Airports in St. Petersburg

Airports

St. Petersburg is served by two airports, Pulkovo I (domestic) and Pulkovo II (international), just 2 km (1 mi) apart and 17 km (11 mi) south of central St. Petersburg. The runways of the two Pulkovos interconnect, so it's possible you could land at Pulkovo I and taxi over to Pulkovo II. Compared with Moscow's Sheremetyevo II, Pulkovo II is a breeze. It's compact and well lit, with signs in both Russian and English.

However, the airport's toy size -- there are only eight gates and one landing line in Pulkovo II -- prevents it from receiving more airlines and developing into a venue fit for a large European city. Remember that on departure you'll need to fill out a final customs declaration (available at all the long tables) before proceeding through the first checkpoint. If you have nothing to declare, just head through the "green channel" of the customs area. Try to arrive at the airport at least 1 1/2 hours in advance. Bear in mind that check-in stops 40 minutes before departure, so don't count on making the plane at the last minute without some frantic pleading.

Airport Information

Pulkovo I Airport (812/704-3822. www.pulkovo.ru). Pulkovo II Airport (812/704-3444. www.pulkovo.ru)

Transfers

From Pulkovo I, Municipal Bus 39 (in Russian, the word to look for is "avtobus") will take you to the Moskovskaya metro stop on Moskovsky prospekt; the stop at the airport is right outside the terminal. Tickets are sold on the bus, which runs every 20 minutes during the day. From Pulkovo II, the service is less reliable and more inconvenient. If you have any luggage, the only realistic way to reach downtown St. Petersburg is by car. If you are traveling with a tour package, all transfers will have been arranged.

If you're traveling alone, you're strongly advised to make advance arrangements with your hotel. There are plenty of taxis available, but for safety reasons you should not pick up a cab on your own if you don't speak Russian. Foreign tourists, especially passengers arriving at train stations and airports, are prime crime targets. Cab fare from the airport will depend entirely on your negotiating skills; the range is $30 to $50. The airport is about a 40-minute ride from the city center. When you return to the airport, a regular cab that you order by phone will cost you only $15. The operator for Taxi Million tells you the fare in advance.

Public transportation to Pulkovo II is also more reliable than from it -- take bus No. 13 from outside the Moskovskaya metro stop (you may have to buy an extra ticket for your luggage if it takes up what the conductor considers to be too much room). There are also marshrutki taxi vans outside the metro stop; these are clearly marked, but difficult to squeeze your suitcases into. Marshrutkas No. 213 and K-3 go along Moskovsky prospect down to Sennaya Ploshchad in the city center, and a single fare costs 17R. Marshrutka No. 350 follows the same route until Sennaya Ploshchad, and then continues up to Primorskaya metro station via Teatralnaya Ploshchad. Full fare costs 30R.

Contact

Central Taxi (Tsentralnoye Taksi. 812/312-0022). Petersburg Taxi (Petersburgskoye Taxi. 068). Taxi Million (812/700-0000).