Finlyandsky Railway Station, known in English as Finland Station, stands on Ploshchad Lenina on the Vyborg Side, across the Neva from the centre. It opened in 1870 as the terminus of the line from Riihimäki, built by the Finnish State Railways and designed by Swedish architects. It is best known as the place where Lenin returned to Petrograd on 3 April 1917.
Today the station is mostly used by suburban trains to Vyborg, Sestroretsk, Zelenogorsk, Primorsk and Priozersk. It also gives its name to the square in front, where a monument to Lenin stands on an armoured car, and the Ploshchad Lenina metro station is built into the building.
Current access notice: As of October 2026: the Helsinki train service from this station has been suspended since 2022. Check the official Russian Railways site for the current situation before planning a journey to Finland.
Quick Facts
| Russian name | Финляндский вокзал |
|---|---|
| Type | Railway station |
| Built / opened | 1870 |
| Architect(s) | Swedish architects (original 1870 building); present building from the 1950s |
| Address | Санкт-Петербург, площадь Ленина, 6 OpenStreetMap · Google Maps |
| District | Kalininsky District |
| Metro | Ploshchad Lenina (Line 1, the metro vestibule is inside the station building; follow the signs from the main hall) |
| Opening hours | The station building serves passengers around the clock in line with the train timetable, but ticket offices, left luggage and the shops keep their own hours. Check your train and the services you need before an early or late journey (as of October 2026 – check the official site of Russian Railways). |
| Admission | Free to enter the public halls and the square; you pay only for your train ticket and any extras such as left luggage. |
| Best time to visit | The station works in every season. For the calmest look at the hall and the monument, choose midday on a weekday. The morning and evening rush fills the halls, and summer weekends are busy with travellers heading to the Gulf coast. The square is at its best on a clear evening, when the light falls on the facade. |
| Recommended duration | 30 minutes to 1 hour, plus your train |
| Website | rzd.ru |
| Last updated | October 16, 2026 |
How to Get to and from Finlyandsky Railway Station, Saint Petersburg
| Option | Duration | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metro from Ploshchad Lenina | About 10 to 15 minutes to the Nevsky Prospekt area | ₽ | Recommended. The metro vestibule is inside the station building, on Line 1. Chernyshevskaya is the next stop towards the centre, then Ploshchad Vosstaniya, where you can change for Nevsky Prospekt and Moskovsky station. |
| Walk to the Aurora | About 15 to 20 minutes | Free | Best in good weather. Cross the Neva by the Sampsonievsky or Liteyny route; check a map for the best way. |
| Tram, bus or trolleybus | Varies | ₽ | Several city routes stop on the square and nearby. Check a map for the line that suits your hotel. |
| Official taxi or taxi app | 10 to 20 minutes to most central hotels | ₽₽ | The most comfortable option with luggage or at night. Use an official service or app, and ignore drivers who approach you in the hall. |
| Suburban train to Vyborg or the Gulf coast | From about 30 minutes to a few hours, depending on the destination | ₽ | Trains leave from this station for Sestroretsk, Zelenogorsk, Primorsk, Priozersk and Vyborg. Check the timetable and the destination on the day. |
₽ budget · ₽₽ moderate · ₽₽₽ upscale · ₽₽₽₽ splurge. Price levels are estimates compared with typical prices for visitors.
Why Visit Finlyandsky Railway Station, Saint Petersburg?
Few railway stations carry as much political history. Lenin’s arrival here in April 1917, when he spoke from an armoured car, is one of the best-known scenes of the Russian Revolution, and the square in front of the station is still the place where it is remembered, with the monument of 1926.
The station is also a practical stop. It is the starting point for the northern suburbs and the Gulf coast, and the metro connection puts you on Line 1 in a few steps. Allow half an hour to see the building, the square and the monument, with the river and the cruiser Aurora a short walk away.
Highlights of Finlyandsky Railway Station, Saint Petersburg
Lenin's return in 1917
On 3 April 1917, Lenin arrived at Finlyandsky station from exile and spoke to a crowd from an armoured car. The event is the main reason the station is famous, and the square was renamed after him in 1924.
He returned to Russia on this line again in August 1917, secretly and disguised as a railway worker, after the July Days.
Tip: The best place to take in the story is the square in front of the station, not the hall.
The Lenin monument
A statue of Lenin standing on an armoured car, with his hand raised, dominates the square. The first monument was unveiled in 1926 by the sculptor Sergei Evseev, and it became a model for many Lenin monuments across the Soviet Union.
The monument was later moved to the centre of the square and raised on a high pedestal during the post-war rebuilding.
Tip: Walk round the monument to see the armoured car; most photographs show only the figure.
