Important travel notice for Zenit
Liverpool Football Club have been provided with the following important information for fans travelling to Russia for the game against Zenit St Petersburg at the Petrovsky Stadium on Thursday, February 14.
Passports, visas and health insurance
British citizens need a visa to travel to Russia, and your passport should be valid for a further three months after your Russian visa expiration date.
Your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) is not valid in Russia, so travel/health insurance is essential, even if you're only going for one night - it could save you a lot of money if you find yourself in difficulty.
It is essential you carry some kind of photo ID with you. Local police have advised us that a photocopy of your passport will be sufficient. The passport itself can be left in a secure place, i.e. in a safe at your hotel.
If you lose your passport or have it stolen, you should report the loss to the local police as soon as possible in the first instance and obtain a police report or confirmation of loss from the police.
The British Consulate General can then provide you with an emergency travel document (ETD) and facilitate your exit visa so that you can leave Russia and return home.
Key transport tips
The nearest metro station to the Petrovsky Stadium is Sportivnaya/СПОРТИВНАЯ (Purple Line). Check the stadium website and map for more information.
The nearest metro stations to the British Consulate General are Chernyshevskaya/ЧЕРНЫШЕВСКАЯ (Red line) and Vosstaniya - Mayakovskaya/ВОССТАНИЯ - МАЯКОВСКАЯ (Red line - Green line).
Pulkovo International (Pulkovo 2) Airport is served by bus line No.13 and minibus lines K13 and K213 from Moskovskaya/МОСКОВСКАЯ (metro - Blue line).
Metro (underground) tokens are on sale in all metro stations and cost Rbl 28 per trip.
Payment must be made in cash - card payments are not accepted.
Bus tickets can be bought from the driver for Rbl 25 per ticket on bus lines and up to Rbl 35 per ticket on mini bus lines. Again payment must be made in cash only.
The metro runs from 5:30am until 00:00 - 00:30am depending on the station.
Buses run from 5:30am until 1:00am.
At the match
Access to the stadium can be slow. There will be body searches at the entrance to the ground and then ticket checks at the entrance to the stand. To avoid a last-minute queues please try to get to the stadium early.
Security at the stadium will be strict and uncompromising - refrain from antagonising the police even if you believe you are in the right.
The temperature can be very low mid-February, so dress warm. Note that Petrovsky Stadium is an old stadium with no roof and heating.
No bottles and cans are allowed to be brought into the ground. Rules on alcohol at the stadium are strict. Drinking alcohol inside the stadium is prohibited. Stadium security will not allow entry to anyone they consider to have been drinking heavily.
Flags and banners, without poles, are allowed subject to message, language and content.
There will be a left luggage facility for prohibited items.
Smoking is allowed. Standing during the game is allowed. Drums and other musical instruments are permitted, but not vuvuzelas.
There will be a 15-minute holdback for Liverpool fans who will then be escorted as a group to Sportivnaya metro station.
Tips
Tap water has to be boiled before drinking.
As in any other city, beware of pickpockets and bag snatchers at airports, railway stations, around the town centre and when using public transport.
Only carry what you need, leave spare cash and valuables in hotel safety deposits.
Pickpockets operate on the metro and in tourist areas such as Nevsky Prospect.
Don't commit acts of theft - you are more likely to be locked up rather than fined or deported.
Minimise the risks
Carry a photocopy of your passport and visa with you when out and about.
Carry a note of the address of your hotel in both English and Russian. This can help people give you directions and ensure that taxi drivers know where you want to go.
Keep the number of valuables you carry to a minimum - passport, a credit card, your phone and some money - and ensure they are secure (not in back pockets).
Change money at a bank, hotel, or in exchange points - not on the street, it's illegal.
Carry the contact number for your travel insurer at all times. Also carry the address and telephone number of the consulate so you can call for help.
Leave a copy of your passport and other important documents safe in your hotel in case you lose the originals.
Don't carry weapons of any sort - they will be confiscated and could get you arrested.
Drink and drugs
Be vigilant when drinking as pickpockets may operate in some bars. Don't leave drinks unattended - drink spiking is common. Beware of strangers offering to buy drinks for you.
Russia operates a zero tolerance policy on the possession and use of drugs, whether hard or soft. Penalties are severe and can result in long jail sentences.
Check out more travel advice for Russia before you travel.