# Peterhof

> Peterhof is Peter the Great’s seaside palace and fountain park, 30 km west of central St Petersburg. Foreign visitors pay 2,000 ₽ on weekdays and 2,500 ₽ at weekends for the Lower Park; the Grand Palace is a separate 2,700 ₽. The park opens daily at 9:00, and in 2026 the fountains run until 4 November. Plan a full day.

Web page: https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/peterhof

- City: [St Petersburg](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg), Russia
- YesGo score: 50/100 (Yes, go)
- Time on site: 4 h
- Entry: Lower Park from 2,000 ₽ for foreign visitors
- Opening hours: Lower Park daily 9:00–18:00 (until 20:00 from 25 April to 18 October 2026); Grand Palace 10:30–18:00, closed Mondays and the last Tuesday of the month
- With kids: Fine with kids
- Lower Park, full price: 2,000 ₽ on weekdays, 2,500 ₽ at weekends and on holidays — the rate foreign visitors pay
- Lower Park, Russian and EAEU citizens: 900 ₽ weekdays, 1,100 ₽ weekends
- Children under 7: Free
- Grand Palace: 2,700 ₽ full price; entrance is inside the Lower Park, so in summer you need both tickets
- Upper Garden: Free, 9:00–18:00, last entry 17:45
- Lower Park now: 9:00–18:00, ticket desks until 17:00, last entry 17:15
- Lower Park in high season: 25 April–18 October 2026: 9:00–20:00, ticket desks until 19:30
- Fountains: In 2026 until 4 November inclusive, 10:00–18:00; in summer 10:00–19:45
- Grand Palace hours: 10:30–18:00, last entry 17:00; in summer individual visitors enter in set time slots
- Grand Palace closed: Mondays; the last Tuesday of the month is a cleaning day
- Lower Park in winter: Free entry outside the fountain season (as in the museum’s winter 2026 timetable); the 2026/27 winter schedule isn’t published yet
- Payment: Visa and Mastercard cards issued abroad don’t work in Russia — bring roubles in cash
- Train: Baltiysky station to Novy Peterhof ≈ 40–45 min, then ≈ 10 min by bus
- Hydrofoil: From the city-centre embankments to the pier inside the Lower Park, summer season only; check fares with the operator
- Coordinates: 59.88629, 29.90972
- Facts checked: 29.10.2026

## Key facts

- **≈ 150 fountains** — and 4 cascades in the Lower Park (source: Official website of the Peterhof State Museum-Reserve; Russian Wikipedia (147 working fountains as of 2018))
- **No pumps** — the fountains run on gravity, fed by canals from the Ropsha heights (source: Official Peterhof museum website; English and Russian Wikipedia)
- **1723** — the fountains were first switched on with ceremony under Peter the Great (source: Official Peterhof museum website, “Grand Cascade”; Russian Wikipedia)
- **20 m** — the Samson jet — the tallest at Peterhof (source: Official Peterhof museum website, “Samson Fountain”; English Wikipedia)
- **1735** — Samson installed for the 25th anniversary of the Battle of Poltava (source: Official Peterhof museum website; Russian Wikipedia)
- **102.5 ha** — area of the Lower Park (source: Official Peterhof museum website, “Lower Park”; Russian Wikipedia)
- **1990** — UNESCO World Heritage, as part of the Historic Centre of Saint Petersburg (No. 540) (source: UNESCO World Heritage List; English and Russian Wikipedia)
- **1941–1944** — German occupation: the palace was blown up and Samson lost (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; official Peterhof museum website)
- **1947** — a recreated Samson returned to the Grand Cascade (source: Official Peterhof museum website (sculptors V. Simonov and N. Mikhailov); English and Russian Wikipedia)
- **1714–1723** — Monplaisir, Peter’s favourite seaside palace, was built (source: Official Peterhof museum website; Russian Wikipedia)
- **Rastrelli** — rebuilt the Grand Palace for Empress Elizabeth in the mid-18th century (source: Official Peterhof museum website; English and Russian Wikipedia)

## 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.

> **The fountains switch off on 4 November 2026** In 2026 the Lower Park fountains run daily until 4 November inclusive, from 10:00 to 18:00. Then they’re off until spring — the 2026 season opened on 25 April. If Samson and the Grand Cascade are why you’re going, go before the closing date or plan your trip for May to October.