The 1950s building
The present station building replaced the original of 1870 and was completed in the 1950s. It has a turreted facade decorated with sculptures about the October Revolution, and it keeps a portico from the old building.
The style is Stalinist, which is unusual for a station that began as a Finnish railway building.
Tip: Look at the portico and the sculptures from across the square; the details are hard to see from the doors.
A metro stop inside the station
Ploshchad Lenina, opened on 1 June 1958 on Line 1, has its surface vestibule inside the station building, so you walk from the hall to the escalators without going outside. The station's original theme was Lenin's return from Finland in 1917.
The metro takes you to Chernyshevskaya and Vladimirskaya in a few minutes.
Tip: Follow the metro signs inside the hall; the entrance is not on the square.
The Road of Life terminus
During the Siege of Leningrad, Finlyandsky station was the end of the Road of Life railway link. The first train with supplies arrived here in February 1943.
The link tied the station to the memory of the siege, which is also the theme of Ladozhskaya metro station, on this site's Ladozhsky Railway Station page.
Tip: If you are interested in the siege, combine the station with the museum and cemetery articles on this site.
Trains to Vyborg and the Gulf coast
Suburban trains from Finlyandsky run to Vyborg, Sestroretsk, Zelenogorsk, Primorsk, Priozersk and other towns on the Karelian Isthmus and the Gulf of Finland. The original line was built to reach Finland, and Helsinki trains once left from here.
The Helsinki service has been suspended since 2022, so check the current situation before planning a journey.
Tip: Check the destination on the board; several suburban lines share the platforms.
Atmosphere
The station square is wide and open, with the Lenin monument at its centre, the Neva at one end and the Stalinist facade of the station at the other. Trams and buses cross the edges, and in summer the fountain on the square draws people to sit.
Inside, the hall is busy with commuters, especially in the morning and early evening, when suburban trains fill the platforms. The noise is announcements and the rumble of trains. On weekends in summer, travellers with bags and bicycles head for the Gulf coast.
History of Finlyandsky Railway Station, Saint Petersburg
The railway from Saint Petersburg to Helsinki was built in the 1860s, when Finland was a grand duchy of the Russian Empire. The Finnish State Railways built the terminus in Saint Petersburg as the eastern end of the Riihimäki–Saint Petersburg line. Construction began in 1868 and the station opened in 1870. The original building was designed by Swedish architects.
The line brought rapid growth to the Vyborg Side. To the west of the station, an eclectic apartment building by Pavel Suzor housed employees of the Finnish railway. The station was owned and run by the Finnish railways until early 1918.
On 3 April 1917, Lenin returned to Petrograd from exile in Switzerland, by way of Germany and Finland, and arrived at this station. From an armoured car outside, he spoke to a crowd. After the July Days, he fled to Finland, and in August 1917 he returned secretly, disguised as a railway worker, again crossing the border on the same line.
In 1924 the square in front of the station was renamed Ploshchad Lenina, and in 1926 a monument to Lenin on an armoured car, by the sculptor Sergei Evseev, was unveiled. It became the model for many Lenin monuments in the Soviet Union.
During the Siege of Leningrad, the station was the end of the Road of Life railway link from Lake Ladoga, and the first train with supplies arrived here in February 1943.
After the war, the area was rebuilt. The original station building was demolished and replaced in 1950 by the present Stalinist building, which keeps a portico from the old one. The monument was moved to the centre of the square on a high pedestal. On 1 June 1958 the Ploshchad Lenina metro station opened with its vestibule in the station building, and its theme was Lenin’s return from Finland.
In the early 2000s, the Helsinki trains left from Ladozhsky station for a few years, then returned to Finlyandsky. Since 2022 the Helsinki service has been suspended.
Today Finlyandsky is mostly a suburban terminus for the northern suburbs and the Gulf coast, and a place where visitors come to see the square and the monument.
Tickets and Payment at Finlyandsky Railway Station, Saint Petersburg
Train tickets are sold by Russian Railways. Buy them online on the official site or in the mobile app, or at the ticket offices and machines in the station. Suburban trains use simpler tickets, sold at machines and ticket windows; long-distance tickets are tied to a passenger’s identity document, so use your passport details exactly as written in your passport.
- Online: the official site and app sell tickets for most long-distance trains; availability opens well in advance.
- At the station: ticket offices and machines work for same-day travel; queues can be long at weekends in summer.
- Payment: whether a foreign bank card 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.
- Taxis: use an official service or app, and ignore drivers who approach you in the hall; unofficial drivers have a record of overcharging foreign visitors.
Rates for Russian citizens and concession categories differ. The official ticket page is on rzd.ru.
