Pulkovo Saint Petersburg Airport is the third busiest airport in Russia after Moscow’s Domodedovo and Sheremetyevo airports. Around 4000 personnel work at the airport. Since 2009, the airport has been managed by NCG (Northern Capital Gateway) under a private-public partnership agreement between the three parties.
The airport is an international airport serving the city of St. Petersburg, Russia. The center of the city consists of a terminal located 23 km (14 mi) south of Palace Square. The airport is a hub for Rossiya Airlines and serves as a focus city for Smartavia.
The airport is one of the airports where private jet charter services take off and land the most in the region, especially in the summer months.
St. Petersburg private jet charter prices
Although St. Petersburg air charter fees depend on variables such as the number of passengers, departure airport, flight time, aircraft position, flight date, the prices for private jet charter from Istanbul → St. Petersburg are as follows.
Light Jet | 19.750 EUR |
Midsize Jet | 28.350 EUR |
Heavy Jet | 35.350 EUR |
These prices are average amounts and you can contact us on our flight reservation screen or by phone for the most accurate price information.
History of Pulkovo Airport, from the USSR to the present
Due to the need in the region in January 1931, the construction of an airport near Leningrad was started and was completed on June 24, 1932. The first flight from the airport was made to Istanbul. The name of this airport was initially Shosseynaya Airport, which came from the nearby Shosseynaya train station.
Following the increase in the activities of the airport, the foundation of a new terminal building was laid in 1936. Construction of the new terminal flourished between 1937 and 1941. Construction was stopped abruptly in July 1941, one month after Nazi Germany invaded the USSR on June 22, 1941. The airport began to be used as the front of the German siege of Leningrad. Between 1941 and 1944, no flights were made from the airport due to the war. The airport, which was cleared from the Germans in January 1944, resumed cargo and mail flights in 1945 after the runways were repaired. In February 1948, after the damage was fully repaired, the airport opened to scheduled passenger flights. In 1949, scheduled flights to 15 major cities of the USSR and 15 more short-range flights were launched in northwestern Russia.
In the mid-1950s, the new extended runway was completed, and wide-body aircraft began active use of the airport. Construction of the new terminal was completed in 1951. In the same year, the airport was opened to private jet use. By the late 1960s, more than 60 airlines had flights to and from Saint Petersburg’s airport.
On April 24, 1973, the name of the Airport was changed to Pulkovo Airport and in May 1973, the new Pulkovo 1 terminal was opened. Pulkovo 1 was a domestic-only terminal. Between the 1970s and 1990s, domestic air traffic increased by about 45% every decade. The former pre-war building of the airport was renamed Pulkovo 2 and the terminal was used only for international flights. On April 11, 1986, new departure and arrival zones for the international terminal were completed and Pulkovo 1’s passenger traffic speed capacity doubled.
In 1990, Pulkovo Airport reached its peak of passenger traffic of over 10.000.000 passengers. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the number of passengers decreased. In 2005, Pulkovo Airport gained its independence as it split from Pulkovo Aviation Enterprise. In 2009, the Saint Petersburg Ministry of Transport requested the creation of an operating company for Pulkovo Airport, and a consortium known as NCG (Northern Capital Gateway) was formed by the Russian VTB Capital Bank, the international Fraport AG Company and the Greek Copeluzos Group. On April 29, 2010, NCG won the tender for a 30-year operating lease for Pulkovo Airport.
In 2020, it was decided to ease the visa requirements for European citizens to increase tourism to the city via the airport. This resulted in a significant increase in airport traffic.
St. Petersburg tour and places to visit
One of the most well-known cities in Russia after Moscow, St. Petersburg has been the capital of Tsarist Russia for over 200 years. Known as the cultural capital of Russia, the city is the 4th largest city in Europe in terms of population and the 2nd largest city in Russia.
The majority of historical and touristic places to visit in St. Petersburg are gathered around Nevsky Prospekt and the city center. Mariinski Theatre, considered one of the most magnificent theaters in Russia, Yusupov Palace due to its riverside location, Saint Isaac’s Cathedral, which draws attention with its golden dome, Admiralty Building, which was built to show the power of the Russian navy, is one of the symbolic structures of the city, Kazan Cathedral and the Church of the Savior of the Spilled Blood with its magnificent architecture are among the frequent destinations of those who choose the city for culture and art tourism.
Transportation to Pulkovo Airport
Passengers landing at Pulkovo airport have two main transportation options to the center of Saint Petersburg. The first option is public transport, which combines a 20-minute bus ride to Mayakovskaya central station with a 60-minute metro ride. Unfortunately, there is no direct bus network from Pulkovo airport to the center of Saint Petersburg. However, passengers can take one of the three offered buses (39Ex, 39, K39) to the Moskovskaya metro station and then use the blue line to reach the center of the city.
Public transport from the airport is available from 05:30 to 01:00. The second travel option to the heart of the city is to hire a Pulkovo airport taxi; the total travel time is around 30 minutes and official fares usually range from €15 to €20.
Passengers who want to reach the city center with their private vehicle can reach the city center in about 20 minutes via the BI-30 main road.