Locals in St Petersburg make good use of their public transport, which is extensive if not efficient and reliable. There are 65 tramlines, close to 200 bus routes and numerous trolley buses, but no night service is available after midnight. All these are overcrowded, irregular and often break down. Bus, tram and trolley bus tickets can be bought from kiosks or the drivers and validated on boarding. Tram and trolley stops are marked with a 'T' sign hanging from the overhead wires. A popular form of local transport, more efficient than the buses, are passenger vans called 'marshrutka' which follow
the same routes as buses and trams, and stop on request. St Petersburg's metro has four lines and 54 stations and is extremely efficient and easy to use, even though signs are not in English. Tokens and multi-journey cards can be obtained at booths on the stations and are valid for as long as you are inside the system. Taxis are clearly marked and can be hailed in the street or telephone booked. Passengers should check that the meter is working or negotiate before departing. Most private car drivers in the city will act as a taxi and offer you a ride, but be sure to settle the price before accepting. Self-driving is difficult in the thick traffic and on bad road surfaces with Cyrillic road signs. Far easier is hiring a car with a driver, the preferred option offered by the main car rental companies.
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