Traveling to St. Petersburg from Helsinki
Sep 2, 2013, 8:46 am
#1
Original Poster
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Traveling to St. Petersburg from Helsinki
Hey All,
I'm sure you may have seen this sort of question regarding the ferry vs. cruise ship. I've read up about all of that on various websites and just want to make sure I am correct.
Two friends and I are looking to ferry from Helsinki to St. Petersburg, but we were wondering if we can fly out of the St. Petersburg Airport back to Zurich. Or do we have to take the ferry back to Helsinki and then fly from Helsinki.
Thanks for the help!
I'm sure you may have seen this sort of question regarding the ferry vs. cruise ship. I've read up about all of that on various websites and just want to make sure I am correct.
Two friends and I are looking to ferry from Helsinki to St. Petersburg, but we were wondering if we can fly out of the St. Petersburg Airport back to Zurich. Or do we have to take the ferry back to Helsinki and then fly from Helsinki.
Thanks for the help!
Sep 3, 2013, 6:13 pm
#2
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: PDX
Posts: 908
If you want to go to St. Petersburg without a visa, then you would have to depart by ferry too. You don't have to go back Helsinki, so if you find some lowcost from Tallinn, it would work as well.
If you are going to St. Petersburg with a Russian visa, then you can enter and depart Russia by any transportation mode.
If you are going to St. Petersburg with a Russian visa, then you can enter and depart Russia by any transportation mode.
Sep 6, 2013, 3:00 am
#3
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3 days visa-free is nice, but you'll have to endure 2 nights on the ferry - I'd say one night is managable, but I shudder at the thought of two.
Personally I'd just get a visa (76€ in HEL, ready in a few days, hassle-free - 24 hrs service also available for some extra) and take the excellent Allegro train - it's a 3 hrs ride from downtown to downtown.
Personally I'd just get a visa (76€ in HEL, ready in a few days, hassle-free - 24 hrs service also available for some extra) and take the excellent Allegro train - it's a 3 hrs ride from downtown to downtown.
Sep 9, 2013, 3:20 pm
#4
Join Date: Mar 2010
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Is it an official requirement? I wonder if the government can make sure ferry passengers really go back to the ferry every night.
Sep 10, 2013, 3:26 am
#5
Join Date: Mar 2012
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Those two nights would be voyages between Helsinki and St. Petersburg. I still haven't tried it myself, but what I've heard it is quite far from luxury cruise.
Sep 12, 2013, 10:15 am
#6
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I wish I could just take the Allegro express back, 3 hrs downtown to dowtown, but not possible on a visa free cruise.
Sep 12, 2013, 5:13 pm
#7
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: PDX
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So, if this is true, then you can never stay up to 72 hours without a visa. Do you see a contradiction here? I still think a person may stay anywhere in St. Petersburg as long as the arrival and departure are done on a ferry.
Sep 13, 2013, 6:32 am
#8
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 536
Voyages are not counted into those 72 hours and you can stay anywhere while in town. The thing is that every visa-exempt cruise takes at least one night both ways and that was what WilcoRoger was complaining about.
Sep 13, 2013, 3:16 pm
#9
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Apr 30, 2015, 7:28 pm
#10
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question for some friends. They are going on a week+ cruise which will be in StP for 2 nights. I took it that they wont need a Visa but someone told them they will. and therefore have to stick to whatever shore excursion tours the ship has. Is that the case and they wont be able to go on their own?
also does anyone know where the ships dock?
also does anyone know where the ships dock?
May 11, 2015, 6:05 am
#11
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May 11, 2015, 11:08 am
#12
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Aug 14, 2015, 6:18 am
#13
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