From Helsinki to St. Petersburg

          Many Westerners will enter Russia for the first time on the Allegro Train arriving in St. Petersburg from Helsinki, Finland.  This is also a common land excursion for Baltic Sea cruise ship passengers for whom the Russian visa process is expedited.  For independent travelers like myself, you must obtain a regular Russian visa before entering the country.  I got my three year visa through a private visa agency, Visa HQ, which made the otherwise complicated procedure easy.

The Allegro Train

          The three and a half hour ride on this modern, comfortable train goes through some beautiful countryside and you will get to mingle with some real Russian people for the first time.  Border formalities, such as customs, passport and visa checks are conducted by border agents onboard the train so that you’re ready to hit the deck running as soon as you arrive in St. Petersburg.  Rather than the stereotyped intimidating officers of yore, the border agents on the train were polite, respectful and friendly, giving me a good impression of the Russian people right from my very first day in this beautiful country.

Friendly Folks

          As much as I enjoy an adventure, I must say, it was with some trepidation that I made my foray into the Russian Federation for the first time.  After all the years of the Cold War standoff between East and West, I wasn’t sure just how an American would be received there and I really wasn’t looking forward to the grey concrete ambiance that Russia was supposedly known for.  Boy, was I in for a pleasant surprise!  The Russian people were friendly and nice right from the get-go and the surroundings that I found myself in on that beautiful spring day were anything but grey.  The kaleidoscope of colors that awaits those fortunate enough to visit St. Petersburg is almost sensory overload.

The Language Barrier

          Before leaving home I had made reservations for three nights at the Comfitel Alexandria Hotel in the heart of the city.  I set out to find it as soon as I stepped off the train, anxious to unload my heavy backpack.  With map in hand I embarked on what would turn out to be an exhausting four hour search that would take me in circles before finding the tiny sign for this otherwise great little hotel.  This episode was my first introduction to one of the main challenges of traveling in Russia…the language barrier.  I found that very few Russians speak or understand English, even in a big metropolitan city like St. Petersburg.  That’s not to say they didn’t try.  I stopped to ask directions numerous times and each person knocked themselves out trying to help with sign language.  I finally ran into some students who spoke English and knew right where the hotel was located.

The Comfitel Alexandria Hotel

          I had a nice room with ensuite bathroom for $85 per night at the Comfitel Alexandria Hotel, which included a great breakfast.  The staff were very friendly and helpful and took care of the required country registration for an additional $8.  In spite of the difficulty finding it, I would definitely recommend this hotel because of its great, central location, just a short walk from The Hermiage.  In addition, it was clean, safe and comfortable, rounding out all of my requirements for an awesome accommodation.  And right across the street is a wonderful little café, Café Boge, where I cooled off with a beer and enjoyed mingling with the locals.

Both a Beautiful and a Walkable City

          For the next three days I would walk from one end of St. Petersburg to the other, taking in all the sights and sounds and meeting the friendly people who live there.  Although it is known for having one of the world’s greatest museums, The Hermitage, there are many other important points of interest.  For any traveler who is reasonable fit, the main sights of St. Petersburg can be seen on foot.  If you need a break, you can step into one of the many beautiful cathedrals for a respite along the way or sit on a bench in one of the numerous parks to catch your breath.  If you visit in Spring, you will have the extra treat of seeing the lilacs out in full bloom and Russia has the most beautiful lilacs I have ever seen throughout the world.