A day on St Petersburg public transport costs between 195 and 760 roubles. Distance never matters; the price depends only on what you tap at the gate. A metro ride is 65 ₽ with a Podorozhnik card and 95 ₽ with a token or an ordinary bank card. Fares below are those in force since 1 January 2026.
The fares you need
- Metro token, or any bank card or phone at the metro gate — 95 ₽.
- Bus, tram or trolleybus paid in cash or by bank card — 88 ₽.
- Podorozhnik card — 65 ₽ per ride, metro and surface alike.
- 90-minute ticket — 106 ₽: one metro entry plus unlimited surface rides.
- Unlimited passes — 364 ₽ for 1 day, 701 ₽ for 3 days, 1240 ₽ for 5 days.
- Large luggage in the metro — a separate 95 ₽ charge.
- Suburban train inside the city limits — 65 ₽, any distance.
The card costs 90 roubles and is refundable
Podorozhnik is plastic you buy for 90 ₽ and load with money; the balance lasts three years. Metro ticket offices take it back within 45 days of purchase and refund its price against your passport. Damaged cards are not refunded.
The free alternative is the official Podorozhnik app, with the same 65 ₽ fares and no card to buy. Android pays by NFC or QR code, iPhone by QR code only — tapping an iPhone on the gate will not work. If the card fails at the turnstile, see what to do when Podorozhnik stops working.
Three, five or eight rides
- Three rides (two metro, one bus): 278 ₽ by bank card, 195 ₽ with Podorozhnik, 364 ₽ for a day pass. With the 90 ₽ card your first day is 285 ₽, so the card pays for itself on day two.
- Five rides (three metro, two surface): 461 ₽ by bank card, 325 ₽ with Podorozhnik, 274 ₽ if both surface rides fall inside one hour, 364 ₽ for a day pass. On arrival day, with the card to buy, the day pass already wins.
- Eight rides: 732 ₽ by bank card, 418–520 ₽ with Podorozhnik, 364 ₽ for the day pass, which has no ride limit.
Break-even: six rides a day for the one-day pass, four a day for the 3-day and 5-day passes.
