Question 1

How to find reliable taxi company in St Petersburg and with good reviews?

Accepted Answer

St Petersburg Taxi - www.russian.taxi is a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence Award Winner and has an excellent collection of reviews trough the years.

Question 2

How long does the taxi take to get from St Petersburg Pulkovo airport to the city centre?

Accepted Answer

50 min to 1 h 20 min - during the rush hours in the morning and in the evening.
35 min - 40 min - during the off pick hours during the day.
25 min - 30 min - during the night or early in the morning.
www.russian.taxi

Question 3

Fixed taxi price in St Petersburg - any extra charges?

Accepted Answer

Taxi and transfer service is covering the Central, Admiralteysky and Moskovsky District of Saint-Petersburg, Petrogradsky and Vasilyevsky Island. There will be an extra surcharge applicable in the event of booking the ride to the distant areas.
www.russian.taxi

Question 4

What if my flight is late or my exit in St Petersburg airport Pulkovo takes to long?

Accepted Answer

Our drivers will NEVER leave without our passengers! Try your utmost best to inform us if you have any difficulties. We will be also appreciated if you will offer a compensation of a parking fee paid extra by your driver in the event of extra long exit time.
www.russian.taxi

Question 5

How to find an appropriate transfer from or to Pulkovo airport in St Petersburg?

Accepted Answer

Most of the transfers are specified on this page: https://www.russian.taxi where you will see the most popular routes and available vehicle classes.The price is provided for each transfer and there is a link to the booking form.
www.russian.taxi

Question 6

What is the minimum time to book a transfer in St Petersburg?

Accepted Answer

Obviously, we would prefer to receive your booking as early as possible. You're welcome to send your booking request in any case even it's a short notice. Due to the fact that we're not aggregators like most other services and we have our own vehicles, we will try our utmost best to accommodate your reservation. Advanced bookings are highly appreciated!
www.russian.taxi

Question 7

Will my driver take me to the hotel in St Petersburg?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The transfer is provided as a trip to any point within St. Petersburg's central district limits. Taxi and transfer service is covering the Central, Admiralteysky and Moskovsky District of Saint-Petersburg, Petrogradsky and Vasilyevsky Island. There will be an extra surcharge applicable in the event of booking the ride to the distant areas. If you want to book a transfer to your hotel, specify your hotel name and address in the Destination Address field in a booking form. The driver will take you to the hotel, the price doesn’t depend on its address within the areas served. The driver will be also gladly help you to carry your luggage.
www.russian.taxi

Question 8

How can I book a transfer to Pulkovo airport in St Petersburg?

Accepted Answer

Please, type the pick-up location in the Pickup Point / Address field and specify that you need to go to the airport in the Destination Address field. Kindly provide your flight number in order to make sure that we have correct pick up time.
www.russian.taxi

Question 9

I can't find my route in St Petersburg. What can I do?

Accepted Answer

Send as a message with all your questions and we will reply as soon as possible. All contact details will be provided in a voucher as well.
www.russian.taxi

Question 10

How to chose a vehicle type for the transfers in St Petersburg?

Accepted Answer

Luggage and passenger capacity are shown for each vehicle type in the list of transfers, there are also examples of cars. Do not forget to specify the number of passengers and the amount of the suitcases.
www.russian.taxi

Question 11

What if I'm arriving to St Petersburg and traveling with children?

Accepted Answer

Children are also considered passengers. When you are booking your transfer, you have to order child seats and your driver will install them for safety purpose. Child seats are required by law for minors under 7 y.o. Child seats will be provided free of charge. Specify your requirement in the Special Instructions field.
www.russian.taxi

Question 12

Is it necessary to book a taxi in St Petersburg with child seats?

Accepted Answer

In most countries child seats are necessary to transport children, there are penalties for not using child seats. If you don’t order a child seat, the driver has right to cancel your transfer. In any case, children safety is more important. Seats will be provided free of charge!
www.russian.taxi

Question 13

If I don't know my flight number arriving in St Petersburg?

Accepted Answer

If you receive information about the flight just before the departure, please specify the city you are flying from in the Flight / Train Number field. We will accept your booking, but you should inform us about your flight number as soon as you know it via email, WhatsApp or SMS.
www.russian.taxi

Question 14

What pick-up time should I specify arriving to St Petersburg?

Accepted Answer

For a transfer FROM the airport please specify your arrival time according to your ticket. The driver will monitor your arrival according to the flight number. If you are going TO the airport, subtract from the departure time (specified in your ticket) 3 hours.
For example: your departure time is 14:00, then you need to specify a departure time as 11.00am.
www.russian.taxi

Question 15

How to specify my address in St Petersburg?

