**ST. PETERSBURG** — On a recent train journey from Moscow to St. Petersburg, a significant portion of the carriage was filled with travelers hailing from China.

This diverse group, representing various age groups, was headed to Russia’s historical capital as part of an organized tour, marking one of the first such arrivals since the Russian government lifted visa requirements for Chinese visitors last month.

The train conductor, an imposing woman in her 50s, walked the aisle with a discontented demeanor, occasionally speaking to herself.

“Why did your fellow countrymen laugh at me when I requested to check their passports again?” she questioned the tour guide, a Chinese man fluent in Russian. “You all need to act properly.”

The guide merely shrugged in response.

“These tourists from China exhibit absolutely no decorum,” the conductor remarked during a break at the station. “Yet there are some positives. They even pay for hot water, perhaps due to their customs or maybe they don’t realize it’s complimentary.”

After enduring disruptions from the pandemic and conflicts stemming from the invasion of Ukraine, Chinese tourists are returning to Russia, driven by a new regulation allowing visa-free travel.

Their return has been welcomed by Russia’s beleaguered tourism sector, although it has reignited familiar tensions with locals regarding cultural differences, concerns of overcrowding, and economic challenges.

The decree signed by President Vladimir Putin in December permits Chinese citizens to visit Russia for a stay of up to 30 days without needing a visa, in response to Beijing’s earlier decision to grant Russians similar access in September 2025.

This policy change applies not only to tourists but also to individuals traveling for business, education, or sporting events.

Experts from the Association of Tour Operators of Russia estimate that this new legislation could increase Chinese arrivals by approximately 30%, with some forecasts suggesting growth could reach as much as 50%.

A growing number of Chinese travelers are now choosing Russia over Japan, where visits from China significantly dropped in December due to heightened diplomatic tensions over Taiwan.

According to Subramania Bhatt, CEO of China Trading Desk, hotel bookings in Russia from Chinese tourists surged by roughly 50% year-on-year during the same period.

While many Chinese visitors continue to flock to Moscow and St. Petersburg, their presence is also rising in Russia’s Far East and northern regions, where they engage in activities such as northern lights tours and reindeer or dog sledding.

Since 2014, China has been the leading source of inbound tourism for Russia, a trend that began following the ruble’s devaluation post-Crimean annexation. A visa-free policy for small tour groups had supported this growth until it was halted during the COVID-19 pandemic.

At its height, this influx led to some local grievances.

In 2019, Deputy Culture Minister Alla Manilova noted that Chinese tour groups were overwhelming Russian visitors at the Catherine Palace near St. Petersburg, suggesting the idea of allocating specific visitation days for Chinese tourists, although the ministry later dismissed this proposal.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the first year of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine saw a drastic reduction in tourist numbers, with only 842 Chinese citizens entering Russia in 2022 amid severe disruptions to air travel due to sanctions and conflict-related limitations.

Since then, tourism has progressively rebounded, and in 2023, Russia reinstated the visa-free regime for tour groups, marking a revival in this sector.

An estimated 1.2 million Chinese tourists visited Russia in 2024, with projections rising to about 1.3 million in 2025, and expectations of around 2 million in 2026 following the visa exemption.

However, this recovery has also revived some of the same tensions experienced earlier.

In February 2025, residents of Murmansk, a city in the Arctic, voiced complaints to local authorities regarding the behavior of Chinese tourists.

Governor Andrei Chibis responded by emphasizing the importance of these visitors to the local tourism industry.

Murmansk saw a fivefold increase in Chinese visitors in 2024, totaling 26,000, according to the Chinese Consul General in St. Petersburg.

A hotel owner in St. Petersburg expressing anonymity due to safety concerns admitted he was not particularly fond of hosting Chinese guests, citing them as “noisy and disorderly.”

“I much preferred dealing with Iranians or Europeans,” he mentioned.

Nonetheless, he acknowledged the value of visa-free travel for filling vacant rooms during low-demand periods.

“Currently, hotels in St. Petersburg are nearly fully booked only from May to September and around the winter holidays,” he explained. “The rest of the year, many rooms remain unoccupied. Hence, the more tourists we have who can visit visa-free, the better it is for us.”

Security issues have also impacted demand, with some Chinese travelers opting to cancel trips following a March 2024 incident at Crocus City Hall in Moscow, as noted by Polina Rysakova, a researcher specializing in Chinese tourism in Russia.

Furthermore, the market is largely unregulated and dominated by Chinese tour operators who often provide all-inclusive packages that utilize Chinese payment systems and direct travelers to shops that offer commissions.

Part of this model includes charging Chinese tour groups fees for visits to public attractions that typically have free or low-cost access, with even metro rides in St. Petersburg presented as a “unique cultural experience” at a premium price.

“There’s nothing hidden here. Chinese tourists are mainly managed by Chinese operators. Russian companies hardly benefit from this,” stated the owner of a travel agency in St. Petersburg.

Despite these challenges, officials assert that Chinese tourists play a crucial role in bolstering the Russian economy.

According to Alla Salayeva, a member of the State Duma’s Tourism Committee, this influx enhances state revenue and aids in developing tourism infrastructure.

Some Russian operators are optimistic that the visa exemption will attract a younger, more independent demographic of Chinese travelers who prefer booking services directly rather than through group tours.

“I concur with the estimate of around 30% growth,” noted the travel agency owner in St. Petersburg. “I genuinely believe Russian tour operators have a strong opportunity to engage these independent travelers.”