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Saint Petersburg travel safety advice
Saint Petersburg travel safety advice
Saint Petersburg has a somewhat undeserved dangerous reputation. Things have calmed down since the Wild West (or Wild East) days immediately after the collapse of the Soviet Union, but some common sense is still required, as pickpocketing and other petty scams are fairly common in tourist areas and the metro.
As with most other major cities, avoid traveling alone at night, and do not get into altercations with drunks. If traveling at night, it is recommended to stay on the main sidewalks and avoid any dark alleys or yards. Gypsy cabs are not recommended in any circumstance, especially those that linger near bars where expatriates and tourists congregate.
Downtown, western and south central parts of the city are safest. Suburbs like Kupchino, Kolpino and Ligovo are struggling with criminality and poverty.
As a general rule, the farther you are from the city center, the more dangerous it is.
Gangs are a problem, although mafia gang wars are unlikely to affect tourists. Some gangs, however, such as neo-Nazis or angry hooligans, are out looking for problems and commit crimes that can affect tourists. After the war with Chechnya and terrorist attacks in some Russian cities, local hatred is growing toward people with darker complexions, and neo-Nazism is a concern. St. Petersburg, and Russia in general, can be regarded as a seriously dangerous destination for tourists of darker complexions so travelling in groups is highly advised.
Also, Saint Petersburg's football club, Zenit Saint Petersburg, is one of the biggest clubs in the country, and has its own band of hooligans. If you decide to visit the football stadium to watch the club play, you should buy tickets to center sectors. If you do not do this and a fight starts, you are likely to get dragged into it by either the hooligans or the police, since both will think you are part of the brawl.
SERIOUS THREAT�: Take care of money, documents, cameras, mobile phones, and anything of value because of pickpocketing. Especially watch out on the Metro during busy times, as people start pushing at the train doors, and pickpockets are frequent, particularly (but not only) at Gostinyy Dvor Metro Station. When riding the Metro, keep in mind that robbery is a real threat; you should constantly watch what is going on around you and who is standing very close to you. This almost aggressive robbery technique is a daily issue and can be surprising even if you have been warned - BE CAREFUL IN THE SUBWAY.
Thefts of photo technique are really big problem is Saint Petersburg. Usual photo bags never save your camera, it can be opened in 1,5 seconds. Cameras must be kept in bags slung across the body at all times, with your hands keeping a firm grip on them, and no watches or jewelry should be visible at all. Quite obviously, do not show in public that you have a lot of money. Robberies are not uncommon and many foreigners have been threatened at gun and knife point. However, foreigners are not targeted, and robbers attack both foreigners and tourists that openly show that they are wealthy.
Take special care on Nevsky Prospekt, particularly the area with the city tour buses, a favorite spot of pickpockets and particularly of those after photo equipment. On the bright side, "Nevsky Prospekt" is the safest concerning physical abuse.
Russian driving is wild. Drivers attack their art with an equal mix of aggressiveness and incompetence. Guidelines are lax and rarely followed. As a pedestrian, take great care when crossing the roads, as pedestrian crossings are in 99% of cases ignored (even by police). If you are thinking of driving yourself, bear in mind that the Russian traffic police are extremely corrupt, even by Russian standards.
Saint Petersburg has a relatively big problem with street children who make their living out of stealing. They could be a hassle and can beg you aggresively. Act like any other Russian would. Say no then just ignore them and go away.
Homosexuals must practice extreme caution while staying in Saint Petersburg as attacks often occur. Some Russian people really hate public demonstrations of homosexuality.
Bar fights do occur. In the center of the city and around Nevsky Prospekt, they are unlikely to happen. However, in the suburbs and local pubs, fights occur almost daily. If you are staying with locals living in these areas, it might be a good idea avoid these bars. Police are unlikely to show up as they consider fights as small, unimportant, regular and a waste of time, and they will probably laugh at you for calling.
Another one danger can catch you up in winter time. Poor harvesting of snow and ice is a big problem of city. It's better to abstain from being in Saint Petersburg in snowy winters cause of gigant ice blocks from roofs can fall on your head. In addition, ice on streets will be a serious obstacle for your travel.
Overall, be warned that if you are used to living in the US and/or Western Europe, Saint Petersburg, as well as the rest of Eastern Europe, will seem different, and, at times, a bit intimidating. Russian people are extremely friendly and welcoming towards foreigners, and nothing should happen to you unless you really want it yourself. If you don't care about them, they don't care about you and nothing should be in your way of having a great holiday.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Saint Petersburg
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Saint Petersburg - updated May 2024
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Saint Petersburg Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.