Beginning this week, direct flights from Moscow to North Korea have commenced, signaling a strengthening of ties between the two countries and reflecting a dwindling in choices for Russian tourists looking to travel internationally. This new air route, operated by Russia’s Nordwind Airlines, saw its first flight depart from Sheremetyevo Airport on Sunday and land in the North Korean capital in approximately eight hours. Initially, the route will be served once a month, with the first return flight from Pyongyang to Moscow scheduled for Tuesday.
Prior to the EU’s restriction on Russian flights following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Nordwind Airlines typically transported Russian travelers to European vacation spots. Tickets for the Moscow-Pyongyang flight were priced at 45,000 rubles ($570). At the airport, a Nordwind staff member managing the flight, who wished to remain unnamed, remarked that this is a momentous occasion that solidifies the bond between the two nations but did not disclose the number of passengers on the flight.
In recent years, Russia and North Korea have been fostering closer military connections. North Korea has supplied troops and arms for Russia’s ongoing military actions in Ukraine, culminating in the signing of a mutual defense pact last year when Russian President Vladimir Putin visited North Korea. This move marks a significant milestone in more than 70 years of diplomatic relations as it is the first time direct flights between the two countries’ capitals have been established.
North Korea is also taking gradual steps to revive its tourism sector, easing some restrictions on international visitors that were put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although group tours for Russian tourists to specific areas of the country are now permitted, along with foreign participation in events like a Pyongyang marathon in April, general tourism remains effectively prohibited. In June, North Korea unveiled a new beach resort that authorities aim to attract 20,000 visitors annually.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jul/28/moscow-pyongyang-direct-flights-russia-to-north-korea-tourists
