Day trip from Helsinki to Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg lies 300 km (186 mi) east of Helsinki, in the same time zone. What the numbers say about getting there.
At 300 km (186 mi) apart, Saint Petersburg is a realistic day trip from Helsinki: about 4 h 52 min each way by road.
Open Saint Petersburg in Google Maps
| Helsinki | Saint Petersburg | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Finland | Russia |
| Population | 658,864 | 5.4 million |
| Elevation | 26 m (85 ft) | 11 m (36 ft) |
| Time now | UTC+3 (Europe/Helsinki) | UTC+3 (Europe/Moscow) |
What changes when you arrive in Saint Petersburg
Crossing from Finland into Russia: money changes from the Euro to the Ruble (RUB); the dialling code becomes +7; the emergency number is http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q1061257 / http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q24233148.
What to see in Saint Petersburg
| Sight | Visitors a year | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Hermitage Museum | 4,956,529 | 2019 |
| Russian Museum | 2,260,231 | 2021 |
The busiest is Hermitage Museum at 4,956,529 visitors in 2019. At that volume, anything with a gate is worth a timed ticket or an early start.
UNESCO World Heritage in the city: Historic Centre of Saint Petersburg and Related Groups of Monuments.
Where to book tours and tickets in Saint Petersburg
We take no bookings for these providers and hold no reservation with them. The provider you choose handles payment, confirmation, changes and refunds. How that works.
Staying in Saint Petersburg
Live rooms and prices for Saint Petersburg are in the search below.
Book a hotel in Saint Petersburg
Live rooms and prices from our booking partner, booked and paid for here. Free cancellation is marked where it applies.
Common questions
How far is Saint Petersburg from Helsinki?
300 km (186 mi) in a straight line, east of Helsinki; by road roughly 365 km (227 mi).
How long does it take to get from Helsinki to Saint Petersburg by road?
About 4 h 52 min, estimated from distance and typical speeds. Timetables and traffic decide the real figure.
Is there a time difference between Helsinki and Saint Petersburg?
No, both are on the same offset at the moment.
What currency do I need in Saint Petersburg?
The Ruble (RUB).
Where these facts come from
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
- Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
- OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
- Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines
Data compiled 13 September 2026. Hotel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.