ladozhskiy Station.
Bus
Eurolines (http://www.eurolines.com) and Avtovokzal (http://www.avtovokzal.chel.ru) offer bus services to destinations throughout Russia and Europe.
Car
St. Petersburg is accessible by the M10, E95, M18, M20, M11, A121, A129, E18, and A125 Highways.
Getting Around
St. Petersburg has a reasonably efficient mass transit system of metro lines (http://www.metro.spb.ru/), buses (http://spb.rusavtobus.ru/), trams (http://transport.vpeterburge.ru/index.php), trolleybuses (http://www.electrotrans.spb.ru/), and taxis (http://www.taxi-spb.ru/). The metro provides quick long distant transportation while trams, buses, and trolley buses are better for shorter distances.
Planning a Trip
The St. Petersburg City Tourist Office is quite modest for such a significant city, with not much more to offer than most hotels. Still, it's worth a visit to find out about festivals or special events that you might otherwise miss. The main offices are at 14 Sadovaya Ulitsa (tel. 812/310-2822).
Maps are available free in most hotels, and for a low price at bookstores and newspaper stands, though sometimes they're only in the Cyrillic alphabet. An easy-to-read and richly detailed map to look out for is the bilingual "St. Petersburg Guide to the City." Avail yourself of the numerous free listings magazines at nearly all hotels and many restaurants. Most are in English and Russian and are heavy with ads but are full of information. Pick up a copy of The St. Petersburg Times, a twice-weekly English-language newspaper, for local and international news.
Tips: Don't Drink the Water -- Most hotels have their own clean water supply, or use filtered water, because of St. Petersburg's often bacteria-infected groundwater. It's a good idea to ask before brushing your teeth with tap water. Numerous brands of locally bottled spring water are good cheap sources of clean water. Some safe brands are Saint Springs (Svyatoi Istochnik) and Natalia. Make sure you ask for voda bez gaza -- literally, water without gas -- unless you want the carbonated kind.
Getting There
By Plane
All international flights into St. Petersburg land at Pulkovo-2 Airport (tel. 812/704-3822 for Pulkovo-1 [domestic flights] or tel. 812/704-3444 for Pulkovo-2 [international flights]; www.pulkovo.ru), which is friendlier and more manageable than Moscow's Sheremetevo-2 Airport. Pulkovo also has the advantage of a 2003 renovation that opened up the halls and lightened up the atmosphere, making the long lines for security and passport control much more tolerable.
Use of luggage carts is free. The airport money-exchange booths offer poorer rates than downtown; a better bet are the airport ATMs, which give rubles at the official Central Bank exchange rate. Internet access is available. The arrivals hall has an information desk with English-speaking personnel, car-rental desks, and airline ticket offices.
Tour groups won't have to worry about transfers to and from the airport, which is 16km (10 miles) south of the city limits or about a 30-minute ride to the center of town. If you're an individual traveler, arrange a taxi in advance from Pulkovo-2 by calling the official airport cab company at tel. 812/312-0022. Otherwise, you can negotiate a ride upon arrival. Official cabs are often scarce, and charge about $60 (£30) to Nevsky Prospekt. The ubiquitous independent cabbies rarely go below $40 (£20) for the same trip. Public bus no. 13 takes you to the Moskovskaya metro station, south of the city center, for a few rubles. No trains serve the airport.
Domestic flights into St. Petersburg, from Moscow for example, come into the neighboring Pulkovo-1 Airport (tel. 812/704-3822). The facilities are similar to those of Pulkovo-2, though more basic. Taxi service is the same as at Pulkovo-1, and public bus no. 39 takes you to the Moskovskaya metro station. To book your transfer by Internet, go to www.saint-petersburg.com/transfers/index.asp.
By Train
Entering St. Petersburg by overnight train from Moscow is one of the most romantic things you can do in Russia. The Moscow-based trains arrive at, appropriately, Moskovsky (Moscow) Station, right on Nevsky Prospekt, within walking distance of several major hotels and adjacent to the Ploshchad Vostanniya and Mayakovskaya metro stations. The official taxis in front of the station set their own prices, which are invariably higher at the train station than elsewhere in town.
Another easy train connection is from Helsinki, 5 1/2 hours away (plus a 1-hr. time difference). The trip ends at St. Petersburg's Ladoga Station (Ladozhsky Vokzal, Zanevsky Prospekt 73; tel. 812/436-2310). Taxis from there to Nevsky Prospekt cost about $30 (£15). Three daily trains run to and from the Finnish capital, both stopping in Vyborg to clear Customs.
