Chkalovskaya Metro Station opened on 15 September 1997 in Petrogradsky District and is named after Valery Chkalov, the Soviet test pilot and polar aviator. The station sits roughly 60 metres below the surface, and since 7 March 2009 it has belonged to Line 5, the violet Frunzensko-Primorskaya line, between Krestovsky Ostrov and Sportivnaya.
The whole interior follows an aviation theme: a floor that recalls airport runways, ceiling lamps shaped like parts of an early Soviet aircraft and escalator lamps that resemble propellers. Outside, a statue of Chkalov stands by the entrance on Bolshaya Zelenina Street. It is a short stop worth a few minutes if you are already on Line 5, and an easy detour from the neighbouring stations.
Quick Facts
| Russian name | Чкаловская |
|---|---|
| Built / opened | 1997 |
| Architect(s) | Alexander Konstantinov, Alexander Bystrov and Andrey Larionov |
| Address | Санкт-Петербург, Большая Зеленина улица, 12 OpenStreetMap · Google Maps |
| District | Petrogradsky District |
| Interchanges | Chkalovskaya (Line 5, the surface vestibule on Bolshaya Zelenina Street, with the Chkalov statue by the entrance) Krestovsky Ostrov (Line 5, previous stop towards Komendantsky Prospekt) Sportivnaya (Line 5, next stop towards Shushary) |
| Opening hours | The station runs with the metro network, daily from early morning until shortly after midnight. Hours can change with works on the line, so check before an early or late journey (as of October 2026 – check the official site of the Saint Petersburg Metro). |
| Best time to visit | The station is underground, so it works in any season and in any weather. For a calm look at the hall and the lamps, choose midday or a weekend morning. The weekday morning and evening rush fills the escalators and the platform, and the statue outside is easiest to photograph in daylight. |
| Last updated | October 16, 2026 |
Why Visit Chkalovskaya Metro Station, Saint Petersburg?
Chkalovskaya is one of the more consistent themed stations of the 1990s. Nearly everything you see, from the floor pattern to the lamps, belongs to one idea, and the statue at the entrance gives the theme a face.
It is also a convenient way into Petrogradsky District: the station sits on a street of apartment blocks and shops, away from the tourist centre, and a ride from the middle of the city is direct on Line 5. Entry costs only a metro ride, and 15 to 30 minutes is enough to see the hall and the statue. Station-hunters can pair it with Sportivnaya and Krestovsky Ostrov, which have their own articles on this site.
Highlights of Chkalovskaya Metro Station, Saint Petersburg
The statue of Valery Chkalov
A sculpture of Chkalov, made by V. Sveshnikov, stands by the station entrance on Bolshaya Zelenina Street. It marks the station before you go underground and is the clearest sign that you have the right exit.
Chkalov (1904–1938) was a celebrated Soviet pilot, remembered above all for a long polar flight from Moscow across the North Pole to the American north-west in 1937.
Tip: Photograph the statue on the way in; the entrance is crowded at rush hours and easier to frame in daylight.
A floor that looks like a runway
The floor design invokes airport landing strips. Look down as you walk along the platform: the pattern is meant to suggest a runway, and it sets the tone for the whole hall.
The stripes read best when you stand at one end of the platform and look along its length.
Tip: Stand at the end of the platform for the best view of the pattern, and wait for a gap between trains.
Lamps shaped like aircraft parts
The ceiling lights are designed to look like components of the ANT-6, a large Soviet aircraft of the 1930s. They are the most distinctive feature of the hall and the detail the architects used to carry the theme overhead.
The effect is more industrial than ornamental, which suits the subject.
Tip: Look up as you step onto the platform, before the crowd arrives.
Propeller lamps on the escalators
The escalator lamps were designed to resemble propellers. You pass them on the long ride between the vestibule and the platform, which is why they are easy to miss if you look only at your feet or your phone.
The ride is long because the platform lies about 60 metres down.
Tip: Use the descent to look at the lamps rather than at your phone; the escalator is the best place to see them.
A deep island platform
The station is an underground island-platform hall with two tracks, about 60 metres below the surface. It is a modern, functional space with no transfer to another line, so most people here are local passengers rather than visitors.
The calm of the hall is part of its appeal outside the rush hours.
Tip: Allow a couple of extra minutes for the escalator ride if you are timing a connection.