Flights, Transfers and Planning
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How to Get to Finlyandsky Railway Station, Saint Petersburg
By metro: take Line 1, the red line, to Ploshchad Lenina, between Chernyshevskaya and Vyborgskaya. The station’s vestibule is inside the railway station building, so you walk straight into the hall.
On foot: the station is on Ploshchad Lenina, on the Vyborg Side, on the north bank of the Neva. From the cruiser Aurora it is a short walk along the river.
By road: taxis drop you at the facade or on the square. Trams, buses and trolleybuses stop around the square; check a map for the line that suits your hotel.
Accessibility
A station rebuilt in the 1950s and used by many commuters is expected to have ramps, lifts and assistance services for passengers with reduced mobility, but specific details were not confirmed for this article. Request assistance from Russian Railways before your journey, and ask the station staff on arrival. The metro lobby is in the same building, but the escalators at Ploshchad Lenina are long, so a taxi may be easier with a wheelchair.
Food Nearby
The station has cafes, bakeries and kiosks, but the names and tenants change, so look at the signs on the day. Outside, the streets around Ploshchad Lenina and the embankment have cafes and shops within a few minutes' walk. For more choice, ride to the centre before or after your train.
What to Bring
Your passport for long-distance tickets, a payment option for taxis and food, comfortable shoes for the square and the embankment, and a warm layer in winter. Security checks apply at the entrance, so keep bags easy to open.
Photography Rules
Photography is generally tolerated in the public halls and on the square, but filming security staff, police and technical areas is not allowed. Drones are not permitted near the station, and tripods and professional equipment usually need permission from the railway.
Family Suitability
Workable for families. The square is open and safe for children, and the metro is inside the building. Strollers need to be handled on the escalators unless a lift is available, which was not confirmed. Suburban trains to the Gulf coast are easy for families on summer weekends, but they can be crowded.
Russia Vibes Tips
- Look at the Lenin monument from the side to see the armoured car; most people photograph only the figure.
- Combine the station with the cruiser Aurora; both are on the north bank and connected by a short walk along the river.
- Use the metro vestibule inside the building in bad weather; you do not need to go outside.
- Check the destination on the board before boarding; several suburban lines share the platforms.
- Do not plan a Helsinki trip from here without checking the current situation; the service has been suspended since 2022.
- On a summer weekend, buy your suburban ticket early; the trains to the Gulf coast fill quickly.
Explore Nearby Finlyandsky Railway Station, Saint Petersburg
Metro stations near Finlyandsky Railway Station, Saint Petersburg
Ploshchad Lenina Metro Station, Saint Petersburgabout 50 m away (~1 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Sights near Finlyandsky Railway Station, Saint Petersburg
Cruiser Aurora, Saint Petersburgabout 1.1 km away (~18 min walk) · typical visit: 1–1.5 hoursMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
State Museum of Political History of Russia, Saint Petersburgabout 1.8 km away (~29 min walk) · typical visit: 1.5–2.5 hoursMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Summer Garden, Saint Petersburgabout 1.7 km away (~28 min walk) · typical visit: 1–2 hoursMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Train stations and river piers near Finlyandsky Railway Station, Saint Petersburg
Ladozhsky Railway Station, Saint Petersburgabout 5.4 km awayMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Moskovsky Railway Station, Saint Petersburgabout 2.9 km awayMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Related guides
Piskaryovskoye Memorial Cemetery, Saint Petersburg: Visitor GuideMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
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FAQ: Finlyandsky Railway Station, Saint Petersburg
Why is it called Finland Station?
It was built in 1870 by the Finnish State Railways as the terminus of the line from Riihimäki, and it served trains to Finland. The Russian name is Finlyandsky vokzal.
What happened here in 1917?
Lenin returned to Petrograd on 3 April 1917 and spoke from an armoured car outside the station. The square and the monument commemorate the event.
Do trains to Helsinki leave from here?
Not at present. The service has been suspended since 2022. Check the official Russian Railways site for the current situation.
Which trains leave from Finlyandsky?
Suburban trains to Vyborg, Sestroretsk, Zelenogorsk, Primorsk, Priozersk and other towns. Check the official timetable on the day.
Is there a metro station in the building?
Yes. Ploshchad Lenina on Line 1 has its vestibule in the station building. See the options section for onward routes.
Is the building original?
No. The original of 1870 was replaced in 1950 by the present Stalinist building, which keeps a portico from the old one.
Is the Aurora close?
Yes. The cruiser Aurora is on the Neva embankment, a short walk from the station; it has its own article on this site.
Is it worth a special visit?
Yes, if you are interested in the revolution or railway history; 30 minutes is enough. Otherwise it is a station to pass through.
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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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