St. Petersburg Environs Feature

Hydrofoils, or meteory, are a popular mode of transport in St. Petersburg, especially for visiting the city suburbs of Peterhof and Kronshtadt near the Gulf of Finland. A hydrofoil is essentially a ship that works on underwater wings, or hydrofoils, below the hull. As the ship picks up speed, the hull lifts off of the water and the boat becomes "foilborne," creating less drag and allowing for even greater speed—they can go as fast as 80 kph (about 43 knots). Travel by hydrofoil from St. Petersburg to Peterhof takes only about half an hour. By car, the same trip may take up to an hour and a half to two hours with traffic. Aside from providing speed, the foil helps to stabilize the ship, making it more comfortable for passengers. As with any boat, however, they may not operate in bad weather. Hydrofoils are only available in the summer months, between June and September, as the Neva River freezes in winter.