Saint Petersburg (Russia)

From eTripTips Wiki

For other places with the same name, see Saint Petersburg

Saint Petersburg (Санкт-Петербу́рг Sankt-Peterburg; [1]) is Russia's second largest city, with a population of 4.7 million perched at the eastern tip of of the Baltic Sea and the Neva River. The city was formerly known as Petrograd (Петроград), and later Leningrad (Ленинград).

Contents 1 Understand 1.1 Events 2 Get in 2.1 By plane 2.2 By train 2.3 By bus 2.4 By boat 3 Get around 3.1 Traffic 3.2 By subway 3.3 By tram 3.4 By bus or trolleybus 3.5 By route taxi 4 See 5 Do 6 Learn 7 Work 8 Buy 9 Eat 9.1 Budget 9.2 Mid-range 9.3 Splurge 10 Drink 10.1 Pubs 10.2 Nightclubs 10.3 Gay & Lesbian 11 Sleep 11.1 Budget 11.2 Mid-range 11.3 Splurge 12 Contact 13 Stay safe 14 Stay healthy 15 Cope 16 Get out

[edit] Understand

Founded by Peter the Great, the former home of the Czars and the center of Russian culture, Saint Petersburg was known as "The Venice of the North" in its heyday. Renamed Petrograd in 1914, the city was renamed again as Leningrad in 1924 after Lenin's death. Bombed, besieged and starved during World War II, during the Communist era the city took a back seat to capital Moscow.

Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the city has been rapidly making up for lost time and is by far the most cosmopolitan of Russia's cities. Now formally known by its original name again, most Russians call it what they always have, the friendly diminutive Piter (Питер).

[edit] Events

• During the last 10 days of June, the longest days of the year, Saint Petersburg celebrates the White Nights in a cultural extravaganza. Book early as accommodation and transport can be packed during this time.
• In June or July the annual Message to man international documentary, short, and animated films festival takes places in SPB.

[edit] Get in

[edit] By plane

Pulkovo Airport (IATA: LED | ICAO: ULLI) serves a wide variety of destinations in nearby countries and within Russia. Terminal 1 serves domestic flights, while Terminal 2 is for international connections. The airport is 17 kilometers south from the center.

Taxis infest the airport, but the prices are astounding, working out about 50 euros to get into Saint Petersburg. Instead, take a minibus to the nearest Metro station, Moskovskaya, which will cost you all of 14 RUR. (Bus 39 to/from terminal-1, bus 18 to/from terminal-2). From there you can get anywhere on the Saint Petersburg Metro for a 14 RUR token. In addition to the visa, which you need to get before you travel, non-Russian or Belorusian travellers will be expected on arrival to fill in both halves of a migration card, which are sometimes only available in Cyrillic (however, translations into English and German are available via Lufthansa and Aeroflot). The loss of your copy of the the card will result in a fine and possible delays from being allowed to leave the Russian Federation.

[edit] By train

Saint Petersburg is a major train hub. The 5-hour train ride from Helsinki (Finland) is one of the most comfortable ways to reach the city. Trains also connect to destinations in the Baltics and Central Europe. Alternatively, you can head inland to Moscow.

There are five principal stations:

• Moscow Station: for Moscow, Novgorod, Ukraine, AzerbaijanVolgograd, Kazan, Samara, Rostov-na-Donu, Ufa Sochi and others cities. Metro: Ploshchad Vosstaniya (closer) and Mayakovskaya.
• Vitebsk Station: for Pushkin (formerly Tsarskoe Selo), Pavlovsk, Belarus, Czech, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Moldova, Bulgaria, Poland, Germany, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia . Metro: Pushkinskaya.
• Baltic Station: for Petrodvorets (Peterhof), Lomonosov (Oranienbaum). Metro: Baltiiskaya.
• Ladozhskii Station: For various destinations including Murmansk, Ekaterinburg, Cheliabinsk, Omsk, Novosibirsk, Astana (Kazakhstan), Helsinki (night-train Leo Tolstoi). Metro: Ladozhskaya.
• Finland station: Now used again for trains to Finland. The luxury express trains Sibelius and Repin for Helsinki. Also trains to Vyborg. Metro: Ploschad Lenina.

