Russia-China air traffic up 57% in 2025 YoY

MOSCOW. May 27 (Interfax) - Nearly 2,000 flights have been made between Russia and China as of April 2025, up 57% year-on-year, head of the China National Tourist Office in Moscow Wang Rui said.

"The number of flights between China and Russia is growing. The number of flights between Russian and Chinese cities reached 1,903 in April 2025. This is 57% more than in April a year earlier. Direct flights are operated from 20 Chinese cities to 14 Russian cities ranging from Moscow to Vladivostok," she said in an interview with the Association of Tour Operators of Russia.

Regular flights are operated by both Russian and Chinese airlines, Wang said. China Southern Airlines (SPB: 1055) is planning to change its Guangzhou-Moscow flights to Guangzhou-Wuhan-Moscow on Wednesdays and Sundays from August 3, 2025. China Southern Airlines will also operate a new Harbin-Vladivostok route from July 1 to August 31. Air China will have a new Shanghai-Vladivostok flight from July. Sichuan Airlines is planning to increase the number of its Chengdu-Moscow and Chengdu-St. Petersburg weekly flights.

She also said that traveling between Russia and China is now very comfortable thanks to the two countries' loyal visa policies.

The mutual group visa-free travel has been resumed on August 1, 2023.

Tourists can also travel to China without a visa and as part of visa-free transit, whose conditions were relaxed in December 2024. The period of stay was increased from 72 hours and 144 hours to 240 hours (10 days) and its geographic scope was expanded by adding 21 new ports of entry and exit. Citizens of 54 countries can enter the country via any of the 60 open ports in 24 provinces (autonomous regions and cities).