| Saint PETERSBOURG ((ru)Санкт-Петербург) | |
 | |
| The Peter and Paul fortress seen from the Neva | |
| Information | |
| Country |  Russia |
|---|---|
| Altitude | Between 3 and m |
| Area | 1 439 km² |
| Population | 5 191 690 hab. (2015) |
| Density | 3 607,85 inhab./km² |
| Nice | St. Petersburg |
| Postal code | 199406, 190000 |
| Telephone prefix | 7 812 |
| Spindle | UTC 04:00 |
| Location | |
 59 ° 56 ′ 2 ″ N 30 ° 18 ′ 22 ″ E | |
| Official site | |
Saint PETERSBOURG is the second largest city in Russia. It is located in the northwest of the country and is Russia's main port on the Baltic Sea.
Understand
St. Petersburg was founded by Tsar Peter I in 1703 to serve as a stronghold against the Swedes and as a symbol of the then opening of Russia to Western Europe. To build it on the marshy delta of the Neva, the Tsar prescribed the use of stone, while the constructions of the time used wood.
It took the name of Petrograd from 1914 to 1924 and Leningrad from 1924 to 1991. In 2003, international celebrations marked the third centenary of the city.
The best period is in May-June-July for white nights (the sun barely sets at night). The highlight of the period is the summer solstice on June 21 marked by the Festival of Scarlet Sails.
Neighborhoods
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To go
Formalities
A visa is required to go to St. Petersburg. However, there is a 72-hour visa waiver for travelers arriving and departing by boat at the port of St. Petersburg.
A visa to be obtained before arriving in Russia is necessary for many citizens, including French, Belgian, Swiss and Canadian citizens. Refer to the Formality section of the page Russia.
Since October 1, 2019, it is possible to travel to Saint Petersburg with a simple free electronic visa. It allows you to stay up to 8 days in Russia. It is necessary to arrive and depart from St. Petersburg or the region (land, sea and air border).
- Official website to apply for the electronic visa for St. Petersburg: https://evisa.kdmid.ru (Tutorial for filling out the form)
By plane
- 1 Poulkovo International Airport (IATA : LED Аэропо́рт Пу́лково) Ul. Starovaya (ул. Стартовая), Northern Capital Gateway LLC (17 km south of downtown),
7 812 337-38-22, e-mail : [email protected]
Bus 39 takes you to the metro station 
(in)Moskovskaja /(ru)Московская.
The outward journey (from Paris) lasts 3 h 20. It's necessary 3 h 30 for the return.
Good plan for flights Lyon (or Geneva) - Saint Petersburg: the company Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) offers the cheapest flights on the market and has a very good reputation. For example, it is possible to buy a one-way ticket from Lyon Saint-Exupery in Saint Petersburg Pulkovo (stopover in Copenhagen) for less than 200 €. The trip lasts approximately 5 h (more 1 h stopover in Copenhagen Kastrup). rmq. SAS has an office in Saint Petersburg (on Nevsky Prospekt).
Good deal from Paris, Lyon, Nice, Marseille, Toulouse, Strasbourg for Saint Petersburg: the Lufthansa company often makes promotions in Europe which include flights via Frankfurt or Munich from 179 € AR. Flights usually last between 5 h and 6 h depending on the match.
The company low cost Germanwings occasionally offers Cologne - Saint Petersburg specials for 99 € TTC AR. This can be a good plan with a first flight to Cologne for those who prefer the price. For example, there are flights Nice-Cologne with the same company from 39 € TTC AR.
The company Air Berlin offers 6 times a week Paris-Saint Petersburg via Berlin from 218 € TTC AR.
By train
There are five main train stations in Saint Petersburg:
- 2 Moscow station (Moskovsky vokzal, Московский вокзал) Ploshchad Vosstaniya (Площадь Восстания), 2 (
(in)Ploshchad Vosstaniya /(ru)Площадь Восстания (closer) and
(in)Mayakovskaya /(ru)Маяковская; 
1М, 1Мб, 3, 3М, 3Мб, 4М, 4Мб, 5М, 5Мб, 7, 15, 22, 26, 27, 54, 65, 74, 76, 91, 141, 181, 191.
1, 5, 7, 10, 11, 22) – the largest with 150,000 travelers every day. For Moscow, Novgorod, Murmansk, the'Ukraine, the Belarus.
