Skip to content

All airports

Airportist Score

Arrive

Security

Fastest

Cheapest

Lounges

On time

Guide

Alternatives

Nearby airports

HonestAirport

Directory Compare TSA tips Terms Privacy

Airportist Scores and guides are editorial content. Always verify live rules, terminals, and operational alerts with official airport and airline sources.

All airports

LEDULLI

Pulkovo Airport

St. Petersburg, RU

Airportist Score

Arrive

Security

Fastest

Cheapest

Lounges

On time

LEDGuide

Alternatives

Nearby airports

LEDULLIModerate

Pulkovo Airport

St. Petersburg, Russia · Europe

St. Petersburg’s only scheduled passenger airport: one 2013/14 terminal, a cheap city bus to Moskovskaya, and Russian lounge passes — not Priority Pass.

Airportist Score

6.8/ 10

Solid

Ease of use7.2
Comfort & amenities6.8
Food & retail6.4
Ground access6.8
Reliability6.0
Lounges7.2

How the score works

An editorial 0–10 score. The overall is exactly the weighted sum of six traveler categories — not a Google rating and not a poll.

25%Ease of use — Wayfinding, security wait, and layout.
20%Comfort & amenities — Seating, Wi-Fi, cleanliness, and quiet.
15%Food & retail — Food and retail quality and variety.
15%Ground access — Transit, taxi, and parking to the city.
15%Reliability — Delays, cancellations, and weather resilience.
10%Lounges — Worth-it density and access quality.

Compare LED with another airport

Arrive

Security

Fastest

Cheapest

Lounges

On time

LEDGuide

Alternatives

Nearby airports

All airports Official site

LEDULLIModerate

Pulkovo Airport

St. Petersburg, Russia · Europe

St. Petersburg’s only scheduled passenger airport: one 2013/14 terminal, a cheap city bus to Moskovskaya, and Russian lounge passes — not Priority Pass.

Airportist Score

6.8/ 10

Solid

Ease of use7.2
Comfort & amenities6.8
Food & retail6.4
Ground access6.8
Reliability6.0
Lounges7.2

How the score works

An editorial 0–10 score. The overall is exactly the weighted sum of six traveler categories — not a Google rating and not a poll.

25%Ease of use — Wayfinding, security wait, and layout.
20%Comfort & amenities — Seating, Wi-Fi, cleanliness, and quiet.
15%Food & retail — Food and retail quality and variety.
15%Ground access — Transit, taxi, and parking to the city.
15%Reliability — Delays, cancellations, and weather resilience.
10%Lounges — Worth-it density and access quality.

Compare LED with another airport

Arrive
2–3 h
before international flights
Typical security
25 min
editorial average, not live
Fastest to city
30–60 min to the centre
Yandex Go
Cheapest to city
Bus 39 / 39E to Moskovskaya
88 RUB guest / 65 RUB Podorozhnik (2026) · ~20–35 min to Moskovskaya, then metro
Lounges
3
Terminals
1
(T1 + reconstructed Pulkovo-1 wing)

9 photos

Alternatives

Nearby airports

Passenger airports within about 150 km. Scored airports show their Airportist Score so you can weigh a switch.

RVHRzhevka Airport
St. Petersburg
27 km
NVRNovgorod Airport
Novgorod
145 km

Sign in Join free

LEDGuide

LEDGuide

Most important tips

Know before you go

A compact traveler cheat sheet for timing, terminals, food, and disruption checks.

Timing

International 2–3 hours, desks close at 40 minutes

Build the operator’s window, not a 90-minute dash.

Pulkovo’s own registration page: international check-in typically starts 2–3 hours before departure, domestic 1–2 hours. Ticket/baggage desks close no later than 40 minutes out. International passengers still have customs and passport control after the third-floor check-in hall.

Terminal

One Terminal 1 — ignore Pulkovo-2

Check-in is the third floor of the 2013/14 hall. Pulkovo-2 is closed.

Live campus is Grimshaw Terminal 1 plus the reconstructed 1973 Pulkovo-1 wing. Wikipedia and old maps still label Pulkovo-2; it stopped passenger flights on 27–28 March 2014. Phase-2 (new pier/apron) is a 2027 construction target, not a second terminal you can walk into today.

Status

Russian lounge passes — not Priority Pass

Operator list is MILE·ON·AIR and Russian/Indian lounge cards, not PP.

The airport business-lounge page lists MILE·ON·AIR, Comfort Pass, Golden Key, Persona.aero, Every Lounge, RusPriority, Grey Wall Pass and DreamFolks. Business/first class is free for up to 4 hours; those programmes are typically 2 hours before departure. Walk-in is 4,000 RUB / 2 hours VAT included. Confirm the exact hall in the card’s app — do not assume Priority Pass or DragonPass.

Transport

Bus 39 / 39E is 88 RUB — then the metro

Cheapest city ride. No Aeroexpress, no Uber, no Bolt.

