Finland Station

• The first station building was constructed in 1870 for the Finnish Railway.
• At the time, the line ran from Saint Petersburg toward Riihimäki in the Grand Duchy of Finland.
• Lenin arrived at the station from exile on April 3 (16), 1917.
• During the Siege of Leningrad, Finland Station was the city’s only station still in operation; the first train carrying food arrived on February 7, 1943.
• The present main building opened in 1960; Ploshchad Lenina metro station had opened in 1958.

The Finnish Railway was built between 1862 and 1870, connecting the former capital with Riihimäki. The first station building, designed by Pyotr Kupinsky, opened in 1870 on Simbirskaya Street. The station is on Lenin Square, near the Neva; its address is 6 Lenin Square (Ленинская площадь, 6).

Today’s entrance differs from the historic station building. The station was rebuilt in the 1950s, and the new main building, with its functionalist facade, opened in 1960. Ploshchad Lenina metro station was built in 1958, and its escalator tunnel leads directly to the station complex. Saint Petersburg’s railway stations are in different parts of the city and serve different routes.

On April 3 (16), 1917, Vladimir Lenin returned to Petrograd from exile and arrived at Finland Station. The station forecourt later became associated with the Lenin monument, erected in 1926.

The monument and the historic station facade are located right next to the station. Ladoga Station is in the east of the city, while Finland Station is in the north, near the Neva. Saint Petersburg’s railway stations serve routes in different directions.

During the Siege of Leningrad, Finland Station remained the city’s only operational station. The rail link was part of the effort to supply the besieged city. On February 7, 1943, the first train carrying food from outside the blockade reached the station. A memorial post on the platform commemorates this link along the “Road of Life.”

The station building was badly damaged during the war. In the 1950s, the complex was thoroughly redesigned; only parts of the old station facade were retained in later buildings. The present main building faces the Neva and should be distinguished from the historic station.

Ploshchad Lenina metro station is part of the station complex; the station named on your ticket determines where you need to depart from. The city’s rail network also includes Moskovsky, Vitebsky, Baltiysky and Ladoga stations. If you need to transfer to another station, plan your arrival, journey across the city and next departure as separate legs. Rail Travel and Railway Stations can help you identify the stations. For city transfers between stations, the locations of transit stops are important; Transfers and Local Transit describes the available transport options. Allow time for transfers between your arrival and next departure. For cross-border routes, pack your passport and personal documents with your travel essentials.

Choose accommodation in a convenient location based on your route and length of stay: if you have an early departure, staying near the departure station is useful; for a longer stay, consider how easy it is to get to the places you plan to visit. Saint Petersburg has attractions to visit after you arrive. Keep a written address and a map saved for offline use so they remain accessible even without mobile reception; having a second payment option in addition to a card or cash is also part of being prepared for your trip.

Your ticket shows the departure station and destination station, helping you distinguish the route from Finland Station from any transfer across the city. Train services depart from different stations, while the station named on your ticket determines the specific departure point. If you plan to stay overnight in the city after your visit, you can arrange places to visit according to your accommodation’s location and the time available.

German Visa and Mastercard cards and payment apps cannot be used in Russia; cash withdrawals with German cards and transfers to Russia are also unavailable. If you are traveling within Russia, plan accordingly so you can access the necessary documents and means of payment.

For the walk to the metro and your accommodation, a map saved for offline use with your destination address and metro station is useful. The Neva embankment near the station makes a convenient stop during a stay in Saint Petersburg.

Where can I find luggage lockers at Finland Station?

According to station information, automatic lockers are located in the central light hall and are accessible around the clock every day. A standard locker measures 60 × 50 × 80 centimeters.