Last time I visited St. Petersburg (Russia) was about 10 years ago so it was high time to visit again and check how the city has changed.
I came from Tampere, Finland to St. Petersburg, Russia by Tilausmatkat bus, the ticket cost me 50 euros. The trip took 10 hours including stops, border formalities took about one hour.
The buses and trolleys did not look any more old wrecks. Many new blini, coffee and sushi chains had been opened. There was much more cruising boats in rivers and canals, even at night. Also bicycle taxis was something new.
Peter the Great statue behind St. Isaac’s Cathedral
At Bolshaya Konyshennaya street my favorite cafe was still open. Coffee with milk and four “pishki” cost me 60 rubles ie. 1,35 euros.
In Alexander park I drank kvass, which cost 40 rubles ie. 1 euro (0,3 l).
St. Isaac’s Cathedral
There were no lockers in Sunny Hostel, Ligosvski 61, so I changed hostel after one night. I want to have a locker because of my camera and laptop. I moved to Bed and Bike -hostel near Cennaya metro station, 400 rubles per night (10 euros).
St. Isaac’s Cathedral
I visited Church of the Savior on Blood, Saint Isaac’s Cathedral, Kazan Cathedral and St. Michael Park.
I ate many times in St. Petersburg my favorite russian soup, Solyanka.
Peterhof
Peterhof
I went to see Peterhof, a palace complex about 30 km from St. Petersburg center. I think it is the greatest attraction near St. Petersburg. The ticket to the Lower Gardes cost 400 rubles (10 euros), 10 years the gardens was still free. I went to Peterhof from Baltisky train station by local train with wooden benches and came back by bus number 200 to Avtovo metro station. The signs at metro stations were better than before.
I visited Russian Museum, ticket 350 rbl (8,80 e). I did not buy permission to photograph, but took a couple of pictures and get caught. It caused no bigger problems, I only put my camera to my bag.
River Cruise
I made one hour cruise along Fontanka, Moika and Neva rivers (and Kryokova canal), 400 rubles (10 e).
I saw a lot of beautiful women, not so many handsome men. I was taken as a Russian as long as I did not say anything in Russian with foreign accent.
There is tens of hostels now in St. Petersburg, ten years ago there were only a handful of hostels and there were more expensive. Metro tickets were many times more expensive now, but not really expensive, 25 rubles ie 0,62 euros.
Roller skating had finally arrived in Russia. Shields and helmets are not used here, I even saw skates without brakes.
I think this was the first time I ever visited Russia without traveler’s diarrhea.
Return trip from St. Petersburg to Finland
I returned to Finland by Russian bus from Hotel Oktyabrskaya (express-rtc.ru, bus company’s site in Russian olnly). St. Peterburg -Helsinki at 7 am. cost 1000 rubles ie. 25 euros and took about 8 hours. Mercedes Benz Sprinter looked like a new. I continued from Helsinki to Tampere by train (29,60 e) ja by bus to my home town Nokia (5,10 e).
Drifter4ever’s travel photos – St. Petersburg