The fines visitors to Saint Petersburg actually run into cost hundreds of roubles, not thousands — but people usually learn about them from a police officer on the embankment. A cigarette at a bus stop, a beer by the Neva, a swim off the Peter and Paul beach, a drone over Palace Square: here is what counts as an offence, what it costs by law, and what to do once the ruling is written.
Smoking and vapes
Smoking where it is banned is Article 6.24 of the Code of Administrative Offences: 500 to 1,500 roubles. The wording covers not only tobacco but nicotine-containing products and hookahs, so a vape or a disposable e-cigarette is treated exactly like a cigarette. A separate part of the same article covers smoking on children's playgrounds: 2,000 to 3,000 roubles.
Banned places include bus stops and underpasses, railway stations and the airport, apartment building entrances, playgrounds and beaches, cafés and bars. Smoking in the open street is fine — but the instinct to step over to the bus stop so as not to bother anyone works backwards here, because the stop is precisely where it is forbidden.
Alcohol in the street and in parks
Drinking alcohol in a public place is Article 20.20: 500 to 1,500 roubles. Embankments, parks, courtyards, public transport and stations all count as public places, so the postcard image of wine on the granite parapet by the Neva ends in a report if a patrol walks past.
Article 20.21 covers being in a public place in a state of intoxication that offends human dignity: 500 to 1,500 roubles or up to fifteen days' detention. That is about people who cannot stand, not about a glass with dinner. When and where alcohol is sold at all is covered in our guide to alcohol sale hours.
Swimming: almost nowhere is legal
Swimming outside designated areas is Article 43.5 of the Saint Petersburg administrative code: a warning or a fine of 500 to 1,000 roubles. The Neva, the canals and the water by the Peter and Paul Fortress are all undesignated, however many people are lying on the sand there.
Sunbathing by the fortress walls is not restricted; entering the water is. The city has more than twenty equipped beaches, but the sanitary authority tests the water every summer, and the list of places where swimming is actually approved tends to be short — in the 2026 season only a few city lakes met the standards. Check the current list before you plan a beach day; it changes through the summer.
Quiet hours, litter and lawns
The local quiet-hours law is stricter than Moscow's, and visitors in rented flats trip over it most often. Under Article 8 of the city law, you must not disturb the peace on weekdays from 22:00 to 8:00, and on weekends and public holidays from 22:00 to 12:00. A loud group in a rented flat at eleven on a Saturday morning is already a violation, not only at night. Neighbours call the police, and the conversation continues with your host.
Littering, trampling lawns and similar things fall under the city's landscaping rules. The sums are small, but the paperwork takes an hour or two of your day.
Drones: the expensive mistake
Filming the bridge opening or Palace Square from the air can cost more than the whole trip. Flights over the city require permission from the city Transport Committee: under clause 49 of the Federal Air Space Use Rules, flights over federal cities are performed only with the city authorities' permission. The permit is free but must be applied for in advance, and covers aircraft up to 30 kilograms.
Breaking air space rules is Article 11.4: 20,000 to 50,000 roubles for individuals, and 30,000 to 50,000 if the person had no right to such activity at all. On top of that, the city regularly imposes temporary bans on flying drones, extended by decrees of the governor; according to city media the current ban runs to the end of 2026. Check the status before you unpack a drone — while a ban is in force, even permitted filming is an offence.
Travelling without a ticket
The most common offence among visitors is neither smoking nor alcohol but unpaid travel — a separate city fine, covered in our detailed guide, including what counts as fare evasion when your card fails.
If the fine has been issued
The ruling is written on the spot and you will be asked for identification. It must be paid within sixty days of the ruling taking effect, through a banking app, the state services portal or a bank; unpaid fines go to bailiffs and double.
One widespread misunderstanding: there is no 50 % discount on these fines. The early-payment discount in the code applies only to Chapter 12 — road traffic offences. Smoking, alcohol, swimming and noise are paid in full.
You may appeal within ten days of receiving a copy of the ruling, either to the issuing authority or to a court. That is worth doing if the report contains errors: the wrong location, no witnesses, a questionable classification. Always take your copy of the ruling and photograph it on the spot.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the fine for smoking at a bus stop in Saint Petersburg?
500 to 1,500 roubles under Article 6.24. Vapes and e-cigarettes fall under the same article. On a children's playground it is 2,000 to 3,000 roubles.
Can I drink beer on the embankment in Saint Petersburg?
No. Drinking alcohol in public places, including embankments, parks and courtyards, carries a fine of 500 to 1,500 roubles under Article 20.20.
Is swimming in the Neva fined?
Yes. Swimming outside designated areas brings a warning or a fine of 500 to 1,000 roubles under Article 43.5 of the city law. Sunbathing is not restricted.
What are the quiet hours in Saint Petersburg?
On weekdays from 22:00 to 8:00, and on weekends and public holidays from 22:00 to 12:00 — stricter than in many other cities, and it applies to rented flats.
Do I need permission to fly a drone in Saint Petersburg?
Yes. Flights are possible only with permission from the city Transport Committee; it is free but arranged in advance. Breaking air space rules costs individuals 20,000 to 50,000 roubles, and temporary city-wide bans on drone flights are in force from time to time.
Does the 50 % early payment discount apply to these fines?
No. The discount for paying within twenty days covers road traffic offences only. Fines for smoking, alcohol, swimming and noise are paid in full, within sixty days.
Fine amounts per Articles 6.24, 20.20, 20.21 and 11.4 of the Russian Code of Administrative Offences; payment and appeal procedure per Articles 32.2 and 30.3 of the same code; swimming and quiet hours per Articles 43.5 and 8 of Saint Petersburg Law No. 273-70 of 31 May 2010 and the city administration's guidance; drone flight rules per the Saint Petersburg Transport Committee and clause 49 of the Federal Air Space Use Rules. Checked 9 September 2026. Cover photo: Ninara, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons.
