Gateway to St. Petersburg – the Narva–Ivangorod Border Crossing in 2025

The old cliché “the journey is the destination” finally makes sense here: the overland route from Tallinn to St. Petersburg always brings surprises, and it genuinely requires endurance to pass this external EU frontier that often lands in international headlines. Since Estonian authorities stopped allowing night-time pedestrian crossings over the Narva River, the bottleneck in the Baltic northeast has tightened. By day, the queue on Peetri Plats—named for Peter the Great—can reach up to eight hours. Evenings tend to move quicker, though you risk the border closing before your turn arrives.

Closed and open border points

Other crossings exist in southern Estonia (Koidula or Luhamaa), but they rarely save time if St. Petersburg is your destination. The southern loop around Lake Peipus adds considerable distance. With all Finnish–Russian land crossings on the north side of the Gulf of Finland still closed, the direct southern approach via Estonia remains the practical, budget-friendly choice—especially versus hubs like Belgrade or Istanbul, which offer direct flights to St. Petersburg but seldom at wallet-friendly fares.

Spending the night on Peetri Plats

On a mild August evening in 2025, about 60 of us who didn’t make it through at Narva quickly self-organized—setting up a night watch (buses continue dropping travelers off after dark, and nobody wants to lose their slot), sharing drinks and snacks, and looking out for one another. This spontaneous night community on Peetri Plats sparks conversations you won’t soon forget. Waiting under open skies feels a bit like a scout camp. When the last phone battery finally dies, it’s a surprisingly good icebreaker. Where else does that still happen? Backpackers determined to reach St. Petersburg, language learners keen to practice Russian, diplomats, and families visiting relatives pass the time debating the world until, at 07:00, Estonian officers start processing those at the front.

Crossing into Russia

Checks are careful but reasonable. The walk over the bridge to the Russian post is short; on the Estonian side, you’ll notice rows of heavy tank obstacles. At the far end of the bridge, the footpath leads onto Russian soil. The small control hall has a calm vibe, processing is generally quick—and suddenly you’re in the riverside car park in Ivangorod. For the 2.5-hour ride to St. Petersburg, several options exist; the simplest is to buy a seat in a shared taxi (about €20). The return leg is usually quicker, as most travelers from St. Petersburg come individually rather than by bus, unlike on the Estonian side.

It’s well worth visiting the two historic, well-preserved fortresses of Ivangorod and Narva. The riverside promenades also have a special charm at this exposed spot where the EU/NATO and Russia are within arm’s reach.

Practical border-crossing information

• The crossing is closed to Russian citizens without residency in a third country. Foreign nationals may cross with a valid visa.
• Wait time to exit Estonia at Narva: typically 2–8 hours, outdoors, without shelter.
• Webcam Peetri Plats: https://www.earthtv.com/en/webcam/narva-border-crossing-point
• Operating hours: Narva crossing closed from 23:00 to 07:00.
• Wait time to exit Russia at Ivangorod: from none to about 1 hour; the waiting area is partially covered.
• Tallinn → Narva travel time: around 3 hours by bus or train.
• Russian border → St. Petersburg: roughly 2.5–3 hours.
• Estonian border/customs: thorough inspections; long list of sanctioned goods; profiling of all travelers.
• Cash controls: Euro banknotes (and any other EU currency) are confiscated by Estonian authorities; other currencies are not.
• Russian border/customs: selective checks; tourists and foreign visitors usually processed quickly.
• Connections via Tallinn: build in generous buffer time—an overnight in Tallinn is often the safer plan.
• Compliance: do not attempt to carry prohibited items. It’s not worth the risk.