I purchased a 5-day pass for Saint Petersburg, but really most of what I was going to see was near enough to walk. For simplicity, it is better to have the card, otherwise you will have to buy a ticket every time you go in.
The subway stations were originally designed to be emergency shelters, especially against bomb attacks, especially nukes.
The escalators have lamps on poles, every 8-10 feet. Each has a numbered decal, starting at 1 at the bottom. I presume that the numbers are there to have set places to measure radioactivity, to determine rising or falling levels.
I did notice that the handrails move just slightly faster. Over 150+ feet, this would be a lot and could throw you off balance.
At the bottom of each, an old woman watches monitors, to make sure no one is breaking the rules. I saw several that were on the verge of passing out, it has to be a super dull routine. Also, there is graffiti in some, so they are not really doing their jobs.
The signs are generally clear, and all include Latin transliterations.
Some platforms have modern clear doors, to prevent falling into the tracks. Others have solid metal doors (bomb resistance?). Most are just open, not falling is totally your responsibility.
If you discover you’re going the wrong way or passed your stop, just get off, walk across the platform, and get on the train going the other direction.
The trains themselves are comfortable, for public transport. But I could see a regular user getting hearing damage from the noise of the wheels on the tracks.
Trains come about every 2 minutes apart.
One train had a display showing the next station upcoming, and the temperature, time, and speed. We got up to 78km/h (48mph). They seem to spend about 75% of the time accelerating, then decelerating only as they enter the next station. They might not make it into Formula 1, but they do have some G forces.
Saint Petersburg only has 5 lines, so far, so knowing how to get from here to there is easy.
Moscow has 15, right now, including 3 rings and a monorail. Plus there are regular rail stations attached to the metro stations, so you could go almost anywhere in Russia or nearby countries without needing a car or plane.
My room is on Line #3, but I noticed one day, I was at the #6/#7 station, but neither of them connected to #3. That means I had to do at least two transfers. That’s a pain.
The stations are reasonably clean, despite not seeing any trash cans. Graffiti was very minor, markers on escalators, mostly.
All the stations have temp barricades everywhere to funnel you in one direction. But some are in the way of access, like one had the first 3 openings to the track closed off. You might miss your train because you had to go further.
Some stations have many entrances/exits, allowing you to tunnel under many roads and avoid rain or snow.
It seems that every block has a bus stop. I like this as most have area maps with a “5 minute walk” circle around your location. They have some highlights to see, statues, restaurants, shops, etc.
I see now I should not have used the AeroExpress train. It would have been faster and cheaper to take bus from airport to metro station. So much for “express.”
My time here is up, I set my alarm too freakin’ early, but didn’t want to have to pay for subway tickets. My pass expired ~7:30, so I checkout of my room, caught the metro to the bus stop.
Oh, good, I get directed to the side for extra screening at the metro station. Could be because of my baggage or maybe just random.
There is an express bus to the airport. I did not think there would be that many people, but it was packed.
We’re dropped off right at departures and I go check in at the desk. There is a quick x-ray of baggage as you enter. The desk lady pointed out that I needed gate 2. I’ve done this a few times, I look for the big number next to the word “gate.” But I guess not everyone has flown before.
Then I went through a boarding pass checkpoint, then regular security. Man, this was a breeze. No shoe removal, no electronics removal, no sanity removal. The only downside was that I had throw out a yogurt drink that I was going to drink while waiting for the bus, but they’re too quick.
I went down the hall and found gate 2. Crap, this place is small and packed. There are only 50 seats for an entire 737’s worth of passengers. Yes, I did count them, I am a weirdo like that.
I listen to some of the intercom messages, they’re in Russian and then English. I notice, a lot of flights getting shifted to other gates. I presumed it was because of delays in some other airline, but I’m going Aeroflot, the kingpin.
After the first plane loaded, I managed to grab a seat by the wall, so I could put my stuff in front of me. Still got about 4 hours to wait, so I nod off.
At some point, I decide to check my flight trackers. Just to see if where the plane was at the time, was the flight already having small delays, etc. Wait, WTF this says my flight is at gate 18, no that can’t be right. I check another, and another. Crap.
I get up, knowing I’m losing my prime seat, and go to find a display board. Yep, it says now at gate 18. Maybe they did have an announcement, but I was asleep, therefore it doesn’t count.
Also, there are 18 gates at LED, that means I am literally at the opposite end of the terminal. No big deal, still an hour at least.
