by Michal Dorcak

Created on: July 02, 2010

City of St. Petersburg is a must-visit for all who plan to spend their holiday in Russia. It offers a lot of stunning attractions. This is mainly thanks to the fact that St. Petersburg was a capital of Russian empire for over 200 years. It was founded in 1703 by Tsar Peter the Great. Even today, this city with population of almost 5 million is a cultural center of Russia. Anyway, it is a big city and visitors should not go there unprepared.

Arriving and travelling around the city

There are several possibilities for arriving at St. Petersburg, the most popular being by plane. You will arrive at Pulkovo International airport. From there you can take a taxi to the nearest subway station or directly to your hotel. However, try to arrive sometime during the day when public transportation is working. Otherwise, the fees for the taxi will probably be very high.

If you decide to come by the train, you will probably end up at Vitebsk station. Again, the taxi would probably be the best way to get to your hotel. Also, if you plan to travel by train to other Russian city or back home, do not forget to check all the local policies for tourists as they might differ from what you are used to.

It is also possible to arrive by bus or by ship. However, international tourists from places other than the countries around the Baltic Sea are unlikely to cross the Russian border this way.

As for moving around the city, there are many options. You can use subway, trams, trolleybuses and buses. You can also take taxi. These can be flagged right on the street or you can order one through the phone. In case of taxis flagged on the street, it might (and often will) be possible to negotiate the fare. So, be prepared to negotiate the price as some taxi drivers might start by asking a lot more than the trip is worth. Another option is to travel by marshrutka which is a private minibus. These are often fast and cheap.

Accommodation

The best idea is to stay in one of many hotels in the city. Of course, you should book a room in advance to avoid any problems upon arrival. There are many 3, 4 and 5-star hotels in St. Petersburg and the good thing is that it is possible to get a room for relatively low prices even in some 4 and 5-star hotels. That is at least compared to hotels in many other cities around the world. For example, prices in several 5-star hotels start as low as around 170 USD/night. Sure, that does not sound like a cheap holiday, but it is much cheaper than, for example, the Moscow

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