Petrogradskaya Metro Station opened on 1 July 1963 on Line 2, the blue Moskovsko-Petrogradskaya line, and takes its name from the Petrograd Side, the island district where Saint Petersburg began. The platforms lie about 53 metres below Petrogradsky District, and the vestibule is built into the former House of Fashions at the corner of Kamennoostrovsky Prospekt and Bolshoy Prospekt.
It is a closed-type station, often called a horizontal elevator: a wall with sliding doors separates the platform from the tracks, so the trains open onto the hall only when they stop. It is the second station of this kind in the world, after Park Pobedy, and one of the more unusual halls on the line. The surrounding streets are known for their Art Nouveau houses.
Quick Facts
| Russian name | Петроградская |
|---|---|
| Built / opened | 1963 |
| Architect(s) | Underground hall: V. F. Belov, A. V. Govorkovsky, V. L. Rivin, N. N. Tregubov and L. I. Shimakovsky; vestibule: A. K. Andreyev and Yu. E. Moskalenko |
| Address | Санкт-Петербург, Каменноостровский проспект, 37 OpenStreetMap · Google Maps |
| District | Petrogradsky District |
| Interchanges | Petrogradskaya (Line 2, the vestibule in the House of Fashions at the corner of Kamennoostrovsky Prospekt and Bolshoy Prospekt, near Leo Tolstoy Square) Gorkovskaya (Line 2, previous stop towards Nevsky Prospekt, for Peter and Paul Fortress) Chyornaya Rechka (Line 2, next stop towards Parnas) |
| 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, choose midday or a weekend morning. The weekday morning and evening rush fills the escalators and the platform, and the Art Nouveau streets above are best seen in daylight, in spring and autumn. |
| Last updated | October 16, 2026 |
Why Visit Petrogradskaya Metro Station, Saint Petersburg?
Petrogradskaya is the right stop for the heart of the Petrograd Side: Kamennoostrovsky Prospekt, Bolshoy Prospekt and Leo Tolstoy Square all begin at the vestibule door. It is also one stop from Gorkovskaya, the usual station for Peter and Paul Fortress.
The hall itself is worth a few minutes for its closed-type design, which was a technical novelty in 1963 and still looks unusual today. You pay only for a metro ride, and 15 to 30 minutes covers the platform, the lobby and a first look at the street. Allow extra time for the long escalator ride from 53 metres down.
Highlights of Petrogradskaya Metro Station, Saint Petersburg
A horizontal elevator
Petrogradskaya is a closed-type station, popularly called a horizontal elevator. A wall runs between the central hall and the tracks, and sliding doors open in it only when a train has stopped, much like the doors of a lift.
It was the second station of this kind in the world. The first was Park Pobedy, opened in 1961, and both were built in Leningrad.
Tip: Stand near the doors as a train arrives; the moment the wall opens is the best way to understand the design.
The vestibule in the House of Fashions
The surface vestibule is built into the House of Fashions, a building at the corner of Kamennoostrovsky Prospekt and Bolshoy Prospekt, near Leo Tolstoy Square. It was designed by the architects A. K. Andreyev and Yu. E. Moskalenko.
The station therefore has no freestanding pavilion, so look for the building rather than a separate metro hall.
Tip: Use the corner of the two avenues as your reference point when you come up.
A hall with a ceramic wall
The underground hall was designed by V. F. Belov, A. V. Govorkovsky, V. L. Rivin, N. N. Tregubov and L. I. Shimakovsky. The walls have a corrugated, ceramic-lined surface that gives the hall a rhythmic, modern look.
The design is restrained rather than ornate, in keeping with the early 1960s.
Tip: Look along the wall at an angle to see the ribbed surface catch the light.
Art Nouveau streets above
Kamennoostrovsky Prospekt and Bolshoy Prospekt, close to the station, are known for their Art Nouveau apartment houses from the early twentieth century. The district is one of the best places in the city to see the style.
