The network of public transportation in St. Petersburg is quite extensive. The resources of public transportation are quite over-stretched, and most public transport is not particularly user-friendly. Nonetheless, the metro is a very reliable and cost-effective way of medium and long-distance transportation. It is also good for journeys within the downtown area. For the shorter trips you are more likely to use trams, buses and trolleybuses, or taxis (if you have money to spare). If you come on business or with a large family, you might also consider renting a car or a van (with driver or without).
Metro
St. Petersburg's metro is perhaps not as majestic as the one in Moscow, yet it looks more impressive than most other subways and undergrounds of the world. It is also the deepest subway in the world.
Despite the recent funding problems the metro is still the most reliable city transport (particularly convenient for long-distance journeys). Normally trains arrive every 2-3 minutes, with slightly longer waiting periods early in the morning and late at night. Note the changes in the metro opening times: on average the stations open at about 5:45 am and close between midnight and 0:30 am You can transfer from one line to the other until 0:15 am.
Orientation
St. Petersburg's metro has four lines which are numbered and assigned specific colors on a metro map.
Line #1 is Red, Line #2 - Blue, Line #3 - Green and, finally, Line #4 is Yellow. You can find English language metro maps in most printed city guides.
Line 1 has the most beautiful stations and thus is perfect for "metro sightseeing".
Entering Metro
Unless you buy a monthly pass (called kartochka or proyezdnoy) you pay by tokens, which can be purchased at special counters or booths located at every station. These booths also sell monthly metro passes and passes which allow you to use all forms of public transport (yediny or yedinaya kartochka).
There are two types of entry gates at metro stations, but the old ones quickly disappear. New gates accept both tokens and monthly / 10 journey passes, while in the past you had to use different gates.
To enter the metro do the following:
If you use tokens: place your token in the entry gate (with your right hand), wait for the token to drop, then walk through, or
If you have a monthly / 10 Journey Pass: insert your monthly/10 journey plastic pass into the slot of a gate. When the card is ejected, walk through. If you have any problems with a gate, take your card to the member of station staff on duty, who can normally be found in a glass booth near the entry gates.
Trams
One can call St. Petersburg a "City of Trams" because it has more trams than any other city in the world. Tram stops are marked with signs above the tracks (with a letter "T" on them).
Since January 1998 all trams have conductors on board. You should pay in cash to a conductor, unless you have a monthly pass. Conductors normally wear special uniform (and/or red arm bands). They check whether everybody has paid and sell tickets to those who need them. Don't be surprised to see an occasional kontrolyor - inspector, who might ask you to show your ticket.
Buses
The bus network of St. Petersburg is extensive, but can be a bit confusing for a foreigner. Bus stops are marked by signs with the letter "A", which stands for avtobus.
Currently the city has several types of buses:
Regular buses now have conductors on board. You should pay for your ticket in cash to a conductor or show him/her your monthly pass.
T-buses (Taxi-buses) accept cash only and no passes are valid on them. Since they charge a bit more than regular buses, T-buses rarely become crowded.
E-buses (Express buses) are normally coaches, which are supposed to be faster and more comfortable. They accept cash only and can skip stops if nobody wants to board or exit the bus (So be sure to tell the driver that you need the next stop). Currently these buses are twice as expensive as the metro.
Plus there are vans, which are called "marshrutniye taksi" or "marshrutki". These are more popular in the newer districts of the city. You will be charged 2-3 rubles when you board a van, then just tell the drived, where you want him to stop and drop you off. With the city's attempts to make public transport more cost-effective, one should expect further spread of "marshrutki"
Trolleybuses
Trolleybuses are essentially electric buses that get power from electric wires. Along with trams, trolleybuses are the most environmentally-friendly public transport in St. Petersburg, though not the fastest. They can get crowded at times, particularly during "rush-hour".
Trolleybus stops are marked with signs with blue letter "T". Show your monthly pass to a conductor otherwise pay in cash for your ticket.
Taxis
St. Petersburg does not have as many taxis as New York or London, but there are still plenty of taxis in the street, catering both for budget travelers and the "nouveau riche". Perhaps to confuse you, taxis are marked in a very diverse fashion.
Here is how you can identify a taxi:
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·some taxis are painted bright yellow
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·some taxis have an orange checkered light on the roof
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·some taxis have green lights in the upper-left corner of windshield and the light is on when the cab is available
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·the more expensive taxis might have yellow "Taksi" signs on the roof.
Nowadays taxi services are offered by an array of licensed companies. Normally all cabs have meters and you pay for your ride by kilometer. Below is the list of taxi companies with their contact information and fares:
068 - Petersburg Taxi
Company "068 - Petersburg Taxi" offers taxi service with standard and higher-end class cars including Volga, Audi and Nissan cars. Just dial 068.
6 Chapigino Ulitsa
068, +7 812 380-6777
Arsio
Company "Arsio" offers taxi van service with Mercedes, Ford, Nissan vans.
12 Alexandr Nevski Ulitsa, Suite 13
+7 812 274-4226
Drive-Tour
Company "Drive-Tour" offers taxi service with a fleet of mostly higher-end cars including C, E and S class Audi, Volvo and Ford cars.
+7 812 550-4908, +7 812 320-6963 (fax) kira@rednet.ru
Finnord
Company "Finnord" offers taxi service with Mercedes C, E and S class, Nissan, Audi, Volvo cars and Mercedes and Ford vans.
37 Italianskya Ulitsa
+7 812 314-8951
Globe Auto
Company "Globe Auto" offers taxi service with higher-end cars including Mercedes, Audi and Nissan cars.
11/13 Borovaya Ulitsa
+7 812 164-90-38
Khertz-Interauto
Company "Khertz-Interauto" offers taxi service with Mercedes and Ford vans.
4 Perekypnoy Pereulok
+7 812 274-2590
Larisa CAR
Company "Larisa CAR" offers taxi service with Mercedes ?, E and S class, Audi and Volvo cars, and Mercedes and Ford vans.
36 Kazanskaya Ulitsa
+7 812 437-0698
Neva Line
City Transportation Company "Neva Line" offers a complete selection of transportation options from budget to luxury class. Neva Line's fleet of cars includes Mercedes C, E and S class cars, limousines,Volvo and Lincoln cars, and Ikarus, Neoplan, Setra buses.
47 Professora Popova Ulitsa, Suite 111
+7 812 234-5976, +7 812 234-1586
REX Luxury Service
Company "REX Luxury Service" offers taxi service with Mercedes C, E and S class, Audi, Volvo and Nissan cars. REX also provides an innovative system of discounts.
2 Konushennya Ploshad
+7 812 320-6662
Silver Spring
Company "Silver Spring" offers taxi service with Mercedes C, E and S class, Audi, Volvo and Nissan cars.
36 Suvorovskiy Prospect
+7 812 274-7661, +7 812 275-1834 (fax)
