All-Russian N.I. Vavilov Research Institute of Plant Industry: 190000 Russia, Saint-Petersburg, Bolshaya Morskaya street 42-44.
GETTING TO THE INSTITUTE FROM THE AIRPORT:
St. Petersburg airports Pulkovo I (domestic flights only) and Pulkovo II (international flights only) are situated 15km from the city center. The nearest metro station – “Moskovskaya”.
To get to the Institute:
from the airport Pulkovo I:
- by bus No. 39 directly to “Moskovskaya” metro station + 20 min trip by metro to “Sennaya Ploshchad” metro station + 15 min. walk to the St. Isaak square
- by taxi to the St. Isaak square
from Pulkovo II:
- by bus No. К-213 to “Sennaya Ploshchad” metro station + 15 min. walk to the St. Isaak square
- by bus No. К-3 to “Sennaya Ploshchad” metro station + 15 min. walk to the St. Isaak square
- by taxi to the St. Isaak square
Useful Information
TICKETS FOR METRO
The trains run daily from 05.30 am until 00.45 am.
Note, that connections between lines may close at 00.30 am or earlier - in particular, between Mayakovskaya and Ploshchad Vosstaniya or Gostiniy Dvor and Nevsky Prospekt.
Note also that at the intersection of lines the station may have two separate names, one for each line.
Metro tokens or cards can be purchased at any metro station. Price is 25 rubles per token.
BRIDGES
The bridges over the Neva and the Nevka rivers are raised at night from May till November to enable shipping to pass. This spectacular sight also means that access to many parts of the City is affected between 1:45 am and 5 am.
|
Bridges drawing schedule |
from |
to |
|
Dvortsovy Bridge |
1.40 |
3.00 |
|
3.20 |
4.50 |
|
|
Leitenanta Shmidta Bridge |
1.45 |
4.55 |
|
Liteiny Bridge |
1.50 |
4.40 |
|
Troitsky Bridge |
1.50 |
4.40 |
|
Stroitelei (Birzhevoy) Bridge |
2.10 |
4.40 |
|
Volodarsky Bridge |
2.10 |
3.45 |
|
4.15 |
5.45 |
|
|
Tuchkov Bridge |
2.10 |
3.05 |
|
3.35 |
4.40 |
|
|
Bolsheokhtinsky Bridge |
2.30 |
3.45 |
|
Aleksandra Nevskogo Bridge |
2.30 |
4.55 |
CURRENCY EXCHANGE
The local currency is the Russian Rouble. The rouble comes in denominations of 5, 10, 50, 100, 500 and 1000 in notes and there are also 1, 2, 5 rouble and 1,5, 10, 50 kopeecks coins (one kopeicka is 1/100 of rouble). This is now internally convertible but cannot be exchanged out of the country for foreign currency. Credit cards are widely accepted by hotels, most large stores and better restaurants.
To change money you may go to any commercial bank or licensed exchange point. It is advisable to exchange money ONLY through officially licensed banks and their exchange points, NOT in the streets, since it is less secure and you run the risk of receiving counterfeit roubles, dollars or other troubles. The exchange offices are spread all round the city. Most of them open at 11 a.m. and stay open until 7 or 8 p.m. Hotel exchange offices stay open all round the clock. All individuals, either local or foreign need a passport to exchange the money.
Western Union has offices in several banks and wire-transferring money to St. Petersburg Russia is rather easy and reliable (mind that most banks close at 6 p.m. and are closed at weekends).
BUSES, TRAMS AND TROLLEYBUSES
St. Petersburg has an extensive network of buses, trams and trolleybuses that run to almost every part of the city. However, the buses are often overcrowded and run at irregular intervals, which are somehow compensated by private companies operating “commercial” routes (indicated by the letter “K” or “T” in front of the route number – “marshrutka”).
Public transport is running daily from 05.30 am to 01.00 am, although the intervals get longer after 10pm. Tickets are available from the conductor or driver onboard each vehicle. Current price for 1 ride does not depend on the distance and is 19 rubles (about 0.5 Euro) at municipal routes and 27 rubles at most commercial routes.
Trolleybus routes No.1, 7 and 10 offer a “sightseeing” trip along Nevsky Prospect.
TAXIS
Licensed taxis are usually painted yellow and carry a chequered logo on the sides and a taxi sign on the roof.
To order a taxi, call: 327-2400, 332-1333 or 333-3233.
Locals often hitch rides, although they are not free. The price is discussed with the driver before (!) the ride.
Always be on guard when accepting a lift from a strange driver (“gypsy cabs”). Don't get in a car that has more than one person inside and never accept lifts from anyone who approaches you, particularly outside restaurants and nightclubs. The stories of drunken foreigners being robbed in the back seats of private cars are not entirely untrue.
In summer be aware of the Bridges across the Neva. They open between April and November for a few hours every night to allow ships to pass under, severing the islands from the mainland.
