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LEDULLI

Pulkovo Airport

St. Petersburg, RU

Airportist Score

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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.

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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)

All 3 lounges at LED
LED security wait times

9 photos

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/
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

Full guide

Explore the LED guide

Each section answers one trip question in depth.

Map
Pulkovo Airport, the Saint Petersburg city center, and Rzhevka Airport (RVH)
City center1 other airport
View Map
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

Pulkovo Airport, the Saint Petersburg city center, and Rzhevka Airport (RVH)

This airport LED
City center Saint Petersburg
Other airport RVH

Terminal navigation guide

Terminal-change and gate-area notes pulled from the markdown guide.

From Terminals & Navigation

One passenger complex. Grimshaw Terminal 1 is 147,000 m² with 88 check-in desks, 110 passport booths, 7 baggage carousels, 17 jet-bridge gates and 17 escalators. The reconstructed 1973 Pulkovo-1 hall (about 43,000 m²) is the attached departure wing, not a second airport.
Check-in and bag drop are on the third floor. Follow “регистрация / check-in” from arrivals; do not queue on the first floor at the bus doors.
Domestic security feeds the second-floor domestic departures hall; international passengers continue through passport control into the international pier. You cannot walk airside between those two sides on a single boarding pass.
Pulkovo-2 is closed. Old maps, 2010 water-cooler stories and “Terminal 2” labels are leftovers. Phase-2 (new boarding gallery and apron, Interfax / Fontanka November 2025) is a 2027 construction target — not a live pier.
Rossiya is the home carrier; Aeroflot, Pobeda, Smartavia, Nordwind and Ural also operate. International metal is whatever still flies to Türkiye, the Gulf, the CIS and China — not a restored EU/UK/US schedule.
Wayfinding is bilingual Russian/English in the new hall. Peak banks follow the Moscow shuttle and the Antalya/Istanbul waves; build extra time at those banks rather than trusting a quiet Tuesday midday.

Ground transport guide

City-transfer, rideshare, train, and parking guidance from the markdown guide.

From Ground Transport & Parking

There is no metro in the building and no Aeroexpress-style airport train. The public route is a city bus to a metro station, then the metro into the centre (~23 km).
Bus 39 (all stops, about 30–35 minutes in traffic) and express 39E (about 16–20 minutes) both terminate at Moskovskaya on Line 2. Express 82E runs to Prospekt Veteranov on Line 1 (about 25 minutes) — useful for the south-west, not for Nevsky.
2026 guest fare on all three routes is 88 RUB (bank card or cash). Podorozhnik is 65 RUB. A kiosk by the bus stop sells Podorozhnik cards 08:00–20:00 with a 13:00–14:00 break; outside those hours pay on board.
Official taxi partner is Yandex Go. Desks are 24/7 in domestic baggage claim and just after international baggage. Third-party city-centre quotes typically sit around 1,000–1,500 RUB and 30–60 minutes depending on Moskovsky Prospekt — confirm in the app, do not take a curb tout’s number as a tariff.
Curb: 15 minutes free, once per 30 minutes; from minute 16 it is 2,000 RUB per 30-minute block. P1 short-stay is 1,100 RUB/hour and 2,100 RUB/day. P4 long-stay (1,050 spaces) is 1,100 RUB the first day, 900 RUB days 2–6, 800 RUB days 7–13, 700 RUB from day 14, 10–12 minutes on foot. P0 is the free remote lot (~5 minutes by car). Lost-ticket rules are in the operator PDF — do not guess a flat ruble penalty.
Parking tickets currently discount bag wrap 15% and Шоколадница 10% inside the terminal. That is a receipt perk, not a reason to park at the curb.

Ride to Saint Petersburg

Pickup at LED. Where the app supports it, dropoff is set to Saint Petersburg city center for a live price.

To city center

Saint Petersburg

~15 km

Typical fare

See app

Live quotes open in the ride app

On-demand apps

Fixed-price transfers

GetTransfer quotes Kiwitaxi quotes

Compare prepaid private transfers to Saint Petersburg — useful overnight, with luggage, or when you want a locked-in fare before you land.

Cheapest

Bus 39 / 39E to Moskovskaya

City bus from the first-floor stop to Line 2, then metro into the centre.

Time to city

~20–35 min to Moskovskaya, then metro

Cost

88 RUB guest / 65 RUB Podorozhnik (2026)

Tip: 39E skips intermediate stops. After ~01:40 only Yandex Go remains.

FastestBest for luggage

Yandex Go

Official taxi partner. 24/7 desks in arrivals; app or desk.

Time to city

30–60 min to the centre

Cost

Typically around 1,000–1,500 RUB (confirm in the app)

Tip: Uber and Bolt are not Russia pickups. Skip curb touts.

P4 long-stay

Open long-stay lot, about 1,050 spaces, 10–12 minutes on foot.

Time to city

Self-drive

Cost

1,100 RUB first day; 900 / 800 / 700 RUB on later day bands

Tip: Curb is 15 min free then 2,000 RUB / 30 min. Do not treat the curb as parking.

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Depends

Domestic Business Lounge

Terminal 1Domestic

Operator domestic hall at the far end of the second-floor domestic departures area. Same 4,000 RUB walk-in tariff. Not Priority Pass.

Access: Day pass · Business class ticket · Airline status · MILE·ON·AIR / Russian lounge passes

Hours: Typically 24/7 (confirm on pulkovoairport.ru)

Amenities: Buffet · Wi-Fi

Best for: Domestic Rossiya / Aeroflot / Pobeda passengers with a pass or walk-in

Full access guide

Depends

International Business Lounge

Terminal 1International

Operator international hall after passport control. Walk-in 4,000 RUB / 2 hours. Not a documented Priority Pass room.

Access: Day pass · Business class ticket · Airline status · MILE·ON·AIR / Russian lounge passes

Hours: Confirm on pulkovoairport.ru (typically follows the day’s international bank)

Amenities: Buffet · Wi-Fi

Best for: International passengers with a Russian lounge pass or a walk-in budget

Full access guide

Depends

MILE·ON·AIR Lounge

Terminal 1Domestic

Separate MILE·ON·AIR room on the domestic side (third floor near gates 1–3 in specialist listings). Confirm the hall in the app; do not treat it as Priority Pass.

Access: MILE·ON·AIR · Day pass

Hours: Listed 24/7 (confirm in the MILE·ON·AIR app)

Amenities: Wi-Fi

Best for: Domestic passengers already in the MILE·ON·AIR programme

Full access guide

Lounge & amenity notes

Lounge, food, and quiet-spot picks pulled from the markdown guide.

From Lounges, Food & Amenities

Two operator business halls sit airside: international (second floor of international departures after passport control) and domestic (far end of the second-floor domestic hall). Walk-in is 4,000 RUB per adult for 2 hours including VAT; children under 2 free. Business/first class up to 4 hours free. Listed cards (MILE·ON·AIR, Comfort Pass, Golden Key, Persona.aero, Every Lounge, RusPriority, Grey Wall Pass, DreamFolks) are typically 2 hours before departure.
A separate MILE·ON·AIR Lounge opened on the domestic side in 2025 (specialist listings: third floor near gates 1–3). Treat it as that programme’s room — confirm in the MILE·ON·AIR app. Third-party 2026 guides also name a Kronstadt themed international room with a higher walk-up and evening hours; that is not on the operator’s two-hall page, so confirm before you walk.
Do not assume Priority Pass or DragonPass. A 2022 airport news item mentioned DragonPass; the current operator programme list does not. Open the card’s own app on the day.
Шоколадница on the second floor of domestic departures is the 24-hour sit-down option the airport advertises. Duty-free and grab-and-go sit after screening; sealed water is a till price, not a published tariff.
Free Wi-Fi is OBIT with phone-call login (last four digits). Pharmacies and typical post-security shops sit in Terminal 1; do not plan on a Western-style food court.
Smoking rooms are not a documented lounge amenity here. Russian airports ban indoor smoking — do not hunt for a Grey Wall smoke room that exists at other cities.

good

Free Wi-Fi (OBIT)

Fast WiFi

SSID OBIT — Free Internet Access. Phone-call login: last four digits of the missed call. International numbers accepted.

good

City buses 39 / 39E / 82E

Easy Transport

First-floor stop to Moskovskaya (39 / 39E) or Prospekt Veteranov (82E). 2026 guest fare 88 RUB; Podorozhnik 65 RUB.

good

Operator business lounges

Has Lounge

Domestic and international halls. Walk-in 4,000 RUB / 2 hours. MILE·ON·AIR and Russian lounge passes — not Priority Pass.

basic

Шоколадница 24h

Food

Second floor of domestic departures; the airport advertises it as 24-hour.

basic

P4 long-stay parking

Easy Transport

1,100 RUB first day, 10–12 minutes on foot. Curb is 15 minutes free then 2,000 RUB / 30 min.

basic

Duty-free / airside shops

Shopping

Post-security retail in Terminal 1. Sealed water is a till price, not a published tariff.

Editorial guide tricks

The markdown guide's highest-signal tactics before the data-backed tips below.

