St Petersburg City Guide - Getting Around

Most people in St Petersburg rely on public transport, so the city is well served by buses, trams and trolley buses. Although there are 65 tramlines, 179 bus routes and 50 trolley bus lines, the infrastructure is somewhat run down - cars  can be crowded, but run with frequency, though they are subject to frequent breakdowns. If time is of the essence, visitors should use the more efficient metro or take a cab. All public transport operates 0600-2400, with the exception of the metro, which runs 0530-2430.

Buses are run by a number of government subsidised garages and mainly operate on the outskirts of the city and from metro stations. Buses are indicated with yellow signs marked with the letter ‘A'. A ticket (talon) is available from kiosks or the driver and must be validated by an on-board machine.

Trams and trolley buses are operated by Gorelectrotrans (tel: (812) 311 3220), though it is doubtful anyone speaking English, or willing to help will answer. Signs, marked with a ‘T', hanging from the electric lines, indicate the stops. The tickets are the same as those used on the buses.

The metro or St Petersburg Metropoliten (tel: (812) 301 9700; website: www.metro.spb.ru), with four lines and 54 stations, is the best way to travel around the city. Stations are identified by large blue ‘M' signs, which light up at night. To travel, a single-journey token (zheton) or 10-journey magnetic card is required, which should be deposited or swiped in the machines at the top of the escalators. These can only be purchased at the station booths. All the names in the metro system are in Cyrillic, so a metro map with English translations is essential. There are no travel passes available to non-residents.

Taxis are cars with ‘T' on the side. They can be hailed in the street or booked by calling central reservations (tel: (812) 312 0022 or 700 0000). Official taxis should have a working meter but visitors should always negotiate a price before getting in and avoid unofficial, unmarked cabs. Visitors should never get into a vehicle that contains anyone other than the driver. For tipping, in metered taxis, it is acceptable to round up to the nearest rouble. However, in non-metered taxis, the pre-decided fare should suffice.

Potholes and appalling road surfaces, drivers with no apparent road sense and the dreaded traffic police all mean that driving in St Petersburg cannot be recommended. Indeed, self-drive car hire is barely available. Street signs in Cyrillic script and a high incidence of theft from parked cars mean that hiring a car with a driver is a much safer and more popular option.

There are no organised paid parking areas in central St Petersburg, although it is free to park on the city streets, provided there are no restrictions signs and spaces can be found.

Self-drive hire is all but non-existent and most hire cars come complete with driver. The main providers are Hertz (tel: (812) 324 3242; website: www.hertz.com), Hotel Astoria (tel: (812) 313 5757), Svit (tel: (812) 356 9329) and Biracs (tel: (812) 310 5356; website: www.biracs.ru).

Unfortunately bicycle hire is unavailable, although city-centre cycling can be hazardous, so perhaps this is for the best.

Walking in the City
St Petersburg is made for walking. The beauty of the canals and leafy boulevards makes getting from place to place on foot a pure pleasure. That said, when the winter descends on the city, the icy winds sweeping off the Baltic Sea make even a short walk misery for those who are underdressed. Insulated coats, gloves, and warm headwear are a must. Additionally, while walking about town, do realise that passenger automobiles will not stop for pedestrians crossing the street without a light. Approach crosswalks with extreme caution (many cars run the orange warning lights) and use underground walkways when they are provided. Horrific accidents have occurred with even seasoned pedestrians who took a chance.