Airport transport

Dear Symposium registrants! It was our intent to provide free transportation from the airport or the railway station to the conference hotel because the latter is at a considerable distance from the airport and because the transportation options are not well streamlined at either location. However, we have been surprised by the meager response we received. Only about 30 people requested transport and unfortunately their dates and times literaaly spanned the calendar. Thus it became infeasible to organize transportation in the envisioned cost-effective way. As we indicated in our offer we could not promise or guarantee such transport.

Therefore, we regret that we must inform you that we will be unable to offer free transportation. Nonetheless, we summarize below the options that are available.

First of all you may still avail yourselves of the services of Welt who can meet you at the airport or the railway station and organize private transportation at a modest fee. Additionally you can use a taxi service (there is a desk inside the terminal). The airport terminal is small and crowded and you are advised not to accept offers of transport from free-lancers. The approximate cost to the hotel from the airport should be about 1200 RUR (40$).

WELT/ISIT2011 Desk in Airport

Concerning your transport services we are glad to inform you that «ISIT 2011» Transfer Desk (Stand) in the Airport Pulkovo-2 (near the Arrival Gate) will be opened on July 30 (from 10:30 a.m till 23:00 p.m) and July 31 (from 10:30 a.m till 21:00 p.m).

The WELT reception team in the Airport will asisst and accompany the ISIT participants who booked/bought the Airport Transfer Service. Additionally the Transfer Desk will be glad to provide welcome services and guidance to all other conference participants upon their arrival. The ISIT Participants who ordered the Airport Transfer Service will be met by:

• the WELT representatives at the on July 30 and 31;
• taxi drivers with name plates at the arrivals hall of the Airport/Train Station on July 27, 28, 29.

How do you get center of Saint-Petersburg?

The heart of St. Petersburg is Nevky prospect. If you want to go there by public transport you should reach same-named metro station “Nevsky prospekt”. This is the main the most beautiful street in Saint-Petersburg. You can find near there a lot of sights, such as: St. Isaacs Cathedral, Our Saviour on the Blood Cathedral, Kazanskiy Cathedral, Hermitage and so on. You can find on Nevsky prospect lots of souvenirs shops and shopping centers like Gostiny dvor. Please see information how you can get the Nevsky prospect from your hotel.

1. Hotel “Park Inn Pribaltiyskaya”

2. “Sokos Hotel Vasilievskiy”

3. Hotel “Azimut St. Petersburg”

4. Hostel “Graffiti”

Transport service

You can book transfer from/to the airport, to the railway station or to the centre of the city through WELT company. If you need transport service please contact WELT's managers or come to WELT stand in the lobby of the hotel "Park Inn Pribaltiyskaya".

Travel info meeting for accompanying persons

We invite accompanying persons to attend a travel meeting info. It will take place at the foyer of the 2 floor of "Park inn Pribaltiyskaya" hotel on August 1 and 2 at 10:30 a.m.

Security

1. Traveles in any country have generally found it safer to travel in groups organized by reputable tour agencies. As with most other major cities in the world, avoid traveling alone at night? and do not get into altercations with drunks. If traveling at night, it is recommended to stay on the main sidewalks and avoid any dark alleys or yards.
2. When walking in the City please look for use underground passes wherever possible and be careful when crossing streets.
3. You will be absolutely in safe if you follow the obvious precautions: do not carry more cash than necessary and try not to display large sums in public places, keep large sums in a money belt or sealable inner pocket, keep credit cards separately, and don't carry valuable in a backpack or easily opened bag.
4. Russian policemen have the right to check your passport, visa and migration card at anytime. Please carry them around at all times.
5. In emergency case please call a representative of The ISIT 2011 Executive Committee by phone +7 (965) 095 5089 (24 hours).

Public transportation

For details see Public transportation page.

Restaurants with Kosher and Halal food

Kosher food:

1. “Lehayn”, metro station “Sadovaya”, 2, address - Lermontovskiy prospekt, +7 (812) 572 5616
2. “Golden Cafe”, metro station “Sadovaya” or “Baltiyskaya”, address - 2/27, Labutina st., +7 (812) 714 4591
3. “Seven Forty”, metro station “Chernaya rechka”, address - 108, Bolshoi Sampsonievskiy prospekt, +7 (812) 492 3444

1. “Al Shark Cafe”, metro station “Ploschad’ Vosstaniya”, address – 120, Nevskiy prospekt, +7 (812) 717 0442
2. “Persia Cafe”, metro station “Sadovaya”, address – 65, Sadovaya st., +7 (812) 310 5953

Aqua park in the Hotel “Park Inn Pribaltiyskaya”

You can relax after hard day in new Aqua Park which is located in the same building as the hotel “Park Inn Pribaltiyskaya”.

Staying in Saint Petersburg

You can find a lot of information about Saint Petersburg history, art, architecture, transport on specialized portal http://www.saint-petersburg.com.

Bridges

Please, consider that the bridges in St. Petersburg are raised every night in summer period till morning. For details see Schedule of bridges [PDF] or [HTML] version.

Climate

In the late July it’s usually sunny warm weather in Saint Petersburg, temperature about 20° degrees.

Mobile calls, method of payments at the Hotels

You can buy local sim-card in airport or in the city, small markets Evroset (ЕВРОСЕТЬ), Svyaznoy (СВЯЗНОЙ), Megafon (МЕГАФОН) and etc. To call to your country you should dial: 8 10, code of the country, city code and telephone number or +, code of the country, city code and telephone number.

Calling (phoning/dialing) St. Petersburg

Russia's international dial code telephone number is 007 (or +7) while St. Petersburg city dial code telephone number is 812.

Method of payments at the Hotels for extra services

For extra services in the Hotel (telephone, laundry and etc.) you can pay by cash or by credit card.

VISA

The information and the detailed instructions about visas are published on the Visa and Passport Requirements page

Repertoire of Saint –Petersburg Theatres

For details see Repertoire of Saint–Petersburg Theatres page.

Language

Russian is a Slavic language related to Polish, Czech Slovak and Bulgarian, the Cyrillic alphabet has much in common with the Greek alphabet.

Russian people are in majority friendly and hospitable and glad to help if assistance is needed!

Here is essential everyday vocabulary: