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Want to stay in Saint Petersburg on a budget? First of all, you should not doubt your decision, have a cheap journey is possible. There are several tips that can help you save some money, so get a cup of your favorite drink, sit tight and read this article.
Travel in autumn
Well, of course, some might want to see the Northern capital of Russia in late spring- summer time, when trees are in bloom, bridges are raised and sun never goes down. The last one is a white nights period which is in June-July. However, you should understand that this is the most popular season among tourists, so the prices on accommodation and transportation are higher than in, for instance, fall.
Thereby, you can travel in October: see all the attraction with shorter or no queues at all, enjoy a boat ride (as the navigation usually stops in November), get a hotel room and your plane or train ticket cheaper.
For more reasons to visit Saint Petersburg in autumn, check this post.
Visit museums
Visiting St Petersburg museums is a must, if you are planning to spend several days there. To save money, do so during specials days that offer free admission.
For instance, you can freely visit the State Hermitage Museum, Kunstkamera, Zoological Museum, Imperial Porcelain Museum every third Thursday of the month. Central Naval Museum has no fees every last Wednesday of the month, while Museum of History of Religion can be visited every first Monday of the month without an entrance fee.
Plan in advance
Travelling can be expensive, that is a fact. To have your journey, plan it ahead. Book accommodation a month earlier than the actual travel date. Some hotels also have special offers for early booking. Usually train and plain tickets are also cheaper, if you purchase them in advance.
This rule, however, may not work if you want to visit St Petersburg in a high season. Companies just want to make money, so think twice when planning your vacation.
Take advantage of a lunch time
Many restaurants and cafes offer happy hour meals that can be super cheap. Usually, these are business lunch hours in the day time. St Petersburg is also full of canteens with home-made food. There you’ll have soup, main course, salads, desserts and drinks. You will be full, don’t worry! The whole dinner will cost around 300 rubles which is $4-5.
If you stay in a hostel, tea and coffee there are free, while you can easily get necessary products in a close-by shopping mall and cook everything yourself. You are recommend, though, to buy goods in large supermarkets. The prices there are generally lower than in some 24/7 shops.
Buy St Petersburg card
This is a magical pass. The card provides you with free entrance to many attraction, a rechargeable public transport pass, cost-saving offers and discounts in partner hotels, restaurants, cafes and shops.
A transport pass is integrated in the card. Therefore, you can use it to pay in subway, buses, trolleys and trams. Once the balance is due, you can top it up at a metro cashier desk and other terminals.
Buy St Petersburg card here.
Okay, these are the most effective tips to travel to St Petersburg on a budget. You can also spare some money, if you have a birthday. Usually restaurants offer birthday discounts. Even Russian railway has special offers for those who had a birthday within a week of their trip.
The last but not the least. To save time on exploring the city, book a tour!
