Pushkin (Tsarskoye Selo) route: palaces, park and town

Explore Pushkin (Tsarskoye Selo), a UNESCO-listed imperial town 25 km south of St Petersburg, Russia. This 56.1 km route showcases the historic palace-and-park ensemble founded in 1710 as the Romanov family's countryside residence, featuring the Catherine Palace, Alexander Palace, and the surrounding town center with its 18th-20th century architecture.

Distance
56.1 km
Mode
route
Start
"Tsarskoye Selo" Station Railway Terminal
End
Alexander Palace
Stops
10
Video author
travmap
Updated

Stops on this route

  1. "Tsarskoye Selo" Station Railway Terminal — Historic railway station connecting St. Petersburg to the imperial palaces, featuring ornate 19th-century architecture and serving as the gateway to Pushkin's royal ensemble.
  2. "Vkusno i Tochka" restaurant in Pushkin — Contemporary dining establishment offering Russian cuisine in a charming setting within the historic town of Pushkin.
  3. Gostiny Dvor (Merchant Court) — 18th-century neoclassical trading arcade and marketplace that once bustled with merchants, now preserving the commercial heritage of imperial Pushkin.
  4. Singing Tower (Pevcheskaya Water Tower) — Distinctive red-brick water tower with acoustic properties that produced musical tones, representing 19th-century engineering innovation in Pushkin.
  5. Catherine Park in Pushkin
  6. Catherine Palace in Pushkin — Magnificent Baroque royal residence with azure and gold façades, housing the legendary Amber Room and serving as Russia's most recognizable imperial palace.
  7. Znamenskaya Church — Orthodox chapel with distinctive golden cupola located near the palace complex, reflecting the spiritual heritage of the imperial estate.
  8. Lyceum Garden and Monument to Alexander Pushkin — Memorial garden surrounding the monument to Russia's greatest poet, who studied at the prestigious Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum educational institution.
  9. Alexander Park — Landscape park created in the 1770s west of the Great Palace, featuring natural garden design and recreational spaces.
  10. Alexander Palace — Neo-classical imperial residence built 1795 for future Emperor Alexander I by architect Giacomo Quarenghi, later primary residence of Tsar Nicholas II.

Useful for your trip

Transport
Suburban trains are the fastest way to reach Pushkin from St Petersburg. They run every 10-15 minutes with a total ride time of only 28 minutes.
Transport
Tsarskoye Selo Railway Terminal is located about 1 km from the town center at Catherine Cathedral Square.
Food
A 'Vkusno i Tochka' restaurant (rebranded McDonald's) is located inside Tsarskoye Selo Railway Terminal.
Timing
Visit in spring (March-May) for comfortable early spring weather. On March 28, temperature was +9°C (48°F).
Tip
Pushkin is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of the Historic Centre of Saint Petersburg and Related Groups of Monuments.
Tip
The town was founded in 1710 as an imperial suburban residence. It features Catherine Palace, Alexander Palace, Catherine Park, Alexander Park, and the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum where poet Alexander Pushkin studied.
Tip
Tsarskoye Selo was the first fully electrified town in Europe under Emperor Alexander III in 1887, and operated the first railway in the Russian Empire starting in 1837.

Video on this route

PUSHKIN (Tsarskoye Selo), St Petersburg, Russia in SPRING 2026

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