Flights are being launched between Russia and Saudi Arabia. What you need to know

Direct flights between Russia and Saudi Arabia will be launched in October. It is planned that planes from Sheremetyevo and Vnukovo airports will make several flights a week to Riyadh. Not only will it become easier for Russian tourists to visit the kingdom, but new options for connecting routes to other countries will also appear for them. What you need to know about trips to Saudi Arabia is in the Izvestia article.

When will the flight service start?

• Direct flights between Russia and Saudi Arabia will begin in October. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, following talks with his Saudi counterpart Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, said that direct flights would increase tourist exchanges and business contacts between the two countries. The minister noted that in 2024, Russians made more than 36,000 trips to Saudi Arabia, and the return trip increased sixfold compared to 2023.

Sheremetyevo Airport has already included flights between Moscow and Riyadh in its schedule. Saudia Airlines will operate five flights a week on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Arrival at Terminal C of Sheremetyevo Airport is scheduled for 15:00, departure to Saudi Arabia at 16:30. At the same time, Saudia has not yet opened ticket sales.

• The Saudi company Flynas also received permission from the Federal Air Transport Agency. She will be able to fly between Riyadh and Vnukovo from August 1 to October 25. It is planned that the schedule will include four flights per week on Airbus A320 and A330 aircraft.

What will the opening of air service bring

• Russian tourists, pilgrims and businessmen will have the opportunity to travel to Saudi Arabia on regular flights without transfers. Now, in order to be in the capital Riyadh, in the large air hub of Al-Dammam or in the popular tourist Jeddah, you need to fly with transfers. Most connections take place in Istanbul, Antalya, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Baku and Manama.

• Saudi airports themselves are major hubs, offering ample opportunities for connecting flights. With the opening of direct flights, new routes to Southeast Asia, Europe and America will open for Russians. Dubai and Istanbul will get a new competitor for long-haul flights.

• Saudi Arabia opened up to mass foreign tourism in 2019. Previously, the country was mainly visited for the purpose of Hajj to Mecca and Medina, for which charter flights were organized from Russia. Recently, following the example of the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, the kingdom has become more likely to hold sports competitions, business events, exhibitions and summits in order to attract foreign visitors.

What tourists need to know

• Russians need to apply for an electronic tourist visa to visit Saudi Arabia. It costs 395 riyals, or about 8,300 rubles. You need to pay the visa fee with an international bank card. The cost of the visa also includes medical insurance, so you do not need to purchase it separately.

• For the same 395 riyals, Russians can apply for a visa with medical insurance upon arrival at the airport. A transit visa is also available to tourists with the right to stay in Saudi Arabia for up to 96 hours. It is issued automatically when buying connecting tickets for Saudia and Flynas airlines, and costs 10 times cheaper than a tourist visa.

Persian step: Russia and Saudi Arabia are working on launching direct flights

Why is the kingdom becoming more and more attractive for tourists

• Saudi Arabia has a strict ban on the transportation and sale of alcohol. There is only one retail beverage outlet in the country that is accessible to non-Muslim diplomats. In May, the country's authorities confirmed that they had no plans to ease the ban on alcohol, even despite the development of the tourism industry and the holding of such major events as the 2030 World Exhibition and the 2034 FIFA World Cup in the future.

• The kingdom has several tourist resorts on the shores of the Red Sea, which do not follow the same strict dress code as in the rest of the country. However, such resorts are mostly popular among locals. Foreign tourists usually visit the historic port of Jeddah, the modern skyscrapers of Riyadh and the oasis of Al-Ula. According to tour operators, the cost of a beach tour starts from 225 thousand rubles per person for a week, and an excursion trip starts from 125 thousand rubles per week.