St. Petersburg

[Portlypat]

Has anyone had experience with tour companies in St. Petersburg that are not cost prohibitive?

[Essiesmom]

I think the principle that applies here is 'you get what you pay for', and since there is no ADA in SPB,  getting a satisfactory tour if you are mobility challenged might cost more...

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/116-northern-europe-amp-baltic-sea/

Edited June 17, 2019 by Essiesmom

[LondonTowner]

2 hours ago, Portlypat said:

Has anyone had experience with tour companies in St. Petersburg that are not cost prohibitive?

It depends on your disability. We have been to SPBtwice and both times did the 2 day Comfort Tour with Alla Tours. I took a manual wheelchair and the only thing I didn’t do is the subway ride.

 

we also did the evening visit to the Faberge Museum, which was excellent.

 

if you need an accessible vehicle I think there is a company called Liberty Travel that’s supposed to be good.

 

SPB is not the most disabled friendly place, but it can be done.

[Portlypat]

Thanks so much, Londontowner. I was in contact with Alla as I had heard such good things about them. They would not allow me to join their Comfort tour because I travel with a mobility scooter. In spite of my telling them it weighs only 16kg and is collapsible, I think they still had they idea it was huge. 

I am so glad to hear that the Faberge was excellent. My friend really wants to see it. I think we will be going with SPB Tours. Fingers crossed I’ll get to see most things on my “must see” list.

[katisdale]

We used SPB tours and were quite pleased with them. We did not go to the Faberge museum as that was not on our list. At the time I was using a travelscoot brand scooter and they handled it (and me) just fine.

[LondonTowner]

On 6/17/2019 at 7:30 PM, Portlypat said:

Thanks so much, Londontowner. I was in contact with Alla as I had heard such good things about them. They would not allow me to join their Comfort tour because I travel with a mobility scooter. In spite of my telling them it weighs only 16kg and is collapsible, I think they still had they idea it was huge. 

I am so glad to hear that the Faberge was excellent. My friend really wants to see it. I think we will be going with SPB Tours. Fingers crossed I’ll get to see most things on my “must see” list.

I think most of the local operators in SPB are pretty good from what I read. We’ve done two Baltic cruises with very different itineraries. Would definitely go back again.

[KateDen]

On 6/17/2019 at 11:30 AM, Portlypat said:

Thanks so much, Londontowner. I was in contact with Alla as I had heard such good things about them. They would not allow me to join their Comfort tour because I travel with a mobility scooter. In spite of my telling them it weighs only 16kg and is collapsible, I think they still had they idea it was huge. 

I am so glad to hear that the Faberge was excellent. My friend really wants to see it. I think we will be going with SPB Tours. Fingers crossed I’ll get to see most things on my “must see” list.

 

I had the same experience with Alla. I booked a van with White NIghts Tours and they have been quite accommodating. They have arranged a two day tour that goes to the main sights but at a slower pace. I was able to find others on my CC board to join us. Instead of a sixteen passenger bus we will have seven people in a van for only a slightly higher price. 

 

Kate

[Portlypat]

On 6/17/2019 at 4:27 PM, katisdale said:

We used SPB tours and were quite pleased with them. We did not go to the Faberge museum as that was not on our list. At the time I was using a travelscoot brand scooter and they handled it (and me) just fine.

Thank you. I am going with SPB Russian Treasures with Faberge Museum. Beyond excited. Like you, I love my TravelScoot!

[j927merlin]

On 6/17/2019 at 2:30 PM, Portlypat said:

Thanks so much, Londontowner. I was in contact with Alla as I had heard such good things about them. They would not allow me to join their Comfort tour because I travel with a mobility scooter. In spite of my telling them it weighs only 16kg and is collapsible, I think they still had they idea it was huge. 

I am so glad to hear that the Faberge was excellent. My friend really wants to see it. I think we will be going with SPB Tours. Fingers crossed I’ll get to see most things on my “must see” list.

 I will be on a private tour of SPB in August.  Did you get to see the Faberge?  Was it accessible for a colapsable wheelchair?

[Portlypat]

43 minutes ago, j927merlin said:

 I will be on a private tour of SPB in August.  Did you get to see the Faberge?  Was it accessible for a colapsable wheelchair?

I am not there until August 18th myself, but the Faberge website shows an elevator, and I have read that personnel there are helpful. I am sure your private guide will have notified the museum. I am optimistic that things will go smoothly.

[Benthayer Gonbak]

On 6/17/2019 at 2:30 PM, Portlypat said:

Thanks so much, Londontowner. I was in contact with Alla as I had heard such good things about them. They would not allow me to join their Comfort tour because I travel with a mobility scooter. In spite of my telling them it weighs only 16kg and is collapsible, I think they still had they idea it was huge. 

I am so glad to hear that the Faberge was excellent. My friend really wants to see it. I think we will be going with SPB Tours. Fingers crossed I’ll get to see most things on my “must see” list.

 

The group I used was TJ Tours because Alla was full.  I sent them the spec sheet so they could see the scooter folded, as they didn’t want to let me do Moscow by train. They were quite helpful when some of my fellow travelers got annoyed with the scooter.  Some places are not accessible but there are plenty of places that are, sort of.  The ramps to he cathedrals are retrofit and although they double back on themselves are too steep for someone to push their own wheelchair.  Catherines  Palace has an elevator but they make you transfer to a manual wheelchair.  

 

Like others have said curb cuts cuts are rare, but they do exist and often aren’t too far away!  Single steps to many stores though.  

 

The main museum Hermitage?  Is accessible by way other than the ramp in the front.  And the long flight of stairs that I climbed many years ago now has an elevator too.  If it’s working!  But ultimately, there are ways into and out of it and I even saw London Travel who uses handicap equipped vans there.