Routes at a glance
| From | How | Time | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Western Europe or North America | Flight to Russia | No direct services | Airspace closures since 2022; indirect routes via third countries only |
| Kirkenes, Norway | Road via Storskog | 15 km to the border | Crossing heavily restricted; Russian visa required |
| Finland | Road | — | Finland has kept its land border with Russia closed since late 2023 |
| Moscow or St Petersburg | Domestic flight to Murmansk | About 2–2.5 hours | For those already in Russia |
| Murmansk | Icebreaker or expedition ship | Several days | Franz Josef Land and North Pole voyages; few Western operators |
Travel advisories
At the time of writing, many governments — including those of the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and most member states of the European Union — advise against all travel to Russia, citing the war in Ukraine, the risk of arbitrary detention, limited consular help and few ways to leave at short notice. Advice differs by country and changes; consult your own foreign ministry’s website. Travelling against official advice usually invalidates ordinary travel insurance.
Flights, borders and money
There are no direct flights between Russia and the European Union, the United Kingdom, the United States or Canada. Travellers who do go route through countries such as Turkey, the United Arab Emirates or Serbia. Norway’s one crossing at Storskog near Kirkenes operates with severe restrictions, and Finland’s land crossings are closed. Bank cards issued outside Russia by the main international networks generally do not work there, so visitors must carry cash, and sanctions restrict what may be brought in and out.
Visas and permits
Most foreign nationals need a visa for Russia. In addition, much of the Arctic coast — including Teriberka’s wider district at times, Franz Josef Land, Novaya Zemlya, Chukotka and Wrangel Island — lies within border or closed zones for which foreigners need permits from the security services, traditionally applied for weeks or months ahead through a local operator. Some towns on the Kola Peninsula are closed to foreigners altogether.
Getting around locally
- Within Russia, Murmansk is linked to Moscow and St Petersburg by frequent flights and by a train journey of well over a day.
- The Arctic archipelagos have no public transport at all; they were reached only by expedition vessel.
- From the Norwegian side you can drive, or take a guided tour, right up to the frontier at Storskog, Grense Jakobselv and in the Pasvik valley.
- In Svalbard, the Russian settlements of Barentsburg and Pyramiden are on Norwegian territory and need no Russian visa.
