Tianjin Airlines restarted its weekly Chongqing–Moscow flight on 19 November, restoring western China’s only long-haul passenger link after a three-year pandemic suspension. Flight GS7951 departs Chongqing Jiangbei every Tuesday at 10:55, arriving at Moscow Sheremetyevo at 14:55 local time; the return leg lands back in Chongqing early Wednesday morning.
The service plugs a critical gap for the region’s export-oriented manufacturers—Changan Auto, BOE and Foxconn among them—who have relied on circuitous routings via Beijing or Dubai for cargo-supported passenger flights. Local officials estimate that direct connectivity will shave 12–14 hours off round-trip journeys and cut air-freight costs by 18 %. Freight forwarders also gain additional belly-hold capacity ahead of the Lunar New Year shipping rush.
![Chongqing-Moscow Non-Stop Restored, Reconnecting Western China to Europe]()
For business travellers, the revival offers the first nonstop European option from a city of 32 million people and links neatly with Russia’s domestic network to St Petersburg, Kazan and Yekaterinburg. Chinese tour operators are already marketing winter charter packages combining Chongqing hot-pot culture with Moscow Christmas markets.
Analytically, the move reflects a broader realignment of China–Russia aviation ties. Capacity between the two countries now stands at 108 % of 2019 levels, while China–EU capacity languishes at 62 %. The Chongqing-Moscow restart therefore signals where carriers see demand—and political clearance—materialising fastest.
Companies with operations in both countries should revisit travel policies: visas for Russia still require consular submission, but processing times have fallen to five working days in Beijing and Shanghai. Travellers should also note Russia’s electronic customs declaration requirement for certain electronics prototypes.
The service plugs a critical gap for the region’s export-oriented manufacturers—Changan Auto, BOE and Foxconn among them—who have relied on circuitous routings via Beijing or Dubai for cargo-supported passenger flights. Local officials estimate that direct connectivity will shave 12–14 hours off round-trip journeys and cut air-freight costs by 18 %. Freight forwarders also gain additional belly-hold capacity ahead of the Lunar New Year shipping rush.
For business travellers, the revival offers the first nonstop European option from a city of 32 million people and links neatly with Russia’s domestic network to St Petersburg, Kazan and Yekaterinburg. Chinese tour operators are already marketing winter charter packages combining Chongqing hot-pot culture with Moscow Christmas markets.
Analytically, the move reflects a broader realignment of China–Russia aviation ties. Capacity between the two countries now stands at 108 % of 2019 levels, while China–EU capacity languishes at 62 %. The Chongqing-Moscow restart therefore signals where carriers see demand—and political clearance—materialising fastest.
Companies with operations in both countries should revisit travel policies: visas for Russia still require consular submission, but processing times have fallen to five working days in Beijing and Shanghai. Travellers should also note Russia’s electronic customs declaration requirement for certain electronics prototypes.