Note: Warsaw Station is closed, trains arrive at the Baltic or Vitebsk Stations.

[edit] By bus

The cheapest way of reaching Saint Petersburg from neighboring countries is long-distance bus. Buses from Belarus, Ukraine, Germany, Finland, the Baltic states and Scandinavia arrive at the bus station. Metro: Ligovskii Prospekt (far away from metro).

[edit] By boat

In summer, cruises from Helsinki and Tallinn sail to Saint Petersburg. There is also a regular ferry connection from Stockholm, Kaliningrad and Rostock, which arrives at the harbor station. Subway: Primorskaya.

Passenger boats also operate on the inland waterway "Volga-Baltic" which links Moscow, the River Volga and Lakes Onega, Ladoga and Neva.

To get out, you could try your luck for Freighter travel, although the port is very large. It would be easier if you have connections in the port. Try to find a dispatcher [2].

[edit] Get around

[edit] Traffic

Most means of transportation cease functioning for the night time. The subway is closed from 00:30 till 05:40, varying slightly for different stations. Taxis work 24/7, but are costly. Hitching a ride is quite popular, though it is not always safe. The city is separated in two by the Neva at night; don't miss the bridges being drawn. One bridge - Volodarsky - will let you cross the river from around 3:45 am to 4:15 am. Other bridges are drawn all night long, from around 1:45 am till 5:15 am. See the schedule for each bridge. Also in city is one cable-stayed (Big Obukhovski), it's not draw. It is an important part of Saint Petersburg Ring Road.

[edit] By subway

Saint Petersburg's metro is the second largest underground railway system in Russia (Moscow being the first). It is arguably the cheapest and most effective way to get around the city. The trains are fast and go frequently (in rush hours, intervals go as low as 30 seconds before the next train).

It costs 14 RUR per entry regardless of the distance. There are metro maps in every train car, often with station names in the Roman alphabet. Names on station walls, however, are in Cyrillic, so if you are unfamiliar with the language, it may make sense to "count the stops" to your destination. The Saint Petersburg metro gets unbelievably crowded during rush hour. Traveling during this time is a risky kind of sport and one should avoid unnecessary journeys if not used to big crowds.

[edit] By tram

A more scenic, but slower way to see Saint Petersburg is by tram. In recent years, due to the traffic troubles, tram lines are often removed from the centre of the city. They cost 14 RUR.

[edit] By bus or trolleybus

Buses and trolleybuses are cheap (14 RUR) and frequent. Tickets are sold by a conductor and very often by the bus driver. Buses and trolleys on main routes are frequently overcrowded. Buses to suburbians cost 14, 28 or 42 RUR in territory of St. Peterburg (Zelenogorsk, Lomonosov and others).

[edit] By route taxi

Route taxi (marshrutka) is sometimes the fastest way to get somewhere. Taxis are 14-20 seat vans, usually white or yellow, always with a letter K and route number plate (K-28). Also they are little chinese or turkish buses.There are no regular stops, you have to tell the driver when you want to quit or hand out while on the roadside to stop one. You have to pay to the driver at entry. If you cannot reach the driver on your own, pass the money through the other passengers and be ready to pass other's money if you sit close to the driver. The Marshrutka experience may seem exciting sometimes, especially when you see some brave driver counting change while steering with his knees at 70 mph. They cost from 12 to 19 RUR. The many marshrutka drivers are illegal migrants with low level of Russian.