I happen to see the boarding pass of a lady sitting next to me. She is clearly Russian, but her name on the pass is only Romanised. My name is also, but that’s my name, I would have thought that a Russian airline at a Russian airport would have the original names printed, at least for domestic.
Boarding pass states loading is at 11:20, doors close at 11:40. OK, why are we still sitting here at 11:29?
Finally, someone comes and unlocks the gangway doors and we all start going in. A couple of personnel run metal wands over us, despite already having gone through security, plus I didn’t even remove by backpack, so how good a job were they doing?
We pass on down and into the plane, no one checked boarding passes. I could be going almost any where in Russia.
I do have to say, with 4 “checks” this was still the easiest boarding yet, even easier than PreCheck.
It is only an hour flight, so we got a couple chocolate cookies and choice of coffee, tea, or water. Really surprised we got that much.
I go to get off the plane and… whoa… there are stairs. Good thing I was looking. We exit the plane and have to get onto a bus, we are way out from the terminal. I was near the front so I was able to get on the bus, many had to wait for another.
When mom and I flew from Inverness, Scotland to Manchester, our plane also did not pull to a gate, but there they had a series of cones marking out a path we were required to follow, but that was maybe 50 feet. This was several minutes on the shuttle.
Airport main area
It is domestic, so no more checks, just head for the exit or your next flight.
The main area of the airport was huge. Seriously, you could have a couple full football fields in there, lots of shops and things to do. I wanted to look around, but I need to find the AeroExpress train ticket office.
I followed the signs, taking about a thousand turns, before getting there. 950 rubles for a standard 2-way ticket. Hope I don’t loose it.
Then I have to follow a few hundred more signs to the platform. There’s only a few people ahead of me, so I probably just missed one.
The display says the next is at 14:14, only 20ish minutes to wait. Only, the Russians don’t believe in sitting, there are no benches. Other than parks, I have seen very few places to sit and wait.
AeroExpress train
Finally, the big red train pulls in and we board.
“Express” is in the name, but this train was anything but fast. First we made about 4 stops. Second, I checked my speedometer app, we didn’t get above 20mph. So slow that I again began to nod off.
We reached the final stop, train station right next to the Metro. Or so I thought, it is right next, but you basically have to circle halfway around one, then halfway around the other.
Butterfly apartment building
I wait at the ticket window, of course there’s only one, and use the translator I need a 7-day pass. Guess what wikipedia lied to me about? The don’t have 7-day, only single and three day. So I get a 3, I’ll just have get another later.
The route is simple enough, down 2 stations, switch and then one more. That’s the easy part, then I have to walk up the street, cross another busy street and find the place.
In Saint Petersburg, the hostel’s name was actually different than what the booking site had, a translation error, so I could not find it on street view. Here the problem was, street view didn’t cover areas that couldn’t be driven, like alleys with barricades.
Through the translator, I ask a lady nearby, surprising she has good English, but doesn’t know the hostel. She asks a man walking by and he points around back. I give thanks to both and head around back. No signs. Fortunately, an Indian on the phone pauses his conversation to direct me to a specific door. Very helpful people here.
I get buzzed in and climb 8 flights to the hostel, still no sign, I only found it because the door started to buzz as I approached.
I entered, cautiously. It looked like someone home. I’m going to get arrested.
The hostess come in and starts to take my info and check me in. She does not know English, so we converse through the translator. I swear this must be the most used app in this country after TicTok.
At some point, she makes a call, then informs me that I can’t stay the whole week, foreigners can only stay 3 days. I can assure you it did not say any of that on the booking site.
She says she will try to find me another to move to in 3 days. OK, that’s probably the best I’m going to get.
She wants to know if I have slippers, no I don’t. Great, its one of those places. Again, not mentioned on the site. She has a box of miscellaneous ones, I grab a pair and swap for my shoes.
She takes me to the desk and I pay for three days, then she leads me to the room.
Very small room with bunk bed. That’s ok, I’ve booked the whole room, so no roommate or top bunk.
I spread out the sheets on the bed and put on the pillow case and start to organize my stuff, when she knocks on the door.
Apparently, my “registration” is expiring today and I wouldn’t be able to stay there. I got the registration from the first hostel and never looked at it. I just thought it was a receipt or something, luckily I put it in my folder with the other confirmations.
The first hostel had no way of knowing I would be staying in Moscow, or anywhere else. They didn’t ask and I didn’t know to tell.
I never did find out why she couldn’t just give me a new registration, after all, that’s what the first one did.
