How to enter Russia in 2026

By plane

This is the easiest and fastest way to get to Russia. Currently, there are direct flights from Turkey, UAE, Serbia, China, Thailand, India, Israel, Vietnam and many other countries.
In addition to Moscow and St. Petersburg, international flights are accepted in Kazan, Krasnodar, Sochi, Yekaterinburg, Samara, Mineralnye Vody, Novosibirsk, Khabarovsk and other major cities.

Airline tickets can be purchased on aggregator sites like ‘Aviasales’, ‘OneTwoTrip’, ‘Skyscanner’ and on airlines’ websites themselves (to pay for tickets on Russian websites, you will need a Russian ‘MIR’ bank card).

You can generally cross the border with an electronic visa, valid for citizens of 64 countries (list of countries and checkpoints here). It can be obtained in just a few days, allowing travel within the country for up to 30 days. Read more about the e-visa here.

By train

Prefer train over plane? You can also enter Russia this way. There are international routes to Belarus (Brest, Minsk, Vitebsk and other cities), China (Suifenhe), Mongolia (Ulaanbaatar), Kazakhstan (Almaty, Karaganda, Atyrau) and other countries. However, there is a nuance: e-visas are not accepted on some trains; regular visas are required.

Find out more about international routes and the visas you need to cross the border here.

You can buy train tickets on the ‘Russian Railways’ website – for this, you will need a Russian ‘MIR’ bank card. If you don't have one, you will have to use aggregator sites, foreign railway websites or buy directly at the departure station ticket office.

By car

Russia has over 100 international road border checkpoints (map available only in Russian). However, as with trains, you need to check which visa is required for crossing the border.

The list of road checkpoints for e-visas can be found here. For others, a regular visa is needed. Additionally, there are several bilateral checkpoints that cannot be used by citizens of third countries (these are marked in gray on the map).

For traveling within Russia, you can use your national driver's license (Russia is among the countries that signed the Vienna Convention) or obtain an International Driving Permit. You will also need car insurance valid in Russia.

Remember that you can import no more than 10 liters of fuel outside the tank (i.e., in a canister) without declaration.

By bus

You can travel to Moscow, St. Petersburg and Kaliningrad by bus from Belarus, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland and Germany. Tickets can be purchased from carriers (e.g., ‘Ecolines’ and ‘Lux Express’) or on aggregator sites.

Another popular route is from Tbilisi (Georgia) to Vladikavkaz. Tickets can be purchased on the spot.

There is also a bus service between Zabaikalsk (Zabaykalsky Krai) and Manzhouli (China). From Zabaikalsk, you can take a train to Irkutsk and then travel to Lake Baikal or other points in Siberia. Bus tickets can be purchased through a travel agency or on the spot.

There are also bus tours from China to the Far East (to Vladivostok, Khabarovsk).

By ferry

A regular ferry service operates between Vladivostok and the Korean cities of Donghae and Sokcho. The Donghae-Vladivostok ferry line has extensions to the Japanese city of Sakaiminato several times a month. Tickets can be purchased on the carriers' websites. E-visas are accepted in Vladivostok.

On foot

You can cross the border on foot in Ivangorod (bordering Estonian Narva).

Visa

In 2026, citizens of 64 countries can enter Russia with an electronic visa through the checkpoints listed on the official website.

Citizens of over 60 countries can enter Russia without a visa at all. However, remember that you need to fill out an online application three days before entering the country (details here).

In all other cases, you will need to obtain a regular visa. Find out how to do that here.