Accepted Answer

Specify the hotel name or destination address. You may copy hotel address from the hotel voucher. If you don’t know the address, you will have to explain the driver where you’re going. The price for service is relevant for taxi and transfers at the Central, Admiralteysky and Moskovsky District of Saint-Petersburg, Petrogradsky and Vasilyevsky Islands. There will be an extra surcharge applicable in the event of booking the ride to the distant areas.
www.russian.taxi

Question 16

Can I book return transfer in St Petersburg?

Accepted Answer

Yes! It's advisable to book your return transfer well in advance. In order to insure the availability most of the passengers are booking a return transfer simultaneously.
www.russian.taxi

Question 17

How I can make sure that my booking in St Petersburg was accepted?

Accepted Answer

As soon as you make the booking, you will receive confirmation via an email. Later on you'll receive  a voucher where you can see booking number and transfer details. That means that the car has been booked and the driver will meet you at the specified time. If you haven’t received the confirmation email, check your spam box or contact us again. The vouchers are usually sent within 1 hour or so.
www.russian.taxi

Question 18

Will I be able to change the data in my booking for the service in St Petersburg?

Accepted Answer

Yes, the booking changes will be made for free, preferably no later than one day before the trip. To make changes, send us email. All contact details will be in your voucher.
www.russian.taxi

Question 19

How to find my driver in St Petersburg?

Accepted Answer

The driver will meet you holding a name sign with your name. If he meets you in the airport, he will be waiting for you in the arrival hall. If you don't see your name sign for any reason - the meeting point is near the "Starbucks" at the arrival hall. Very easy to find.
If you go from the hotel, your driver will be waiting for you at the hotel’s lobby or reception.
www.russian.taxi

Question 20

Can I be sure that the driver will meet me in St Petersburg?

Accepted Answer

We guarantee that the driver will do his utmost best to meet you. He will have your phone number, and you will have his phone number too. As soon as you go out of the arrival exit, pay attention to the name signs in front of you and keep your phone switched on. The driver will NEVER be waiting for you outside of the arrival hall or in the open air in the street. If you don't see your name sign for any reason - the meeting point is near the "Starbucks" at the arrival hall. Very easy to find. Transfer failures are extremely rare.

Question 21

What if the flight to St Petersburg is delayed?

Accepted Answer

As soon as you know that your flight is delayed, kindly send us a message. You should specify your name and new time of arrival. All contact details will be on your voucher.

Question 22

What if my flight to St Petersburg is arriving earlier?

Accepted Answer

If you arrive before the transfer start time, it’s possible that your driver isn’t there yet. Please, stay in the arrival hall and wait for your driver. You may text him saying that you’re waiting for him in the arrival hall. Kindly note that all flights are monitored via the Flight Radar App and all our drivers are usually right on time. In the rare case that you don't see your name sign - the meeting point is near the "Starbucks" at the arrival hall. Very easy to find.
www.russian.taxi

Question 23

How to contact my driver in St Petersburg?

Accepted Answer

All contact details will be on your voucher. You're welcome to send your direct phone or WhatsApp number to us. Please, call or text us if your flight is delayed or canceled. It’s possible that the driver doesn’t have enough time to monitor such changes in the airport tracking system. If you don’t find your driver upon arrival, call him or text him saying where you’re waiting for him. We will be appreciated of you can inform us in the event if your luggage was lost and you have to complete the forms at the airport.
www.russian.taxi

Question 24

What if I can't find my driver in St Petersburg?

Accepted Answer

Do not worry, our drivers specialize in airport transfers and cancellations of meetings are extremely rare. If you don't see your name sign for any reason - the meeting point is near the "Starbucks" at the arrival hall. Very easy to find. In case of emergency you're welcome to call or text us.
www.russian.taxi

Question 25

Does the taxi driver in St Petersburg speaks English?

Accepted Answer

We are advertising an English-speaking service and trying to assign English-speaking drivers for all our transfers. Most of the drivers speak English. On some occasions all English-speaking drivers are fully booked. In that case you're welcome to ask your driver to call the English-speaking manager if you have something to discuss.

Question 26

How to pay for taxi and transfer service in St Petersburg?

Accepted Answer

We accept cash, PayPal and online card payments.
Should your booking will be accepted and a card payment chosen - we will send you a payment link together with the confirmation voucher.
 If you chose a PayPal - we will send you a voucher and a PayPal payment request. 
You can also chose a cash to the driver option, in some cases we will require a 25% card pre-payment. 
We accept Roubles, Euros and US Dollars. Please note that we DO NOT ACCEPT the old, marked, stained or torn banknotes.

Question 27

What payment options in St Petersburg are available?

Accepted Answer

We accept payment via VISA and MasterCard. These are the most secure and convenient ways to pay online. You will be able to make a payment ONLY when we will send you a confirmation voucher and a link for secure online payment.
We also accept a PayPal and cash on arrival: RUB, EUR, USD. Kindly note that we DO NOT ACCEPT the old, marked, stained or torn banknotes.
www.russian.taxi

Question 28

How to pay to the taxi driver in St Petersburg?

