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CITY GUIDES & INFORMATION.

There's no official tourist information office working pernamently in St Petersburg, so you'll have to help yourself using the printed guides available.
Travel guides to St Petersburg:
Rough Guide (http://www.roughguides.com)
Lonely Planet (http://www.lonelyplanet.com).
For a directory of companies' addresses and contacts (yellowpages) the best guide in English is this website - http://www.yellowpages.ru/ (choose St. Petersburg).

The main English language newspaper is The Saint Petersburg Times (http://www.sptimesrussia.com). There are almost the same articles as in The Moscow Times, but also some local news and a classifieds section. You can get this newspapers in some hotels, business centers, big supermarkets, restaurants and clubs for free.

EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS.

In the most emergency services only Russian is spoken.
Fire Rescue: 01
Militsia (Police): 02 or 764-9787 (for foreigners)
Medical Care (government): 03
Information about casualities: 278-0055
International phonecalls (order): 077
Exact time: 060
Train Schedules: 055
Information Line: 326-9696 (24h) or 09 (only russian) or 050
24h pharmacy: 311-2077
Lost & found: 278-3690 (Zakharevskaya ul., #9; open: mon-fri 10-17)

HEALTH.

If you got ill, you can go to the government hospitals, but you'll have to stand long queues, talk to the doctor who speaks russian only (in most cases) and it's not sure about the quality of service. So better, but more expensive, to go to professional medical care centers in St Petersburg. Here's a list of the main western health centers and dental clinics:

American medical center. American and American-trained doctors. Medical and Dental care. Address: #10, Serpukhovskaya ul. Contact: tel.: 326-17-30, fax: 326-17-31, internet: www.amcenters.com

Euromed. 24-hour emergency medical and dentistry services. All kinds of medical care. Works with the major European and Asian insurance companies. Discounts. Address: #60, Suvorovski pr. Contact: tel/fax 327-0301. internet: www.euromed.ru

British-American clinic: www.british-americanclinic.com

The international clinic. 24-hour emergency service, medical care, evacuation. Address: #19/21, Dostoevskogo ul. Contacts: for appointments and information tel 320-3870, fax 320-3871
(Russian)

Central Medico-Sanitar Department #122 (Sokolov's Hospital). All kinds of emergency and medical care. Address: #4, Kultury pr. Contacts: tel 558-0805, fax 559-9893

Leningrad's Clinic-Hospital. All kinds of medical and emergency care. Address: #49, Lunacharskogo pr. Contacts: tel 557-7960, fax 594-0972

Pharmacies. Here are some of the central area pharmacies:
City Center: Nevski Prospekt
1.Fialka. St Petersburg, Bakunina prosp. #29. (metro Ploshad Vosstania) tel 510-7202
2. Central Pharmacy. Sadovaya ul., #68. (metro Sadovaya). tel 114-2953

LAUNDRY.
Self-serviced laundromates:
City Area: Vasilievsky Island / 1. Laundromat. Self-service laundromate, also additional services and ironing are available. Open: 8.00-22.00, Address: Vasilievsky island, 11th Line, #46 (metro Vasileostrovskaya)
Laundry services (takes apprx. 1-3 days):
City Area: Vasilievski Island / 1. Konung. St-Petersburg, V. island, 6th Lane, #25 т (812) 323-4297
City Area: Nevski Prospekt / 1. Lana-Frant Laundry. St Petersburg, Suvorovski prosp. #61 tel (812) 326-1065 ||| 2. Lana-Frant Laundry. St Petersburg, Zhukovskogo ul., #31 tel (812) 326-1065 ||| 3.
City Area: North Centrum (Polustrovo) / 1. European Express Laundry. St Petersburg, Sverdlovskaya emb. #62 tel (812) 227-1393.
1. Casa Antonio. St Petersburg. Sozuza Pechatnikov, #18/20 tel (812) 714-3755

MONEY.

It's better to carry US dollars - then you won't have any problems with changing them. There are currency exchange offices all around St Petersburg, many of them work 24 hours.
There are also many ATMs, usually next to banks' offices. The ATMs take no comission or only 1%, but your bank will charge you about $5 for a transaction.

