St. Petersburg Metro and Public Transport in 2026: Fares, Cards & Tips

Getting around St. Petersburg is more than just moving from point A to point B — it’s part of the adventure. Underground there’s a metro with stations that look like palaces; above ground, buses, trolleybuses and trams run through the historic neighborhoods; and for quick hops there are the ride-hailing apps. It’s a cheap, efficient and very easy system to use, but with a couple of details worth knowing before you land: how to pay the fare as a foreigner, which card to buy, and how to get from the airport to the center. Here I’m telling you everything, with fares updated for 2026.

What’s the best option if you’re only here a few days?

Let me sum it up before going into detail, because I know many of you land on this article looking for exactly this:

• If you’re staying 1, 3 or 5 days and plan to do intense sightseeing: buy a tourist unlimited ticket (1 day = 364 ₽, 3 days = 701 ₽, 5 days = 1,240 ₽). It’s the most convenient option: unlimited rides on metro, bus, tram and trolleybus.
• If you’re going to make 2–3 trips a day at most: buy a Podorozhnik card (90 ₽ deposit + balance). Each ride costs 65 ₽ instead of the 95 ₽ you’d pay with a single-use token.
• If you’re only taking the metro once or twice: pay with single-use tokens (95 ₽) or directly with a Russian MIR card at the turnstile (95 ₽).
• For the airport and long trips: the most practical option is Yandex Go (paying with a MIR card or cash). If you don’t have a Russian card, the alternative is paying the driver in cash on arrival or arranging a private transfer in advance with a local provider.

Important: since 2022, Visa, Mastercard, American Express and JCB cards don’t work in Russia due to sanctions. This affects both metro turnstile payments and ride-hailing apps. If you want to pay like a local, read my guide on getting a Russian MIR card.

1. The St. Petersburg Metro

The metro is, without question, the best way to move around St. Petersburg: fast, reliable and cheap. Although it’s not as famous or as monumental as the Moscow metro, it also has spectacular stations that are genuine architectural gems (more on which ones are worth a stop in a moment). And it holds two curious records: it’s the deepest metro in the world on average (Admiralteyskaya station sits 86 meters underground) and the second longest in Russia, only behind Moscow’s.

• Official website: metro.spb.ru/en/

Lines, stations and opening hours

The network has 6 lines and 75 stations following the December 2025 opening of the new line 6 (brown), known as Krasnoselsko-Kalininskaya, with its first two stations: Putilovskaya (which connects with line 1 red at Kirovsky Zavod) and Yugo-Zapadnaya. Each line has an official name, but locals and tourist maps identify them by color: red (line 1), dark blue (line 2), green (line 3), orange (line 4), purple (line 5) and brown (line 6).

The metro runs every day from around 5:45 a.m. to midnight, with very high frequency during rush hour: trains run every 90 seconds to 4 minutes. Transfer corridors between lines close around 0:15. Stations are well signposted, names appear in both Cyrillic and Latin alphabets, and many ticket machines have an English-language option. Announcements over the PA system are only in Russian, but with the map or an app like Yandex Metro you won’t get lost.

One quirk: the escalators are extremely long because of how deep the stations are. At some, like Admiralteyskaya or Ploshchad Lenina, you can spend almost 3 minutes going up or down. If you’re in a hurry, keep this in mind. You’ll also go through security checks and metal detectors at many entrances: it’s standard, no need to worry.

Metro and public transport fares in 2026

On January 1, 2026, fares went up across all St. Petersburg public transport. Here are the official fares (sources: Petersburg Metropoliten and the St. Petersburg Tariff Committee) so you know what each option will cost you:

1. Single ticket: token (жетон)

• Price: 95 ₽
• Includes: one metro ride (regardless of distance or transfers within the network)
• Where to buy it: at the ticket office of any station or at the self-service vending machines

The token is a physical blue plastic coin that you insert into the turnstile. It’s the most expensive option per ride and only works on the metro. If you’re going to use the metro several times, don’t buy tokens: buy a Podorozhnik.