(in)Ploshchad Vosstaniya /(ru)Площадь Восстания (closer) and
(in)Mayakovskaya /(ru)Маяковская; 
1М, 1Мб, 3, 3М, 3Мб, 4М, 4Мб, 5М, 5Мб, 7, 15, 22, 26, 27, 54, 65, 74, 76, 91, 141, 181, 191.
1, 5, 7, 10, 11, 22)- 3 Vitebsk station (Витебский вокзал, Станция Санкт-Петербург-Витебский) Zagorodny av. (Загородный проспект), 52 ( (in)Pushkinskaya /(ru)Пушкинская,
(in)Zvenigorodskaya /(ru)Звенигородская; 1М, 1Мб, 4М, 4Мб, 5М, 5Мб;
: 16;: 3, 8, 15, 17;
: К-25, К-90, К-124, К-177, К-258, К-338, К-800, К-900.) – for Pushkin (formerly Tsarskoye Selo), Pavlosk, Vitebsk, Belarus and major foreign cities. - 4 Baltic Station (Балтийский вокзал) Neb. Obvodnogo Kanala, 120 ( (in)Baltiyskaya /(ru)Балти́йская) – for Petrodvorets (Peterhof), Lomonosov (Oranienbaum).
- 5 Finland station Lenin Square (пл. Ленина, ул. Комсомола), 5 ( (in)Ploschad Lenina /(ru)Площадь Ленина) – for the Karelia and the Finland - Express trains Allegro for Helsinki.
- 6 Ladozhki Station Zanevsky Prospekt (Заневский проспект, Площадь Карла Фаберже), 73 (
(in)Ladozhkaya /(ru)Ладожская, : 4М, 4МА, 5, 21, 24, 27, 30, 77, 82, 92, 123, 168, 429, 453, 462, 531, 532, 533, 860Л: 8, 10, 59, 64;:1, 22;: К-5, К-17, К-21, К-32, К-77, К-92, К-95, К118, К-123, К-167, К-187, К-271, К-322 , К-369, К-401, К-429, 430, 430А, К-462Р, 531К, К-533.) – luxury express trains Sibelius and Repin for Helsinki.
(in)Zvenigorodskaya /(ru)Звенигородская; 
: 16;
: К-25, К-90, К-124, К-177, К-258, К-338, К-800, К-900.)
(in)Ladozhkaya /(ru)Ладожская, By car
2 648 km from Paris to Saint Petersburg (via Brussels, Berlin, Riga). 1 286 km on expressways.
Estimated time: 31 h (stops). Estimated cost (March 2004): 12 € fuel toll (vehicle and passengers).
By bus
Buses depart from the bus station to Belarus, Ukraine, Germany, Finland, the Baltic States and Scandinavia. Metro: Ligovskaya.
Coach trips are possible to Moscow (60 h from Paris).
On a boat
The ferry terminal welcomes cruise ships to Northern Europe via Saint Petersburg. Currently, there is only one regular ferry connection: Saint Petersburg - Helsinki. Metro : Prsimorskaya.
To my knowledge there are 2 or 3 boats per week between Helsinki and Saint Petersburg (and in the other direction too) the trip is done with the company St-Peter Lines.
One can arrive from Moscow by the "Volga-Baltic" waterway which takes the Moscova, the Volga, the lakes Onega and Ladoga and the Neva.
Circulate
Public transport
The streets are wide in St. Petersburg. Few traffic jams outside the center. Traffic slowed down at rush hour on major roads.
The essential way to get around is the metro. Five lines are open from 6 h - 1 h. The single price is 45 RUB per trip.
The stations in the center are to be visited as such: an excessively Stalinist decoration (especially the Avtovo station). Some stations are sunk deep underground because of the water present in the basement.
The stations are quite far apart, hence the need to also rely on buses to complete the trip.
Many buses, trams, trolleybuses are also available. The single price is 40 RUB per trip.
Many speedboats allow you to take walks on the Neva and the many canals.
Taxis
The general principle is to raise your hand. Tell the driver your destination and negotiate the price * before * you leave. The prices for trips in the city center are around 200 RUB the day, 500 RUB at night and until 1 000 RUB during holidays such as New Year's Day.
Taxis are easily recognizable, a few companies dominate the market. It may happen that a driver, who is not a taxi, will offer you a low cost ride, especially at night. Avoid these to avoid trouble.
Several taxi companies exist. You call, give your location, phone number and your destination. The operator must inform you of the amount of the fare, the type of vehicle and its license plate.
