At the Narva border crossing in Estonia, tourists flock daily to Russia and often wait for hours.
The suspension of commercial flights to Russia and the closure of Finnish border crossings have forced hundreds of foreigners to travel through Estonia. They are going to Russia to work or visit family.
The long waits in the border town of Narva are the most stressful part of their journey. Every day, about 300 people queue at the border crossing. Their wait can last up to six hours.
This border crossing at Narva is popular because the journey to Russia via Turkey or Armenia is at least twice as expensive.
“It’s hard, everyone has family. Everyone commutes, so you have to suffer. But actually, me and all my friends who study in Italy started traveling less, because of the problems. I only go to Russia twice a year. My whole family is there..” explains a Russian student.
The fastest way to reach the Russian border from Tallinn is by train and many people use it every day.
To save time, some even take a taxi from Tallinn to Narva, which is about 200 km by road.
“You have to be very patient, it’s very trying.” explains a woman who is going to Russia, “If you have no emergency, it is better not to undertake the journey. There is no point in straining your nerves..”