2. Tourist unlimited tickets (1, 3 or 5 days)

This is the best option for most tourists. It gives you unlimited rides on metro, bus, tram and trolleybus during the period you choose:

• 1 day: 364 ₽ (~€4 / ~$4.30)
• 3 days: 701 ₽ (~€7.50 / ~$8)
• 5 days: 1,240 ₽ (~€13 / ~$14)

Important details: the period starts counting from your first activation, not from the moment of purchase. Between rides there has to be a minimum waiting time (timeout) of 20 minutes. It doesn’t work on private marshrutkas, but it does on the mixed routes that go to Peterhof and Pushkin (numbers 200, 210, 211, 213, 215, 216, 273, 278). You buy it at the metro ticket office or at the self-service machines.

3. 90-minute unified ticket

• Price: 106 ₽
• Includes: 1 metro ride + unlimited rides on bus, tram and trolleybus for 90 minutes

Useful if you need to combine the metro with surface transport to reach a specific spot but only plan to take the metro once. For general tourist use, the 1/3/5-day options usually work out better.

4. Podorozhnik rechargeable card (Подорожник)

• Card cost: 90 ₽ (keychain version: 110 ₽)
• Price per ride: 65 ₽ (valid on metro, bus, tram and trolleybus)
• Maximum balance: 15,000 ₽
• Validity: 3 years from the last top-up

The Podorozhnik is St. Petersburg’s official transport card, equivalent to Moscow’s Troika. It works as an electronic wallet: you load credit and 65 ₽ gets deducted per ride, regardless of the means of transport. You buy it and top it up at the metro ticket office or at the self-service terminals you’ll find in every station. It accepts rubles in cash or a Russian card.

Another handy detail: it includes a 60-minute transfer fare. If you take your first ride of the day and make another within 60 minutes, the second one costs you just 14 ₽ and the third is free. It’s designed for people combining several transport modes to get to work, but it also works for a tourist moving around the city.

The card is multi-person: a couple or family can share one, tapping it on the reader one after another (with the 20-minute timeout between uses on the metro). If you end up with leftover balance, it’s not refundable, so calculate carefully how much to top up.

5. Paying with a bank card at the turnstile

• Russian MIR card (contactless): 65 ₽ per ride (metro or surface)
• MIR EKP card (St. Petersburg Citizen’s Card): 65 ₽ per ride
• Foreign Visa and Mastercard: don’t work in Russia since March 2022

If you travel to Russia fairly often, a Russian MIR card from T‑Bank gives you the same discounted fare as the Podorozhnik (65 ₽) and saves you the initial deposit. For a single visit, the Podorozhnik or the multi-day ticket are more practical.

What works best if you’re spending 5 days in St. Petersburg?

Let me run two quick calculations with realistic scenarios:

• Intense sightseeing (4+ rides a day): the 5-day unlimited ticket at 1,240 ₽ (~€13) is clearly the better deal. You stop worrying and hop on and off as many times as you want.
• More relaxed sightseeing (2–3 rides a day): go with the Podorozhnik at 65 ₽/ride. Over 5 days with 2 rides daily you pay 650 ₽ + 90 ₽ for the card = 740 ₽. With 3 rides daily, 975 ₽ + 90 ₽ = 1,065 ₽.

The approximate break-even point is 4 rides a day. Above that, the multi-day ticket wins. Below that, the Podorozhnik. And if you’re staying longer than 5 days, what most people do is combine the two: a Podorozhnik for the “quiet” days and a 1- or 3-day ticket for the intense sightseeing days.

The most beautiful metro stations to see in St. Petersburg

Riding the metro in St. Petersburg isn’t just the quickest and cheapest way to get around the city — it’s also a chance to discover these architectural gems that blend history, art and culture. If you have time, it’s worth getting off at these stations even if they aren’t on your direct route: each one is a small underground museum that surprises and fascinates.