From Poland, Germany, and the Baltic states, trains arrive at Vitebsky Terminal (Vitebsky Vokzal), metro station Pushkinskaya, 52 Zagorodny Prospekt. If you are entering Russia from a European Union member country, you will need only a Russian visa. But if you enter through Belarus or Ukraine, you will need transit visas for those countries. Be aware, too, that rail passes that serve the rest of Europe do not include Russia.
By Bus
A few tour companies offer bus tours to St. Petersburg from Scandinavia on top-class Finnish coaches. From Helsinki the ride takes about 6 hours, including the long stop to clear Customs. Ordinary, nontour buses, which are cheaper than the train, are also available to and from Helsinki. If you travel on your own, you must take care of your Russian visa yourself. The road from Helsinki is relatively well maintained, unlike many others in the region. Buses arrive at St. Petersburg Bus Station (Avtobusny Vokzal; 36 Naberezhnaya Obvodonovo Kanala; tel. 812/766-5777).
By Boat
Many Scandinavian cruises include a stop in St. Petersburg, at the major commercial port 20 minutes north of the city center, at 1 Morskoy Slavy Sq. (tel. 812/355-1310; metro: Primorskaya and Vasileostrovskaya). Minibuses to the metro (K-47, K-128, K-129, K-183, K-273, K-310, K-349, K-359, and K-690) run frequently and cost around $1 (50p).
Most cruises include an organized bus trip to the center. This is the most convenient option, since the metro is a long walk and the minibuses are often overcrowded. The official taxis serving the port charge more than elsewhere; expect to pay about $20 (£10) to Nevsky Prospekt in the city center.
By Car
A few intrepid travelers come to St. Petersburg by car from Finland. Not including the long lines for Customs and document check at the border, the 370km (230-mile) drive from Helsinki is about 6 hours. Once in St. Petersburg, head straight to your hotel and settle the parking question. It's easy to park in St. Petersburg, since nearly any sidewalk or embankment is fair game, though underground garages are extremely scarce in this city built on swampland. It's harder to guarantee secure parking, however. Existing maps in English do not indicate one-way streets or other crucial driving details, though the Russian-language pocket-size Atlas of St. Petersburg Roads (Atlas Dorog Peterburga) is quite useful. Traffic in St. Petersburg has gone from a trickle to a substantial rush-hour event over the past decade. Be sure to have all of the car's documentation in perfect order, as the ever-hungry traffic police will quickly spot and fine any infraction. Renting a car with a driver is easier and often cheaper than driving on your own.
Planning a Trip
The St. Petersburg City Tourist Office is quite modest for such a significant city, with not much more to offer than most hotels. Still, it's worth a visit to find out about festivals or special events that you might otherwise miss. The main offices are at 14 Sadovaya Ulitsa (tel. 812/310-2822).
Maps are available free in most hotels, and for a low price at bookstores and newspaper stands, though sometimes they're only in the Cyrillic alphabet. An easy-to-read and richly detailed map to look out for is the bilingual "St. Petersburg Guide to the City." Avail yourself of the numerous free listings magazines at nearly all hotels and many restaurants. Most are in English and Russian and are heavy with ads but are full of information. Pick up a copy of The St. Petersburg Times, a twice-weekly English-language newspaper, for local and international news.
Tips: Don't Drink the Water -- Most hotels have their own clean water supply, or use filtered water, because of St. Petersburg's often bacteria-infected groundwater. It's a good idea to ask before brushing your teeth with tap water. Numerous brands of locally bottled spring water are good cheap sources of clean water. Some safe brands are Saint Springs (Svyatoi Istochnik) and Natalia. Make sure you ask for voda bez gaza -- literally, water without gas -- unless you want the carbonated kind.
Getting There
By Plane
All international flights into St. Petersburg land at Pulkovo-2 Airport (tel. 812/704-3822 for Pulkovo-1 [domestic flights] or tel. 812/704-3444 for Pulkovo-2 [international flights]; www.pulkovo.ru), which is friendlier and more manageable than Moscow's Sheremetevo-2 Airport. Pulkovo also has the advantage of a 2003 renovation that opened up the halls and lightened up the atmosphere, making the long lines for security and passport control much more tolerable.
Use of luggage carts is free. The airport money-exchange booths offer poorer rates than downtown; a better bet are the airport ATMs, which give rubles at the official Central Bank exchange rate. Internet access is available. The arrivals hall has an information desk with English-speaking personnel, car-rental desks, and airline ticket offices.
