Travelling in Russia from St. Petersburg. Sights, Tours, Regions, Itineraries...

   If you're going to visit Russia for tourist, business, study, professional or other purposes it's rather possible that you'll spend a few days or even live in St. Petersburg, famous russian city standing on the Baltic coast.

   St. Petersburg itself with all its suburbs and attractions of the region has got much to offer for those who'd like to get acquainted with Russia. But, staying in such a vast country finally makes it interesting to travel to different regions and to discover some remote places and itineraries.

   Let's look on the map below to find out what parts of Russia you can more or less easily visit during a tour from St. Petersburg.

Travelling in Russia from St. Petersburg:  Towns and Regions

    Right to the south from St. Petersburg we see Pskov region and Novgorod region with their capitals in Pskov town and in the town of Veliky Novgorod, respectively. Veliky Novgorod is also called, with translation from russian, Great Novgorod.

   To the east from St. Petersburg you can see Vologda region and its capital town Vologda. And to the north the map shows us Karelia region which is also officially called Republic of Karelia with its capital in Petrozavodsk.

   Farther to the north and to the north-east you can find Murmansk and Arkhangelsk regions and the Republic of Komi. These parts of Russia can be called rather remote ones already.

   Farther to the south there are Tver region and other regions of central Russia with Moscow and lot of towns known as the Golden Ring.

   The town of Veliky Novgorod (Great Novgorod) is situated close to St. Petersburg, just about 180 km (112 miles) from it. It will take you about 2-3 hours to get there by car. And simultaneously you'll travel in time.

   Great Novgorod is known as the most ancient town in Russia, since it's history has begun about 12 centuries ago and the whole novgorodian land is the oldest part of Russia. Novgorod Kremlin (fortress), various temples and uncountable monasteries, everything breathes here with mysterious and beautiful history of Russia, from its earliest age.

Novgorod Kremlin (source: novportal.ru)

One of the Ancient Churches of Great Novgorod (source: novportal.ru)

Svyato-Yuriev Monastery and Lake Ilmen (source: novportal.ru)

Novgorod Museum of Wooden Architecture "Vitoslavlitsy" (source: novportal.ru)

   The town of Pskov is situated farther from St. Petersburg, about 280 km (174 miles), and about 240 km / 150 miles (by car) from Veliky Novgorod. It's a good idea to visit both of these towns and their surroundings during one trip.

   Pskov is almost as ancient as Veliky Novgorod but its uniqueness also originates from the fact that it has been always located very close to the western borders of Russia. During several centuries this town was the greatest fortress of Russia with multiple thick and very long walls, lots of towers and gates.

   Though only a part of those fortifications exists nowadays they are enough to imagine the defensive power of Pskov during the past centuries.

Pskov Kremlin (Pskov Fortress). Cathedral of St. Trinity (source: www.tourism.pskov.ru)

Pokrovskaya Tower of Pskov Fortress (source: www.tourism.pskov.ru)

The Fifth Circle of Fortifications of Pskov Fortress. Buildings of the 15th Century (source: www.old-pskov.ru)

   Vologda region has got almost as long history as the regions of Pskov and Novgorod. Russian people lived here from the times of scandinavian vikings.

   The town of Vologda is sometimes called "the lace capital of Russia". It has also got very nice kremlin, so usual for old towns in Russia, but the kremlin is not the only major sight of Vologda.

   Being for several centuries one of the most remote parts of Russia the region of Vologda has probably preserved even brighter reminders of the past than Pskov and Novgorod.

One of Plenty Nice Historical Wooden Houses in Vologda Town (source: vologdatourinfo.ru)

Frescoes of Dionisy in Ferapontov Monastery, 1502-1503 years (source: vologdatourinfo.ru)

A Girl in Traditional Clothes (source: vologdatourinfo.ru)

Mikhailo-Arkhangelsky Monastery. Town of Veliky Ustuyg (source: vologdatourinfo.ru)

   Karelia region (Republic of Karelia) is probably mostly known for its three great sights: Kizhi, Valaam and Solovetsky islands. Solovetsky islands are actually situated on the territory of Arkhangelsk region, not Karelia, though closer to the karelian shore of the White sea and near the border between these two regions.

   Karelia is also known as a land of beautiful nature with over 61,000 lakes and 23,000 rivers, with nice rocks and waterfalls. During your trip to Karelia you can see two largest lakes of Europe: Ladoga and Onego (sometimes also called Onega).

   It's also interesting to visit local villages and get acquainted with traditions, culture and life of people during a tour to this region of Russia.

   The main city of the region, Petrozavodsk is situated not far from St. Petersburg, about 450 km (280 miles), though the whole region stretches far to the north.

Famous Kizhi Pogost. Kizhi Island (source: www.travel-to-russian-karelia.com)

In the Monastery Bay of Valaam Islands

One of Thousands Lakes of Karelia

   If you travel from St. Petersburg to Karelia or Vologda region and have enough time to extend your tour in Russia you can also visit Arkhangelsk region and/or Republic of Komi. As it has been said already, above, these two regions are rather remote ones. They are very vast ones, also.

