The Cheapest Way to Send Flowers Abroad
The cheapest way to send flowers abroad is to order directly from a florist that makes and delivers bouquets in the recipient's own city, paying online with your card. Shipping cut flowers across borders is expensive and they rarely survive it, and services that pass your order on to another company add their own margin. On top of that, a seasonal mono-bouquet, a modest odd number of stems and a delivery date away from public holidays keep the cost down without making the gift look cheap.
We have run flower shops in Saint Petersburg since 2011, and many of our orders come from people living abroad who want to surprise family in Russia. The same questions come up again and again: how to avoid paying twice for delivery, which bouquets give the most for the money and how to pay from abroad. Here is what we tell them, with practical steps that work for Russia and for most other countries too.
Why ordering in the recipient's city costs less
Cut flowers are perishable, bulky and subject to plant health rules at most borders, so nobody sensible ships a bouquet from London to Moscow in a box. What you actually pay for when you send flowers abroad is a bouquet made in the destination country plus the delivery inside that city. Every company standing between you and the florist who assembles the bouquet takes a share, and that share often ends up larger than the cost of the flowers themselves. Ordering directly from a shop that makes and delivers the bouquet removes those layers.
Ordering directly also gives you a clearer picture of what the recipient will receive. When an order is passed along, the photo on the website is often only an example, and the florist at the other end works with whatever stock and budget are left after commissions. A shop that shows its own bouquets and delivers them with its own couriers can tell you exactly which flowers go into the bouquet and what the delivery costs. For Saint Petersburg and other Russian cities, that is the model we work by.
A practical check before you pay: look at the delivery conditions page, see whether the shop names its own address and phone number, and confirm that the total shown at checkout includes delivery. If the final amount jumps after you enter the address, or the delivery fee is not stated anywhere, the order is probably being passed on.
Bouquets that give the most for the money
Customers in our shops often ask which bouquet looks generous without a big bill. The answer is almost always a mono-bouquet of seasonal flowers. Fifteen tulips in spring, chrysanthemums or alstroemeria in autumn, or a bunch of spray roses look full and festive, while a mixed designer bouquet with peonies out of season and imported exotics costs much more for a similar size. Spray roses are a particularly good choice: one stem carries several heads, so a modest number of stems gives a lot of colour.
Greenery and simple wrapping also work in your favour. Eucalyptus, pistacia and other foliage add volume and a fresh scent, and a neat kraft paper or film wrap looks as good in photos as an elaborate box. Hat boxes and baskets with floral foam are beautiful but include the cost of the container. A bouquet in a vase is pleasant to receive but the vase adds to the price, and most homes already have one.
Keep Russian etiquette in mind: give an odd number of flowers, since even numbers are for funerals. Choosing 7 or 9 stems instead of 12 is both correct and a little cheaper. In our bouquets catalogue you can see each bouquet and its flowers before ordering.
Bouquets we can deliver
Timing: when flowers cost more and how to avoid it
Flower prices follow the calendar. In Russia the busiest dates are 8 March, International Women's Day, followed by 14 February, 1 September when children take flowers to school, and Teacher's Day in early October. In the days before 8 March demand rises so sharply that tulips, mimosa and roses become noticeably more expensive across the whole market. If your occasion allows, send the bouquet a day or two earlier, or choose flowers that are not the symbol of that holiday.
Ordering ahead is the simplest way to avoid last-minute stress. With us you can pre-order 1-30 days ahead, which is especially useful if you live several time zones away and could easily miss the right moment. A pre-order also gives you time to agree the composition and the card text calmly, rather than choosing in a hurry from whatever is left on the morning of a holiday.
Express delivery in large cities, 1-2 hours after the order is confirmed, is there for real emergencies such as a forgotten birthday. For most occasions a time window is enough: 09-12, 12-15, 15-18 or 18-21. If the moment matters, for example a surprise at breakfast, you can choose an exact time with a margin of plus or minus 30 minutes.
Delivery costs: what to check before paying
Delivery is where international orders most often become expensive. With us, city delivery costs 500 RUB. For remote districts and suburbs the operator confirms the price when confirming the order, so you know the full amount before anything is final. Look at the full address before ordering: a cottage settlement outside the city is not the same as a flat in the centre.
A failed delivery is an expense too, so it helps to plan it properly. Our courier calls the recipient about 15 minutes before arrival. If the recipient is not at home, we agree a second delivery the same day or, with your consent, leave the flowers with a neighbour or concierge. Give us a phone number the recipient actually answers and, if possible, an alternative contact.
In Saint Petersburg delivery is around the clock, so you can arrange flowers for a late arrival from the airport or an early morning surprise. A card with your text is free, and delivery is anonymous by default: the courier does not name the sender unless you want them to. All conditions are listed on our delivery and payment page.
Paying from abroad without extra costs
Customers abroad often worry about payment more than about the flowers. On our website you can pay online by bank card, SBP or Yandex Pay, and foreign bank cards are accepted through Robokassa. That means you do not need to ask a relative in Russia to pay for you or transfer money through a third person, which is often the hidden extra cost in sending a gift.
Your bank may charge its own fee for a payment in roubles and will apply its exchange rate. It is worth checking which of your cards has the lowest foreign transaction fee before paying; for many people that is a travel card or a multi-currency account. The amount on our side is the bouquet plus delivery, with nothing added at the last step.
If something is unclear, call us on 8 (812) 507-67-05. It is quicker to ask before paying than to correct an order afterwards, especially about the address, the delivery time and the card text.
A short checklist for sending flowers to Russia
Before ordering, collect the essentials: the recipient's full address with entrance, floor and flat number, an intercom code if there is one, a phone number they answer and the date and time you want. Decide whether the gift should be anonymous or signed, and write the card text in advance; Russian or English both work.
Choose the bouquet by season and by the recipient: tulips or mimosa in spring, peonies in early summer, chrysanthemums and roses all year. Keep the number of stems odd. Then pick the delivery option that suits the occasion and check the total with delivery before paying. For city-specific advice, read our guides on how to send flowers to Russia from abroad and sending flowers from the USA, UK or Europe.
Frequently asked questions
Is it cheaper to ship flowers or order them in the destination country?
Ordering in the destination country is almost always cheaper and the flowers arrive fresh. Shipping cut flowers across borders is costly, slow and often restricted by plant health rules.
How much does flower delivery cost in Russian cities with you?
City delivery costs 500 RUB. For remote districts and suburbs the operator confirms the price when confirming the order.
Can I pay with a foreign bank card?
Yes. Foreign bank cards are accepted through Robokassa, and you can also pay by bank card, SBP or Yandex Pay. Your own bank may apply its exchange rate and fee.
Which flowers give the most for the money?
Seasonal mono-bouquets such as tulips, chrysanthemums, alstroemeria or spray roses look full at a moderate cost. Simple wrapping and greenery add volume without adding much to the price.
When should I order to avoid holiday price rises?
Order early or pre-order 1-30 days ahead, especially before 8 March and 14 February. Sending a day before the busiest date also helps.
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