You can also use the apps of well-known taxis in Russia:
1.Yandex
2. Uber
Some taxi numbers:
- 7812 6 000 000
- 7812 7 000 000
- 7812 666 666 5
- 7812 777 1 777
To see
- 1 Cathedral of Our Lady of Kazan (Каза́нский кафедра́льный собо́р)
- 2 Church of the Savior on the Spilled Blood (Храм Спаса на Крови)
- 3 Saint Isaac's Cathedral (Исаакиевский собор)
- 4 Admiralty
- 5 Winter Palace (Зимний дворец)
- 6 Smolny complex (Смольный) – Includes the Convent, Institute and Cathedral of the Resurrection.
- 7 Erarta (Эрарта) – The largest museum of modern art in Russia.
- 8 Smolny complex (Смольный) – Includes the Convent, Institute and Cathedral of the Resurrection.
- Yussupov Palace (Юсуповский дворец) Dekabristov street 21 (Декабристов 21), 7 812 3149883
Mon.- Sun. : 11 h - 18 h. 
450 RUB. – The 18th century palacee century of a noble family. - the many bridges over the Neva
- rooftop walks [1]
Mon.- Sun. : 
In addition to the above monuments, there are plenty of shows for the evenings: music, dance, circus, opera ...
Shows in St. Petersburg start early (18 h): we dine after and / or we taste before.
Don't be put off by the length of an opera at the Mariinsky Theater: there are plenty of breaks and plenty to cool off. And the language is not an obstacle: the text is translated (in English) above the stage.
A spectacle not to be missed: the opening of the bridges (twice a night) on the Néva to allow boats to pass.
To learn
It is useful to know the Cyrillic alphabet in order to be able to read some signs.
To work
To buy
As everywhere in Russia, the currency is the ruble. Dollars and euros are generally not accepted. Some ATMs in hotels can issue all three of these currencies. Many ATMs in town issue rubles if you have a credit card (Maestro, Eurocard, Visa). Depending on your bank and ATM, you may have a commission of several euros per withdrawal plus 2% to 4% of the amount withdrawn. Check the exact rates with your bank. There are many dollar / euro / ruble exchange offices in the city center and often offer lower rates than those obtained when withdrawing from an ATM. Credit cards are not a popular payment method in Russia, many shops and restaurants do not have terminals. You should therefore always have cash with you.
Eat
Cheap
There are plenty of inexpensive "Бистро" bistros as well as cafes and other restaurants offering business lunches from 150 RUB including a salad or soup and a hot dish. The most important thing is to know how to read Cyrillic, because restaurants with an English menu are often more expensive than others.
For those on a tight budget, the city center is full of inexpensive creperies (in particular, the chain "Чайная ложка" Tchaïnaya lojka). You can taste traditional Russian salads there: Olivier, Vinegrette, Herring under the fur (Seledka pod chouboï).
Most of the restaurants in St. Petersburg feature foreign cuisine, including a lot of sushi. Far from being paradoxical, Japanese restaurants take advantage of fresh salmon caught in the Baltic to offer quality food at low prices.
For fans of bread and croissants, it is possible to find bakeries in St. Petersburg. The prices are comparable to those charged in France. Here are some addresses:
- 103 Nevsky prospekt (9 h - 21 h)
- 41 Razhjezzhaya (9 h - 21 h)
Average price
Luxury
- Palkin (Палкинъ) - Nevskiy Prospekt 47 (пр. Невский, 47) - Phone 7 812 703-53-71. Very good restaurant in the center of Saint-Petersburg mixing modern cuisine, French and Russian traditions. Luxurious setting, count around 100 € per person (starter - main course - dessert - wine). Exceptional cellar with great French wines. Considered the best restaurant in town.
Have a drink / Go out
Vodka is available everywhere. Impossible not to taste it. We can have shots for 50 RUB (a little more1 €) in bars and clubs. You can quickly get drunk and be careful, it is forbidden to walk drunk in town, you risk spending the night at the station and having to pay a fine.
Russians are also very fond of Cognac (not necessarily French, they really like those from the Caucasus) and beers (a very popular beer in the region is Baltika (Балтика), sold in 12 different varieties).
Alcohols are drunk pure (in small shot glasses). To accompany them (and soothe the fire in the throat), we bite into fruits (apples, oranges, grapes ...), vegetables (especially cucumber) and other foods (cheese, cold meats, salted herring ...). Tradition dictates that the glass is not put back until it is finished ... to be filled immediately!
