How to come to St Petersburg visa free
Three ways to do it

The cheapest ferry rates for visa-free travel to St. Petersburg are applied for departures from Helsinki. Therefore, you must also find cheap flights to Helsinki. This is not difficult. Many airlines, including low-cost airlines, fly to Helsinki Airport. The most famous, perhaps, Norwegian Air Shuttle

In addition, Helsinki-Vantaa Airport is one of the largest transport hubs. You will find great deals on flights not only to Europe, but also to North America and Asia.
If your sea voyage begins (or ends) not in Helsinki, then here are the links to search for cheap tickets to/from Tallinn and Stockholm

You do not need an overnight stay in Helsinki. And that's why. Your ferry is your hotel. And further. We love Finland, but according to the travelers rating, Helsinki is the most boring city in Europe. And here we agree. All the sights of Helsinki can be seen in half a day. Remember that Finnish hotels and hostels are very expensive! But we will help you save at least half price and get for this money not only an overnight stay, but also a little adventure!

If you still necessary to spend an inexpensive night in Helsinki, buy a mini cruise to Tallinn and back (no disembarkation in Tallinn)! Cabin for 2-4 people costs almost nothing and excellent dinner with wine/beer (buffet) on board will cost about 30 EUR per person. Daily departures at approximately 9-10 pm and arrivals back at approximately 8-10 am in the morning. Always check actual schedule! We recommend:

If you bought a visa-free package with a two-night stop in St. Petersburg, you must present at the request of the border officer a valid confirmation of the reservation. Although the carrier insists on booking only via its own website and reports possible penalties and even announces a ban/non-admission on boarding - do not believe this. You have every right to book a hotel yourself. To learn more

Maybe, you have heard something about the rule of mandatory registration at accommodation place in Russia. Good news for you! In Russia there is a rule of notification of the place of stay after arrival in the country. But! You must do this if the length of stay is at least 7 work days.

Visa-free stays are limited up to 72 hours. E-visa stays are limited to 8 calendar days. Therefore, this is minus one problem, forget it and enjoy the journey. But even if your stay in Russia exceeds the specified limit, then this is not your problem too! No secrets - the registration procedure is the obligatory for hotel staff or other accommodation place, not yours.

Even if the owner 'forgets' to register you, YOU will not face any fines. No one, neither the border guards, nor the police will demand this document from you. We repeat, this is a hotel report to the authorities. Why does anyone need this at all? In this way, the authorities restrict illegal migration. Do you want to know all the details, as well as our recommendations and tips where to stay and what to choose? READ HERE

So, YOU CAN to make a reservation yourself and use, for example, the most famous platform for reservation accommodation - Booking.com, or any other.
We recommend try Hotellook. This is the largest, well-known Russian search engine, where offers of all operators, even Russian, even AirBnb are presented. Besides, prices are often lower than even on Booking

Highly likely, the border guard will check only the first-level documents - passport, visa or papers replacing visa. But you must have and present an insurance policy upon request. No Martini Policy? No Party Entry!

At the time of entry to Russia, you must have a medical insurance policy (as well as a car insurance policy - if you are traveling by car) valid for the entire stay in Russia.
You can buy an insurance policy in your insurance company. But if you forgot about it in your holiday bustle, you can buy a policy online right now from a reliable Russian company for only a couple of EUR/USD.

By the way, this is even a little more reliable. Emergency medical aid in Russia is absolutely free of charge, regardless of your citizenship, available ID or insurance. But if is necessary to continue treatment in-hospital...Therefore, it's easier to arrange formalities with a Russian insurance company, while in Russia.

Please note! 'Princess Anastasia' ferry is usually moored at the 'Sea Terminal' (Morskoy Vokzal). But, sometimes, for technical reasons, it may be the port of the 'Marine Facade'. In this case, read the instructions here.
Be sure to check with the carrier the name of the terminal of arrival and departure!

During your visit to St Petersburg, you will most likely use public transport. But it is precisely upon arrival of the ferry to harbour, that we do not recommend this method. By the way, it is better to refuse this option even when leaving St Petersburg. Why? All piers in St Petersburg, incl ferry terminal, are located far from the metro stations. To get there, you need to use one of the types of land-based public transport. Unfortunately, it is long and uncomfortable.