   The variety of cultural and natural heritage of Arkhangelsk region deserves a special separate description. And the Republic of Komi is interesting first of all for it's majestic natural sights, here you can visit the northern part of Ural Mountains, this beautiful and grandiose natural border between Europe and Asia.

   If you would like to visit the very north of european Russia your itinerary will lead you to Murmansk region and to the city of Murmansk, situated in the northern polar zone of our planet. During such a tour you can see polar days (or nights), northern lights, the Barents sea of the Arctic Ocean and, of course, the unique nature of the region with its mountain views and other nice places.

How to Get to Petrozavodsk, Kizhi, Solovetsky, Other Places in Karelia from St. Petersburg

   Since Karelia is a region situated in North-West of Russia it's logical to suppose that it can be easily visited from St. Petersburg. Being the second-largest city of Russia, its cultural and tourist capital, as well as being located very close to european countries St. Petersburg proves the correctness of that idea.

   Before speaking of any exact routes, transport and sights (this information is given below), lets look at the map that will show as local geography.


Karelia (Russian Republic of Karelia) on the map

    As far as Petrozavodsk is the main and only city of Karelia it's more than possible that you'll visit it on your way to other parts of Karelia. The distance between St. Petersburg and Petrozavodsk is about 420 kilometres (260 miles) - by car, train, etc. If to speak about the time things are the following. To get to Petrozavodsk by car will take you around 6-7 hours, the fastest trains cover the distance between St. Petersburg and Petrozavodsk in 7 hours.

   Though there are automobile roads and railroads going both around the south-eastern and around the north-western shore of lake Ladoga, the shortest way to Petrozavodsk is the one which runs to the south-east from this largest european lake.

   Trains going on these directions follow from St. Petersburg to Petrozavodsk and farther to the north: to the towns on the western coast of the White sea and to the city of Murmansk, to the very north of european Russia.

   Let's say some words about buying/booking russian train tickets. First of all, of course, you can buy tickets at any ticket office of Russian Railways located on the territory of Russia. The offices are actually located in the buildings of railway stations, though not only. But, if you do not speak russian this way will most probably be very problematic.

   The english version of the official website of Russian Railways http://eng.rzd.ru/ doesn't give any opportunities to buy or book tickets, unfortunately. (Maybe the situation will change in the future?). Though, still it can give you some useful information about trains.

   If you search for, for example, "buy russian train tickets online" on the internet you'll find lots of websites which offer this kind of service. I cannot recommend any exact agency here, but I can say that they usually offer different variants of delivery to almost any place in the world, and this circumstance makes their services rather helpful. Though, price for the tickets will be higher than at a ticket office somewhere in Russia.

   Russian Railways usually sell tickets no more than 45 days prior to the date of departure.

   If the purpose of your travel is Petrozavodsk I would recommend train #658A. It's an overnight train with departures from St. Petersburg in the evening at 22:02 and arrivals to Petrozavodsk the next morning at 06:50. It goes every day, from Ladozhsky railway station. Of course the timetable can be changed but one of the reasons why I recommend this train is that it has got the most changeless schedule. The train also has got name "Kalevala" but it's used rather rarely. The return train "Petrozavodsk-St. Petersburg" has got number 657A.


Petrozavodsk Railway Station.

   There are several other trains that pass through Petrozavodsk. Let's mention two of them: "St.Petersburg-Murmansk" #022Ч and "Moscow-Murmansk" #016A (the second one goes via St. Petersburg also). These trains will be your choice you if you're going to the White sea with Solovetsky islands and other places of this area. Both of them will take you to the towns of the karelian White Sea coast, to Kem and Belomorsk from where you can continue your journey to Solovetsky and other sights of this region.
   More details about a sea trip to Solovetsky (Solovki islands) have been described in the following posts: Visiting Solovki Islands. Travel Experience. Part1 - Getting to Solovki and Visiting Solovki Islands. Travel Experience. Part2 - Sea Trip to Solovetsky.

   If you'd like to visit the famous Island of Kizhi with Kizhi Pogost that is situated in lake Onego (on the map also) to the north-east from Petrozavodsk, the first your step should be getting to Petrozavodsk. Here you can buy ticket for a small speed motor ship called "hydrofoil" going to this island. This water trip will take 1 hour 20 minutes (or, about that). You can find more information about such a trip in one of the previous posts Hydrofoil Trip to Kizhi Island. Travel Experience.

   I'm not speaking here about cruises from St. Petersburg to Valaam and Kizhi which usually last 3 days or a little more and are an alternative to the travel variant described above.

   As for Valaam Islands with Valaam Monastery, these sights are actually closer to St. Petersburg than to Petrozavodsk. Valaam Islands are situated in the north of Ladoga lake, close to the town of Sortavala (also, see on the map). You can visit this place in one day or include it into a multi-day trip from St. Petersburg to Karelia.
   Hydrofoils and other motor ships to Valaam go from the towns of Sortavala and Priozersk. Such a trip onboard a hydrofoil from Sortavala will take about 1 hour, from Priozersk - about 1 hour 30 min. Priozersk is closer to St. Petersburg.