Accepted Answer

Payment may be made in the currency specified in the voucher (Rouble, Euro or USD). Please prepare the necessary amount of cash in advance.
www.russian.taxi

Question 29

When can I change information in my booking in St Petersburg?

Accepted Answer

If the booking is changed, we have to confirm that we can meet you. Send the information to the address that will be indicated in the voucher about the changes as soon as possible. We will assign the driver and send you a new voucher.
www.russian.taxi

Question 30

Will I get back my pre-payment in case of my St Petersburg booking cancellation?

Accepted Answer

Yes, if you cancel your order not later than 24 hours before the transfer, we will fully refund the pre-payment. If the trip doesn’t take place because of our mistake, the prepayment will also be refunded.
www.russian.taxi

Question 31

Is the price for St Petersburg taxi per car or per passenger?

Accepted Answer

The price is for the car. It doesn’t depend on the number of passengers. Each vehicle type is provided with passenger and standard luggage capacity information. The child seats are provided free of charge.
www.russian.taxi

Question 32

How much extra do I have to pay for a child seat in St Petersburg?

Accepted Answer

Unlike others - the seats for most important passengers are free of charge.
www.russian.taxi

Question 33

What if the price on my St Petersburg taxi voucher is incorrect?

Accepted Answer

Sometimes our office is very busy. Saturdays and Sundays - all the times. Kindly excuse us if our office assistant will paste a wrong figure in to the voucher. We will always correct it shortly.
www.russian.taxi

Question 34

Should I pay for waiting time at St Petersburg Pulkovo airport?

Accepted Answer

The driver monitors your arrival time according to your flight number. If the flight is late, he will arrive to the airport later, usually 20-25 minutes after the actual landing time. The usual waiting time included in the tariff is 1 hour. It's usually enough for everything. On the rare occasions we have long queues or lost luggage. Kindly text us if you feel that your exit will be taking longer than usual. We will also appreciate if you will offer a parking cost and driver's time compensation to your driver should your exit will take longer than 1 hour. 10 EUR per hour will be highly appreciated.
www.russian.taxi

Question 35

How much time does it take to receive the St Petersburg transfer confirmation?

Accepted Answer

Usually within 1 hour or so, often - 15-20 min. You will receive a confirmation voucher if we can perform your transfer. We are not an aggregator and we don't have to look for the vehicle all over the world. As we a locally owned operator - we have our own vehicles. It's easy to confirm fast.
www.russian.taxi

Question 36

How is the St Petersburg taxi transfer request processed?

Accepted Answer

As soon as we receive booking request, our support manager will check it and send you a confirmation voucher. Link for secure online payment will be attached should you prefer a card payment. If we can’t find the necessary vehicle, we will inform you.
www.russian.taxi

Question 37

I want to use a Taxi App in St Petersburg and around Russia, any detailed information or hints?

