Internet Access, Dial-Up and Wi-Fi in St. Petersburg

Below we list the central internet cafes in St. Petersburg and information about dial-up, ADSL and Wi-Fi hotspots in St. Petersburg.

Internet Cafes in St. Petersburg:
(most of them are opened 24 hours, one hour costs $1-2)

Quo Vadis?
Quo Vadis is a fully-fledged internet club. Right in the centre of St. Petersburg, with inexpensive high-speed connection, and IP telephone service, a cozy cafeteria, little library and creative art management. Lounge and nu jazz parties on Wednesday and Thursday nights at 8 p.m. This place is perfect for those who like to answer their e-mails while having a cup of double espresso and listening to good music instead of shaking their bodies at the dance floor or attending vodka-drinking classes with local drunkards.
Free entrance.
To us, this is the best internet cafe in St. Petersburg and the most centrally located. Quo Vadis say their goal is to provide clients with a comfortable work environment and they certainly do this. Opened 24 hours a day, internet access for $3 / hour from 12.00 to 9.00, $2 / hour from 9.00 to 12.00, $6 / 8 hours from 0.00 to 8.00), printing service ($0.15 a page), scanning service, copying service, CD recording, fax services, IP telephone (US, Europe: $0.20 / min, Moscow: $0.05 / min). Thereês a telephone at each work station with free local incoming and outgoing calls. There's also a free library (opened 10.00-22.00) with Russian and international press and books.
Address: Nevsky Prospekt, #76 (entrance from Liteiny Prospekt), metro Gostiny Dvor. Tel: 333-0708. Website: www.quovadis.ru. Open 9-23:00.


Cafemax.
The Moscow chain of 24-hour full-service internet centers has made its way to St. Petersburg and the new internet cafe opened right on Nevsky Prospekt, causing all little internet centers around to close. An intricate system of pricing depending on the time of day means that youêll never pay the same amount twice, or work out how much it costs before they tell you. But it will be somewhere between 50R ($1.80) and 100R ($3.70) per hour. Full range of other services (printing, scanning, burning, copying, etc.) is on offer for a price. There is a small cafe selling overpriced snacks and drinks, but the pre-packaged stuff (ie. soft drinks and beer) are priced reasonably. Youêll have a hard time finding someone willing to serve you though. CafeMax also has computers where you can smoke À a quickly dying luxury, even in Russia.
Address: Nevsky Prospekt, #90/92, metro Mayakovskaya. Tel: 273-6655. Open 24 hours. Internet: http://www.cafemax.ru

Sofit.
The internet cafe and bar with about 10 computers installed on the large tables, where there's space for your papers, books, stuff, and even a glass of beer and food. In the middle of the bar there are just small round tables for those who came there for a drink. A tv is installed above the bar. Nevskoe beer on tap 25 roubles ($0.9).
Prices. For 1 hour 10.00-13.00 – 50 roubles ($1.8), 13.00-18.00 – $2, 18.00-23.00 – $2.8. For students: 50 roubles ($1.8) after 13.00.
If you take something in a bar and use the computer for not more than 3 minutes, you don't have to pay for the internet (and it's enough time to check email).
Address: Mira street (åË݇ ÛÎˈ‡), or Avstriiskaya (Ä‚ÒÚÝËÈÒ͇—) square #10. Location: close to many history museums near Gorkovskaya metro. Directions: metro Gorkovskaya (ÉÓݸÍÓ‚Ò͇—), walk along Kamenoostrovski (ä‡ÏÂÌÓÓÒÚÝÓ‚ÒÍËÈ) prospekt in the direction opposite of Alexandrovski Park, until you reach Avstriskaya (Ä‚ÒÚÝËÈÒ͇—) ploshchad (square). Opened: 10.00-23.00 daily. Phone: 232-2022, 232-9360, 232-0896. Internet: http://www.sofitspb.ru/header/framefin.htm

WWW Cafe.
Nice, neat internet cafe close to the centrum, located in the basement of an old building. Nice interior, small bar, 9 computers, friendly staff.
Prices. For 1 hour: 50 roubles ($1.8), and 30 roubles ($1) for students.
Address: Nekrasova (çÂÍ݇ÒÓ‚‡) Ul, #4. Location: just next to Puppet Theater Hostel, 10 minutes walk from Nevski Prospekt along Liteiny Prospekt. Directions: walk along Liteiny prospekt from Nevski prospekt and take the second street on your right - Nekrasova.

