Getting Around Vasyl'evsky Ostrov
Vasyl'evsky Ostrov (Vasilyevsky Island) sits just across the water from the historic centre of Saint Petersburg, and getting there and around it is straightforward. The island is served by the same integrated public transport system as the rest of the city, so a visitor can move between the island and central Saint Petersburg using the metro, buses, trams, taxis, or simply on foot.
How Tourists Move Around the City
Visitors to Saint Petersburg generally rely on a combination of the metro, surface public transport (buses and trams), taxis and ride-hailing apps, and walking. The metro is the fastest non-taxi option for crossing between the centre and the island, while buses and trams cover shorter surface-level trips. Taxis and ride-hailing are useful for direct, door-to-door journeys, and walking is practical for the short hop between the central city and the island.
Metro
The Saint Petersburg Metro connects the central city with Vasyl'evsky Ostrov. On the route from Spasskaya station to Gorny Institut station, trains run roughly every five minutes, daily, and the journey takes only a few minutes, making the metro the fastest non-taxi way to reach the island.
- Fares and payment: A single metro journey costs about $1 with a Podorozhnik card, or about $2 when paying by token or contactless bank card.
- Operator: Saint Petersburg Metro — phone 8-800-350-11-55, email info@metro.spb.ru, website metro.spb.ru.
Trams
Trams provide a surface-level alternative for reaching and moving around the island. Tram line 40, for example, runs from Dobrolyubova Avenue (Пр. Добролюбова) to the Museum of Urban Surface Transport (Музей городского наземного транспорта), a journey of around seventeen minutes. The fare is about $1.
Buses and Other Public Transport
Buses are the cheapest way to cross between central Saint Petersburg and the island. Bus line 7, operated by Saint Petersburg Public Transport, runs from Palace Square (Дворцовая Пл.) to the 16th–17th Lines of Vasilyevsky Island (16-17-я Линии В.О.). Buses depart roughly every fifteen minutes, and the journey takes around twelve minutes.
- Fares and payment: About $1, payable with a Podorozhnik card or by contactless bank card.
- Operator: Saint Petersburg Public Transport — phone 8-800-234-98-80, website transport.orgp.spb.ru.
The Podorozhnik card is the common payment method across the metro and surface transport, and contactless bank cards are also accepted on buses and on the metro.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Taxis are the quickest door-to-door option for the short trip between central Saint Petersburg and Vasyl'evsky Ostrov, taking only a few minutes and costing roughly $4–5. Ride-hailing and taxi operators serving the route include Citymobil, Maxim, and Yandex Taxi.
Walkability
The island is close enough to central Saint Petersburg to reach on foot. The walk between the two is roughly 2.8 miles and takes about fifty-four minutes, so it is a reasonable option for a visitor with time and good weather, though most will prefer the metro, a bus, or a taxi for the crossing.
Getting from the Airport into the City
Once you are in the city, the same options above apply for continuing on to Vasyl'evsky Ostrov: the metro from the centre to Gorny Institut, bus line 7 from Palace Square, tram line 40, a short taxi or ride-hailing trip, or a walk across to the island.