St. Petersburg and around!?!
 

Hi there,

Looking at doing a tour of the baltics this summer. We've found out that we can get a ferry from Rostock, Germany to Helsinki, Finland which although means paying for another ferry would save us time and let us do a clockwise route.

From Helsinki we would like to go to St. Petersburg. We are also interested in going to Kizhi and Valaam. Looking for information on border crossings from Helsinki and into Estonia. Visa requirements whilst in Russia. Travel times within Russia. Anywhere else in this area which is a must see! Aswell as any other advice or tales!

Many thanks,

Beej

Hey, m8!

I motorcycled from Italy to Russia via eastern Europe last summer and went back home thru FIN and S.
The directions was opposite if compared to yours, but I will tell you my experience anyway.

CUSTOMS TIMES: exiting Estonia and entering Russia took us about 2 hr and 40 min., but there was a Russian bus in front of the queue and Estonian officers checked passengers one by one, so maybe this is the reason why it took so long.
Exiting Russia and entering Finland took about 1 hr and 30 min.
Warning: don't dare to take pics of the customs building FOR NO REASONS: I took my girlfriend's small digital camera out of my Harley's tour pack simulating to clean it (but I wanted to take a pic of the queue while on the Russian side exiting to Finland), when a Russian policeman came to us and told us "Put your camera away IMMEDIATELY, please". He was not very aggressive and rude, but I can make you sure he did not smile at all...
Some hassle at that point, where a female officer claimed because three pages of my passport were a bit folded in a corner. "Your passport is too old", she said three times meaning it was a bit damaged. But no money wanted. At the end, she processed our exit while claiming in Russian.

POLICE: keep your eyes open, there's many patrols in both directions.
Very important: 2 km out of Russian customs station after entering from Estonian side (so, direction St. Petersburg) there's a small and quite invisible checkpoint.
It's on the side of the road (on the gravel part), and it consists in a transportable STOP road sign close to a very small cabin.
Stop there absolutely, even if the "Stop" sign is not on the road, because there's a police officer hidden inside of it that gives you the permission to proceed only after you wave at him.
If you pass the sign without stopping, even at low speed because pavement is not perfect there, there's many patrols behind the cabin ready to chase you.
It's a tourist trap (you may not spot it), so pay attention because I assume you can find its "twin" also if you come from St. Petersburg, not only if you go to it (in the same point, I mean, but of course on the other side of the road).

ROAD CONDITIONS: perfect from Finnish border to St. Petersburg, and perfect from St. Petersburg up to 40 km before the Estonian border. From there to the border, pavement has some kind of tole-ondulée that annoys a little bit, but not excessively.

While in Lithuania, don't miss the Hill of Crosses close to Siaulai: it takes only one hour to visit it, but it worths due to its symbolic meaning.

Have fun in St. Petersburg, it's a lovely city even if they drive quite crazy (passing on the right side is a must for many dark-windowed SUV owners...). In St. Petersburg, you'll see more X5, X6, Cayenne and Hummers than in the remaining European Countries you'll cross added together.

Ah, not much English spoken by people, only young guys speak the language...
In St. Petersburg, give also Armenian and Georgian restaurants a try, they offer great meat and food for a very low price with a perfect service.
But Russians are a hostful people that I hope to meet again.

Beej, I can give you plenty information and even lend you maps if you want I have done most of the routes your talking about - PM me with some of your proposals - I can also give you a contact for reasonably priced rooms in St Petersburg centre. Re the ferry I would consider going over to southern sweden or via Copenhagen, ride on to Stockholm day ferry to west coast of Finland (and ride round to Helsinki) or ferry Stockholm to Helsinki. No cabin required as its only 4 hours saves a fortune on ferry fares - Into Russia from Helsinki -(the border is about 110miles if I remember right and the border crossing is friendly and efficient I done it in about 40mins ) back out through Estonia (bit awkward the border guards there ,Latvia, Lithuania Poland Germany (its a long road that one) but the whole trip I would allow three weeks. Jake.

I echo what adventure950 says when he talks about ferries: I did just like this but in opposite direction (ferry from Turku, FIN to Stockholm: 4 hours with no cabin and price was OK).
Three weeks is what it took me, also.

Prices.

Helsinki-Talin:
Took this ferry 3 or 4 years ago and it cost something like 70 quid.

Turku-Stockholm:
Took this ferry in october last year, cost I think 40 euros.

Danish bridge tolls:
!!Expensive!!
Not exact sure on the price, but there's two toll bridges on the way to copenhagen and for motorcycle I think they were roughly 20 euros each last october.


Denmark isn't the most interesting country in the world, and that southern part of sweden isn't great either.

Russian tourist visa for British cost around £100. Maybe a little less if you live in london and go to the visa center yourself.


I think visiting Peterburg and Russia would be the highlight of this trip. However I can think of more interesting trip ideas on a similar time/distance/budget. But the baltic area does have its fans so if you're interested then go and find out for yourself.

Thanks!
 

Thanks Knight of the Holy Graal for your tips and thoughts. Especially about the Police warnings... we have heard that they are quite strict!

Thanks Jake... didn't realise that you'd done that part of the world! Will email you (once I get my stupid work Audit handed in!), with our possible route. Good to hear about other ferry options too! Regarding trip length we have just over 5 weeks.

Thanks also to Nath. We would definately be seeing Russia as the highlight of this route, we've both wanted to go there for years! Although... I have to say that I'm curious to see what else you would suggest!

Will have a look into other ferry options this weekend! :clap:

Lots of tsarist era palaces a short ride from St Pete
 

Make sure you check out Petergof (Petrodvorets) and Pushkin and Pavlovsk as well.

One look at Petergof and you will understand why they had a revolution against the Tsars. Its completely over the top. Makes the royal palaces in London and Amsterdam look insignificant in comparison. Only the French royalty went over the top as much as the Russians and they had a bloody revolution as well.

That's correct, Colebatch is right.
I visited Pushkin in Tsarskoye Selo and I found it outstanding, wonderful!

Did not visit the other palaces outside St.Petersburg and I regret it much.