Surge in Visa-Free Travel by Russian Citizens to China: Flight Ticket Sales Double

Following the announcement that visas between Russia and China would be lifted, Russian citizens began showing strong interest in travelling to China. According to Gazetem.ru, flight ticket sales to China doubled compared to the previous day. The data was shared by “Yandex Travel”.

China’s Visa-Free Travel Announcement

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun announced that, starting from 15 September 2025, Russian citizens will be granted a 30-day visa-free entry for one year. Under the same agreement, Chinese citizens will also be able to enter Russia without a visa.

Record Increase in Tickets and Reservations

“Yandex Travel” reported that ticket purchases for flights dated 15 September and beyond doubled following the announcement.

Hotel reservations in China also saw an increase during the same period. On 2 September, the number of plane tickets purchased for China was twice as high as the previous day, while hotel bookings on the same day rose by 7%.

Most Reservations from Moscow

According to “Yandex Travel” data, the majority of reservations made on 2 September came from Moscow (32%), followed by St. Petersburg (10%) and Orenburg (10%).

Ninefold Increase in Search Queries

According to “Yandex Search” data, queries related to China doubled over the past 24 hours. In particular, searches about visas and travel to China on 2 September rose ninefold compared to the previous day.