[edit] See

Getting In to the Hermitage An advice for foreigners visiting the Hermitage Museum: Get yourself on a tour. This may have changed, call the museum ahead of time to find out: They're 200 rubles instead of 350, and include the photography fee and a whistle-stop tour of the museum (but note the free entry for students). Don't accept a tour from the numerous touts hanging around the queue. Instead, march past the queue and in through the main ntrance, or the exit opposite if the queue's blocking the entrance (don't worry, you're not queue-jumping). Have a scout around for notices with museum tour times in your native language, or in extreme circumstances, ask at the desk. If you find a good candidate, you're all set to go to the Tours Office to book yourself on it. This is where things get slightly surreal. To get to the Tours Office from the main entrance, go forward past the cashiers, and turn left down the corridor. The Tours Office is in front of you at the end, and may or may not be marked. Get yourself a place on your tour, collect the bit of paper, go to cashier No. 5 (who is not with the rest of them, instead turn left out of the Tours Office and she's in a box at the end of the corridor), pay, get your paper stamped, take it back to the Tours Office and get it checked, stamped again and muttered over and then you're ready to brave the coat dungeon.

• The Hermitage Museum/The Winter Palace [3] is Saint Petersburg's prime attraction, a massive palace-cum-museum showing the highlights of a collection of over 3,000,000 pieces spanning the globe. The Hermitage is truly one of the world's great museums, with an imposing setting displaying priceless works by Rembrandt, Da Vinci, Michealangelo, Reubens and more. Ticketing is complex, but the Hermitage itself is 100 rubles for Russians and 350 rubles for foreigners. Students of all nationalities get in for free, but don't forget your student card with photo! Entrance is free on the first Thursday of every month. Bags aren't allowed in the museum (and while technically neither are cameras without the appropriate ticket, they never check the photo-permission tickets so it's not worth buying them), so stash them in the busy cloakroom.

• Russian Museum This is the other museum in St. Petersburg.

• Peter and Paul Fortress You can go in for free, but to enter the church and exhibitions you need tickets. You can get a combo ticket for everything, or you can just enter the church. Other than the church, which is where the all of the Romanov Czars of Russia (bar two or three) are buried, the other things on the island aren't terribly impressive, so it might be worth it to just see the church.

• The Admiralty, located in the area of Admiralteyskaya. You can't go inside, but the facade is nice. It's across the street from the Hermitage

• The bridges on the Neva [4], which open 2 times per night to allow boats to pass.

• Ethnography Museum

• Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography (also known as the Kunstkamera) not to be confused with the Ethnography museum (See above), this museum is primarily famous for its one-room collection of 300 year-old deformed fetuses in formaldehyde (of which you are not allowed to take pictures). The rest of the museum consists of trinkets from various world cultures (over one million exhibits). Despite this museum's fame, the exhibits don't seem to justify the ticket price. It's of interest mainly as it is the oldest state museum in Russia, established by Peter the Great in 1704 - consequently it has a very dated feel.

• Alexander Nevskiy Monastery can be found at the Eastern end of Nevskiy Prospekt next to the River Neva. The site also has the Tikhvin Cemetery which houses the tombs of some of the world's most famous composers; Tschaikovsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Mussorgsky and Borodin, and also the author Fyodr Dostoevsky, along with many other famous Russian figures.

• Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood is a traditional style Russian church built on the spot where Tsar Alexander II was assassinated in 1881. The majority of visitors view the Church from the exterior, and from the Memorabilia market behind the church. It is located beside the Griboedova Canal, and is easily accessible from Nevskiy Prospekt. The interior is elaborately decorated with over 6000sqm of mosaics.

• Our-Lady-of-Kazan Cathedral (Kazansky Sobor) located approximately half-way down Nevskiy Prospekt. Free to enter, but the exterior is more impressive than the inside.

• Saint-Isaac's Cathedral is located near to the Admiralty. It was built in 1818 and is a major attraction in the city. It is the third largest cathedral in the world. There are night time visits, which cost 300 rubles for foreigners for the church, and 300 rubles for the obervation deck.

• Smolny Institute

• Peter the Great's Cabin- Peter the Great's men built the small wooden cabin in a matter of days for him when he planned the city and it has been preserved in a small brick building in the district Petrogradskaya. It is located close to the Cruiser Aurora on Petrovskaya Naberzhnaya.