1. Avtovo: an underground palace of glass

Avtovo is probably the most spectacular station on the St. Petersburg metro and one of the most beautiful in the world. Its impressive main hall is held up by 46 columns, 16 of which are clad in cut glass that sparkles in the light, while the others are marble. The decoration pays tribute to the defense of Leningrad during World War II, with an enormous mosaic dedicated to victory and details like swords and laurels on lamps and chandeliers.

In 2014 The Guardian picked it as one of the 12 most beautiful metro stations in the world. It has also appeared in films, like The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson (1980), where it stood in for an abandoned English station.

What to see near Avtovo:

• Peter Semenenko Square.
• The “Anna Akhmatova. The Silver Age” Museum.
• The Avtovo Circus.

2. Narvskaya: Soviet working-class pride

Narvskaya is a full-on tribute to the Soviet worker. Its walls are decorated with reliefs depicting workers, peasants, soldiers and engineers. Every detail evokes the collective spirit and the effort of the USSR during its industrial era. Its monumental style and use of marble reflect the socialist ideal of glorifying the worker.

What to see near Narvskaya:

• The Narva Triumphal Gate, a commemorative arch of triumph.
• Yekateringof Park, a green oasis with ponds.

3. Ploshchad Vosstaniya: revolution underground

Located on Uprising Square, this station combines elegance with historical tribute. Its lobby is lit by chandeliers and decorated with a large mosaic about the October Revolution. It’s a key station, since it connects directly with Moskovsky train station and with bustling Nevsky Avenue.

What to see near Ploshchad Vosstaniya:

• Uprising Square and its obelisk.
• Moskovsky train station.
• Galeria shopping mall.
• Nevsky Avenue.
• The Leningrad Hero City Obelisk.

4. Kirovsky Zavod: the temple of industry

At Kirovsky Zavod everything revolves around heavy industry and Soviet technology. The station’s reliefs and sculptures show factories, gears and workers, creating a solemn and powerful atmosphere. It’s like a museum dedicated to Russia’s industrial past, with an unmistakable Stalinist aesthetic. Since December 2025 this station has had a new role too: it’s where you transfer to the new brown line 6 (Putilovskaya).

What to see near Kirovsky Zavod:

• The Kirov industrial plant and its history museum.
• The Church of St. Nicholas of Myra.

5. Admiralteyskaya: a deep station with a naval soul

Admiralteyskaya isn’t just the deepest station on the St. Petersburg metro (86 meters underground!) — it’s also one of the most elegant. Its decoration is inspired by the maritime world: mosaics with ships, anchors and ship wheels, floors with compass roses, and details that evoke the city’s naval spirit. It’s also the most convenient station if your hotel is in the historic center: a stone’s throw from the Hermitage, Palace Square and St. Isaac’s Cathedral.

What to see near Admiralteyskaya:

• The Hermitage Museum.
• St. Isaac’s Cathedral.
• Palace Square.
• The Admiralty.
• Alexander Garden.

6. Zenit: the football station

Zenit, formerly called Novokrestovskaya, was inaugurated in 2018 for the FIFA World Cup and sits right next to the Gazprom Arena stadium. Its design pays tribute to the St. Petersburg Zenit football club, with trophies and details that recall the city’s football passion. Its walls are clad in dark blue stone with white details that symbolize the waves of the Gulf of Finland.

What to see near Zenit:

• Gazprom Arena stadium.
• Maritime Victory Park.
• Divo Ostrov amusement park.

7. Alexander Nevsky Square-2: golden scales underground

This station stands out for its walls covered in golden metallic plates that look like armor or a mesh of scales. When a train pulls in, the lights reflect off them and create a magical effect. In the connection area between lines there’s a famous mosaic with horsemen: a curious detail is that there are five riders but only four horses! — a mistake that Russians comment on with humor.

What to see near Alexander Nevsky Square:

• Alexander Nevsky Lavra Monastery.
• The necropolis of famous Russians (Lomonosov, Fonvizin, Witte).
• The start of Nevsky Avenue.

