Russians switch from flights to trains amid drone attack threats
Sheremetyevo Airport in Moscow (Photo: A.Savin / Wikimedia Commons)
Passenger traffic on flights between Moscow and St. Petersburg fell 18% to 1.6 million in the first half of 2026 as more Russians opted for trains amid the threat of drone attacks, Telegram channel Astra reported on Aug. 6.
One of the main reasons is the frequent disruption of airport operations due to the threat of drone attacks under Russia's "Carpet" emergency protocol, the Russian newspaper Kommersant reported.
As flight delays and cancellations become more common, many passengers, particularly business travelers, are increasingly choosing trains. Demand for rail travel between Moscow and St. Petersburg has risen by about 20%, while trains now account for 70% of business travel on the route.
The decline in air travel has also been driven by an increase in direct international flights from St. Petersburg, reducing the need for passengers to connect through Moscow. In addition, several airlines withdrew from the route after Aeroflot launched its Shuttle service.
On July 24, about 50 flights were delayed at St. Petersburg's Pulkovo Airport following drone attacks on Oblast. On the same day, drones struck warehouses belonging to Russian marketplace Wildberries in St. Petersburg and occupied Simferopol.
On June 18, Moscow's Vnukovo and Domodedovo airports temporarily suspended arrivals and departures amid a drone attack on Moscow Oblast. Sheremetyevo Airport also imposed temporary restrictions on flight operations.
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