## 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.

## How to get to Peterhof from St Petersburg

1. **By hydrofoil (Meteor)** — the most scenic way, summer season only. Boats leave from the Palace Embankment by the Hermitage and the Admiralty Embankment and take about 30–45 minutes across the Gulf of Finland. The pier is inside the Lower Park, so you buy your park ticket as you step off. Sailings are cancelled in strong wind.
2. **By train from Baltiysky station** — the most reliable option. From Palace Square walk 10 minutes to **Nevsky Prospekt** metro (Line 2, blue), ride 2 stops to **Tekhnologichesky Institut**, change to Line 1 (red) and go 1 stop to **Baltiyskaya**. Take a train towards Oranienbaum or Kalishche to **Novy Peterhof** — about 40–45 minutes.
3. From Novy Peterhof station, buses 351A, 351B, 352, 356, 463 or 489 reach the fountains in about 10 minutes.
4. **By bus from Avtovo metro** (Line 1, red): buses 200, 204E and 210 to the “Fontany” (Pravlenskaya Street) or “Razvodnaya Street” stop — roughly an hour, depending on traffic. From **Prospekt Veteranov** metro there are minibus K-639B and buses 103 and 343E.
5. Best combination: hydrofoil out, so you arrive from the sea the way Peter intended, and train or bus back. Only buy a return hydrofoil ticket if you won’t leave the Lower Park for the Upper Garden — re-entry costs a new ticket.

## 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](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/catherine-palace), where the main draw is indoors. And if you only have two days in the city, the [Hermitage](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/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.

## Before you go: checklist

- [ ] The fountains are still on — the 2026 season ends 4 November
- [ ] For the Grand Palace: not a Monday or the last Tuesday of the month
- [ ] Roubles in cash — foreign Visa and Mastercard don’t work in Russia
- [ ] Wind forecast checked if you’re taking the hydrofoil, plus a backup way home
- [ ] Comfortable shoes — expect 8–10 km of walking
- [ ] A spare T-shirt for the kids — the trick fountains get you wet
- [ ] Water and snacks — there are cafés in the park, but long queues in season

## Peterhof vs Catherine Palace vs Oranienbaum

|  | Peterhof | Catherine Palace (Pushkin) | Oranienbaum |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Best for | Fountains and cascades by the sea | Palace interiors and the Amber Room | Quiet park and 18th-century palaces |
| Season | Fountains late April to autumn | All year | All year |
| Getting there | Train, bus, hydrofoil in summer | Train from Vitebsky station or bus | Train from Baltiysky station |
| Crowds | Very busy in summer | Busy, especially at the Amber Room | Light |
| Time needed | Full day with travel | Half to a full day | Half a day |

In summer, pick Peterhof — the fountains are unique. In winter, YesGo suggests the Catherine Palace, whose highlights are indoors. [Oranienbaum](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/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.

- [State Hermitage Museum](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/hermitage) — YesGo score 76/100 (Yes, go) · 3 h · 500–1,200 ₽
- [Mikhailovsky Castle](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/mikhailovsky-castle) — YesGo score 54/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h 30 min · ≈ 700 ₽
- [Peterhof](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/peterhof) — YesGo score 50/100 (Yes, go) · 4 h · Lower Park from 2,000 ₽ for foreign visitors
- [Yusupov Palace on the Moika](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/yusupov-palace) — YesGo score 47/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · from 950 ₽
- [State Russian Museum](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/russian-museum) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · from 700 ₽
- [Catherine Palace](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/catherine-palace) — YesGo score 37/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · 2,200 ₽ for foreign visitors
- [Fabergé Museum](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/faberge-museum) — YesGo score 36/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · 700 ₽
- [Yelagin Island](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/yelagin-island) — YesGo score 36/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Free weekdays, 200 ₽ at weekends
- [Oranienbaum](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/oranienbaum) — YesGo score 28/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · Park 1,100 ₽, palace 1,800 ₽
- [Pavlovsk Palace and Park](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/pavlovsk-palace) — YesGo score 20/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · Palace 800 ₽, park 300 ₽

## Peterhof and Oranienbaum in a day

Hydrofoil from the Palace Embankment in the morning, the Lower Park fountains, the Grand Palace and the Upper Garden by lunch, then about 20 minutes by bus to quiet Oranienbaum. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers.