A line that waited for a station
Chkalovskaya opened in 1997 together with Sportivnaya. Admiralteyskaya, on the same stretch towards the centre, was built at the same time but had no entrance, and trains passed through it without stopping until it opened in December 2011.
Until 2009 these stations were part of Line 4, and they now belong to Line 5.
Tip: Ride one stop towards Sportivnaya to compare two stations of the same 1997 opening.
Atmosphere
The hall is quiet and clean, with a low hum of trains arriving and the steady click of passengers on the stairs. The aviation theme is understated: the floor and lamps do the work, and nothing shouts for attention.
It is mostly local people, commuters in the morning and evening, students and residents of Petrogradsky District during the day, and a few visitors with cameras looking up at the lamps. Outside the rush hours the platform can be almost empty, and the statue by the entrance often stands alone on Bolshaya Zelenina Street.
History of Chkalovskaya Metro Station, Saint Petersburg
The station is named after Valery Chkalov, born in 1904, a test pilot who became one of the best-known Soviet aviators of the 1930s. In 1937 he took part in a long flight from Moscow across the North Pole to the north-west of the United States, which made him a national figure. He died in 1938 while testing a fighter aircraft, and his name was given to streets, towns and, later, metro stations.
In the late Soviet years, the city planned a new section of the metro across Petrogradsky District and the islands to the north. Work continued through the 1990s despite funding problems, and the first stations opened in the second half of the decade as an extension of Line 4, the right-bank line. The architects of Chkalovskaya were Alexander Konstantinov, Alexander Bystrov and Andrey Larionov, and they chose aviation as the unifying theme.
Chkalovskaya opened on 15 September 1997, together with Sportivnaya, on the section running north-west from Sadovaya. Admiralteyskaya, on the same stretch, was built at the same time but could not open because the question of where to put its surface vestibule was unresolved. For years trains passed through that station without stopping.
The decoration follows the theme closely. The floor is meant to recall airport runways, the ceiling lamps echo components of the ANT-6, a large aircraft of the 1930s, and the escalator lamps are shaped like propellers. A statue of Chkalov, made by V. Sveshnikov, stands by the entrance.
On 7 March 2009, the section from Sadovaya to Komendantsky Prospekt, with Chkalovskaya on it, was transferred from Line 4 to Line 5, the Frunzensko-Primorskaya line, which is the line the station belongs to today. Admiralteyskaya finally opened on 28 December 2011, completing the stretch towards the centre.
In 2006 the station served as a film set for the movie Piter FM, a sign of how recognizable its design had become within a few years of opening. Today it is a working neighbourhood station, valued by commuters in Petrogradsky District and by visitors who come for the aviation theme.
Tickets and Booking for Chkalovskaya Metro Station, Saint Petersburg
Chkalovskaya has no entrance fee of its own: you pay for a ride on the Saint Petersburg Metro, at a flat level of ₽ for a single journey regardless of distance.
- Contactless bank card: accepted at turnstiles with a card reader, but whether a card issued outside Russia works varies, and the sanctions rules of your own country may restrict the use of Russian payment services, so check this yourself before you travel.
- Podorozhnik card: a reusable transport card sold at metro ticket offices and usually the simplest choice for a visitor who plans several rides.
- Mobile Podorozhnik app: works by NFC on Android phones and by QR code on iPhones, subject to the same checks.
Rates for Russian citizens and concession categories differ. Rush hours fall on weekday mornings and evenings, when the platform and escalators are at their busiest. The official site metro.spb.ru lists current fares, payment methods and categories.
Plan and Book
How to Get to Chkalovskaya Metro Station, Saint Petersburg
By metro: take Line 5 (the violet Frunzensko-Primorskaya line) and get off at Chkalovskaya, between Krestovsky Ostrov and Sportivnaya. From the centre, change to Line 5 at Sadovaya, Zvenigorodskaya or another interchange and ride towards Komendantsky Prospekt.
Exit: the vestibule opens onto Bolshaya Zelenina Street, with the Chkalov statue by the entrance.
On foot and by road: the station sits in a residential part of Petrogradsky District, and buses, trams and taxis run along the nearby streets. Check a map for the stop that suits your destination.
