YuSMP Travel Editorial Team
From 25 October 2026, as the Aeroflot Group switches to its winter schedule, its subsidiary Rossiya Airlines is launching two new direct routes to China — Krasnoyarsk–Guangzhou and Krasnoyarsk–Shanghai — and adding more frequency between Krasnoyarsk and Beijing and between Vladivostok and Harbin. For travellers from Siberia and the Russian Far East, this means more direct ways to reach China without connecting through Moscow. If you're still checking entry requirements, see our visa guides for Russian travellers.
What's changing from 25 October
Rossiya is a subsidiary airline of the Aeroflot Group that mostly flies domestic Russian routes but also operates part of the group's international network. Its winter 2026/27 schedule — in effect from 25 October 2026 to 27 March 2027 — covers 117 routes, 85 of them domestic, with the rest international, spanning 16 cities in nine countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China, the UAE, Turkey and Uzbekistan. Among the new additions are two China routes: Krasnoyarsk–Guangzhou and Krasnoyarsk–Shanghai. Rossiya is also increasing frequency on existing lines — more flights from Krasnoyarsk to Beijing and from Vladivostok to Harbin.
Why Krasnoyarsk, not just Moscow
Until now, Siberian cities had few direct options for reaching China without a stopover at a major hub — most passengers from the region either flew via Moscow or relied on occasional charters. Rossiya's new Krasnoyarsk–Guangzhou and Krasnoyarsk–Shanghai flights cut that travel time and expand the list of Chinese cities reachable directly from Siberia, where direct service was previously limited mostly to Beijing. For residents of Krasnoyarsk Krai and neighbouring regions, this opens a direct route to southern and eastern China without a layover.
The winter 2026/27 schedule in numbers
What changes at Rossiya and the Aeroflot Group from 25 October
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Winter schedule start date | 25 October 2026 |
| Schedule in effect until | 27 March 2027 |
| Rossiya's total routes | 117 (85 domestic) |
| Rossiya's international destinations | 16 cities in 9 countries |
| New China routes | Krasnoyarsk–Guangzhou, Krasnoyarsk–Shanghai |
| Increased frequency | Krasnoyarsk–Beijing, Vladivostok–Harbin |
| Aeroflot Group's total routes | 282 |
Schedules and frequency on the new routes may be adjusted as bookings fill in — if you're travelling in the coming weeks, check current dates and fares directly with the carrier.
What it means if you're planning a trip to China
A direct flight from Krasnoyarsk removes the Moscow connection and cuts travel time for Siberian residents — especially noticeable on shorter trips of a week to ten days. Check current schedules and fares for this and other routes to the region in the Airlines section, and compare China with other visa-free and visa-required destinations in Asia in our overview of visa-free countries for Russian travellers. Payments are a separate question for any trip — see our breakdown of how to pay abroad as a Russian traveller, which covers China too. Before you fly, double-check the current visa-free terms on our visa guides page, and browse other winter options in our destination catalog.
Sources
- Ministry of Transport of Russia, "Aeroflot Group's winter schedule offers 282 routes" — 16 October 2026
- Mail Finance, "Rossiya's winter schedule will cover 117 routes" — 20 October 2026
* Schedules and fares change — check the current price and conditions on the airline's website before buying a ticket.
