Peterhof

Peterhof tickets and prices for foreigners

There is no single Peterhof ticket — you pay for each part separately. The one that matters is the Lower Park, where the fountains are. Foreign visitors pay the full price: 2,000 ₽ on weekdays and 2,500 ₽ at weekends and on public holidays. Children under 7 go free. The cheaper 900 ₽ rate and the student discounts apply only to citizens of Russia and the EAEU countries with a passport.

The Grand Palace is a separate 2,700 ₽ ticket. Its entrance and ticket desk are on the Lower Park side, so in summer you need the park ticket too. The smaller museums in the park — the Catherine Block, the Bath Block, the Special Treasury — each have their own ticket. Monplaisir and Marly are closed for restoration; the Grand Cascade grottoes and the Hermitage pavilion are closed for the winter.

Tickets are sold on the official Peterhof museum website, at desks and machines on Palace Square and Razvodnaya Square in Peterhof, and at the hydrofoil pier. A Lower Park ticket is good for one entry only: once you leave, you need a new one to get back in.

Paying as a foreigner: Visa and Mastercard cards issued abroad have not worked in Russia since March 2022, so online booking with your card usually fails. Bring roubles in cash for the ticket desks — or book a guided tour that includes the entry.

Peterhof opening hours

The Lower Park is open every day. Right now it’s 9:00–18:00, with ticket desks until 17:00 and last entry at 17:15. In high season (25 April–18 October 2026) the park stayed open until 20:00 and the fountains played from 10:00 to 19:45. The free Upper Garden is open 9:00–18:00.

The Grand Palace opens 10:30–18:00, last entry 17:00. It is closed on Mondays and on the last Tuesday of each month. In summer, individual visitors are let in only in time slots — 10:30–12:00, 14:30–16:00 and 16:45–18:45 — because the rest of the day goes to tour groups. Check the day’s timetable on the museum website before you set off.

Is Peterhof worth visiting?

In fountain season, yes — it’s the best day trip from St Petersburg, and nothing else in Russia has fountains on this scale. The view from the top of the Grand Cascade, with Samson’s jet in front and the Sea Channel running straight to the Gulf, is the image people come for.

Outside the season, YesGo is honest: the fountains are off, several pavilions are shut, and Peterhof becomes a pleasant, chilly park by the sea. In winter you get more for your time at the Catherine Palace, where the main draw is indoors. And if you only have two days in the city, the Hermitage and the centre come first.

What to see at Peterhof

• The Grand Cascade and Samson — dozens of jets, gilded statues and a 20-metre column of water from the lion’s jaws. Stand by the Sea Channel facing the palace for the full view.
• The Sea Channel, running from the cascade to the Gulf — in Peter’s day, guests arrived by boat right up to the palace.
• The trick fountains — the Oak, the Umbrella, the Little Fir Trees, the Water Road and the Benches — soak anyone who steps too close. Kids love them.
• The Chessboard Hill cascade and the Roman fountains in the eastern part of the park.
• The Golden Hill cascade and Marly Palace by its pond in the west — Marly is closed for restoration, but you can see it from outside.
• Monplaisir, Peter’s small Dutch-style palace right on the shore — closed for restoration, but walk to its terrace for the sea view.
• The Grand Palace — Rastrelli’s gilded halls, the Chinese cabinets and Peter the Great’s Oak Study.
• The Upper Garden with the Neptune fountain — free, and a good first stop if you arrive by bus.
• Alexandria Park next door, with the Gothic-style Cottage Palace — quieter, and free before 10:00, according to the museum.

How much time do you need at Peterhof?

Give the Lower Park 2.5–3 hours at an easy pace. The Grand Palace adds about an hour and the Upper Garden 20–30 minutes. Allow 1–1.5 hours each way for the journey. That makes a full day; the YesGo planner gives the ensemble itself four hours.

Arrive at 9:00, when the gates open. The fountains start at 10:00, and the first hour is the quietest of the day. Weekdays are cheaper and calmer; just avoid Monday if you want the palace.

Peterhof vs Catherine Palace vs Oranienbaum

In summer, pick Peterhof — the fountains are unique. In winter, YesGo suggests the Catherine Palace, whose highlights are indoors. Oranienbaum is about 10 km further west and fits into the same day as Peterhof.

St Petersburg palaces compared

Every palace in and around St Petersburg rated by YesGo. Tap a column heading to sort.

How to do it right

• Go on a weekday: the Lower Park costs 2,000 ₽ instead of 2,500 ₽ at weekends.
• Three hours, free start: Upper Garden → Grand Cascade from above → Sea Channel → trick fountains and Chessboard Hill → Monplaisir from outside → Marly and Golden Hill.
• The hydrofoil lands inside the Lower Park — a grand entrance, but you’ll pay for the park ticket on the pier.
• Return hydrofoils leave from the same pier inside the park, so don’t step outside the fence before your boat.
• One day and the fountains are on? Spend it in the park rather than queuing for the palace slot.
• A guided tour solves the payment problem and explains why Peter wanted a “Russian Versailles”.
• Add Oranienbaum the same afternoon, and save Kronstadt for another day.

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