Rome2Rio uses cookies to help personalize content and show you personalised ads. By proceeding, you accept the use of cookies in accordance with our privacy policy. You may opt out of personalised ads at any time. OK

About Saint Petersburg

Saint Petersburg, formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991; see below), is the second-largest city in Russia after Moscow. It is situated on the River Neva, at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea. The city had a population of roughly 5.6 million residents as of 2021. Saint Petersburg is the fourth-most populous city in Europe, the most populous city on the Baltic Sea, and the world's northernmost city of more than 1 million residents. As Russia's Imperial capital, and a historically strategic port, it is governed as a federal city. The city was founded by Tsar Peter the Great on 27 May 1703 on the site of a captured Swedish fortress, and was named after the apostle Saint Peter. In Russia, Saint Petersburg is historically and culturally associated with the birth of the Russian Empire and Russia's entry into modern history as a European great power. It served as a capital of the Tsardom of Russia, and the subsequent Russian Empire, from 1712 to 1918 (being replaced by Moscow for a short period of time between 1728 and 1730). After the October Revolution in 1917, the Bolsheviks moved their government to Moscow. The city was renamed Leningrad after Lenin's death in 1924. In June 1991, only a few months before the Belovezha Accords and the dissolution of the USSR, voters supported restoring the city's original appellation in a city-wide referendum.

Need a hotel room in Saint Petersburg?

Book now

Frequently asked questions

Want to know about travelling to Saint Petersburg, Russia? We have put together a list of the most frequently asked questions from our users such as: What is the cheapest mode of transport?, What is the quickest option?, How much do tickets usually cost? and many more.

It is currently 2:59 AM in Saint Petersburg. Saint Petersburg uses Russia TZ 2 Standard Time and also supports Russia TZ 2 Daylight Time.