1. [Palace Square](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/palace-square) — YesGo score 71/100 (Yes, go) · 30 min · Free
2. [Peterhof](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/peterhof) — YesGo score 50/100 (Yes, go) · 4 h · Lower Park from 2,000 ₽ for foreign visitors
3. [Oranienbaum](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/oranienbaum) — YesGo score 28/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · Park 1,100 ₽, palace 1,800 ₽

> **The best photo is from the Sea Channel** Walk 100–150 metres down the Sea Channel from the Grand Cascade and turn around: Samson, the whole cascade and the palace above fit into one frame. In the morning the sun lights it from the side; after lunch it shines into your lens from behind the palace.

## Good to know

Peterhof is also the name of the town around the palaces, officially part of St Petersburg; in Soviet times it was called Petrodvorets. Novy Peterhof and Stary Peterhof are railway stations — Novy Peterhof is the one for the fountains. Palace Square in Peterhof is the square by the Lower Park entrance, not [Palace Square](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/palace-square) in the city centre.

## Tips

- 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](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/kronstadt) for another day.

## Questions

### How much is the entrance fee to Peterhof?

Foreign visitors pay 2,000 ₽ on weekdays and 2,500 ₽ at weekends for the Lower Park. The Grand Palace is a separate 2,700 ₽. Children under 7 are free; the cheaper rates are for Russian and EAEU citizens only.

### When do the Peterhof fountains work?

Roughly from late April to October. In 2026 the season opened on 25 April and runs until 4 November inclusive, daily 10:00–18:00 (10:00–19:45 in summer).

### What are Peterhof’s opening hours?

The Lower Park opens daily 9:00–18:00 (until 20:00 in high season). The Grand Palace opens 10:30–18:00 and is closed on Mondays and the last Tuesday of the month. The Upper Garden is free, 9:00–18:00.

### How do I get to Peterhof from St Petersburg?

In summer, by hydrofoil from the Palace or Admiralty Embankment (30–45 minutes). All year, by train from Baltiysky station to Novy Peterhof (40–45 minutes) plus a 10-minute bus, or by bus 200, 204E or 210 from Avtovo metro.

### Is the Grand Palace ticket included in the park ticket?

No. The Lower Park and the Grand Palace are separate tickets, and the palace entrance is inside the park, so in summer you need both.

### How long should I spend at Peterhof?

A full day including travel: 2.5–3 hours for the Lower Park, about an hour for the Grand Palace, and 1–1.5 hours each way from the city.

### Is Peterhof worth visiting in winter?

Only if you enjoy parks: the fountains are off and several pavilions are closed. For a winter day trip, the Catherine Palace is the better choice.

### Can I pay with a foreign card at Peterhof?

Usually not — Visa and Mastercard cards issued abroad don’t work in Russia. Bring roubles in cash or book a tour that includes the entry.

### Is Peterhof good for kids?

Yes. The trick fountains that soak passers-by are the highlight for children, and under-7s go free. Bring a change of clothes.

## How we checked

Prices, hours, palace closing days, entrances and concessions come from the official Peterhof museum website — the “Hours and prices” pages and the date-by-date timetable for 29.10.2026. Free winter entry to the Lower Park appears only in the museum’s January–April 2026 timetable; the 2026/27 winter schedule isn’t out yet, so that row is marked “verifying”. The museum gives Samson’s jet as 20 m on the fountain’s own page and 21 m elsewhere; we use 20 m, as English Wikipedia does. Sources disagree on the length of the Grand Palace façade (almost 300 m from the museum, 268 m in Russian Wikipedia) and on the years of Rastrelli’s rebuild (1745–1755 or 1747–1756), so we give neither exactly. Train times are from Yandex timetables; bus and hydrofoil times are our estimates. We don’t quote hydrofoil fares: private operators set them and they change through the season.

## Sources

- Official website of the Peterhof State Museum-Reserve: opening hours and prices for the Lower Park, Upper Garden and Grand Palace, daily timetable, concessions, getting there, contacts, 29.10.2026
- Official Peterhof museum website: news item on the autumn school holidays and the end of the fountain season, 16.10.2026
- Official Peterhof museum website: Lower Park, Grand Cascade, Samson Fountain, Monplaisir
- English Wikipedia: Peterhof Palace; Russian Wikipedia: Peterhof palace and park ensemble, Grand Cascade; Wikidata Q1258473
- UNESCO World Heritage List: Historic Centre of Saint Petersburg and Related Groups of Monuments, No. 540, 1990
- Yandex suburban train timetables; Otello guide to getting to Peterhof, 2026
- Visa and Mastercard statements on suspending operations in Russia, March 2022

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