Getting Around St. Petersburg

A lone soul on one of St. Petersburg's 350 bridges.

By Foot
St. Petersburg is known to be a great city for walking -- and this is indeed true, provided the weather holds up and it isn't getting dark at 4 in the afternoon. Nevsky Prospect is the main drag, and most places in the center are only a half-hour's stroll away.

Not far from the top end of Nevsky you can explore several famous squares, including: Dvortsovaya Ploshchad (Palace Square), flanked by the Winter Palace, which houses the Hermitage Museum; Dekabristov Ploshchad (Decembrist Square), where that popular Petersburg landmark the Bronze Horseman rears its famous head; and don't forget glorious St. Isaac's Square, home to St. Isaac's Cathedral and, of course, the St. Petersburg Times office.

Letny Sad (the Summer Gardens) is perhaps the nicest of the garden and park areas, originally designed as a quiet place of contemplation and meditation. Mars Field and the Mikhail Gardens, near the Russian Museum and the looming onion domes of the Church of the Resurrection, are similarly attractive. There is also Tavrichesky Sad, near Chernashevskaya metro station, which is well worth exploring.

The Strelka, at the eastern end of Vasilevsky Island, is an interesting place to wander and boasts one of the better views of the Peter and Paul Fortress -- located across the water on Zayachy Island, also a nice walking area with parks and a zoo nearby.

Further away from the city are several nice old tsarist palaces, surrounded by lavish gardens -- the most popular being located at Petrodvorets, Pushkin, and Pavlovsk. Good places for picnics and favorite weekend getaways for locals and tourists alike.

By Metro
While not quite the subterranean museum boasted by the capital, St. Petersburg's metro system is none too shabby and highly recommended -- not to mention deep, deep, deep! (It seems St. Petersburg's soggy soil was found unfit for such massive underground constructions -- the solution decided upon was to just keep digging.) Trains are generally fast and reliable -- with clocks that record the time elapsed since the last train's departure, rarely more than a 2- or 3-minute wait. A single token (zheton) runs 5 rubles (about 20 cents), and a selection of multi-trip cards that work out cheaper per journey can also be bought -- including one month or half-month passes.

The metro opens around 6 a.m. and closes at 12 midnight -- though you only have to make it through the turnstiles by this time as the trains themselves run a bit longer. Construction ("remont") causes problems for a few stations. Metro Pionerskaya closes down a couple of hours a day during weekdays (schedules are posted at the station), and connections have yet to be made between some of the newer, outer stations, including between Lesnaya and Ploshchad Muzhestva on the red line.

By Taxi
While much will depend upon the strength of your Russian, a short 10-15 minute taxi ride in the city center in a car hailed on the street generally runs from 30 rubles to 90 rubles ($1-$3), though a bit more late at night. Best to agree on fares up front. You can call to order an official taxi -- perhaps a safer bet if you are traveling by yourself late at night -- by calling Petersburg Taxi at 068, 4th Taxi Park at 265 13 33, or any of a multitude of private taxi companies.

By Bus, Trolleybus and Tram
It is best to buy a transport map if you plan to make extensive use of the bus or tram systems. Maps can be purchased at news kiosks in the center, at Dom Knigi on Nevsky Prospekt or other local bookshops. Fares cost 4 rubles (15 cents). Be careful not to mix up buses and trolleybuses, distinguishable by the poles hooked up to overhead electric cables, as may have the same numbers but follow completely different routes. Bus stops are marked by yellow signs with the letter "A" (for avtobus), which at times also have a somewhat accurate timetable. Trolleybus stops are marked by a blue "T."

By Marshrutnoye Taksi
The marshrutka, or shared taxi, has the advantage of carrying fewer people than a regular city bus or metro (where you may often find standing room only), while only charging a few rubles more (generally 6-8 rubles -- about 25 cents). You will have to read the signs posted on the sides to find your destination (wear your glasses), or simply ask.

By Boat
Though it sounds romantic, boat travel in St. Petersburg is not a practical method of transportation. There are, of course, sightseeing tours -- but if you're looking to actually get somewhere, better to stick with the metro or other methods. There are, however, regular services to the Petrodvorets estate-museum on the Gulf of Finland.

The Bridges
Finally, if you're thinking of relying on transport other than the Metro (which you will have to do if you are much of a night owl), one note you will want to remember is BEWARE THE BRIDGES -- which are raised at night at varying times to let boats through. Stories abound of people being marooned all night in bars & discos -- with their respective bridges only to open in the wee-hours of the morning. And while this provides for colorful conversation at times, it can get old...

Schedule (double check for updated times/changes in arrival) -- The following bridges (mosty) will be open and inaccessible at these times:

Most Alexander Nevskogo: 2:35 - 4:50 a.m.
Liteyny Most: 2:10 - 4:40 a.m.
Bolshoy Okhtinsky Most: 2:45 - 4:45 a.m.
Dvortsovy Most: 1:35 - 3:05 and 3:15 - 4:45 a.m.
Troitsky Most: 2:00 - 4:40 a.m.
Tuchkov Most: 2:20 - 3:10 and 3:40 - 4:40 a.m.
Most Leytenanta Shmidta: 1:55 - 4:50 a.m.
Most Birzhevoy: 2:25 - 3:10 and 3:40 - 4:40 a.m.

The bridges are not a problem in the wintertime -- when the river is frozen and impassable to boats, making raising the bridges unnecessary. However, there are a few tales to the contrary. Schedules also may change during the White Nights season around midsummer.