Tour groups won't have to worry about transfers to and from the airport, which is 16km (10 miles) south of the city limits or about a 30-minute ride to the center of town. If you're an individual traveler, arrange a taxi in advance from Pulkovo-2 by calling the official airport cab company at tel. 812/312-0022. Otherwise, you can negotiate a ride upon arrival. Official cabs are often scarce, and charge about $60 (£30) to Nevsky Prospekt. The ubiquitous independent cabbies rarely go below $40 (£20) for the same trip. Public bus no. 13 takes you to the Moskovskaya metro station, south of the city center, for a few rubles. No trains serve the airport.
Domestic flights into St. Petersburg, from Moscow for example, come into the neighboring Pulkovo-1 Airport (tel. 812/704-3822). The facilities are similar to those of Pulkovo-2, though more basic. Taxi service is the same as at Pulkovo-1, and public bus no. 39 takes you to the Moskovskaya metro station. To book your transfer by Internet, go to www.saint-petersburg.com/transfers/index.asp.
By Train
Entering St. Petersburg by overnight train from Moscow is one of the most romantic things you can do in Russia. The Moscow-based trains arrive at, appropriately, Moskovsky (Moscow) Station, right on Nevsky Prospekt, within walking distance of several major hotels and adjacent to the Ploshchad Vostanniya and Mayakovskaya metro stations. The official taxis in front of the station set their own prices, which are invariably higher at the train station than elsewhere in town.
Another easy train connection is from Helsinki, 5 1/2 hours away (plus a 1-hr. time difference). The trip ends at St. Petersburg's Ladoga Station (Ladozhsky Vokzal, Zanevsky Prospekt 73; tel. 812/436-2310). Taxis from there to Nevsky Prospekt cost about $30 (£15). Three daily trains run to and from the Finnish capital, both stopping in Vyborg to clear Customs.
From Poland, Germany, and the Baltic states, trains arrive at Vitebsky Terminal (Vitebsky Vokzal), metro station Pushkinskaya, 52 Zagorodny Prospekt. If you are entering Russia from a European Union member country, you will need only a Russian visa. But if you enter through Belarus or Ukraine, you will need transit visas for those countries. Be aware, too, that rail passes that serve the rest of Europe do not include Russia.
By Bus
A few tour companies offer bus tours to St. Petersburg from Scandinavia on top-class Finnish coaches. From Helsinki the ride takes about 6 hours, including the long stop to clear Customs. Ordinary, nontour buses, which are cheaper than the train, are also available to and from Helsinki. If you travel on your own, you must take care of your Russian visa yourself. The road from Helsinki is relatively well maintained, unlike many others in the region. Buses arrive at St. Petersburg Bus Station (Avtobusny Vokzal; 36 Naberezhnaya Obvodonovo Kanala; tel. 812/766-5777).
By Boat
Many Scandinavian cruises include a stop in St. Petersburg, at the major commercial port 20 minutes north of the city center, at 1 Morskoy Slavy Sq. (tel. 812/355-1310; metro: Primorskaya and Vasileostrovskaya). Minibuses to the metro (K-47, K-128, K-129, K-183, K-273, K-310, K-349, K-359, and K-690) run frequently and cost around $1 (50p).
Most cruises include an organized bus trip to the center. This is the most convenient option, since the metro is a long walk and the minibuses are often overcrowded. The official taxis serving the port charge more than elsewhere; expect to pay about $20 (£10) to Nevsky Prospekt in the city center.
By Car
A few intrepid travelers come to St. Petersburg by car from Finland. Not including the long lines for Customs and document check at the border, the 370km (230-mile) drive from Helsinki is about 6 hours. Once in St. Petersburg, head straight to your hotel and settle the parking question. It's easy to park in St. Petersburg, since nearly any sidewalk or embankment is fair game, though underground garages are extremely scarce in this city built on swampland. It's harder to guarantee secure parking, however. Existing maps in English do not indicate one-way streets or other crucial driving details, though the Russian-language pocket-size Atlas of St. Petersburg Roads (Atlas Dorog Peterburga) is quite useful. Traffic in St. Petersburg has gone from a trickle to a substantial rush-hour event over the past decade. Be sure to have all of the car's documentation in perfect order, as the ever-hungry traffic police will quickly spot and fine any infraction. Renting a car with a driver is easier and often cheaper than driving on your own.
