There are many options for getting around St Petersburg. The metro is the solution most used by tourists. The various types of buses and, in particular, the marshrutkas remain the preferred options by the Russians. These are joined by small boats that spool from one point to another, allowing you to move around the city along its canals. A truly unique and fascinating way for getting around St Petersburg.
METRO
Particularly extensive, modern and efficient, the Saint Petersburg metro is distinguished by the beauty of its stations. Some are really beautiful, and elegant. This is the case, for example, of Atvovo.
The Saint Petersburg metro, thanks to a network of capillary connections, arrives practically everywhere. The service is guaranteed by 5 lines, active from about 5:45 am to midnight, with frequencies, at peak times, even of 40 seconds!!
The lines are identified by numbers and different colors:
1 Red Line – Prospekt Veteranov-Devyatkino
2 Blue Line – Kupchino-Parnas
3 Green Line – Primorskaya-Rybatskoe
4 Yellow Line – Spasskaja-Ulitsa Dybenko
5 Purple Line – Komendantskiy Prospekt-Volkovskaya.
Compared to buses, it is easier to get around thanks to the indications also in English. The maps are visible inside the stations and trains.
Outside, the metro is easily identifiable by the logo: the blue letter M on a white background.
From late April to mid-November, during weekends and public holidays, line 5 operates nightly service from 01:00 to 03:00, between Admiralteyskaya and Sportivnaya. There are trips every 20 minutes.
GETTING AROUND ST PETERSBURG BY BUS AND TRAM
Moving by bus, tram or trolleybus, for many, could be a problem in the orientation. In this regard, applications like Google Maps could help.
In the city there are numerous buses and trolleybuses that allow you to reach every corner of the city. Trams, on the other hand, are less frequent and circulate, above all, in the suburbs.
Times are similar to the metro. Travel times, obviously, longer.
MARSHRUTKA
It is a cross between taxis and mini buses. You will see them speeding through the center and outlying areas. They are identified only by Cyrillic characters and the drivers speak almost exclusively Russian. That is why they are used mainly by the inhabitants of Saint Petersburg and the Russians.
Compared to classic buses, passengers are free to request a stop at any point along the route. Furthermore, they are very useful for moving around some areas of the city center (particularly in the Mariinsky and Smolny districts where there are few metro stops).
Kanoa advises, in case you want to take a marshrutka, to lean out along the sidewalk, raising your arm.
Tell the driver your destination, which may not even be available; in this case, you will not be allowed to go up. Inside, there are some rates for destinations; you can pay directly to the driver. If you want the driver to stop in a predetermined place, just shout “Stop Please” in English.
TAXI
Getting around St Petersburg by taxi is really expensive, compared to public transport. Often, unofficial pseudo-taxis circulate, always around to procure customers. These, like many official taxis, do not have a taximeter. For those wishing to use taxis, we always recommend the official ones. Always remember to check the travel fare in advance.
GETTING AROUND ST PETERSBURG BY BIKE
Saint Petersburg is not a city that is particularly suitable for cycling. Bicycle lanes are almost absent, the driving style is dangerous, and the roads are not very modern.
CAR
Road signs in Cyrillic. Roads not particularly efficient. Traffic. Parking difficulty. The car is not recommended and, above all, useless, if you only need to visit Saint Petersburg.