What’s the latest with regards to Silk Road coronavirus travel restrictions? We keep an overview here.
You are welcome to send in any news in this forum thread. We will keep updating (last update: ).
Good general resources
- Eurasianet has a dashboard with coronavirus news in Eurasia.
- IATA has a list of worldwide flight restrictions
- Wanderlust list of border openings is potentially useful
- Travel Reopening is another list worth following
Country restrictions
Abkhazia
All foreigners are banned from entering. Anti-corona restrictions are extended until mid-June.
Armenia
Borders are closed. Armenia and Wizz Air consider resuming flights from mid-June.
Azerbaijan
Borders are closed. So far, the deadline for temporary closure of borders and suspension of international flights has been extended until August 1. A spokesperson added, in the vaguest possible terms: “Some countries may resume flights with Azerbaijan on the basis of agreements.”
China
If you are still in the country, it is possible to keep extending your visa after your 2-month COVID extension finished. Inform at your local PSB. Latest extension update 21st of June.
Georgia
All borders are closed. Georgia planned to let international arrivals in from July 1st, but has pushed back the date now to July 31st.
Not all countries will be allowed in at first, only those with low numbers of infections. You might need a COVID-19 test certificate. The borders with neighbouring countries will probably remain closed for some time longer.
Georgia plans corona-safe ‘tourist zones’. More info at Eurasianet.
Iran
All borders with neighbouring countries are closed. No flights. Iran and Turkmenistan have agreed to reopen borders on June 10, but only for cargo.
The Iran-Pakistan border has opened, for trade only.
Kazakhstan
All land borders remain closed. All visa-free rules are cancelled until November 1st.
Communication about quarantine rules has been confusing so far. Here are 3 contradicting theories we have found so far.
1 When borders reopen, new arrivals to Kazakhstan will have to be tested and must go into quarantine at a hospital for 2 days, according to inform.kz. A list of who currently can enter Kazakhstan can be found here. A certificate of a COVID-19 test is no longer necessary.
2. An unofficial source told us people arriving who have COVID-19 test document proving negative results, obtained in less than 5 days pre-arrival in Kazakhstan are asked to self isolate for 14 days at home. Those with positive test results will be taken to quarantine zones for at least 14 days upon arrival. Have not found confirmation of this rule yet.
3. This comes from an e-mail I got from Air Astana:
Passengers arriving from Georgia and South Korea will undergo thermal checks and need to complete a health questionnaire upon arrival in Kazakhstan. Passengers arriving from Turkey will undergo thermal checks, need to complete health questionnaire and a COVID-19 test within 48 hours of arrival, if not presented immediately.
Members of state delegations from Kazakhstan, members of official delegations of foreign states and international organizations arriving in Kazakhstan at the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; members of diplomatic missions, consular offices and missions of international organizations accredited to Kazakhstan, members of their families and airline crews are all excluded from such requirements.
Passengers travelling abroad are recommended to independently check health requirements in their destination country.
From the same e-mail: Air Astana will resume international services from Almaty and Nur-Sultan to destinations in Georgia, South Korea and Turkey between 20th June and 1st July 2020.
- 20th June – Almaty-Antalya-Almaty
- 20th June – Nur-Sultan-Istanbul-Nur-Sultan
- 21st June- Almaty-Istanbul-Almaty
- 21st June – Nur-Sultan-Antalya-Nur-Sultan
- 23rd June – Atyrau-Istanbul-Atyrau
- 1st July – Almaty-Tbilisi-Almaty and Almaty-Seoul-Almaty*
*Air Astana continues repatriation flights between Almaty and Seoul on Monday’s throughout June.
In addition, the airline will launch a completely new service from Almaty to Batumi on the Black Sea coast of Georgia on 3rd July. Air Astana resumed flights between Almaty and the capital Nur-Sultan on 1st May and expanded the domestic network to include regional centres across Kazakhstan in mid-May.
Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan has closed for all foreigners. Exit visas for foreigners overstaying will cost 60$ + 10 000 som.
Limited commercial air service will resume on June 15, 2020. Turkish Airlines plans to resume service on June 22, 2020 and both Aeroflot Airlines and FlyDubai also intend to resume flights in June.
Monitor the individual airlines websites or contact the airlines directly for any questions about ticket availability.
There is no news on the quarantine measures for new arrivals in the country – we think it is still 2 weeks of isolation after entry.
Mongolia
All borders are closed. Mongolia will maintain strict coronavirus regulations until a vaccine is found, the prime minister said, raising the prospect of the country being locked down for months to come.
Pakistan
Outbound passenger flights have resumed. Inbound flights can only carry cargo. The Iran-Pakistan border has opened, for trade only.
Russia
Closed for foreigners. No decisions had been made as of June 1st regarding re-opening.
Tajikistan
Closed for foreigners. No info on when it might reopen.
Turkmenistan
Officially Turkmenistan is in full lockdown until July 1st, and our partners inform us that they will extend the rules further once we come closer to July 1st.
All borders are closed. Iran and Turkmenistan have agreed to reopen borders on June 10, but only for cargo.
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan’s Tourism Ambassador: Tourists from South Korea, Japan, Israel & China can enter with no restrictions by air. For now, arrivals from other countries are still subject to 14 days self-isolation or quarantine. We are expecting the next batch of countries to be able to enter unrestricted in the next few weeks, but it’ll depend on which have reciprocal agreements & their own case numbers under control.
On June 21st, a press release announced that tourists are welcome from now on. In addition, Uzbekistan is going to pay 3000$ to each tourist who will be infected by COVID-19 while traveling in the country. Only tourists who will travel in a tour organized by local tour operators are valid for this compensation.