What to see in Saint Petersburg

The Winter Palace/State Hermitage Museum	St Isaac's Cathedral from the River Neva	The Admiralty	Alexander Nevskiy Monastery
Tikhvin Cemetery at the Alexander Nevskiy Monastery	Church of the Saviour on Spilt Blood	Cruiser Aurora in Petrogradskaya	Cathedral of Our Lady of Kazan

[edit] Do

There are many things to do in the evenings including music, dance, circus, and opera. Performances start early (6pm). Do not be put off by the length of an opera at the Mariinski Theatre as there are many intervals. And the language is not an obstacle: the text is translated above the scene. It is possible to take small children into some performances at the Mariinski Theatre if you take a private box, although you will need to ask when you buy your tickets.

If you wish to see newly released American films, be aware that most cinemas in St. Petersburg show these films dubbed (often quite poorly) in Russian. There is a theater called the Dom Kino that sometimes shows films in their original language. It can be found at #12 Karavannaya Ulitsa (near Gostiniy Dvor metro station). If you can't find your favorite film showing in English, there are places where you can purchase bootleg DVDs of new releases. Many such shops can be found in the vicinity of the Sadovaya metro station. Sometimes, these discs are also only in Russian, and the labels aren't always accurate as to which languages are available. Now these shops are desroyed. Some (but not all) shops are willing to test the DVD on an in-house TV to make certain it has English available.

As St Petersburg is located on the water, a tour of the canals by boat is a great way to see the city.

[edit] Learn

Universities and private schools offer Russian language courses (individual and group tuition).

• CREF - Centre of Russian, English & French Studies - Private language school in Saint Petersburg, Moscow & Nizhni-Novgorod
• Center of Russian Language and Culture of Saint Petersburg State University
• EducaCentre - Private school in Saint Petersburg
• Liden & Denz - Private school in Moscow and Saint Petersburg
• SRAS School of Russian and Asian Studies (all major Russian cities)
• Language Studio - Private school in Saint Petersburg
• Encyclopaedia of Saint Petersburg - The encyclopaedia is of a humanitarian nature, focusing on culture, science and education

[edit] Work

[edit] Buy

There are plenty of ATMs and legit currency exchange booths. Do not exchange money on the street: the rate won't be any better, and you run a high risk of encountering any of numerous scams.

• Gostiny Dvor. The city's oldest and largest shopping centre, dating to the mid-18th century. The name means "Guest Yard", as its old role was to provide both shops and housing to merchants from far away. It sells almost everything from Playstations to Saint Petersburg Vodka. The prices of goods are the highest in St.Petersburg.

• Nevskiy Prospekt. Saint Petersburg's Champs-Élysées, lined with department stores and fancy shops. A recommended shop for Souvenir hunters is Nevskiy Gifts on the corner of the road entering Palace Square.

• Passazh. The Harrods of Saint Petersburg, a smaller and very beautiful shopping center for the elite.

• Souvenirs Market sells a huge variety of cheap souvenirs from Matroyshka dolls to Soviet Memorabilia. It can be found behind the Church of the Saviour next to the Griboedova Canal.

[edit] Eat

[edit] Budget

• Chainaya Lozhka There are a few of these fast food restaurants in St. Petersburg. They serve blini (Russian crepes) with a variety of fillings. They also have a wide selection of teas.

