Local Time:
Russia has 11 time zones, and St. Petersburg is in the same zone as Moscow: UTC/GMT +3. So, when it's 12:00 in St. Petersburg, it's 04:00 in New York, 09:00 in London, 10:00 in Berlin and 20:00 in Sydney. Population: Russia: 144 million, St. Petersburg: 6 million.
Arrival to St.Petersburg:
You can travel to St.-Petersburg by train, bus or plane. Many international airlines have direct flights to St.-Petersburg. There are many direct flights from European countries to St/-Petersburg. Besides, there are flights by Russian airlines Russia or Aeroflot to Moscow. Pulkovo1 in Saint-Petersburg is for domestic flights, Pulkovo2 is for international flights. In Moscow there are two international airports – Sheremetjevo2 and Domodedovo. Thus mind the airports of your arrival and departure.
Money and Payments:
The national monetary unit is Russian ruble. Banknotes come in denominations of 10, 50, 100, 500, 1.000 and 5.000 and there are 1, 2 and 5Rbl coins. In St.-Petersburg, as everywhere in Russia, payment for all goods and services is to be made in Russian rubles or by credit card. Officially, it’s illegal to pay in dollars or euros. It is possible to exchange money at any bank, at exchange booths, and at the majority of hotels and large department stores. You need your passport or its copy to change money. ATMs (bankomaty), can be found at most of metro stations, banks and large hotels, but credit-card use is still in its infancy and not all establishments will take them, even if they have signs that say they will. Always have cash as back up. In Russia the following credit and debit cards are acceptable: VISA, Master Card/Euro card, American Express, Maestro
24 hours:
One of the good things about Russia is that it is never difficult to find a place to get food or drink, even in the middle of the night - there are many places to eat out or buy food – from small shops to expensive night clubs and luxury restaurants. If you see the 24-sign (or 25-sign) it means this place is open around the clock! Even experienced global travellers are astonished at the number of supermarkets and kiosks that are open all night long.
Public Transport:
Buses, trolleys and trams operate from 6.00 to 24.00. The fare is to be paid by tickets available from the conductor. It is also possible to pay the fare by purchasing the season ticket for a particular kind of transportation, or a single ticket valid for all means of transport (except of taxi, commercial buses and shuttle taxi-buses). The stops are marked with the special signs.
Commercial shuttle taxi-buses (“marshrutki”) are usually marked with “K” index in front of the number. Quite often they have better route infrastructure and are the fasters mean of transportation. St.-Petersburg metro consists of 4 lines. It operates from 5.45 to 24.00. The fare is paid either by metal tokens, either by magnet cards available at the entrance to each station.One trip on the metro is 14Rbl per trip, the bus 14Rbl and fixed-route taxis (marshrutki) 10Rb-20Rb. Taxis are also a cheap option. Regular taxi service is available on the 24 hour basis.
Foreigner prices:
In most of museums and some theatres there are two prices for entry ticket – for Russia citizens and for foreigners. If you have a document which says you are working or studying in Russia, you can usually get the local price. Derzhavin Institute provides the students with Russian student ID that can help sometimes to get tickets at lower price (that is mostly referred to students from 16 to 28 years old). You can also make International Student Identification Cards (ISIC) at the Institute.
Tipping:
Tipping isn’t expected in bars, but it is the norm in top-notch restaurants. Ten percent is average, but it’s up to you to deside haw much to leave for tips. At the same time you ask politely for all of your change back, if the establishment automatically pockets whatever amount you hand them for the bill. Some restaurants automatically add on a 10% service-charge, so check your bill first.
Safety:
St.-Petersburg is no more dangerous than an average European city. To avoid harassment, don’t flaunt your valuables, always carry your documents (or copies), avoid speaking your own language loudly and don’t walk the streets if you're very drunk. If you're black or of Arab or Asian descent, exercise more care, particularly at night, and be aware that you're more likely to be a target of the police and of general unwanted attention. If you are stopped and searched by people identifying themselves as police, be careful. If they ask for your documents, it’s best to show photocopies. If they demand the originals, then don’t hand over your documents, but show them the relevant pages yourself. If you’re searched, watch out for your wallet and other valuables. If you run into trouble, it's best to contact the Institute or your consulate.
