Moscow’s tourism authority predicts a sharp uptick in Chinese arrivals next year after Russia implemented unilateral visa-free entry for Chinese citizens on December 1. In comments to the state-linked Global Times on December 15, officials said the policy could add hundreds of thousands of incremental visitors in 2026, building on the 230,000 Chinese trips recorded in the first half of 2025.
President Vladimir Putin’s decree grants 30-day visa-free stays for tourists, business travellers, academics and athletes, complementing more than 100 weekly direct flights between Chinese cities and Russia. The Moscow City Tourism Committee is already ramping up Chinese-language digital services, metro signage and Ctrip integrations to capture demand.
Business travel managers see immediate upside: simplified entry removes the €40 e-visa cost and cuts processing time from roughly four working days to zero, enabling quick-turn site visits in sectors such as energy, machinery and agriculture. Russian conference organisers also anticipate higher delegate turnout from Chinese firms seeking to hedge supply-chain exposure to Western markets.
![Visa-Free Regime Drives Surge in Chinese Travel Interest to Moscow]()
For Chinese visitors who plan to continue their journeys beyond Russia—or for companies coordinating multi-country itineraries—VisaHQ offers a convenient one-stop solution for checking and securing the necessary travel documents. Through its China portal (https://www.visahq.com/china/), travellers can verify entry requirements, upload paperwork and track application status for onward destinations, ensuring that last-minute visa issues don’t disrupt a broader Eurasian travel plan.
Travel-risk consultants caution that payment systems remain a sticking point; UnionPay acceptance is patchy outside Moscow and St Petersburg, and international sanctions complicate card settlement. Corporations should therefore brief employees on cash needs or arrange pre-paid expense solutions.
If the forecasted demand manifests, air carriers may boost wide-body capacity on routes such as Beijing–Moscow and Shanghai–Moscow, lowering fares and further stimulating travel. Observers also note competitive pressure on EU destinations still requiring Schengen visas: easier Russian entry could divert a portion of high-spend Chinese outbound tourism eastward.
President Vladimir Putin’s decree grants 30-day visa-free stays for tourists, business travellers, academics and athletes, complementing more than 100 weekly direct flights between Chinese cities and Russia. The Moscow City Tourism Committee is already ramping up Chinese-language digital services, metro signage and Ctrip integrations to capture demand.
Business travel managers see immediate upside: simplified entry removes the €40 e-visa cost and cuts processing time from roughly four working days to zero, enabling quick-turn site visits in sectors such as energy, machinery and agriculture. Russian conference organisers also anticipate higher delegate turnout from Chinese firms seeking to hedge supply-chain exposure to Western markets.
For Chinese visitors who plan to continue their journeys beyond Russia—or for companies coordinating multi-country itineraries—VisaHQ offers a convenient one-stop solution for checking and securing the necessary travel documents. Through its China portal (https://www.visahq.com/china/), travellers can verify entry requirements, upload paperwork and track application status for onward destinations, ensuring that last-minute visa issues don’t disrupt a broader Eurasian travel plan.
Travel-risk consultants caution that payment systems remain a sticking point; UnionPay acceptance is patchy outside Moscow and St Petersburg, and international sanctions complicate card settlement. Corporations should therefore brief employees on cash needs or arrange pre-paid expense solutions.
If the forecasted demand manifests, air carriers may boost wide-body capacity on routes such as Beijing–Moscow and Shanghai–Moscow, lowering fares and further stimulating travel. Observers also note competitive pressure on EU destinations still requiring Schengen visas: easier Russian entry could divert a portion of high-spend Chinese outbound tourism eastward.