Accessibility
Chkalovskaya is a deep station reached by long escalators. Whether a lift or other step-free route is available was not confirmed for this article. Check the accessibility information on metro.spb.ru and ask staff before you travel, especially with luggage, a stroller or a wheelchair.
Food Nearby
The streets around Bolshaya Zelenina Street have the usual neighbourhood mix of bakeries, small cafes and food shops. For a wider choice, head towards Kamennoostrovsky Prospekt or ride one stop to Sportivnaya. There is no verified cafe inside the station.
What to Bring
A payment card or a Podorozhnik card, and a camera or phone for the lamps and the floor. Security checks apply at the entrance, so keep bags easy to open.
Best Views and Photo Spots of Chkalovskaya Metro Station, Saint Petersburg
The Chkalov statue at the entrance
The sculpture by V. Sveshnikov beside the vestibule on Bolshaya Zelenina Street, framed against the apartment blocks of the district.
Best time: Daylight, outside the rush hours.
The platform floor
The runway-style floor pattern seen from the end of the platform, with the lamps leading the eye down the hall.
Best time: Midday or a weekend morning, when the platform is clear.
The ceiling lamps
The lamps shaped like aircraft components, photographed from below at a slight angle so their shapes show.
Best time: Between trains, when passengers are not in the frame.
The escalator lamps
The propeller-shaped lamps along the escalator, best seen from the top looking down the incline.
Best time: Late evening or a weekend, when the escalator is quiet.
Photography Rules
Casual photography is generally tolerated, but tripods, professional filming and flash usually need permission from the metro. Keep the escalators and platform clear, and avoid photographing staff or other passengers.
Family Suitability
Easy for families. The hall is simple to navigate, and a ride on Line 5 is short. Strollers need to be handled on the escalators unless a lift is available, which was not confirmed. Children who like aircraft will enjoy spotting the propeller lamps.
Russia Vibes Tips
- Look for the propeller lamps on the escalator before you reach the platform; they are easy to miss on the way down.
- Combine the station with Sportivnaya, one stop on, which opened on the same day in 1997.
- Take the statue photograph on the way in; the vestibule is busier when you come back up.
- Do not expect a transfer: Chkalovskaya has no interchange, so it is a good stop when you want a quiet hall.
- Read the train's destination board before boarding; Line 5 trains run between Komendantsky Prospekt and Shushary.
- Walk a few minutes along the neighbourhood streets after surfacing; Petrogradsky District is a residential area with little tourist traffic.
Explore Nearby Chkalovskaya Metro Station, Saint Petersburg
Sights near Chkalovskaya Metro Station, Saint Petersburg
Peter and Paul Fortress, Saint Petersburg · typical visit: 2–4 hoursMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Cruiser Aurora, Saint Petersburgabout 2.6 km away · typical visit: 1–1.5 hoursMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Metro stations near Chkalovskaya Metro Station, Saint Petersburg
Sportivnaya Metro Station, Saint Petersburgabout 1.0 km away (~16 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Krestovsky Ostrov Metro Station, Saint Petersburgabout 2.2 km awayMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
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FAQ: Chkalovskaya Metro Station, Saint Petersburg
Who is Chkalovskaya named after?
Valery Chkalov, a Soviet test pilot who became famous in the 1930s for a long polar flight from Moscow across the North Pole. A statue of him stands by the station entrance.
When did the station open?
On 15 September 1997, together with Sportivnaya, as part of Line 4. It was transferred to Line 5 on 7 March 2009.
How deep is Chkalovskaya?
About 60 metres below the surface, so the escalator ride is long.
What is the theme of the decoration?
Aviation. The floor recalls airport runways, the ceiling lamps echo aircraft parts and the escalator lamps look like propellers.
Is there a transfer to another line?
No. Chkalovskaya is a through station on Line 5 between Krestovsky Ostrov and Sportivnaya, without an interchange.
Which district is the station in?
Petrogradsky District, on Bolshaya Zelenina Street, a residential area north of the historic centre.
Is it worth a special trip?
Only if you like themed stations or are already on Line 5. It takes a few minutes to see the hall and the statue.
Can I combine it with other stations?
Yes. Sportivnaya is one stop on, and Krestovsky Ostrov is one stop the other way. Both have their own articles on this site.
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Last updated: October 16, 2026. Found an error or something out of date? Report it and we will check and fix it.
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