• Teremok, : Locations all over the city. These street corner bliny stands serve arguably the best food in the city. Nothing, absolutely nothing, tastes better than hot Russian crepes with mushrooms, caramel, berries, or what have you with a cup of tea on a cold winter street. 2-5 rubles

[edit] Mid-range

• Acquarel, next to the Birzhevoy bridge, 3208600, Right on the water this restaurant offers Italian food alongside a French/Asian fusion menu. Friendly people, delightful atmosphere, and a wonderful view, Acquarel is a wonderful and delicious dinner option or even a great place to relax and get a drink in their lounge chairs.
• Art Deco, Sadovaya 47 (intersection of Griboedova channel and Stolyarny pereulok), +7(812)310-6454, [5]. 12PM-2AM. Artistic meals serving and interiors (from windows to the restrooms), free wifi.
• Kafe Ket, 22 Ul. Stremyannaya. In a country where only 1% of the population is reported to eat out in a restaurant more than once a year, Kafe Ket is a wonderful alternative to the pushy alternatives which have no place in the city other than to cater for the culinary whims of busloads of foreign tourists. This little restaurant serves probably the nicest Georgian food, menu in English.
• Kafe Tbilisi, Sytninskaya ul., 10, 2329391, Metro Gorkovskaya behind the market. Georgian food. The dishes prepared in pots are excellent.
• The Idiot, 82, Moika Emb., 3151675. A wide variety of vegan and vegetarian dishes, in a cozy cellar, totally un-SPB-like.

[edit] Splurge

Grand Hotel Europe - The Sunday Jazz Brunch here is a "Not to Miss" if you are looking for a real splurge. About $90 USD per person includes a full caviar spread and sushi bar in addition to the normal brunch fare (carving station, omelette station, salads, fruit, baked goods, desserts, the options are nearly endless). There is also bottomless champagne glasses (and the champagne is quite good) and a huge frozen ice sculpture that is tapped where you can refill your glass with iced vodka as many times as you'd like. The jazz is very good and the pace is relaxed and enjoyable. The only caveat: As with most Russian eateries, there is no non-smoking section, so if you are not a smoker, ask for table away from the majority or risk having to inhale cigarette smoke while you dine.

[edit] Drink

Saint Petersburgers know how to party.

[edit] Pubs

• Gordon & MacPhail's Whisky Bar, Nekrasova St., 9, +7 812 579 4059. A lovely place to have a couple of whiskeys and a pint in the evening. Lots of brands, cosy atmosphere.
• Red Lion British Pub located near St Isaac's square adjacent to the Bronze Horseman. Offers traditional British food such as Shepherd's Pie and alcoholic drinks. Has the atmosphere of a pub in the UK.
• Tsinik, Per. Antonenko 4, [6]. Open 12-03.
• The Other Side Gastro Bar & Refuge, 1 Bolshaya Konyushennaya St. (a 2-minute walk from The Church of Our Saviour on The Spilled Blood), Tel: +7-812-312-9554, [7] Metro: Nevski Prospect. Open 12AM-?. Rapidly emerging as a favored spot among foreign visitors and long-term residents alike, The Other Side offers what too many bars in St. Petersburg do not: gourmet bar food, a solid selection of drinks, fabulous background and live music, friendly, relaxed service and a cool, classy atmosphere.

[edit] Nightclubs

• Mod Club (Мод). Konushenaya sq. 2(Metro: Nevski Prospect), [8]. Cult club in the St.Petersburg center, next to Church of the Savior on Blood. Two rooms - one where bands / DJ`s are playing, the second with a jukebox and comfortable sofas + cosy balcony. Very diversive music program: from raggae to punk/metal, but mostly rock. Friendly atmosphere. The crowd is combined of students, musicians, artists and expats. Design of the club is worth cheking out as well. Menus on English, English-speaking bartenders (looks like the owner hires only sexy girls on this position, not counting famous French barman Oliver). The entry is 150 RUR on the Saturdays and Fridays, other days free.

