USEFUL INFO:

City Tourism Information Centre: http://eng.ispb.info/, http://www.visit-petersburg.ru/en/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Petersburg

Eating\clubbing suggestions in between of our activities https://www.likealocalguide.com/st-petersburg

The language of all the emergency services is Russian, so in case of difficulties use the Tourist Helpline 24 hours": 8 800 30 30 555 (mobile phone)
+7 812 30 30 555

VISA

How to get a Russian visa, if you are not staying in the hostel (most of them have visa support as an extra service): http://waytorussia.net/Travel/VisaSupport.html
http://www.russian-visas.net

Visa free stay (up to 72 hours) so far works only with ferries: https://stpeterline.com/en/Goodtoknow/Visafreerule.aspx

Visa Registration:  PAY ATTENTION

New rules of VISA REGISTRATION for the period of the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup from June 1, 2017 till July 12, 2017.

(If you will stay at Hostel or Hotel, they will provide for you)

.

"According to the new decree, an arrival notification at the place of stay or registration at the place of residence for foreign citizens who entered Russia for temporary or permanent residence must be obtained within 24 hours from the date of the arrival at the place of stay (residence). "

.....

"The term for submitting application for registration of foreigner nationals and stateless persons at the place of their residence will be reduced: the registration must be obtained in 24 hours upon arrival to the country instead of seven working days as before"

https://www.visahouse.com/en/news/read/registratsiya-v-moskve-na-period-kubka/

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In any case keep your train/bus/airplane tickets as a proof for the customs officers (might not ask for them, but just to be safe).

Don’t lose your migration card, which was filled in by you and stamped by officials at the entrance to Russia, you’ll need to return it at the departure. If you violate any of existing rules (loosing migration card, not getting registered etc.), you might have to pay a fine of up to 5000 rubles and get banned from entering the country for next 5 years.
 

 

TRANSPORT

HOW TO REACH Saint-Petersburg from Europe:

of course, direct flights :)

also we have good and fast connection with:

--TALLINN (Estonia)--
by bus (6-7 hours):
http://www.luxexpress.eu/en
http://legacy.ecolines.net/index.php?l=2
http://rus.temptrans.ee/index.php/tallinn-spb

by train (6-7 hours):
http://pass.rzd.ru/main-pass/public/en

--HELSINKI (Finland)--
by bus (6-7 hours):
http://www.luxexpress.eu/en
http://www.sovavto.ru/eng/7.html
and some other companies

by train Allegro (3.5 hours):
http://pass.rzd.ru/main-pass/public/en

--LAPPENRANTA (Finland)--
by bus (3-4 hours):
http://savonlinjat.fi/en
http://www.sovavto.ru/eng/7.html
and some other companies

Also you can come by FERRY from Tallinn/Helsinki/Stockholm
http://www.stpeterline.com/en/Goodtoknow/Visafreerule.aspx
Manual:
http://www.stpeterline.com/LinkClick.aspx…

 

GETTING AROUND St-Petersburg:

Public transport operates from 5.45 in the morning till about midnight (+-30 min).
COST of public transport:
Metro -45 rub/1 trip (with PODOROZHNIK 36rub/1 trip)
Bus, trolly, tram -40 rub/1 trip (with PODOROZHNIK 31rub/1 trip)
Marshrutka (a small commercial bus) or a commercial bus -30-50 rub/1 trip

You can buy a card "PODOROZHNIK" (60 rub) and put some money on the card. In this case you have a discount on public transport.
Or you can purser daily tickets on PODOROZHNIK card (from 1 till 7 days).
You can buy this card at the metro stations.

 

TO GET FROM the AIRPORT by public transport:
by bus or marshrutka (minibus) 39, K39 to the metro station Moskovskaya (the blue line of the metro).
The bus stop is in front of the Arrivals hall exit.
The bus/minibus runs from 5.30 a.m. till 01.30 a.m. The trip takes 25-35 minutes.
The metro station Moskovskaya works from 5-40 a.m. till 00-10 a.m.
The price is 40rub.
More information is here:
http://www.pulkovoairport.ru/en/transport/bus/

On Fri, Sat nights there are night buses that duplicate metro lines.
Use http://spb.rusavtobus.ru/en/ to find an optimal route.

And don`t forget that at night bridges are opening, the schedule: http://www.saint-petersburg.com/…/timetable-of-bridge-open…/

PHONE AND MOBILE INTERNET

To save money on mobile you can buy a local sim-card of any of the operators (tele2, mts, bee-line, megafon), they are all relatively cheap.
You need a passport for buying a sim-card

 

SAFETY

Saint-Petersburg is not really criminal city but we are big enough :)
So you just need to be a little careful:
---watch your money, wallets, smartphones, bags etc., don`t leave them on the tables in the cafes/bars and be careful in public transport/shopping centers
---it`s better to go to bars (especially, on Dumskaya street) with local friends and don`t drink with strangers
---you can pay by card in a lot of places and in most of them it`s totally ok...just check the amount you are paying and ask for the receipt
---and be careful about your heart ;) It can be stolen also :D