If you’re visiting St. Petersburg for the first time, one of your first questions may be: “How do I get a taxi here? Does Uber work?”
The short answer is no. But there’s no need to worry. Despite the absence of Uber, getting a taxi in St. Petersburg is just as easy as in most major cities around the world. Almost all local residents use a mobile app called Yandex Go, which works much like Uber: enter your destination, see the estimated fare, and wait for a driver to arrive.
Yandex Go supports multiple languages, with the app’s language automatically following your smartphone’s system language settings.
For most tourists, this is all they need to know to get started. But there are a few local details worth knowing before you order your first ride.
Good to Know Before Your Trip
If you plan to use taxis in St. Petersburg, it’s a good idea to install Yandex Go before you arrive in Russia. Once you land, you’ll only need an internet connection to order a car. It’s also worth remembering that some foreign bank cards may not work with Russian payment services, so carrying some Russian rubles is a sensible backup.
Having the app ready before your trip can save you time and avoid unnecessary complications, especially when you arrive at the airport with luggage and simply want to get to your hotel.
Why Does Everyone Use Yandex Go?
If you’ve used Uber, Bolt, or Lyft before, you’ll have no trouble figuring out Yandex Go. The basic principle is almost identical. The app detects your location, lets you enter your destination, calculates the estimated fare, and shows how long it will take for the car to arrive.
You can see the driver’s name, the car model, license plate number, and estimated fare before the trip begins. This means there’s no need to negotiate a price with the driver or explain your destination in Russian.
The app offers several vehicle categories, from the budget-friendly Economy class to Business and Minivan. The latter can be particularly useful for families or small groups traveling with a lot of luggage.
There is one detail that may be unfamiliar to foreign visitors. Yandex Go is not a traditional taxi company. Yandex does not own most of the cars and does not directly employ most of the drivers. Instead, the app connects passengers with licensed transportation providers, including taxi fleets and individual drivers working through the platform. For passengers, the distinction is largely invisible: the app provides the driver’s details, vehicle information, estimated arrival time, and fare.
Are There Other Taxi Services in St. Petersburg?
Yes, although Yandex Go is by far the most familiar option for most people in the city.
Other services include Maxim and Taksovichkof, a well-known St. Petersburg taxi company. However, there is usually little reason for a tourist staying in the city for only a few days to install several different taxi apps. Yandex Go generally offers a large selection of cars and short waiting times.
Can You Hail a Taxi on the Street?
Technically, yes. In practice, however, this is no longer how most people in St. Petersburg get around.
Ordering through an app is simpler and safer. You know the approximate fare in advance, can see which car is coming, and have a record of the trip in the app.
It is especially important to be cautious around airports, train stations, and major tourist attractions. You may encounter drivers offering rides without a prior booking. These trips can cost considerably more than a regular app-based taxi, and negotiating with a driver can be difficult if you don’t speak Russian.
How to Get a Taxi from Pulkovo Airport
If you’re arriving in St. Petersburg for the first time, this is one situation where knowing how the local system works can save you both time and money.
Yandex Go is the official taxi partner of Pulkovo Airport. If you have mobile internet, you can simply open the app after collecting your luggage, enter your destination, and order a car. If you don’t have mobile internet, a Russian phone number, or simply need help placing the order, official Yandex Go service desks are available inside the terminal.
Be careful if someone approaches you in the terminal or near the exit offering a ride. These drivers are not part of the official airport taxi service, and their prices may be significantly higher than the fare shown in the app.
How Much Does a Taxi Cost in St. Petersburg?
Taxi fares are calculated automatically and depend on several factors, including distance, traffic, time of day, current demand, and the type of car you choose.
One of the biggest advantages of app-based taxis is that you can see the estimated fare before confirming the ride. There is no need to negotiate with the driver or worry about being charged a completely unexpected amount at the end of the trip.
Taxi Fare In St. Petersburg To / From Pulkovo Airport
Center (St. Petersburg’s Moscow Railway Station) Economy class — from RUB 1 000
Taxi Fare From St. Petersburg’s City Center To Suburbs
Kronstadt Economy class — from RUB 1 900
Petergof Economy class — from RUB 1 600
Pushkin (Tsarskoe selo) Economy class — from RUB 1 100
Why Can the Same Trip Cost More at Different Times?
If you’ve used services such as Uber, you’ll already be familiar with dynamic pricing. Yandex Go uses a similar system.
A ride that costs relatively little on an ordinary weekday may become considerably more expensive when demand suddenly increases. Heavy rain, the end of a concert or sporting event, and major city celebrations can all lead to a shortage of available cars.
This can be particularly noticeable during St. Petersburg’s famous White Nights, when the city attracts large numbers of visitors. Prices can also rise sharply after Scarlet Sails, the city’s spectacular graduation celebration, when tens of thousands of people leave the city center at roughly the same time.
What Local Details Should You Know?
There are a few things about getting around St. Petersburg that may surprise visitors.
During major events and holidays, some streets in the city center may be closed to traffic. In such cases, your driver may have to drop you off a few minutes’ walk from a museum, theater, restaurant, or hotel. This is perfectly normal and usually has nothing to do with the driver refusing to take you to your destination.
Another important feature of St. Petersburg is its drawbridges. Several bridges across the Neva are raised at night to allow ships to pass. During these hours, cars cannot cross them.
If you are staying on the Vasilievsky Island or Petrograd Side and plan to return to your hotel late at night, check the bridge-opening schedule in advance. Otherwise, a short taxi ride can unexpectedly turn into a very long detour.
Taxi or Metro?
If you plan to spend most of your time in the historic center, don’t overlook the metro. St. Petersburg’s subway is fast and convenient, and during rush hour it can be considerably quicker than traveling by car.
A taxi, on the other hand, becomes particularly useful when you have heavy luggage, arrive late at night, need to get to or from the airport, or plan to visit the imperial palaces outside the city. Peterhof, Tsarskoye Selo, Pavlovsk, and Oranienbaum are all much easier to reach by car than by public transportation if you are traveling with a family or a small group.
For three or four people traveling together, a taxi can also be a comfortable and reasonably priced alternative to public transportation.
What About Paying for a Taxi?
Most rides can be paid for through the app. However, foreign visitors should keep in mind that some international bank cards may not work with Russian payment services because of current financial restrictions.
For this reason, it is a good idea to carry some Russian rubles as a backup. Even if you plan to pay for most things by card, cash can be useful in a taxi or in other situations where a foreign card is not accepted.
Our Recommendation
If you’re visiting St. Petersburg for the first time, there’s no need to worry about the lack of Uber. Install Yandex Go, order your car through the app, and check the license plate before getting in.
Avoid accepting rides from drivers who approach you at the airport or train station, and keep in mind that prices can rise during periods of unusually high demand. If you’re traveling late at night, remember to check the drawbridge schedule.
Once you know these few local quirks, using a taxi in St. Petersburg is straightforward, affordable, and convenient.