• Club 1 (Один). Ul Lomonosova 5(Metro: Gostiny Dvor), [9]. Highly advised on saturday nights for the insane nu-rave/indie parties. The venue is situated in the very heart of the city in the building of XVIII century market. Club is packed with mostly young & crazy girls (for first half hour of the party the entrance for girls is free) dancing to DJ's mixing dance rock with electro. Two dancefloors, cheap alcohole, face controle preventing entry to club for stupid people. Most of the fluorescent crowd is speaking at least a little English and is friendly. Entry 200 rubles ($7)

• Tunnel (Тоннель). Zverinskaya Ul (Metro: Sportivnaya), [10]. Reputedly Russia's first techno club and certainly its most legendary, Tunnel is back after an extended shutdown. This disused bomb shelter isn't exactly pretty and the crush and "face control" at the entrance when the doors open at 12 midnight sharp are legendary, but the crowd and the DJs are worth it. Entry 250-350 rubles depending on who's playing. Now it's closed because it's was a centre of narcotrade.

• Griboedov (Грибоедов). Voronezskaya Ul. 2 (Metro: Ligovsky), [11]. A suitably spaced out place for a club whose name can also be interpreted as "the mushroom eater" or a famous russian's poet surname, the acts here are famously offbeat, especially on weekdays when you're as likely to find a poetry reading as live reggae or a DJ spinning psychedelic trance. Also hidden in an underground bomb shelter, open daily except Tuesday.

[edit] Gay & Lesbian

• Greshniki and Kabare are two gay discos in Saint Petersburg. Greshniki, or Sinners Club, features dungeon decor and house music while Kabare is more oriented toward showy drag routines also accompanied by pop dance music.

[edit] Sleep

[edit] Budget

• Nordhostel, [12]. 24 EUR (888 rubles)per night. Located in the very center of the city — a stone's throw from the Hermitage. Free internet access and continental breakfast. A grungy place, but excellent location, and relatively cheap.

• Sleep Cheap, Mohovaya Ave. reasonably priced (700 rubles) accommodation. Very hard to find (go to number 18, and through the dark tunnel), no Internet Access or hot water (for a couple of weeks during the summer).

[edit] Mid-range

• Ermitage Hotel, : Millionnaya str.11, : +7-812-571-54-97, Website: http://www.ermitage-spb.ru. A small hotel with genuine St. Petersburg spirit. Located in the historical center, close to the Hermitage and the Marble Palace. Offers 4 double rooms that allow usage of a fully equipped study and a magnificent hall with fire-place - and with the whole staff of the hotel at your disposal. 120+ Euro

• *Herzen House ***, Bol.Morskaya str.25, tel.+7-812-314-55-50, [13]. A newly opened hotel right at the historical center. An ideal place for business or tourist trip. 20 rooms of different types, TV, bathroom,phone, WI-FI, air-condition in each room. 24-hours English speaking reception. Excellent breakfast (buffet) is included in the price, free internet access for guests. Room price - from 85 Euro.

• Comfort Hotel***+, Bol.Morskaya str.25, tel.+7-812-570-67-00[14]. a unique hotel in the very heart of St.Petersburg. Imagine - 5 min.walk to The Hermitage, 5 min.walk to St.Isaac Cathedral ! The best place for city explorers. 14 rooms of various categories. Friendly English speaking staff. Free WI-FI and breakfast. Room price - from 105 Euro

• Alexander House, Old City, 27 Kryukov Embankment, tel: +7 812 5753877, [15]. 16-room hotel in a quiet neighborhood, southwest of the city center.

• Matisov Domik, Matisov Island, [16]. A small, cosy hotel located a short walk away from the Mariinsky Theatre. The hotel has excellent service with large, clean rooms and satellite television (all but one News Channel, Russia Today, are in Russian). The hotel is a jewel in an otherwise poorer area of the city, however this should not put potential visitors off as it is the perfect way to see both perspectives of the city.

• Moskva Hotel, 2 Alexander Nevsky pl (Metro Ploschad' Alexandra Nevskogo), tel. +7 812 274-4001. Incredibly gargantuan concrete monolith that continues to carry forward the Soviet traditions of former monopoly operator Intourist. Ugly and user-hostile, but the location right above a subway station is excellent and the price can be right, especially if booked in a package.