2. Buses, trolleybuses and trams

The metro doesn’t go everywhere and its network isn’t as dense as Moscow’s, so sooner or later you’ll also use surface transport. Buses, trolleybuses (buses with two cables pulling them from above) and trams are three very useful options to complete your journey: many tourist attractions outside the center, like the Peterhof Gardens or Catherine Palace in Pushkin, are reached with a metro + bus combination.

The single ticket on surface transport costs 88 ₽ in 2026 if you pay with a bank card (“guest” fare). If you use Podorozhnik or a tourist ticket, the price is the same as on the metro (65 ₽ and the tourist passes we already covered). You pay when you get on, by tapping your card on the reader next to the front door or by handing the cash to the conductor (on some routes there’s still a conductor in a yellow or orange vest who walks through the vehicle).

Practical info:

• To get to Peterhof: metro to Avtovo (line 1 red) and bus 200 or 210 to the Palace entrance.
• To get to Catherine Palace (Pushkin): metro to Moskovskaya (line 2 blue) and bus 187 or 342.
• General hours: roughly 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., with variations depending on the line.
• Best app for planning routes: Yandex Maps. It tells you in real time which bus to take and where to get off, in English.

A curiosity: according to the Guinness Book of Records, the St. Petersburg tram system is the largest in the world. If you feel like it, hop on one and do an alternative sightseeing route.

3. Marshrutkas (private minibuses)

Marshrutkas (маршрутки) are shared minibuses operated by private companies. They’re an increasingly less relevant option for the tourist, because the main routes are well covered by municipal transport, but they still run and are useful for reaching outlying areas or as an alternative when regular buses take too long.

What you need to know:

• They’re identified by the letter K or T in front of the number (for example K-39).
• Fares are variable: around 80–100 ₽ depending on route and operator.
• They don’t accept Podorozhnik or tourist passes. You pay the driver directly, usually in cash.
• Although they have set stops, you can ask to get off anywhere along the route by telling the driver a bit in advance (“остановите, пожалуйста” — “ostanovite, pozhalusta”).

For standard tourist use, my recommendation is to ignore them and stick with metro + bus/tram/trolleybus, which are integrated with the Podorozhnik and tourist tickets.

4. How to get to the center from Pulkovo Airport

St. Petersburg has just one airport: Pulkovo (LED), located about 23 km south of the center. One drawback: there’s no direct train to the center (unlike Moscow’s airports). There are three options to get there:

Bus + metro (the cheapest option)

This is the most economical option, but involves one transfer. Right outside the arrivals terminal (Pulkovo only has one), you’ll find the city bus stops:

• Bus 39: to the Moskovskaya metro station (line 2 blue). It stops at all intermediate stops. Time: 30–35 min.
• Bus 39E (express): same route but with no intermediate stops. Time: ~20 min.
• Bus 82E: to the Prospekt Veteranov station (line 1 red). Time: ~25 min.
• Frequency: every 12–20 minutes.
• Hours: roughly 5:15 a.m. to 1:40 a.m.
• Payment: with a Russian MIR card, Podorozhnik or cash (buying the ticket at the kiosk near the airport exit, open from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. with a break from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.). If you arrive at a different time, the most practical thing is to have bought a Podorozhnik beforehand or pay with a Russian MIR card.

Once at Moskovskaya you take the metro toward the center (Nevsky Prospekt is 7 stops away, around 15–20 min). In total, from the airport to Nevsky Prospekt takes around 50–60 minutes. Heads up: don’t confuse MoskovskAYA (metro station in the south, near the airport) with MoskovskY (train station in the center).

Taxi or private transfer (the most comfortable option)

If you arrive at night, with luggage or you don’t feel like the bus + metro combo, a taxi will drop you at your hotel’s door in 30–40 minutes depending on traffic. The options are the same as for getting around the city: I’ll go into them in detail in the next section. The rough price from Pulkovo to the center is 1,000–1,500 ₽ with Yandex Go (~€10–15 / ~$11–16), and a bit more with a pre-booked private transfer.

