I would strongly recommended people not to visit Russia with free visa trip because it is fxxking time-consuming. Eventually, it took 3-4 hours for queuing in passport control and you have only a half day to visit the city.
St.Petersburg line was expected to arrive at 09.30 but ended up at 10.00. They opened the gate at almost 10.30. When you feel like "oh yeah I'm in Russia", you have to wait for the passport control which take at least 15 minutes per person. But basically they won't talk to you except asking you to remove your glasses and I am fxxking wondering what the fxxk they are looking my passport again and again for fucking 10 minutes hahhahaha
For any people they feel suspected, they are bringing to a special room. I heard an American soldier showed his passport with his soldier card (Something like that) and being detained for 3 days. He even missed his voyage and has to take a flight back hahah
Like me
yes, maybe I look like a spy
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yes, they act like I look different from the passport
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and I never do make up and have any plastic surgery
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It took another 30 minutes for me to wait in that "special room"
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In fact, it is not special at all because there are quite a lot of people here
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even for the tour guides who visit Russia with free visa for a few times already
They compared my face with the passport photo again and again, taking photos of me and compare them again and again. For some people, they would scan their fingerprint too.
Even though you are not the one being suspected, there are many people being suspected queuing in front of you, so it is not worth to take the cruise trip if you are coming for the free visa to Russia. (my purpose is to enjoy a cruise holiday hahahha)
#shuttle bus
THIS IS A DISASTER TO TAKE THE SHUTTLE BUS.
Since the bus (but it's better to describe it as a van) has limited seats and you cannot stand in the van, everyone is squeezing and no one keeps the line when the van is arrived. It's like a refugee camp and we can't wait to be sent out hahahha. The shuttle bus doesn't come on time despite the timetable provided. Shuttle buses back to the terminal stop in the same place of where they drop off, packing area of St.Issac's Square. My roommates managed to take taxi instead and it costs them 70€ in total for the trip.
#Duty free shop
I didn't manage to shop in any souvenir shops when I was in city center. The price is decent and they got Christmas offer for some chocolate and it's a good choice if you buy as souvenirs to others. (The more well-packed one, the more less tasty hahahah) It costs 1-2€ for a magnet and other little souvenir.
There are souvenirs another than alcohol hahahha