How to get to Russia

  

By plane:

The fastest but also the most expensive way to reach Saint Petersburg is by using the big airlines. The prices differ significantly according to the time of year, the company and how much in advance you buy your ticket. Airlines no longer grant discounts to travel agancies, so it is better to book your ticket directly on the airline website, or you will have to pay an additional fee to the agency. Brussels airlines and SAS offer quite reasonable prices.

Unfortunately no low-cost airlines fly to Russia except for Air Berlin, but you can use one of the European companies, such as Easy-Jet or Blue1 to fly to Helsinki, Riga or Tallinn, and then take a train or a bus/coach to Saint Petersburg.

By bus: 

Nowadays you can come to Russia by bus/coach from most European countries. For example, the coach company Eurolines travel to Saint Petersburg and Moscou.

The trip is of course quite long (2 to 3 days), but it is a fabulous way of discovering Eastern Europe on a low budget. Alternatively, you can fly to Helsinki and then catch a bus to Saint Petersburg, (one way ticket from 20 Euro). The buses are comfortables, with departures several times a day, some leaving directly from Helsinki airport.

By train:   

You can get to Russia by train, but again, the journey is long and almost as expensive as by plane. Trains are more convenient for journeys within Russia: they have acceptable service and very moderate prices. 

Have you ever heard of the Trans Siberian journey? If you want to discover Russia and its far East all the way to Vladivostock or even to China, this 2 week journey is a great opportunity! Note that this journey is best made during the summer. You can also take the Moscou-Saint Petersburg night train, spend a day or two in Moscou and come back by night train again. To buy train tickets in Russia you need to present your passport, as the tickets are nominative to avoid speculation. We can help you to buy train tickets in Russia. Contact us and we will send you the necessary details.

By car: 

Drive to Russia? It's not impossible, but you should be armed with courage, especially as the Russian and European notions of driving differ somewhat . No wonder, taking into account that it was still possible  to buy a driving licence for just $200 a little while ago. These times are over, but bad habits and aggressive driving are still common. Still, if you are ready for an adventure, here are a few hints: 

-to enter Russia by car, you have to show your international driving licence, the car log book, the car insurance and of course, your passport with a valid Russian visa. 

-remember that the authorities require an immigration card at the Russian border, that you should make sure that it is stamped and that your car should be specified on it. 

If you do not provide this information, there is a risk of you leaving Russia without your vehicle!

You can also rent a car in Saint Petersburg, which costs about 50 Euro a day. The traffic police is everywhere, very corrupt, but you shouldn't pay them too much: it all depends on your negotiation skills.