• Nevsky Grand Hotel, 10 Bolshaya Konyushennaya St, tel & Fax +7(812)7033860, [17]. Just around the corner from Nevsky Prospect, 5 minutes from the subway and a 10 minute walk from the Hermitage Museum, the Nevsky Hotel Grand is an ideally located hotel in Saint Petersburg for city tours and excursions to the city's surroundings. Hotel has free very reliable Wi-Fi access in all rooms (very speedy also), and air conditioning in every room. Rooms are very small, but functional. Staff speaks English well, and breakfast is included in the room rate (available from 7 am til 11 am)

• Petro Palace, 14 Malaya Morskaya, [18]. A clean, very efficient, and brilliantly located hotel. It has a spa, swimming pool and gym (but only free for guests before 11am) and the rooms maids are very efficient - appearing to clean rooms several times a day. It is within a few seconds of several excellent restaurants, coffee bars and a small shop.

• Hotel Vera Suvorovsky prosp. 25/16, 5th floor (close to Grand Hotel Emerald). +7(812)702-72-06, +7(812)271-28-93, [19]. Up-to-date and cozy rooms; 4th to 6th floors of an old building. Staff speaks English by default, not Russian--which is quite rare. 6th floor features mansard windows. Some rooms have poor sound isolation from the corridor (eg. 604). Cheap internet over wire (300 rub/day). Breakfast: No-frills; no hot plates but fresh fruits; no espresso, only American coffee.

[edit] Splurge

• Grand Hotel Europe[20]. A five-star hotel in the centre of town. Hosts Ballet, and several restaurants. Many rooms have great views over the city. Well worth a visit.

• Radisson SAS[21]. A five-star hotel located on Nevskiy Prospekt. The hotel boasts a fitness centre, sauna and massage parlour. Conveniently located.

[edit] Contact

There are four GSM 900/1800 networks (MTS/Beeline/Megafon/Tele2) and a CDMA 2000 network (SkyLink) and the coverage is quite sufficient (every built-up area and most of the country roads). If you stay for a few days or more and need to make local calls it is advised that you buy a pre-paid SIM card (you may be asked for a passport) and a cell-phone if you don't have one matching local standards (possibly a used one) which is going to be much cheaper than roaming in most cases. A SIM card with a balance will cost you less then $10. Cell outlets are plentiful around the city (numerous at every subway station and shopping center). You can pay for your talks at most supermarkets, cell-phone shops and ATMs. The emergency service number is 112. For international calls, consider buying a calling card which allows very cheap calls (a few rubles for a minute to Europe or the US). Calling from a hotel room may result in rather painful bill. There are a lot of internet cafes around the city, although it is not so easy to find one when you need (you'd better ask locals). Also there are so-called computer clubs with dozens of computers for network gaming (usually crowded by kids playing CounterStrike) which also offer internet access in separate rooms for a little charge. Free WiFi is available in the airport, most major hotels, business and shopping centers, restaurants and other public places. You can find a list of free wireless spots here wifi.yandex.ru.

[edit] Stay safe

Saint Petersburg has a somewhat undeserved dangerous reputation. Things have calmed down since the Wild West days immediately after the collapse of the Soviet Union, but some common sense is still required.

As with most major cities, avoid traveling alone at night, and do not get into altercations with drunks. If traveling at night, it is recommended to stay on the main sidewalks and not go into any dark alleys or yards.

Gangs are a problem, although mafia gang wars are unlikely to affect tourists. Some gangs, however, such as neo-Nazis or angry hooligans, are out looking for trouble and committing crimes that can affect tourists. After the war with Chechnya, local hatred is growing toward people with darker complexions, and neo-Nazism is a concern. These gangs are rare now. Saint Petersburg's football club, Zenit Saint Petersburg, is one of the biggest clubs in the country, and has its own band of hooligans. They can fight only with Moscow football hooligans. If you decide to visit the football stadium to watch the club play, you should buy tickets to center sectors.

