How bad is jet lag flying to Saint Petersburg?

It depends where you start. From Los Angeles you cross 10 time zones travelling east, which typically takes about 10 days to shake off. From cities in a similar longitude to Saint Petersburg there is little or no jet lag at all.

Is jet lag worse flying east or west to Saint Petersburg?

Flying east — where you lose hours and have to fall asleep earlier — is generally harder than flying west, for the same number of time zones. The table above marks the direction of each route so you know which kind of adjustment to expect.

How long does it take to get over jet lag in Saint Petersburg?

A common rule of thumb is one day of recovery per time zone crossed when heading east, and a little faster heading west. Bright light at the right time of day and adjusting your sleep before you fly both speed it up.

Jet lag when you fly to Saint Petersburg

Saint Petersburg is on Europe/Moscow. How much jet lag you get depends entirely on where you start — how many time zones you cross, and in which direction. Travelling east is the harder direction. Shift your bedtime earlier for several days beforehand and seek bright morning light on arrival.

Jet lag to Saint Petersburg by departure city

From	Time zones	Direction	Distance	Flight (approx.)	Recovery
Los Angeles	10	→ east	9,174 km	11½ hours	~10 days
New York City	7	→ east	6,886 km	9 hours	~7 days
Sydney	7	← west	14,911 km	18½ hours	~5 days
Tokyo	6	← west	7,593 km	9½ hours	~4 days
São Paulo	6	→ east	11,565 km	14½ hours	~6 days
Singapore	5	← west	8,975 km	11½ hours	~3 days
Mumbai	3	← west	5,653 km	7½ hours	~2 days
London	2	→ east	2,099 km	3 hours	~2 days
Paris	1	→ east	2,164 km	3½ hours	~1 day
Dubai	1	← west	4,327 km	6 hours	~1 day
Johannesburg	1	→ east	9,581 km	12 hours	~1 day

Distances are great-circle; flight times are rough nonstop estimates. Recovery uses ~1 day per zone east, faster west.

Beating jet lag in Saint Petersburg

Jet lag happens because your body clock stays on home time for a while after you land. The bigger the offset between Saint Petersburg and where you flew from, the longer it takes to catch up — roughly a day for each time zone when you travel east, and somewhat faster when you travel west, because it is easier to stay up late than to force yourself to sleep early.

A few days before you fly, nudge your sleep schedule toward Saint Petersburg time — earlier if you are heading east, later if west. On arrival, get outside: daylight is the strongest signal for resetting your clock. Morning light helps after an eastward trip; evening light helps after a westward one. To see the exact current offset, check the current time in Saint Petersburg.

Frequently asked questions

How bad is jet lag flying to Saint Petersburg?: It depends where you start. From Los Angeles you cross 10 time zones travelling east, which typically takes about 10 days to shake off. From cities in a similar longitude to Saint Petersburg there is little or no jet lag at all.
Is jet lag worse flying east or west to Saint Petersburg?: Flying east — where you lose hours and have to fall asleep earlier — is generally harder than flying west, for the same number of time zones. The table above marks the direction of each route so you know which kind of adjustment to expect.
How long does it take to get over jet lag in Saint Petersburg?: A common rule of thumb is one day of recovery per time zone crossed when heading east, and a little faster heading west. Bright light at the right time of day and adjusting your sleep before you fly both speed it up.