5. Taxis and ride-hailing apps

Taxis in Russia work very differently from other countries: almost nobody flags one down on the street and “traditional taxis” have practically disappeared. The normal thing is to order a car through an app. There are several running in St. Petersburg, but they all share the same problem for the foreign tourist: since 2022 you can’t link a Visa or Mastercard card issued outside Russia. There are three ways around this, and I’ll cover them at the end of the section.

Yandex Go (the main app)

Yandex Go (formerly Yandex Taxi) is the Russian equivalent of Uber, with the added detail that Uber merged with Yandex here in 2018 and stopped operating as an independent brand. It’s by far the most used app by locals and tourists: it works all over Russia, shows you the fare before you accept the ride, lets you choose a vehicle category (Economy, Comfort, Comfort+, Business…) and the interface is available in English. If you’re only going to use one app, this is the one.

Other local apps

There are alternatives worth having installed as a plan B (sometimes there are fewer Yandex cars available in a given area and another app solves it faster):

• Citymobil: one of Yandex’s main traditional competitors, partially integrated into the group since 2022.
• Maxim: good coverage in SP and in Russia’s provinces. Sometimes cheaper than Yandex.
• Taxovichkof: local St. Petersburg operator with competitive fares.
• Taxi 068: another local SP operator, useful for phone bookings.

Indicative taxi prices

• Trips within the center: 300–500 ₽ (~€3–5 / ~$3–6).
• Pulkovo Airport ⇄ center: 1,000–1,500 ₽ (~€10–15 / ~$11–16) with Yandex Go in standard fare.
• Center ⇄ Peterhof or Pushkin: 1,200–2,000 ₽ depending on time of day and app.

How to pay the taxi if you don’t have a Russian card

Three solutions, ranked from best to worst for a tourist:

1. Book the transfer in advance through an international platform that does accept foreign cards. It’s the most comfortable option if you’re arriving at the airport for the first time, don’t speak Russian and prefer to have everything sorted: fixed price, driver waiting for you with a sign showing your name, and payment made from home. Ideal for airport arrivals and departures and for long day trips to Peterhof or Pushkin.
2. Pay in cash in rubles. When ordering the car in Yandex Go, select “Cash” as the payment method. The driver will charge you on arrival. Try to carry small notes (100–500 ₽).
3. Get a Russian MIR card before or during the trip and link it to Yandex Go. This is the option for anyone spending several days in Russia. T‑Bank issues MIR cards to foreigners with just a passport: I explain it step by step in my guide on the MIR card.

One more thing: never accept unofficial taxis that approach you at the airport or on the street. They usually charge tourists outrageous fares. If you need a taxi and don’t have an app, call an official operator (Taxovichkof or Taxi 068, for example) or ask for help at your hotel’s reception.

6. Meteors and boats on the Neva

It’s not strictly public transport, but it deserves a mention because it’s the most spectacular way to get around St. Petersburg during the warm months (May to October): the meteors (метеоры) are fast hydrofoils that connect the city center with Peterhof and Kronstadt by crossing the Gulf of Finland. They leave from several piers next to the Hermitage and the Admiralty. The trip to Peterhof takes around 30–40 minutes and is a beautiful excursion in itself.

Fares and schedules vary by operator and season. For Peterhof they’re around 1,500–2,000 ₽ round trip. Updated info at meteorkronshtadt.com and from the city’s main river operators.

7. Essential apps for getting around

Having your phone properly set up saves you a ton of headaches in Russia, especially if you don’t speak Russian:

• Yandex Maps: the Russian equivalent of Google Maps. It works in English, is much better updated than Google in Russia and calculates public transport routes in real time.
• Yandex Metro: metro map with a route planner. It also gives you the estimated journey duration.
• Yandex Go: we’ve already talked about it. A taxi app, and in fact it also integrates public transport options in some cities.

Important: to use these apps in Russia you need mobile data. Since foreign SIM cards still have very limited or expensive roaming, the most practical option is to bring an eSIM with data for Russia installed before leaving home.

Frequently asked questions about transport in St. Petersburg