You can use the credit card in most of the supermarkets, department and clothes stores, restaurants and clubs. Visa and MasterCard are widely accepted, AMEX and Diners are rare.
The most wide-spread travellers' cheques are AMEX and Thomas Cook, you can go to any bank to cash them. The banks are open from 9.00 to 17.00-20.00 usually. There it's also the most secure place to change your money.

OPEN HOURS.

State institutions, offices, companies are usually opened from 9.00 or 10.00 to 18.00 or 19.00 and do not work on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. The food stores are usually opened from 8.00 to 20.00 except on sundays from 8.00 to 18.00, but most of them are opened 24 hours. Big department stores, clothing stores, supermarkets are opened all week long from 9.00-10.00 to 9.00-10.00. There are many currency exchange offices working until late night and sometimes 24 hours a day.

PEAK HOURS. Usually 8:00-10:00 in the morning and 17:30-20:00 in the evening. If you don't want to be stuffed, better avoid the metro and public transport during these hours.

PRICES.

(in $ US, $1 buys about 30 roubles) St Petersburg is less expensive than Moscow. After the financial crisis of 1998 and 2008 most of the businesses realised that they should work for middle class, but still St Petersburg is expensive for some things.

The food is relatively cheap: if you cook yourself you'll fit in 350-1000R a day, if you go to the restaurants only, expect to spend from 1000 to 1500 R ($30 - $50) a day - of course if you're not up to the luxury stuff.

The transportation is very cheap: a ride on the metro is 20 R ($0.8), a bus, a trolley, or a tram is 20 R ($0.80). A taxi will charge 300-1000R ($10 - $35) depending on your appearance ;-) and your ability to negotiate.

Sometimes, you'll have to pay more than Russians to do sightseeing. Museums and famous sights charge about $5-10, however there are some tricks, see in the appropriate sections of our site.

If you go partying, you can spend nothing or everything. Some of the clubs don't charge any entrance cover, otherwise expect to pay $10-$30 and more if there's something special. A drink is usually about $5 (local beer can be even cheaper). A meal is about $5-$15.

For shopping there's quite much variety: all the main fashion and casual wear western and especially scandinavian brands are represented on Nevski Prospekt street. The prices are about 20% higher than in Europe.

SAFETY.

St Petersburg generally has the same level of security as any other big city, that is the common sense applies. There are not so many policemen on the streets as in Moscow and there's a rare chance to see somebody who might represent a danger (especially in the centrum). The cases of assaults, especially on the foreigners, are very rare. Generally, St Petersburg has a more safe feel than Moscow (but that's the centrum of the city...).

Like in any big city you should avoid dark streets in the night, courtyards and some suburb areas. If you're careful with your things, nobody will rob you, however, in the crowdy areas beware of your belongings.

If you were robbed or lost something important. Contact the police (militia) first and then the embassy of your country. The police phone number is 02, you can dial this number from any payphone for free, but don't expect anyone speaking English there. Also, you can find police stations in the city: there's Mi`litsia - Милиция sign or inside the metro stations. The problem is that police speaks russian only, so either find someone to help you to explain, or go directly to the embassy of your native country. The addresses of some foreign consulates in St Petersburg are at Practicalities / Embassies & Consulates page.

SHOPPING / BOOKS:

1. Book Shop. A book shop, just next to Moskovsky railway station, on the corner between Nevsky Prospekt and Goncharnaya St. has a wide selection of Russian books and is opened 24 hours a day.