Take care of money, documents, cameras, mobile phones, and anything of worth because of pickpocketing. Especially watch out on the Metro during busy times, as people start pushing and pickpockets are frequent. When riding the Metro, keep in mind that robbery is a real threat; you should constantly watch what is going on around you and who is standing very close to you. Cameras must be kept in bags slung across the body at all times, with your hands keeping a firm grip on them, and no watches or jewelry should be visible at all. Quite obviously, do not show in public that you have a lot of money.

Russian drivers do not respect pedestrians too much, similar to the rest of Eastern Europe. Do not even think about running over the road when there is a red light because some drivers will just drive faster and not stop. Unlike Moscow and most other cities, pedestrian green light sometimes respected by drivers, so better check before going and in a dividing line.

Saint Petersburg has a small problem with street children. They make their living out of stealing, so hold on to your hat if you meet any of these on the street.

Gay people are not very accepted in Saint Petersburg. Many gays are often targets of people looking for trouble. Just because you are gay does not mean you will encounter problems, but you should be aware that the chance of getting in trouble is present. But it's not very big problem nowadays.

Overall, be warned that if you are used to living in the US and/or western Europe, Saint Petersburg, as well as the rest of Eastern Europe, will seem different, and, at times, a bit intimidating. Russian people are extremely friendly and welcoming towards foreigners and nothing should happen to you unless you really want it yourself. If you don't care about them, they don't care about you and nothing should be in your way of having a great holiday!

[edit] Stay healthy

The city's water-system is in a not very condition because of some number of old pipes and not 100% clean water. Consult locals you trust; otherwise buy bottled water or filter tap water.

In Saint Petersburg cold water is cleaner then hot, also ther isn't hot water in 3 weeks every summer.

There are numerous public toilets, most of which are attended by a person who will charge a small amount for entry. It is a good idea to take your own toilet paper, as it is not often provided. The toilets are typically extremely dirty by Western standards. If you are a westerner, you can get away with wandering into the western hotels, which have lovely bathrooms—the Grand Hotel Europe in particular. Just don't ever push your luck with suit-clad men guarding the hotel entrances, they are tough as nails if provoked.

[edit] Cope

The first 24 hours in Saint Petersburg may be a shock to the system. The welcome from immigration officials seems like a hang-over from Communist times- don't expect to be spoken to or even looked at by officials. Flying into Saint Petersburg may seem alien, with the sight of old concrete tower blocks and factory chimneys. The suburbs of the city are a contrast to those with which you may be familiar. Nevskiy Propekt is the most 'westernized' street in the city and would be more familiar to westerners traveling to Saint Petersburg. . If you are from a Western country, you will find this either shocking or amusing.

Saint Petersburg is plagued by an number of mosquitoes during the summer, as the swampy surroundings of the city give the mosquitoes excellent living conditions. In budget accomodation with few counter measures against the mosquitoes this can be a problem at night, putting your well deserved sleep at risk.

[edit] Get out

One-day excursions are popular with travellers to Saint Petersburg. Taxicabs and buses are the most common forms of transport and trips can often be organised either with the holiday operator e.g. Intourist, before traveling to Russia, or from your hotel. Some of the most popular excursions include:

• Gatchina — big park and museum.
• Kronshtadt — old seaport town on the island.
• Lomonosov — big park with museum. Not far from Peterhof (15 minutes by car). Station name is Oranienbaum.
• Novgorod — Ancient town with churches and museums.
• Pavlovsk — very big and nice park. You could feed squirrel from your hands.
• Peterhof — the sumptuous "Russian Versailles". Fountains, parks, museums. Can be reached by train, although figuring out which station you want can be tricky if you can't read Cyrillic. Station's name is Novyi Peterhof.
• Pushkin (A.K.A. Tsarskoye Selo) — a city 25 km south of Saint Petersburg, with beautiful parks and palaces, most notably the Catherine Palace built for Tsarina Catherine I. Station's name is Detskoe Selo.

This is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!

WikiPedia:Saint Petersburg

Dmoz:Europe/Russia/Administrative Regions/Saint Petersburg/ World66:europe/russia/stpetersburg