Buses leave from the first-floor stop in front of Terminal 1. 39 and 39E terminate at Moskovskaya (blue Line 2); 82E at Prospekt Veteranov (red Line 1). 2026 guest fare is 88 RUB (bank card or cash); Podorozhnik is 65 RUB. Official taxi partner is Yandex Go (24/7 desks). Uber merged into Yandex in 2017; Bolt is not a Russia pickup.

Live conditions

Right now at LED

Security waits and operational status from official feeds, where the airport publishes them.

Honest verdict

Who this airport works for

Best for

Domestic connections on Rossiya / Aeroflot
Budget city access on bus 39 / 39E
Walk-in business lounge if you lack a Western lounge card

Watch out for

No metro or airport rail
EU / UK / US scheduled passenger flights still suspended
Unified e-visa is not available to UK, US, Canadian, Australian or New Zealand passports

Airportist Score

Why this score

Overall is the published weighted sum of six categories. No holistic fudge on top.

Ease of use · 25%

Wayfinding, security wait, and layout.

7.2

Comfort & amenities · 20%

Seating, Wi-Fi, cleanliness, and quiet.

6.8

Food & retail · 15%

Food and retail quality and variety.

6.4

Ground access · 15%

Transit, taxi, and parking to the city.

6.8

Reliability · 15%

Delays, cancellations, and weather resilience.

6.0

Lounges · 10%

Worth-it density and access quality.

7.2

Key stats

Editorial reference figures, not live readings.

Annual passengers

20.8 million (2025)

Terminals

1 (T1 + reconstructed Pulkovo-1 wing)

Typical security

25 min

Guide quick facts

From the editorial guide for LED.

Updated Sep 21, 2026

Russia’s second-busiest airport: 20.8 million passengers in 2025 (15.9 million domestic, 4.9 million international). 2024 was 20.9 million.
One live passenger campus: Grimshaw Terminal 1 (opened 3–4 December 2013; operations consolidated 14 February 2014) plus the reconstructed 1973 Pulkovo-1 “Five Cups” departure wing. Pulkovo-2 closed to passengers on 27–28 March 2014. Phase-2 expansion is not live (construction aimed at 2027).
Check-in is on the third floor (88 desks). Operator: international check-in typically opens 2–3 hours out, domestic 1–2 hours; desks close no later than 40 minutes before departure.
No metro and no airport rail. City buses 39 and 39E run to Moskovskaya (Line 2); express 82E runs to Prospekt Veteranov (Line 1). 2026 guest fare 88 RUB; Podorozhnik 65 RUB.
Unified e-visa covers 64 listed nationalities (most of the EU, China, Japan, Türkiye). UK, US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand are not on the list — they need a consular visa. Apply only at electronic-visa.kdmid.ru.
Walk-in business-lounge tariff on the operator page is 4,000 RUB for 2 hours including VAT. Listed programmes: MILE·ON·AIR, Comfort Pass, Golden Key, Persona.aero, Every Lounge, RusPriority, Grey Wall Pass, DreamFolks. Do not assume Priority Pass.

11 official sources

https://pulkovoairport.ru/
https://pulkovoairport.ru/passengers/passenger_registration/
https://pulkovoairport.ru/passengers/passenger_registration/counters/
https://pulkovoairport.ru/passengers/services/business-lounge/
https://pulkovoairport.ru/passengers/services/be_in_touch/wi-fi/

Full guide

Explore the LED guide

Each section answers one trip question in depth.

Getting There
3 ways into the city, compared on time, cost, and luggage.
Fastest: Yandex GoCheapest: Bus 39 / 39E to Moskovskaya
View Getting There
Lounges
3 lounges with access rules, hours, and verdicts.
Domestic Business LoungeInternational Business LoungeMILE·ON·AIR Lounge
View Lounges
Traveler Tips
Buses 39 and 39E (Moskovskaya) and 82E (Prospekt Veteranov) leave from the first-floor stop in front of Terminal 1. Guest fare in 2026 is 88 RUB; Podorozhnik is 65 RUB. Line 39 typically 05:15–01:36 every 5–7 minutes; 39E and 82E roughly 06:00–01:40. After the last bus, Yandex Go is the remaining option.
12 tips & hacks
View Traveler Tips
Amenities
6 rated amenities — food, Wi-Fi, quiet spots, family, and sleep.
Free Wi-Fi (OBIT)City buses 39 / 39E / 82EOperator business lounges
View Amenities
Water
Where to refill for free, and where a bottle costs the least airside.
2 spots1 free or refill
View Water
Reviews
Editorial and traveler reviews — what people actually complain about.
View Reviews

https://pulkovoairport.ru/transport/

https://pulkovoairport.ru/transport/car/parking/

https://electronic-visa.kdmid.ru/index_en.html

https://washington.mid.ru/en/consular-services/citizens-usa/visa-to-russia/e_visas/

https://www.dp.ru/a/2026/02/10/ajeroport-pulkovo-perevjoz-20

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulkovo_Airport

☁️17°C / 63°F

Security wait times

Current security wait information is not available for this airport. Check the airport's official website or app before travel.

Official airport site

Operational status

Normal operations

No Flighty-reported operational issues for this airport.

Source: Flighty Airports

Status response Sep 24, 13:03 UTC · Confirm live conditions with official sources before travel.