Accepted Answer

As you've probably heard or read - many Russians are using some taxi apps in order to get around the city. Someone will suggest a specific company because of the pleasant experience, some that they've traveled many times and accumulated good bonus miles, some just because the price is very low. Generally, the trips are relatively cheap but there are few cons and pros to know about.
Yandex Taxi is a software company and a transportation services aggregator. Seeking for a personal attention is useless as you'll not get any. 
Yandex Taxi App is a fast way of getting a car to your door, just make sure that your smartphone is having an internet connection and figure out how the App works.
Yandex Taxi and Uber have merged in Russia, therefore don't be surprised when you will get an Uber branded vehicle after the ordering the service from the Yandex Taxi App. It's also normal in Russia that the driver will subscribe to several aggregators. Here comes the problem that he will work around the clock to make a living and save on proper rest or sleep.
Always keep in mind that often (50/50 chance) you will be driven by amateur fellow, who have subscribed to several aggregators (Yandex, Uber, Gett, Bolt, Vezet) and merely giving you a lift in order to get an extra buck on the way home from his work or during the weekend. Many guys from the Eastern republics are sharing a car and even the driver's license.
The ride prices my vary, depending on the time of the day, traffic conditions, day of the week, weather etc. One can pay for the ride 300 RUB and come back for 700 RUB for the same distance.
There are no or almost no English-speaking drivers which will be sent to you by Yandex or other aggregator.  Make sure you enter correct pick up and the destination addresses as the drivers can read Latin letters though.
Before ordering: it's very important to consider the amount of passengers and a luggage. Many cars are small and having a child seat in the trunk. Some will end up holding a suitcase on their knees.
Many drivers are coming from small towns of former Eastern Soviet republics and their driving habits are way below perfect. We're also strongly suggesting not to involve in any argument with them.
Be prepared to end up in a car that smells like an ashtray from time to time. Many drivers smoke and not hesitating of doing so in their cars, thinking that 10 minutes with the windows open will help get rid of the smell, which is actually terrible.
Do yourself a favor and don't take a cheapest vehicle option. Comfort or business class will bring you much better experience and will have a good chance of not spoiling your stay in Russia.
Some bank cards may not work with taxi apps. Have cash on hand in smaller bills and avoid giving 5000 RUB note. Firstly: your driver might not have a change, secondly: you can end up with having a pale of fake money given to you as change.
The driver will always appreciate a tip, but that's purely at your own discretion. 
Using a taxi in St Petersburg in Summer during the night - don't be alarmed if your driver will be taking a longer road. Consider the drawbridge factor and plan your timing and a trip accordingly. The trip from the popular Rubinsteina street to Vasiljevsky island (3 kms) could take up to good 35-40 minutes via the Western bypass.
There was a bad experience with the advanced bookings on many occasions. The driver will simply not show up at requested time. The applications designed the way to find you a closest to you car as soon as possible. That's the main point to have it. Ordering a vehicle for 03:15 am pickup will be at your own risk, especially on your way to the airport. Support desk will just apologize in case of no show and will assure you that it will not happen again.
Use the Taxi App for short city trips, though the best way to experience St. Petersburg is by feet or on top of the hop-on hop-off bus.
Pre - book St.Petersburg Airport Transfer with an English-speaking driver from the relevant company and get the wealth of information and useful tips from the local on your way to the accommodation or just have a pleasant chat. Being picked up right from the arrival hall by the transfer specialist will bring you much further than questionable saving and the transportation arrangements onsite.
The summary and all comments are strictly based on the experience of our customers. The taxi apps works well in Russia and there are many excellent drivers providing a great service every day. One just have to know how to use the apps and what to expect.
www.russian.taxi

Question 38

Using Yandex Taxi, Uber or Gett in St Petersburg - any major suggestions?

Accepted Answer

Always remember when using the Taxi App in St Petersburg:
1. Your smart phone must have an internet connection
2. Consider the amount of passengers and luggage
3. Always enter pick-up and destination address prior to ride
4. Choose the correct side of the road in order to avoid lengthy u-turns
5. Consider the pick up spot where you can board the car comfortably 
6. It is a sign of good manners to shake the snow off your shoes before getting into the car
7. You will be able to submit a special requests, such as "strictly no smoking"
8. Don't take cheapest option
9. Have a small notes to pay cash
10. Having children below 8 y.o. - choose the "child" tariff or make sure that the child seat is provided 
11. The drivers don't speak English
12. Never argue with angry driver
13. The quality of the service will be below your expectations 8 out of 10
14. Order the airport transfer from English-speaking service provider instead of the Taxi App
To wrap up: stay wise and safe. Welcome to Russia!
www.russian.taxi

Question 39

Where to find and book the best taxi service in St Petersburg, Russia?

Accepted Answer

Visit www.russian.taxi for all your St Petersburg transfers and choose what you need. Most reliable taxi and transfer service in Saint-Petersburg city centre and popular suburbs.

Question 40

Is there a taxi rip-off or a taxi scam in St Petersburg?

Accepted Answer

Traveling this far? Going to Russia for the first time? Wondering of transportation services in St.Petersburg? Be well prepared and don't fall a victim of taxi scam at Pulkovo airport.
The most important point to always remember: 
Never! No under any circumstances talk, listen or approach a person at Pulkovo airport wearing the YELLOW ID CARD saying "OFFICIAL TAXI" or "OFFICIAL ST. PETERSBURG TAXI" or "OFFICIAL AIRPORT PULKOVO TAXI". NEVER!!!
Never show them any of your transportation vouchers as they always will tell: "Yes, I'm your driver, let's go"!
That personalities are always friendly and polite. They will offer you to make a phone call, show you the way to ATM or a toilet, but at the end of the day the result will be always the same: they will offer you a ride for cheap, grab your suitcase and will never let you go your way!
You will always be cheated and will always pay a fortune: 3-4-5-6 times more than normal price of an airport transfer.
Never hire an old black car with a yellow TAXI sign standing at the airport or city centre. You will be cheated!
Remember: if you find yourself at the hands of fake taxi driver - never negotiate with them. Immediately call the police: 112 is an emergency number from any mobile phone.

Saint-Petersburg Visitor Information

Important Information and Useful Tips for Visitors in St. Petersburg

BEFORE DEPARTURE

AFTER ARRIVAL

VISA

TAXI

FAKE TAXI

MONEY

HOTEL

RESTAURANT

HERMITAGE

PUSHKIN

PETERHOF

THEATRE