2. Dom knigi, Nevskiy pr., 28 (http://www.spbdk.ru/)

3. Bookvoed (http://bookvoed.ru/)

SHOPPING / TRAVEL GEAR:
1. Alpina Store. St Petersburg, Kondratievski prosp. #32. (metro Ploshchad Lenina) tel (812) 542-6430 ||| 2. Irbis. Equipment Center of St Petersburg Tourist Club. Fontanka River embank. #38. (metro Sadovaya) tel (812) 312-0856 ||| 3. Equipment Shop. St Petersburg, Liteiny prospekt, #30. (Chernyshevskogo metro) tel (812) 273-7993 ||| 4. Terra. St Petersburg, Apraksin Dvor. (metro Sadovaya) tel (812) 310-0562. ||| 5. Tourist Trading House. St Petersburg, Sadovaya ul., #62, tel (812) 310-8427

SHOPPING / SOUVENIRS:
The two best places to get traditional Russian souvenirs (like Matryoshka dolls, Shapka fur hats, or Soviet relics) are
1) The place in front of St.Isaac cathedral (along 5 minutes along Bolshaya Morskaya st. from Nevsky Prospekt)
2) A market behind Savior-on-Blood cathedral, which is 5 minutes walk up North from Nevsky Prospekt (Kazansky Cathedral) along Griboedova Channel.
The markets are usually opened 9.00 to 18.00 daily.

CONSULATES

Consulate General of The United States of America
Phone/Fax: +7 (812) 331-2600 / +7 (812) 331-2852
Address: 15, Furshtatskaya st.

Consulate General of Canada
Phone/Fax: +7 (495) 105-6000 / +7 (495) 105-6004
Address: 23 Starokonyushenny Pereulok
Moscow, 119002 Russia

Royal Consulate General of Denmark
Phone/Fax: +7 (812) 703-3900 / +7 (812) 703-3901
Address: 13, Kamenniy Ostrov, Bolshaya Alleya

Consulate General of United Kingdom of Great Britain & Northern Ireland
Phone/Fax +7 (812) 320-3200 / +7 (812) 320-3211
Address: 5, Proletarskoy Diktatury Sq.

Embassy of Ireland in Moscow
Phone/Fax: +7 (495) 742-0907 / +7 (495) 975-2066

Consulate General of Federal Republic of Germany
Phone/Fax: +7 (812) 320-2400, +7 (812) 273-4075 / +7 (812) 327-3117
Address: 39, Furshtatskaya st.

Consulate General of Austria
Phone/Fax: +7(812) 275-0502, 275-0496, 272-4117 / +7 (812) 275-1170
Address: 43, Furschtadtskaja st.

Consulate General of Switzerland
Phone/Fax: +7 (812) 327-0819 (NO Visa inquiries), +7 (812) 336-5777 (VISA ONLY) / +7 (812) 327-0829
Address: 17, Chernyshevskogo Pr.

Consulate General of France
Phone/Fax: +7 (812) 332-2270, 332-2283/ +7 (812) 332-2290
Address: 15, Moyka Emb.

Consulate General of the Kingdom of The Netherlands
Phone/Fax: +7 (812) 334-0200 / +7 (812) 334-0225
Address: 11, Moyka Emb.

Embassy of Belgium in Moscow
Phone/Fax: + 7 (495) 780 03 31 / + 7 (495) 780 03 32
Address: 7, Ulitsa Malaya Moltchanovka, Moscow

Consulate General of Finland
Phone/Fax: +7 (812) 331-7600 / +7 (812) 331-7601
Address: 4, Preobrazhenskaya Sq.

Consulate General of Sweden
Phone/Fax: +7 (812) 329-1430 / +7 (812) 329-1450
Address: 1/3, Malaya Konyushennaya

Consulate General of Kingdom of Norway
Phone/Fax: +7 (812) 336-6420 / +7 (812) 336-6423
Address: 25, Nevsky pr.

Consulate General of Italy
Phone/Fax: +7 (812) 312-3106 / 312-3217/ +7 (812) 311-5150
Address: Theatre square, 10

Consulate General of the Czech Republic
Phone/Fax: +7 (812) 271-0459 / +7 (812) 271-4615
Address: 5, Tverskya St.

Consulate General of the Republic of Poland
Phone/Fax: +7 (812) 336-3140, +7 (812) 336-3141 /
+7 (812) 274-4318
Address: 12/14, 5th Sovetskaya st.

Embassy of Slovenia
Phone/Fax: (+7 495) 209-0815 / (+7 495) 200-1568
Address: 14, Mal. Dmitrovka st., Moscow

Embassy of the Republic of Hungary
Phone: +7 (812) 312-9200
Address: 5, Marat st.