Please, don´t forget to check in advance if you need a visa to enter Russia. You can do this on the official website of the Russian Embassy in your country.

If you do need a visa, we recommend you to choose the TOURIST visa type. This will make the whole process much easier and save your time. Please, be aware that unfortunately the organizers do not provide an official invitation valid for the embassy. You will need a vaucher from the hotel in Russia you are planning to stay in. In order to receive it, please, contact the hotel directly.

You can learn a more detailed information about the process of applying for Russian visa on the website of the Russian Embassy in your country. Don't be afraid! History of our previous congresses shows that the process is not that difficult as it seems!

You can get at the airport by car, taxi or public transport. You can use taxi services at the airport or download a mobile app for iOS or Android to book a taxi.

There are a lot of hotels and hostels of different categories and various Airbnb options available in Saint Petersburg. For your convenience, we agreed with several hotels and hostels on discount for accommodation during the days of the congress. Read more.

Saint Petersburg is a city with developed infrastructure. There is a public transport network and a wide range of commercial transport and taxis in the city.

Surface transit includes buses, trolleybuses and trams. Most routes operate from 6:00 am to 0:00 am. To find the nearest stops and plan routes use the Yandex.Transport mobile app.

The metro's operating hours are 5:45 am – 1:00 am. Use Yandex.Metro app to find out how to get to the station you need. The app is available for Android and iOS.

To book a taxi download a mobile app for iOS or Android.

Rent a bicycle:

BED and BIKE Hostel — ul. Gorokhovaya, d.43 (st. m. «Sennaya ploshhad'», «Sadovaya», «Spasskaya»); Tel: +7 (812) 981-01-55

VELOHOSTEL — ul. Marata, d.25a (st. m. «Vladimirskaya», «Mayakovskaya»); Tel: +7 (921) 934 89 88

Official language in St. Petersburg is Russian.

Time (UTC+3).

Сlimate. St. Petersburg is known to be the biggest northern megalopolis in the world. Being so close to the Gulf of Finland it experiences a humid marine climate with a warm summer and moderate winter. The coldest month here is February, with an average temperature of about -7°C. The warmest is July with an average temperature of 18,0°C.

Spring usually comes slowly but as soon as it arrives, it changes the city features by all means. Neva starts flowing again, the trees turn pistachio green and the sun shows up again. But frankly, the winter spirit disappears only at the end of March or April.

By mid-March spring fills the air, but warm sunny days can unpredictably alternate with returns of winter frost. The air is dry and humidity is at its lowest in the year, number of days without sun – less than 10. The average temperature is -2.1°C, ranging from 6 ° C to -10 ° C.

The spring months are the most favorable for city walks. Its already warm, but not yet hot. The air feels fresh, but not very humid. In April is the lowest amount of precipitation, the temperature rises to 20°C, and the average temperature is 3.9°C. The length of daylight increases to 15.9 hours.

The voltage is 220 volts, the frequency is 50 hertz. The types of sockets C and F are used.

Tap water is not drinkable unless it is boiled.

Money. The official currency is the Russian ruble. The official exchange rate of foreign currencies to the ruble of the Russian Federation can be viewed on the website. It's useful to have some cash (rubles) when you arrive to Russia. Smaller shops, some cafes and taxies might not accept credit cards. However, ATM machines can be easily found all over the city: in hotels, supermarkets, metro stations, next to banks etc. Credit cards are accepted at many restaurants and bigger shops.

Tips. The service charge in restaurants is not included in the bill. It is generally accepted to leave a tip of 10% of the bill. People do not tip taxi drivers in St. Petersburg. Porters or bellboys who help you with your luggage in a hotel can be left between 20 and 100 roubles, depending on your generosity and what small change you have. If you would like to thank the maid, leave 50 roubles in a visible place when you leave your room in the morning. However, this ritual is not obligatory and once again depends on your state of mind.

Safety. You just need to be aware and don't look for troubles yourself. In the city center you will be quite safe. If you are sticking to touristy areas, you will not likely have any troubles unless you are looking for them. Avoid walking around non-central neighborhoods late at night. If you stay far from downtown and have to get home late at night, use taxi. As in any big city, be aware of pickpockets, especially in transport and crowded places. Always keep an eye on your money and documents.

Emergency. Be sure to have emergency numbers at hand.
112 – Rescue service emergency telephone number that can be dialed from a mobile phone (the 24-hour operator speaks Russian and English).
8 800 30 30 555 – Tourist call center (hotline).