Be prepared to pay for this service. Remember that Russians always remove their shoes and wear slippers at home. Please do not make any international calls from your host-family. It is better and cheaper to have your family in Canada call you. You can also catch a more comfortable passenger van that runs to town for 7 roubles.
Trains run frequently.
The single fare is 3 roubles. All public transport runs from about 6 am until midnight. It is best to have friends and family call you from Canada. You can place international call from card phones, which are found all over the city. Further reading St Petersburg Web Fresh Guide to St.