What to do? Firstly, the ferry company offers a CityBusTour. This is a good option, especially for visa-free passengers. But, if you have a visa (or you do not need a visa), of course, the cost of this service (25EUR/pers) is too expensive. For this price you can order a private transfer (~25EUR per car). And ordinary taxi will be even cheaper! In addition, the CityBusTour has a big drawback. Therefore, save this link, the information may still be useful, even if you bought this tour.
How to order a taxi in Russia without knowing Russian

Here you will find useful information about pre-ordering a taxi. But, just in case, here's a way to take a taxi right on the street if you are rush for boarding. WARNING! Ferry and cruise ports are located nearby, but these are two different locations, make no mistake! If you need a FERRY terminal, show the driver this address. The cost of a trip, even from distant regions of St.P, usually does not exceed 1000 rubles (~15 EUR). Please remember our tips on the dangers of using illegal cabmans.

By default, Ferry Terminal of St Petersburg ('Sea Terminal') and Central district of St Petersburg are listed as the points of departure and destination (private transfer). Replace the data in the form, if necessary. Specify address of your location / your hotel name. If the booking system cannot find your exact address, then first specify in the form the name of the District of St Petersburg as the point of departure or arrival (how to find out the name of the district) and next enter the exact address of departure / arrival in the next step of booking.
Detailed info about 'KiwiTaxi' transfer service

Note. Taxi drivers often confuse the ferry terminal and the cruise port - they are located close to each other. Therefore, just in case, we recommend indicating the exact address of the terminal in the second step of the reservation (copy/paste).
PL MORSKOY SLAVY, 1

We do two most important things to bring home from a trip. Your memories and your photos! The best pictures in your albums are our main mission! Do not spend time searching for a place to take iconic photos. We show you only top spots and specify absolutely exact coordinates! This is all the more useful for you, because this does not always match with the exact location of the sights itself!

Of course, St Petersburg is a city of world famous museums, such as, for example, the Hermitage. It's true. But, who told you that you must always go inside? Think, if you can`t distinguish impressionism from postmodernism and unless going in with a very clear game plan to see very specific works of art, you may leave feeling like you've wasted a lot of time and money. If you have ever been to the Louvre in Paris, then you will understand what it is about.

We, as local residents, advise you not to run from one museum to another (especially if your stay is very short), but to choose one or two attractions per day and what is really interesting for you, not 'must do'. Just walk, go to cafes and restaurants. Believe, this is the best solution! In a word, enjoy life!

Dear Friends! We know everything about our town and are ready to share our little and big secrets! Open the map and detailed manual to see which iconic pictures you can get.
You can follow our list or choose what you like and plan own route!

However, if you want to get exclusive impressions from a trip to St Petersburg, then we are pleased to present you the best personal excursions from GetYourGuide and Viator. Please READ OUR WARNING before any booking! Welcome!

You may be reading this article at home on a PC or smartphone. But, how you would upload photos to Facebook, videos to Instagram and count likes, while in Russia? Did you think about this? And if you need to find something in Google, urgently order a taxi, or even open our world`s best ☺ online travel guide?

At first, bad news. Roaming in Russia is very expensive. Having made a couple of calls or opening a website, you will spend your usual monthly budget on phone. Therefore, even if you are making a short trip to Russia, we recommend to buy a local SIM card. Hunting Wi-Fi passwords in a cafe is a tedious task, and did you come to Russia for this?

Now about good. We believe that if you plan to travel to Russia, then you will have an extra 10 dollars. This is the maximum price (usually cheaper) you will pay for a prepaid local SIM card with unlimited traffic and hundreds of calls. Agree, this is very small cost to always be in touch.

Unfortunately, there is no SIM card store directly in the ferry terminal, but this is not a problem! And this is our last life-hack for today. We will no longer disturb you with our tips. How and where to buy a Russian SIM card and even an inexpensive smartphone without knowing a word in Russian? Do you see this button below? Click it! Good Luck!