Look up at the facades, towers and decorative details as you walk away from the vestibule.
Tip: Walk a few blocks along Kamennoostrovsky Prospekt after you surface; the best facades are in the first part of the street.
A year of repairs in 2013
From 5 January 2013 until November that year, the station was closed for major repairs. It reopened with its original character intact, and it remains one of the first-generation stations of the line.
If you see older photographs, remember that the hall was cleaned and renewed during that closure.
Tip: Check the metro's news page before a visit, in case works affect the station.
One stop from Peter and Paul Fortress
Gorkovskaya, the station for Peter and Paul Fortress, is the previous stop towards the centre. The fortress, founded in 1703, is where the city began.
Riding one stop in each direction lets you compare two stations of the same opening day in 1963.
Tip: Combine Petrogradskaya and the fortress in one outing, starting with the street and finishing at the fortress.
Atmosphere
The hall is quiet and cool, with the sound of trains arriving behind the wall and the soft hiss of the sliding doors. The closed design keeps the platform calm, and the ceramic wall gives the space a muted, technical look that is typical of the early 1960s.
It is mostly residents of the Petrograd Side, students and office workers. The platform is busiest on weekday mornings and evenings, and calmer in the middle of the day. Above ground, the vestibule opens onto one of the liveliest crossings in the district, with shops, cafes and the old Art Nouveau houses around it.
History of Petrogradskaya Metro Station, Saint Petersburg
The Petrograd Side is the island where Saint Petersburg began. Peter and Paul Fortress was founded there on 27 May 1703, and the first houses of the new city grew up around it. In the early twentieth century, Kamennoostrovsky Prospekt became a fashionable street of Art Nouveau apartment houses, and the district kept that character.
The first metro line in Leningrad opened in 1955, and the second line followed in stages. Park Pobedy, opened on 29 April 1961, introduced the closed-type hall, with a wall and sliding doors between platform and tracks. Petrogradskaya was the second station of that kind in the world.
Petrogradskaya opened on 1 July 1963 as part of the section from Tekhnologichesky Institut to Petrogradskaya, together with Sennaya Ploshchad, then called Ploshchad Mira, Nevsky Prospekt and Gorkovskaya. Its name comes from the Petrograd Side and from Petrogradsky District. The underground hall was designed by V. F. Belov, A. V. Govorkovsky, V. L. Rivin, N. N. Tregubov and L. I. Shimakovsky, with a ceramic-lined wall, and the vestibule by A. K. Andreyev and Yu. E. Moskalenko.
The vestibule was built into the House of Fashions, a building at the corner of Kamennoostrovsky Prospekt and Bolshoy Prospekt, near Leo Tolstoy Square. This made the station a part of the commercial life of the street from the start.
For decades the station worked without major changes, carrying residents of the district to the centre and to the south. From 5 January 2013 it was closed for major repairs, and it reopened in November of the same year.
Today Petrogradskaya remains an everyday station on Line 2, between Gorkovskaya and Chyornaya Rechka. Its closed-type hall, one of the oldest in the world, is the main reason for visitors to stop here, together with the Art Nouveau streets and the walk to Peter and Paul Fortress.
Tickets and Booking for Petrogradskaya Metro Station, Saint Petersburg
Petrogradskaya 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 Petrogradskaya Metro Station, Saint Petersburg
By metro: take Line 2 (the blue Moskovsko-Petrogradskaya line) and get off at Petrogradskaya, between Gorkovskaya and Chyornaya Rechka. From Nevsky Prospekt it is a direct ride under the Neva.
Exit: the vestibule is in the House of Fashions at the corner of Kamennoostrovsky Prospekt and Bolshoy Prospekt, near Leo Tolstoy Square.
On foot and by road: trams, buses and minibuses run along both avenues. Peter and Paul Fortress is a stop away by metro from Gorkovskaya, or a longer walk along Kamennoostrovsky Prospekt.
