running Alstom Pendolino operated high-speed
services between Saint Petersburg's Finlyandsky and Helsinki's Central
railway stations. These services are branded as 'Allegro' trains.
Pulkovo International Airport.
Air travel
Saint
Petersburg is also served by Pulkovo International Airport, and by
three smaller commercial and cargo airports in the suburbs. Lappeenranta
Airport, which is located near Saint Petersburg in Finnish side of the
border, is also popular among Russian travellers.
Pulkovo airport
opened to passengers as a small aerodrome in 1931. As of 2011, the
airport is the 4th busiest in Russia after Moscow's Domodedovo,
Sheremetyevo and Vnukovo airports. With two main terminals (one
domestic, one international), Pulkovo is widely regarded as one of the
larger and more modern airports in the Russian Federation. However, as
it is anticipated that by 2025 Pulkovo airport will handle around 17
million passengers annually, plans have been laid out to build a new
mid-field terminal extension directly to the north of Terminal 1
(domestic); it is planned to initially contain 18 gates, with the option
of later extend the terminal by means of a mid-apron pier. Construction
began in November 2010, and is scheduled to complete in 2013.
There is a regular, 24/7, rapid-bus transit connection (marshrutka) between Pulkovo airport and the city center
