Russia - St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg has a crime rate 30 percent higher than Moscow's. The area around Gostiniy Dvor and the underground passage on Nevsky Prospekt, as well as train stations, the food markets, the flea markets and the so-called "art park" are frequent stages for street crime against foreigners. It is estimated that 20 percent of the foreign businesses are controlled by the Russian Mafia. Most groups who try to set up businesses in the city find they are hit up for a $10,000 fee to arrange the "necessary contacts." If you are edgy, bodyguards can be hired for about $600 a month (U.S. dollars only). Not bad, when you figure that the average monthly wage is about $20. Most crimes are committed in broad daylight, since the police will do little, if anything, to help or track down your assailants. If you are staying in one of the better hotels in St. Petersburg, have them send a car for you at the airport. If not, you can take a taxi into town for about $30. If you want a car for the entire day, figure on spending about double that.

http://www.times.spb.ru/

http://www.spb.ru/

Emergency Numbers

Fire

Tel.: 01

Hard Currency Taxi

Tel.: 298-6804, 298-3648

Police

Tel.: 02

Western-Style Medical Care

Tel.: 310-9611

Ambulance

Tel.: 03

American Express

Tel.: 311-5215

U.S. Consulate

Tel.: 274-8692

Delta Airlines

Tel.: 311-5819/20/22

Taxi

Tel.: 312-0022