She is on the phone with someone and I’m looking for another place nearby, maybe they can make me a new registration. Then she states that she found me a place that can take me and gives me an address, on the other side of town.
I picked this place because it was the closest place to a metro station that I could find. The new one was nearly a mile. That’s 2 miles every time I leave and come back. In the rain, if so.
I go back down the stairs and head out towards the station, but then I have a thought, I have no idea what this new place is going to cost. This could be a bait and switch, or a murder the tourist scenario. If I don’t like the service, I have no recourse with the booking company, I didn’t book this place through them.
I had been looking at a site, right as she told me about the new location. So I stepped to the side of the walkway and took a better look at the site. They had no 2-bed rooms available, but had a 3, so I booked it. It was a bit of meandering to get to it from where I was, but it was actually mostly a straight shot from the station.
I figured if this place and any other I tried wouldn’t work, then the other place was still available.
Some army contraption
Third floor, I’m getting a work out. Plus they have signs, both outside and in the stairway, so you actually know you’re going the right way.
I check in, the lady took my registration, had me sign in and that was it. (So far.)
They have an odd set up, the toilets and baths are segregated men/women, which is normal, but the toilet rooms have 2 toilets, divided by a wall, but open otherwise. The showers are also 2 per room, but at least then there is a curtain across the front.
There are 2 other beds in my room, but only one is occupied, so far. Oddly, there are no keys. You get buzzed in at the front door, but that’s it.
I was quite sweaty after my climb up the stairs, check in, check out, down the stairs, walk down the road, up more stairs aggravation. I took a shower right away.
Other than cookies on the plane and some of my yogurt drink, I hadn’t eaten yet, so I headed out to find something.
One street over, a major pedestrian thoroughfare, were lots of shops, artists, and restaurants. Down side, they were all “fast” food. Screw it, I got me a stuffed pita at the doner place.
I found some steps and I sat to eat, dropping a good amount on my clean shirt. Then headed to the supermarket and got some juice and milk, for my muesli.
I am so tired, but I have to stay up until a proper bedtime, otherwise I’ll be awake at the wrong time and disturb my roommate. Also, I didn’t come here to sleep.
As the bus arrived, the bus had windows all the way to the back, no sign of onboard toilet.
We all gather around shoving our bags at the driver to put underneath.
There was an old lady (a babushka) in front of me and the steps were high, so I tried to offer a hand up, but I think she thought I wanted to cut in front of her. I was trying to be a good Samaritan, but I should act like a normal Russian.
I was in the second row, but I was in seat #1. WTF were the seats in front of me called?
I had the pillow and blanket, still in the bag, from the flight. So I placed them against the window and tried to sleep. Mostly successfully, I didn’t see much of the Estonian country side.
About midnight, as we neared Narva, on the border, we made a few quick stops and some people got off.
Then we entered a heavily fenced area, with multiple swing gates, and parked. The driver got off, spoke to the border police and opened the luggage compartments. An officer came on board, took our passports, examining each against our photos.
After about 45 minutes, the officer returned and handed back our documentation.
The bus departed, and stopped again about 1000ft later, another swing gate. The driver got out and showed some paper, the guard made a phone call, then let us proceed.
I thought we were through, but that was just the Estonian side.
After crossing the river, we went through another swing gate. OK, now we’re good.
Nope.
We drove a bit further and then stopped at a building. We all exited the bus and took everything inside. Oh, I see metal detectors and baggage x-rays. Great, more dis-robing.
Once I reached the window where the guard was checking documents, she did not know English, but scanned my passport and visa, then directed me to go back and wait a few minutes. I guessed she need to get an English speaker to come out.
Another guard comes over and takes me to a back room. Oh, great, secondary screening. The bus is going to leave me, I just know it.
He didn’t know English, either, but used Google translate on his phone. Super sophisticated. I presume that there would be someone in the daytime or weekends that knew English, just not now.
He asked me “Do you have metal in your pockets?” Then had me pass through a metal detector and back again.
He asked for my phone which I provided and he wanted my password. I indicated I had none and just swiped up to open it to show him. I asked if he also wanted my iPad, but nyet, he didn’t. I was then told to go back through the metal detector and sit down, and I waited a while.
I had to remove my watch for the security check in the frantic run to catch my plane. I had not replaced it yet, so no idea how long it was, much I’m sure it was shorter than it felt. The only consolation was there was another man there sitting before I went in.
Finnally, he called me back in (before the other guy) and gave me back my phone and escorted me back out. Phew, no rejection. I presume he swabbed the phones for explosive or drug residue.