Housing
Cheap
For those who want to find affordable prices, we have to go a long way. One example among others, "the academy hotel" (Академическая Гостиница) in Gatchina offers rooms at 12 € the night. It's a bit far from Saint-Péterbourg (40 km) which implies approximately 1 h transport to reach the Nevsky Propekt.
- Graffiti Hostel – The youth hostel, located not far from the Hermitage and Nevsky Prospekt will offer backpackers rooms for up to 12 people, from 9 € the night.
- Cuba Hostel – A few minutes walk from Nevsky Prospekt, this hostel offers dormitory beds from 500 RUB. Clean and friendly staff. Quite a few people come there on weekends to party which might disturb light sleepers.
Average price
The further away from the center, the more attractive the hotel prices are.
- 1 Bed & Breakfast swissSTAR Fontanka 93-26, 7 911 929-27-93, e-mail : [email protected] room available from 14 h, to be released before 11 h. 40 - 100 €. – Small Swiss B&B from 2006. With 8 rooms, located in the center of the historic city, 200 m from Metro "Sennaya Ploshad". Has been reviewed by the Lonely planet guide
- Kamerdiner Hotel 6 Ozerny Pereulok, 7 812 273-0113, e-mail : [email protected] room available from 14 h, to be released before 12 h. – . The cozy little hotel on a quiet little road. Seven spotless rooms in the old mansion, very friendly service and attentive staff. Continental breakfast, wifi, satellite TV, air conditioning, security of 24 h , visa support, theater reservations, guided tours. Price: 5 200 RUB, seasonal discounts
- Friends hostels Four locations: Griboedov canal, Nevsky prospect, Bankovsky pereulok and Vosstania street, 7 812 331 77 99, e-mail : [email protected] From 400 rubles per person. – Named after the famous TV show, the hostel of the “Friends” channel has been reviewed by the Lonely planet city guide as having immaculate dormitories, great location and very helpful staff.Vosstania Street. skype: friends-booking
Luxury
Many palaces and luxury hotels dot the city. The choice is really that of the wallet. Most are conveniently located near major St. Petersburg attractions, and have a history that ties in closely with that of the city. ex. the Grand Hotel Europe built in the 1820s.
Communicate
The easiest way to call abroad is through Skype, Whatsapp, Messenger, Viber, etc. The city center is covered by the city's free WiFi. The vast majority of restaurants also offer WiFi.
Health
Manage the day-to-day
Jet lag
Since , time in Russia is winter time all year round. In Moscow and St. Petersburg, the time zone is UTC 3 all year round.
The time in metropolitan France is, in winter, Central European Standard Time (CET), that is to say that of the UTC 1 time zone; in summer, it is Central European Daylight Saving Time (CEST), that is to say that of the UTC 2 time zone. Metropolitan France lives at this daylight saving time on the last Sunday in March (at 2 h , CST) on the last Sunday of October (at 3 h , HAEC).
The time difference is therefore 1 h summer and 2 h winter (when it is noon in Paris, it is 13 h (summer) and 14 h (winter) in Moscow and St. Petersburg).
In the street
- In some tourist places, the tourist police circulate. These police officers speak English, do not hesitate to ask them for information.
- Avoid traveling alone at night and don't get involved in altercations between drunk Russians.
Around
- Petrodvorets (Peterhof) – the Versailles Russian. The country takes all its splendor after the month of May, the period when the fountains are started. ():
- Pushkin (Tsarskoye Selo) – Catherine's palace
- Pavlovsk
- Lomonosov – Oranienbaum Palace, Menshikov Baroque Palace
- Gatchina (Гатчина) – imperial park and palaces. Located approximately 40 km from Saint Petersburg, but easily accessible by bus (lines 18, 18A and 100 for example, at Московская metro station) to 40 RUB the go.
- Novgorod – Kremlin on the banks of the Volkhov river, Saint Sophia Cathedral, many churches. Located approximately 250 km south of Saint Petersburg, approximately 4 h by train
- Vyborg (near the Finnish border)
- 1 Kronstadt ((ru) Кронштадт) – Located on the island of Kotline, in the bay of the Neva, at 20 km of St. Petersburg. Known for Kronstadt revolt from 1921.
Those who wish can easily take the trip to Finland. The company Sovavto (http://www.sovavto.ru/eng/7.html) indeed offers bus trips to its two main cities, Helsinki (56 € A / R in 2007) and Turku. The ticket office is located in the hotel lobby Pulkovskaya - Park Inn, near the metro station Maskovskaya (Московская in Russian).
