How to get to Russia: airports, flights and border crossings

Moscow is the default entry point. Three airports serve it: Sheremetyevo (SVO) to the north-west, Domodedovo (DME) to the south and Vnukovo (VKO) to the south-west. SVO has the most international traffic and a direct express train to the city centre. DME and VKO are smaller and mostly handle regional and charter traffic, with rail links of their own.

Saint Petersburg's Pulkovo (LED) is the second international gateway and the better choice if the city is your first stop. Sochi (AER) on the Black Sea takes international flights from a smaller set of origins and is useful for the southern coast. Elsewhere — Kazan, Yekaterinburg, Novosibirsk, Vladivostok — airports are mostly domestic or regional, so you would usually connect through Moscow or another hub first.

If you are heading far east, Vladivostok and Khabarovsk are reachable from Asian hubs, which can be shorter than routing through Moscow. Check which carriers currently serve each airport before you build an itinerary.

Direct flights between Russia and most of North America, the UK, the EU, Canada and Australia are suspended or unavailable. In practice you fly to a hub that still has connections, then take a second flight into Russia. The usual hubs are Istanbul, Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi, Belgrade, Yerevan, Tashkent and Beijing. This adds a stop and several hours to the journey.

From the US, expect a connection in Europe, the Gulf or Turkey; total travel time is commonly 10 to 16 hours depending on the hub and layover. From the UK, a nonstop London–Moscow flight is about four hours when it operates, but most routings now go through Istanbul or Belgrade and take six to nine hours. From Canada, add a North American leg before the hub. From Australia and New Zealand, plan on two stops, often via the Gulf or Asia, and 20 hours or more in the air.

Fares vary widely by route and season. Compare a few hubs rather than assuming one is cheapest, and check baggage rules carefully on connecting tickets, since separate bookings mean you re-check bags.

Russia has land borders with Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania (via Kaliningrad), Poland (via Kaliningrad), Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia and China. Not all crossings are open to foreign travellers, and some have been restricted or closed. If you plan to enter overland, confirm the specific crossing is open to your nationality and that your visa or e-visa allows that point of entry.

Rail is the classic overland option. Long-distance trains link Moscow and Saint Petersburg with Helsinki (suspended), Warsaw, Berlin, Beijing, Ulaanbaatar and Central Asian cities, but services have been cut or rerouted. Check the current timetable with the operator before relying on any route.

By sea, ferries have linked Russia with Turkey, Georgia and Baltic ports at various times, and cruise ships call at Saint Petersburg and Sochi. These services come and go, so verify with the ferry company or cruise line. For most travellers in 2026, flying into a hub and connecting is the simplest route.

Most foreign nationals need a visa to enter Russia. A unified e-visa covers short tourist visits for many nationalities and is applied for online before travel; eligibility, the list of accepted entry points and the fee change, so check the official source before you book. Some nationalities can enter visa-free for short stays under bilateral agreements.

You will also need a passport valid for at least six months beyond your intended departure, proof of onward travel or accommodation in some cases, and travel insurance that covers Russia. Registration rules apply if you stay in one place for more than seven working days; hotels usually handle this, but private stays may not.

Read your own government's travel advice before booking. It covers entry rules, safety and consular support, and it is the document that matters if something goes wrong.

Book flights with a long enough connection to clear immigration and re-check bags if you are on separate tickets. Moscow's airports are far from the centre, so budget an hour or more for the transfer by train or taxi.

Payment is a common surprise. Foreign cards issued outside Russia often do not work, so carry cash in rubles for immediate needs and arrange money before you arrive. Mobile data is easy to sort with an eSIM or a local SIM bought on arrival.

Travel insurance matters more than usual here: make sure the policy covers Russia and any activities you plan, and keep a copy of the policy and emergency numbers offline.