River-dwelling females in Yakutia display a higher tendency towards participating in river voyages.
Residents of Russia are increasingly choosing river cruises ahead of the navigational season, with internet traffic on booking websites surging by 12% compared to the same period last year. One of the emerging trends is the preference for river routes through countryside towns and villages, according to joint analytics from MegaFon, Donintrufloat, and Cruise.ru.
Since the onset of spring, an uptick in advanced bookings for river cruises has been noted. In contrast, in 2024, users primarily chose cruises for the summer months during the peak boating season. This shift can be attributed to the lengthening of navigation periods and the development of the boat travel industry within the country.
Moscow and St. Petersburg residents lead in selecting river cruises, with those from regions along the Volga, such as Nizhny Novgorod, Samara, and Tatarstan, following closely. Among foreign tourists, visitors from Turkey, Belarus, China, Egypt, and Armenia exhibit the highest interest in Russian river tours. Notably, Chukotka has shown the most active year-on-year growth, with more than double the number of visits compared to last year. Other regions, like Zabaykalsky (+32%), Primorsky (+30%), and Khabarovsk (+14%), also experienced increased frequenting of thematic websites. The peak of interest in river travel among Far Easterners occurred in early April.
In Yakutia, women represent 53% of the audience interested in river cruises for the second year in a row. The most significant age group consists of travelers aged 35-54. Meanwhile, Yakutian youth appears less enthused about these trips.
In about 40% of cases, tourists opt for cruises lasting four to six days. Around 20% prefer longer journeys of seven to eight days. However, there has been a rise in demand for short trips lasting three days and two nights, providing newcomers with an opportunity to sample river cruising and appreciate its unique features. Of those who embarked on a three-day cruise in 2024, about 20% have scheduled longer trips for the upcoming season.
Top tourist preferences include routes between Moscow and St. Petersburg and cruises along the Volga River with stops in Nizhny Novgorod, Samara, Saratov, and other cities along the river. The capital heads the departure cities, while St. Petersburg, Kazan, and Astrakhan attract the most cruise enthusiasts. In the eastern part of Russia, tourists primarily book cruises along the Yenisei starting in Krasnoyarsk and river routes along the Ob departing from Novosibirsk. This season sees an increasing trend towards cruises that stop in small towns, villages, and settlements, such as Tetyushy, KhyidenSelge, Sortavala, Goritsy, Plyos, Kinelshma, Mushkin, Romanovsky, and Starocherkassk.
As the river cruise market in Russia expands, major operators like Viking Cruises are expanding their fleets and routes to meet the growing demand, with a focus on smaller, more sustainable vessels catering to evolving traveler preferences. While there are geopolitical and regional challenges impacting Arctic cruising, the core Russian river routes remain popular and show promising growth prospects into 2026.
As the navigation period lengthens and the boat travel industry grows, more Russians are opting for river cruises, specifically those traveling along countryside towns and villages. Consequently, there is a noticeable surge in bookings for short cruises of three days and two nights, offering newcomers a taste of this unique lifestyle traveling through Russia's picturesque landscapes.