From Best Airport Tricks & Hacks

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.
Uber does not operate in Russia (the local business merged into Yandex in 2017). Bolt is not a Russia pickup. Use the official Yandex Go desks (24/7, domestic baggage hall and just after international baggage) or the app — the airport tells you to skip touts at the curb.
Curb drop-off is free for 15 minutes, then 2,000 RUB per 30 minutes, and a second entry in the same window is charged. For a real stay use P4 long-stay: 1,100 RUB the first day, then 900 / 800 / 700 RUB on later day bands; 10–12 minutes on foot.
Free Wi-Fi SSID is OBIT — Free Internet Access. Russian rules require phone login: enter +country code and number, miss an incoming call, type the last four digits of the caller ID. International numbers are accepted.
Шоколадница on the second floor of domestic departures is the 24-hour café the airport itself advertises (parking tickets even carry a 10% discount there). Do not treat landside kiosks as the only food after a late inbound.
Lounge walk-in on the operator page is 4,000 RUB for two hours including VAT. Business/first class is free for up to four hours. The listed cards are Russian/Indian lounge programmes, not Priority Pass.
Scheduled passenger flights to the EU, UK and US remain suspended. International seats you will actually find in 2025–26 traffic are dominated by Türkiye, the Gulf, the CIS, China and a handful of leisure points (Antalya, Istanbul, Nha Trang, Varadero). Do not plan a same-day Western European connection that does not exist.

01

TransportTraveler Tips & Hacks

Take bus 39 or 39E to Moskovskaya

88 RUB guest / 65 RUB Podorozhnik, then Line 2 into the centre.

No Aeroexpress. First-floor stop in front of Terminal 1. Line 39 05:15–01:36 every 5–7 minutes; 39E is the express. 82E is for Prospekt Veteranov, not Nevsky.

Upside

Cheapest official ride

Watch-out

Still a metro transfer; last buses around 01:40

02

TransportTraveler Tips & Hacks

Use Yandex Go, not Uber or Bolt

Official 24/7 desks in arrivals. Uber and Bolt are not Russia pickups.

Desks sit in domestic baggage claim and just after international baggage. Confirm the fare in the app; skip curb touts.

Upside

Airport-endorsed taxi

Watch-out

App signup can want a local number

03

NavigationTraveler Tips & Hacks

Check-in is the third floor of Terminal 1

Pulkovo-2 is closed. Phase-2 is not live.

88 desks on floor 3. International passengers still have customs and passport control after check-in. Do not follow old Pulkovo-2 maps.

Upside

One campus

Watch-out

International side is not an airside walk from domestic

04

SecurityTraveler Tips & Hacks

UK / US / CA / AU / NZ need a consular visa

The 64-country e-visa list does not include those passports.

Eligible nationalities apply only at electronic-visa.kdmid.ru. Unofficial sites sometimes list the UK — the MFA list and FCDO do not.

Upside

EU passports are typically e-visa eligible

Watch-out

English-speaking Five Eyes passports are not

05

LoungeTraveler Tips & Hacks

Walk-in is 4,000 RUB / 2 hours — not Priority Pass

Operator programme list is MILE·ON·AIR and Russian/Indian lounge cards.

Business/first class up to 4 hours free. Confirm the hall in the card app. A 2022 DragonPass mention is not on the current operator list.

Upside

Paid entry exists without a Western lounge card

Watch-out

Two-hour walk-in window is short

Best value

Airside shops after security

Airside near domestic gates and Шоколадница on the second floor

Buy a bottleTerminal 1airside

No published drinking fountains. Buy a sealed bottle after screening. Do not rely on a ruble price from 2010 cooler stories.

Price: Confirm at till

Best quality

Business-lounge water

Inside the domestic or international business lounge after security

Free waterTerminal 1airside

Still water with a paid or status visit — the most reliable quality on campus if you already have access.

Price: Included with lounge entry

Entry requirements

Russia (RU)

Sign in and add a passport to see the entry requirement for Russia.

Passports are saved in profile settings. Check the official site before you travel.

Published alerts

Editorial profile notes — not a live alert feed. Live operations are on Overview and in the panel below.

Published alerts

Typical operations snapshot — editorial, not live news. File dated Sep 21, 2026.

Moderate

Scheduled passenger flights to the EU, UK and US remain suspended.Phase-2 terminal expansion is not live (construction aimed at 2027).Unified e-visa is not available to UK, US, Canadian, Australian or New Zealand passports.

Typical delay mix from the same editorial snapshot — not a live feed. Current operations are on Overview.

Typical departure delays0 min · 0%

Typical arrival delays0 min · 0%

Typical cancellations0 min · 0%

Live operations

Live operational signals from Flighty or FAA, plus checkpoint waits where airports publish them.

Traveler reviews

What travelers say

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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