Travelling to Saint Petersburg for business or pleasure is still very entertaining and engaging. However, modern world is hard to imagine without social media and smartphone. Thus, if you want to have data 24/7 and be able to make cheap phone calls in St Petersburg, you might need to change a mobile operator and purchase a local SIM card. It’s also a good idea if you are not ready to pay lots of money for roaming. Apart from that, you can get an international roaming SIM card, for instance, Drimsim.

The main benefit of a local SIM card is the price, i.e. you will pay around $10 for 30 Gb of traffic that is valid for one month. According to the rules, to buy such a card, you need to present your ID and a migration card at any office of a preferred mobile provider. In reality, just an ID will be enough. At the office you will get professional advice on which package to choose, according to your needs. Pay attention, not all assistants speak English, so you might need to ask for extra help.

If you arrive at the Pulkovo airport, you can get a SIM card there in one of the offices of Tele2, Beeline and MTS. Other companies to purchase a card in are Megafon, Evroset’ and Svyaznoy. Within the same city, the prices are generally the same.

Although in some mini-hotels you can be offered a pre-paid SIM card, you are still not advised to purchase it there or in some random place.

Another idea is to refuse the idea of buying a SIM card for internet, as there is wi-fi in almost all public places of Saint Petersburg. All in all, it is up to you to choose the most preferred option – use your own card and pay for roaming, purchase an international SIM card, buy a local card or just stay offline and enjoy the sights of the beautiful city on the Neva river.