EU-Russia Symposium / General info

The Symposium will be held at the Mariinsky Palace (Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg) and Hotel Pribaltiyskaya.

Dominating St. Petersburg shoreline, the Pribaltiyskaya Hotel is one of the most famous and comfortable hotels of the northern capital of Russia. The hotel is located close to LenExpo, the largest exhibition center in the city, and such famous St-Petersburg attractions as the Hermitage, the Peter and Paul Fortress, Mariinsky Theater, and others. The hotel has everything for a comfortable and diverse stay, and offers first class facilities to both delegates and speakers attending the Symposium.

The Mariinsky Palace		Hotel Pribaltiyskaya http://www.pribaltiyskaya.ru

Isaacs square, 6 St.Peterburg		14 Korablestroiteley Street, St.Petersburg

MAP of ST.PETERSBURG

Click on photo to zoom picture

Pulkovo I Domestic Airport.

This airport is located 18 km (11.3 miles) away from the downtown and serves Moscow and most other domestic destinations. If you are not a Russian citizen you will need the Intourist counter and lounge on the upper-level in the right wing of the building. There is a cafe and a duty free shop in the lounge area. When you walk into the lounge the Departures area is to the right and Arrivals is to the left. The booking office is in the lobby.

To get to the city: • take bus #39, which stops at the airport's lower level. It will take you to Moskovskaya Metro station, stopping near the Pulkovskaya Hotel (Ploschad Pobedy 1) en route.
• take a taxi (you can be asked to pay 20-50 $)

Please note that Express buses from the small Aeroflot office at Bolshaya Morskaya Ulitsa 13 are no longer in service.

Pulkovo II International Airport.

Located 17 km (10.6 miles) away from downtown, on the site of the original 1950s Leningrad Airport, it was renovated in the 1980s. The Arrivals area is in the left wing while Departures is in the right wing.

It is also a good idea to check that you have a valid Russian visa.
To get to the city: • take bus #13 in front of the central office building. There are two stops. If you get on at the one nearer Arrivals, in 10-15 minutes the bus will take you to the Moskovskaya Metro Station, stopping near the Pulkovskaya Hotel (Ploschad Pobedy 1) en route. If you get on at the stop nearer Departures, the bus goes to the nearby suburb of Aviagorodok before returning to the airport and continuing to Moskovskaya Metro Station. The metro is not the last stop, but most people will get off the bus here. (Another hint: it is the first stop after a large square with a monument.) • take a taxi (you can be asked to pay 50 $ and even more depending on your arrival time)

Contact your travel agent for detailed information or visit the airport website at:

English and Russian are the official languages of the Symposium. Synchronous translation will be available. All abstracts should be submitted in English and Russian (English only for foreign participants). Slides for the presentations should be made in English.

Summer in St. Petersburg is a truly magical time bringing with it the romantic White Nights. Midsummer brings the city 24-hour daylight. Summer generally runs from the beginning of June to the end of August. Temperatures usually reach 20 C (68 F). Also you may follow the weather in St. Petersburg at

You will need rubles as most goods and services are sold by law only for rubles, even to foreigners. Thus, exchange a sufficient sum at an official exchange bureau (after shopping for the best rate) to avoid the necessity to changing money at a store or restaurant at an unfavorable rate. Often you get the best rate by paying with a credit card.

Ruble Currency and Coins: New notes in circulation include 5, 10, 50, 100, 500, and 1,000 rubles. Coins include 1, 5, 10, 50 kopecks, and 1, 2 and 5 rubles.

Foreign Currency No Longer Legal Tender: Even though prices in many shops and restaurants are stated in dollars (or other currencies) because of inflation, payment is always made with rubles or by credit card. US dollars circulate officially as a second currency only in a few sectors of the economy (airlines, payment for visas, etc.).

You can get cash with your credit or cash card by using cash machines in bank building or some hotels.

The Hotels only accept guaranteed reservations. In order to make a guaranteed reservation, you need to submit credit-card information to the reservation desk. This means you will have to fill out a special form and fax it or send it via email with a photocopy of both sides of the credit card. You may choose to send a letter of guarantee from your company with your banking information, signed by the general director and chief accountant and stamped with the company’s round seal.


VISA	MasterCard	Diners Club	AMEX	JCB

The Hotels do not accept checks.