Arka.
This internet cafe is located just 5 minutes walk along Griboedova channel from Nevski Prospekt street (the main avenue of St. Pete). There's also a game hall, and the interior isn't cozy. The price is standard for Piter 50-60 roubles ($1.8-$2) an hour.
Address: Griboedova Channel (ä‡Ì‡Î ÉÝË·Ó‰ӂ‡). Location: close to Church of Bleeding Saviour, close to Kazanski cathedral. Directions: walk along left side of Griboedova channel from Nevski Prospekt (direction opposite from Kazanski cathedral) 5 minutes, the cafe will be on your left, after a large building with "Fellini" restaurant advert on it.

Tetris.
See the location (and a map) on their site. Prices are from 30 to 60 roubles an hour ($1 - $2 US). Opened mon-fri – 10.00-21.00, sat-sun – 13.00-21.00.
Address: Chernyakovskogo street, #33. Location: closer to Vitebski railway station. Phone: 325-4877, 164-4877, fax: 164-0827. Internet: http://www.netcafe.spb.ru/location.htm

Wi-Fi (812.11b), Wireless Internet Hotspots
in St. Petersburg

Wi-fi is making its way in St. Petersburg: trying not to miss another prospective technology St. Pete operators are installing internet access hotspot around the city center, especially in cafes.
All you need to connect is a computer with a wireless network card. Apple computers have an airport cards installed, some PCs too (e.g. Intel Centrino technology).
Most of hotspots work on commercial basis, the average price of 1 hour is $5-$8. Where not, usually the access card should be purchased from the company or directly at the hotspot.
Here's a list of Wi-Fi access points in St. Petersburg:


FREE Wi-Fi hotspots in St. Petersburg from Yandex

Red Club / Cadillac night club (Poltavskaya st., #7 - metro Pl. Vosstania - near Nevsky Prospekt). Provider: Yandex, Opened 19.00 till 6.00, Tel (812) 277-13-66
Lel hotel (Lunacharskogo Prospekt, #47 - tram #9 from metro Ozerki - outside of the center). Provider: Yandex. Tel (812) 559-96-85
Soiree a simple bar & cafe, business-lunch for 150 R ($5) (Zhukovskogo st., #28/12 - metro Ploschad Vosstania - near Nevsky Prospekt). Provider: Yandex, Opened 9.00 until 6.00, Tel (812) 272-35-12


Wireless Internet Access at St. Petersburg Cafes

Cafe Saigon (Nevsky Prospekt, #7). Provider: Quantum, Price: $5 / hour
Mirage-Cinema (Bolshoy pr., Petropavlovsky side, #35). Provider: Quantum, Price: $5 / hour
Zoom cafe-club (Kazanskaya st., #17-19). Provider: Quantum, Price: $5 / hour
PitStop entertainment club (Sadovaya st., #12). Provider: PeterStar, Price: n/a


Wireless Internet Access at St. Petersburg Hotels:

Hotel St. Petersburg (Pirogovskaya emb., #2) Provider: Quantum, Price: $5 / hour

Hotel Grand Europe (Mikhailovskaya st., #1/7). Provider: PeterStar, Price: n/a

Grand Hotel Emerald (Suvorovsky lane, #18). Provider: PeterStar, Price: n/a


Wireless Internet Access at other places in St. Petersburg:

Pulkovo 1 & Pulkovo 2 Airports. Provider: PeterStar, Price: n/a

Morskoy Vokzal (Main Ferry Peer, Moskoy Slavy st., #1. Available on the 2nd and 7th floors, and in Morskoy Vokzal hotel) Provider: Quantum, Price: $5 / hour

Journalists House (St. Petersburg journalist press-centre: Nevsky Prospekt, #70). Provider: Quantum, Price: $5 / hour



Dial-up Internet Access:
The easiest way to get access to the internet through a phone line is to buy an internet card of any St. Petersburg internet provider: WebPlus, CityLine etc. These cards are sold either in the offices of these companies or in the news stalls at any metro stations. Usually the connection through the card costs about $1 US for an hour. The minimum price you'll need to pay for a card is from $3 to $10 US.
After you bought the card, you'll need to follow the instructions written on the card, to be able to connect.


Accommodation with Internet Access in St. Petersburg
You can rent an apartment with fast ADSL connection. See more information in Travel Services / Accommodation