Getting a taxi in Saint Petersburg

Hi there, We’re heading to Saint Petersburg from June 30 to July 7, 2026, and we’ll be arriving late (9 PM) at our hotel on June 30. Unfortunately, the hotel can’t pick us up from the train station. Is it easy to get a taxi at Saint Petersburg coach station? Thanks for your help!

Hello, We’re heading to Saint Petersburg from June 30 to July 7, 2026, and we’ll be arriving late (9 PM) at our hotel on June 30. The hotel can’t pick us up at the train station. Is it easy to get a taxi at Saint Petersburg coach station? Thanks for your reply.

Coach station??? Bus station... in Russian, *avtovokzal*. Around the bus station, there are always taxis trying their luck when long-distance buses arrive. But the best option is to book a taxi using the Yandex Go app—just set it to cash payment with the driver.

Otherwise, at the corner of the boulevard, there’s the Obvodny Kanal metro station. When you exit the station, with the boulevard in front of you, walk left to the intersection with the other boulevard (not the small street in between), cross the street, and the metro entrance will be on your left.

in Saint Petersburg from June 30 to July 7, 2026, and we’re arriving late (9 PM)

If there’s a queue at the Narva-Ivangorod border, it could be even later. Back in mid-June 2024, I had a five-hour wait on the bus leaving Tallinn at 2 PM, and we didn’t get to SPb until 11 PM.

This Telegram channel posts daily photos of the queue at Narva, with occasional updates from people who’ve just crossed: https://t.me/ESTI_Narva

Thank you so much for your help! If you don’t mind, I’ve got a quick question: Do I need a VPN or a SIM card to use Yandex Go? Thanks for letting me know!

You can install Yandex Go on your phone. If your phone is set to French, the app will automatically switch to French. You can create an account using your phone number.

The main menu is accessed by tapping the three bars in the top left corner:



This opens the following page:



In "Paramètres" (Settings), you can change the app language:



Otherwise, you select your country and phone number to create the account:



Once the account is created—after SMS code confirmation—the "Mode de paiement" (Payment method) option in the middle of the main page list (second screenshot) becomes active. You can select cash payment.

=========== Foreign SIM cards are inactive for internet during the first 24 hours after entering the country (Russian SIMs also face this after returning from abroad, unless you go through a simple immediate reactivation process). However, there’s usually an exception for essential apps like Yandex Go and Yandex Navigator. That said, if you’re using a foreign SIM, you’ll incur roaming charges from your carrier. If possible, check if the station’s network still works in the bus arrival area. You won’t enter the building but will head straight outside.