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.

  

Photos of Karelia

I've tried to choose from my collection of photos the ones that would truely and completely enough represent the region of Karelia and maybe the parts of Russia closest to it by location.

Large part of these pictures below is still easily recognizable for those who have visited Karelia, though other ones maybe new even to some people who live here.



Well, the tourist "brand" of Karelia, famous Kizhi Pogost. Two wooden churches: Transfiguration church built in 1714, and Intercession church built in the end of 18th century



A cell of Solovetsky monastery prison, on Solovki islands, severe though beautiful archipelago in the south of White Sea. Only several dozen kilometres from the Arctic Circle.

 To be correct I should mention that Solovki islands are on the territory of Archangelsk region, not Karelia. They are just closer to karelian shore of the White sea



Transfiguration Cathedral, inside the thick stone walls of Solovetsky monastery. Made of great stones, mostly

 Solovetsky monastery and Solovetsky fortress, also often called Solovetsky monastery-fortress is united complex of buildings created by russian monks in 15th-16th centuries. The variety of passages, halls and other interior spaces of its architecture is astonishing.

That's actually one of the passages in the monastery



View of Solovetsky monastery in the morning (light mist from the sea is still on the domes and on the top of the cathedral)



Kuzova Islands. Located very close to Solovki islands and very close to the seashore.

Kuzova are nowadays not inhabited. It's a nature reserve. But... Yes, its a great archaeological site also. About 3-4% of the islands' area are occupied by enigmatic stone structures left by ancient saamian tribes, who lived here few thousand years ago

A speed motor ship - hydrofoil returns from Kizhi island

Hydrofoil crosses the distance of 80 kilometres from Petrozavodsk city to Kizhi island in just 1 hour 20 min. Thrice faster than an ordinary ship would do.

A newest part of Onego lake embankment in Petrozavodsk

Interior of Assumption church, the highest wooden church in Karelia

 Most of the icons have been preserved from 1774 year, the moment of building

Valaam monastery

Valaam monastery is located on the islands with the same name (Valaam) in lake Ladoga. This monastery was founded more than five hundred years ago, the exact years of the foundation are unknown. Some sources say even about one thousand years. And a legend says that Valaam has been visited by St. Andrew the First Called, an apostle of Christ

Again Valaam Islands. Skete of St. Nicholas

 Skete is a set of monastic cells where monks lived, with household buildings and with a church. On this picture you can see such a church of St. Nicholas skete, also in russian "Nicholsky skete"

Panorama on lake Konchezero

 Lake Konchezero is a good place for having rest and for fishing. Great amount of wonderful rocky islands of all sizes (from few metres to few kilometres) covered only by forests. By the way, the picture has been made on one of such islands during camping

Lake Syamozero

 One more beautiful lake of Karelia, a small bay of it. Syamozero is loved by most fishermen as the best lake for all year round fishing

Stone labyrinth

 One of the stone structures created by ancient saamian tribes, partially restored

Sea shore of Solovetsky Island during low tide



Kizhi Pogost in winter

 Wooden churches of Kizhi Pogost, that one on the first photo, seen from another point and in winter