Saint Petersburg

Where Saint Petersburg is and how to get there

The city was built on the islands of the Neva delta, at the head of the Gulf of Finland, at the far north-west of the country. That maritime position explains its architecture, its climate and its history alike: it is the window Russia opened onto the Baltic.

An international airport serves the city, with one stopover from Tunis. It is also linked to Moscow by frequent high-speed trains, making it the regional city best connected to the capital.

A climate different from Moscow

Contrary to what its more northerly latitude suggests, Saint Petersburg has slightly milder winters than Moscow: the maritime influence softens the extremes. In exchange, humidity is higher, the sky greyer and thaws more frequent, which means icy pavements.

The city is also famous for its white nights in June, when the sun barely sets. The counterpart comes in December: days are then very short, and that is the time of year when morale needs the most attention.

Cost of living, between Moscow and the provinces

Saint Petersburg sits in between: more affordable than the capital, more expensive than the regional cities. The table above gives the exact figures for accommodation and living costs.

It is often the best compromise for a student who wants a major city without a Moscow budget: the cultural and academic density is comparable, at a noticeably lower monthly cost.

• Plan for genuinely waterproof shoes: it is the most underestimated item of kit here
• The metro, among the deepest in the world, is fast and cheap with a student card
• The historic centre is compact and largely walkable

Student life day to day

Saint Petersburg is a student city and it shows: reduced museum rates, libraries, concert halls and a dense associative life. For anyone who loves history and architecture, the everyday setting is unmatched in Russia.

The city is large but its centre stays legible, organised around the Neva and its canals. Journeys are generally shorter than in Moscow, which counts over four or five years.

Saint Petersburg for a Maghrebi student

The city has long hosted international students, and the communities there are organised. Mosques and prayer spaces are accessible, and halal food is found without particular difficulty.

Winter is the real adaptation issue here, less through cold than through lack of light. The students who cope best are those who go out despite the greyness and join an activity in the first semester.