Accessibility
Petrogradskaya 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
Kamennoostrovsky Prospekt and Bolshoy Prospekt have a dense mix of cafes, bakeries and restaurants, from quick snacks to sit-down meals, within a few minutes of the vestibule. There is no verified cafe inside the station.
What to Bring
A payment card or a Podorozhnik card, comfortable shoes for walking the avenues and a camera for the Art Nouveau facades. Security checks apply at the entrance, so keep bags easy to open.
Best Views and Photo Spots of Petrogradskaya Metro Station, Saint Petersburg
The platform and its sliding doors
The central hall with the ceramic wall and the doors that open as a train stops, a rare design in the world.
Best time: Midday or a weekend morning, when the platform is clear.
The House of Fashions corner
The vestibule building at the crossing of Kamennoostrovsky Prospekt and Bolshoy Prospekt, with trams and shoppers in the frame.
Best time: Daylight, outside the rush hours.
Kamennoostrovsky Prospekt facades
The Art Nouveau apartment houses along the avenue, with towers, bay windows and decorative details.
Best time: Morning or late afternoon, when the light falls along the street.
Leo Tolstoy Square
The open square near the vestibule, with the surrounding buildings and trees.
Best time: Daylight in clear weather.
Photography Rules
Casual photography is generally tolerated, but tripods, professional filming and flash usually need permission from the metro. Keep escalators and platforms clear, and avoid photographing staff or other passengers.
Family Suitability
Workable for families. The hall is easy to navigate, but the escalator ride is long and the doors on the platform open only when a train stops, so keep children close. Strollers need to be handled on the escalators unless a lift is available, which was not confirmed. The streets above have shops, cafes and a nearby park.
Russia Vibes Tips
- Watch the sliding doors as a train arrives; the closed-type design is the main thing to see in the hall.
- Take the vestibule exit and walk a few blocks along Kamennoostrovsky Prospekt to see the Art Nouveau houses.
- Combine the station with Gorkovskaya and Peter and Paul Fortress, one stop towards the centre.
- Look for the House of Fashions building rather than a freestanding metro pavilion.
- Check the destination board before boarding; Line 2 trains run between Parnas and Kupchino.
- Allow extra time on the way back, because the escalator ride up from 53 metres is long.
Explore Nearby Petrogradskaya Metro Station, Saint Petersburg
Sights near Petrogradskaya 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 1.9 km away (~31 min walk) · typical visit: 1–1.5 hoursMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Metro stations near Petrogradskaya Metro Station, Saint Petersburg
Gorkovskaya Metro Station, Saint Petersburgabout 1.2 km away (~20 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
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FAQ: Petrogradskaya Metro Station, Saint Petersburg
Why is Petrogradskaya called a horizontal elevator?
Because the platform is closed off from the tracks by a wall with sliding doors that open only when a train stops, like the doors of a lift. It was the second station of this kind in the world.
When did the station open?
On 1 July 1963, as part of the section between Tekhnologichesky Institut and Petrogradskaya.
How deep is Petrogradskaya?
About 53 metres below the surface, so the escalator ride is long.
Where is the exit?
In the House of Fashions, at the corner of Kamennoostrovsky Prospekt and Bolshoy Prospekt, near Leo Tolstoy Square.
Is it close to Peter and Paul Fortress?
Not on foot. The usual route is one stop by metro to Gorkovskaya, which is the station for the fortress.
What is there to see above ground?
The Art Nouveau apartment houses on Kamennoostrovsky and Bolshoy Prospekts, the shops and cafes, and Leo Tolstoy Square.
Was the station ever closed?
Yes. It was closed for major repairs from January 2013 until November of that year.
Is it worth a special trip?
Yes, if you like unusual station designs or want to see the Art Nouveau streets of the Petrograd Side. Otherwise it is a quick stop on Line 2.
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Last updated: October 16, 2026.
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