How St. Petersburg public transport welcomes tourists? История о том, как в культурной столице провожают туристов.

Happened 02.07.2013 at 11:00 in Akademicheskaya metro station in St. Petersburg Russia:

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I’m traveling a lot and I have always my board-bag with me. I was going to the airport by metro and as almost always I was late and hurrying.

много путешествую, и снаряжение всегда беру с собой, в случае если где-то удастся покататься. В этот раз я собирался лететь из Питера в Нижнекамск. Я опаздывал в аэропорт и решил поехать на метро, чтобы не застрять в пробке.

When I arrived to metro station, I saw there was big queue to ticket windows. I choose little bit shorter queue to the ticket machine, where you can buy 3 tokens by 100 rubles.  When it was almost my turn, tokens were finished and ticket machine stopped to work and I had to go to other long queue, which was until to entrance doors. I was whole queue until ticket window and I had just 28 rubles in coins in my pocket and I bought one token. Then I went to the gate, where are the doors especially for bigger bags, I put token in, but doors didn't open...

В метро оказалась большая очередь за жетонами, и когда подошла моя, жетоны в автомате закончились, пришлось отстоять очередь в кассу. Когда я проходил через турникет, толстозадотолстощёкий дядя-служащий в метро начал кричать на меня. Сначала я не понял в чем дело, но оказалось за мой борд-бэг тоже нужно купить жетон, а я как назло купил только один. Я начал извиняться, но он ничего не слушал, и я прислонив борд-бэг к стене вернулся купить еще жетон. А этот служитель взял мою нелегкую сумку и кинул со всего размаху об стену…….

 P.S. Я успел на самолёт

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...Then some metro officer; fat, red-faced, shiny with sweat in uniform came out from his cabin and didn't say anything, he was only screaming: “You must pay double because of your bag!”

I said: Sorry I didn't know, because I have traveled many times by metro with my bag and never asked double price. Also that I’m hurrying to airport, I bought only one token and there is so long queue to the ticket windows. I couldn't finish when he was screaming still louder: “You must pay double because of your bag!”

I understand that he is drunk, having hangover or just crazy. I said okay, I go to buy second token and I left my board-bag near of the gate against the wall. It was difficult to move with bag in crowded metro entrance hall.

When I was going back to the queue this officer brought down my bag, took it and threw it with really big force against the wall to the other side of the corridor. I went back and said hey what your problem is! I’m sorry, if I must to use your metro and that I have big bag and didn't know about extra payments for bags.

Then I went back to the queue, bought second token and went finally through of the gate. This fat and red faced officer was standing there arms folded and grin on the face.

Okay I was after all nervous too and said when the doors were finally opened that: Fuck off Nazi!

Yes but this is customer service for tourists in public transporting of St. Petersburg!

In escalator older Russian man apologized, that they have this kind of workers in Russia.))