The scanners were simple, just place everything on the belt. Nothing to remove, not even my jacket. But I had all empty pockets already.
I rejoined the rest of the passengers and a few minutes latter we all re-boarded the bus and departed.
After one last swing gate, we really were in Russia. Time, just under two hours.
We stopped a mile further up, at a gas station. Where some of the passengers got off and departed.
Many more were getting off and going into the store. So I decided to follow.
The restroom was bright and clean, but good bye to comfortable toilet paper, we’re in Russia now.
Yes, this is the first chance I had to go since I was on the plane to Warsaw, about 10 hours ago. It felt so good. I know, TMI, but true never-the-less.
Still a long way to go still, I tried to go back to sleep, but couldn’t. So I finished a TV episode on my iPad before trying again.
At about 3:30, I notice the light is starting to show on the horizon. It also did not get dark until 10pm in St Petersburg, which I think has something to do with the latitude and upcoming solstice.
The bus has a clock and a temperature display. It gets down to 5C (27F), but rises again as the sun comes up.
I arrived in Tallinn and proceeded to the exit. I called for an Uber to take me to the bus station where I had to get the bus to Saint Petersburg. The app said it was a grey Mazda, but when I see the front plate, it is white. I asked the driver, who had decent English, he said he didn’t know why. Once it said the car was pink. I don’t believe him, but he isn’t my competition, so I don’t care about reporting it.
Classic Soviet style building.
I went to the desk and verified I was at the right station, an import step if you want to get the right bus. It was correct.
Since I had over three hours to wait, I was going to browse the city a bit. I didn’t want to lug my bags around, I notice they have lockers, down a set of stairs, of course.
The lockers are 2 euros, but I don’t have any euros. There is an ATM, but even if I use it, I won’t have 2 euro coins. Likely, I’d have a 20 euro note, then I’d have to find some one to exchange it.
I know what most of this means, but what is a “pood”? Do I want to know?
A quick G-search and there is an exchange nearby, about 20 minute walk. I have the time, so I start walking. After about 7-8 minutes, I see that Google says it is still 19 minutes away. What? I am a faster walker than most people, so I should have covered way more.
Also, the sidewalks, where there was one, were cobblestone, not the best rolling surface for tiny luggage wheels. Took a few photos of interesting buildings along the way. But at some point I realize that I would still have to return all the way back along the same rough sidewalks. I turned the corner and went down a parallel street, back to the station.
I could just sit in the station and update my site while I wait.
Problem, no wifi at the station, so laptop can’t be used.
Second problem, the toilet is €0.40. Again I don’t have euros and especially coins. Another quick search shows a nearby McD’s (the only time I ever go, is to use the toilet), but it is further than the exchange. Well, I hope the bus has one.
There is a lot of bird screeching around the station, calls and what sounds like a fight. Only I realized later, it was a recording, probably to keep pigeons from shitting on everything.
It is cool, but I can handle it with just my flannel jacket. When I arrived, it was 16C/60F. By the time the bus pulled up, it was 20C/68F, but felt colder as the sun was going down.
I will shortly be heading off to Russia, visiting the cities of Saint Petersburg (formerly Leningrad or Petrograd) and Moscow, the capital city.
Yes, it was 3 years ago when Mom and I went to Houston to get visas to go. That was before lock-downs and border closings and sanctions.
My itinerary will take me from Atlanta through Chicago and Warsaw, Poland, before landing in Tallinn, Estonia. I will then need to take a seven and a half hour bus ride to Saint Petersburg. I know, you are so jealous of me getting a long bus ride.
As Estonia is in the Schengen Area, I don’t need a separate visa to enter. So I will have a few hours to walk around their capital before getting on the bus. I don’t have any Euros, but I can use my credit card if I find anything worth buying (or rather worth carrying around for over 2 weeks). But because of the sanctions imposed by the US, no American credit, bank, or debit cards will work in Russia. Fortunately, I have Russian rubbles, that I got back before the lock-down screwed everything up.
A idea I had when I went to Italy, take bank envelopes and divide up the money I need for each hostel. This allows me to spend without worrying about not being able to have my room. Russia is too cold to sleep outside <brrr>.
After Moscow, I fly through Istanbul (Constantinople), Turkey, and Frankfurt, Germany, before returning to Atlanta. In total, I will spend over 72 hours in transit.
Interestingly, I will go through Atlanta, Warsaw, Tallinn, Moscow, and Istanbul. Each is the capital of their country or state. Not planned, just worked out that way.
