St. Petersburg: Safety
SAFETY MEASURES
Just recently, back in the 90s, Saint-Petersburg was called not only
the cultural center, but also the criminal capital of Russia. It was a
muddled time of the Restructuring and changing of the political regime.
Nowadays one can confidently assure that the atmosphere is much better,
and the visitors of the city can feel safe.
As part of the development program of Saint-Petersburg as a tourist center, a special police division will be created in the city in the nearest future. Its main function will be protecting tourists and providing safety near the most popular city sites. Tourist police will communicate with the city visitors in their native language and will be mediators in case of conflicts at the hotels, restaurants and stores.
However don’t forget that in any big city there are thieves, pickpockets and swindlers. To avoid difficulties, always stay alert. Don’t walk alone in the city at night, especially under the influence of alcohol, don’t leave your belongings unattended, don’t keep your phone, documents and wallet in the places where they can be stolen, and never gamble on the streets.
USEFUL PHONE NUMBERS AND LINKS
International code of St. Petersburg: +7-812
Emergency services
Fire emergency: 01
Police: 02
Ambulance service: 03
MChS, Russian Federation Ministry of emergencies (analog of 911): 122
Taxi
068, 600-5-600, 777-1-777
Useful links
Timetable of the drawn bridges for 2014: http://razvodka-mostov.ru/
Metro (underground) scheme: http://www.bezmani.ru/spravka/metro/petersburg/map_metro_petersburg_eng.htm
Land transport routes: http://spb.rusavtobus.ru/en/
Pulkovo Airport: http://www.pulkovoairport.ru/eng/
Russian Union of Travel Industry: http://www.rstnw.ru/index-e.html
Consulates in Saint-Petersburg: http://www.spbconsul.ru/