How to get to the "Arctic Circle"

Important Information on Getting around.
Location of "The Arctic Circle" Dive Centre and Lodge: Nilmoguba Village, Louhskiy District, Karelia Republic, Russia.  We provide transfer by car or by minibus from Kuusamo or Murmansk aiports and from Chupa railway station.
Click to see the scheme and the route on GoogleMaps

The route from Kuusamo to the Arctic Circle Dive Centre is currently inaccessible due to the closed land borders at the Salla Checkpoint.

You have to book your own connecting flights to and out of Moscow, St. Petersburg or Kuusamo via Helsinki, depending on the way you choose. Please, contact your travel agent for international flight reservations, and inform us of your arrival date, time and flight number, so that we can book hotel and airport transfers for you.
If you prefer to stay longer in Moscow, St. Petersburg or Kuusamo, we'll be glad to book accommodation and arrange a special program for you. This could include, for example, city sightseeing, theatre visits, etc.

According to the visa policy of Russia, foreign nationals wishing to enter the Russian Federation must obtain a visa as a permit to travel to, enter and remain in the country. There are some visa exemptions, based on bilateral or multilateral agreements with a number of countries whose citizens are either exempt from visa, or can purchase a visa online.
Citizens of countries without such an agreement with Russia must obtain a visa in advance from a Russian diplomatic mission or visa centre. To apply for the visa you will need a set of documents, including an Invitation and a Visa Support Letter. When you book your tour to our Dive Centre and Lodge, we are ready to provide you with the Letter of Invitation.

Going by Plane - You have to book your international connecting flights to Kuusamo via Helsinki and inform us of your arrival date, time and flight number. Our representative will meet you at the Kuusamo airport upon your arrival.

Transfer to Nilmoguba - We provide a minibus transfer with our representative from the airport of Kuusamo to "The Arctic Circle" Dive Centre and Lodge across the Finnish – Russian border Sala. Travel time is about 7-8 hours, depending on road conditions. On the way, if required, you can stop for a snack in a cafe.

Going by Plane - Planes to Murmansk from Moscow and St. Petersburg make several flights a day. Flight time from Moscow is 2h. 45 min, from St. Petersburg - 1h. 45 min. Our representative will meet you at the airport upon your arrival. We provide transfer from Murmansk to the "Arctic Circle" by car or by bus, travel time is about 5-6 hours, depending on road conditions. On the way, if desired, you can stop for a snack in a cafe.

Going by Train - Trains to Murmansk depart daily both from Moscow and St. Petersburg. You need to get a ticket to Chupa Station.
Russian Railways Company offers sleeping cars with 1st class (2 berth) and 2nd class (4 berth) compartments. A long distance railway journey in a comfortable wagon-lit is an adventure in itself. During the trip you will watch the nature of Middle Russia gradually give place to the Russian North.

If you travel from Moscow, take the train from Leningradskiy railways station. Recommended train 016A departs at 00:40AM, it arrives to Chupa at 4:30 AM next day, the journey takes 27 hours.
If you travel from St. Petersburg, take the train from Ladozhskiy railways station. Recommended train 016A departs at 09:50AM, it arrives to Chupa at 4:30 AM next day, the journey takes 18 hours.
The train schedule can be changed depending on carrier.
We provide transfer from Chupa Station to the "Arctic Circle" by car or by bus, travel time is about 2 hours, depending on road conditions.

The airport transfer and hotel accommodation in Moscow and St. Petersburg can also be arranged and have to be prebooked. In this case our representative will meet you at the airport, provide you with all necessary documents and tickets and help you to get around the city.

Going by Car - On the route Moscow - St. Petersburg - Murmansk. The distance from Moscow is 1700 km, from St. Petersburg - 1050 km, from Murmansk - 380 km. Russian highways M10 (Moscow - St.Petersburg), M18 (or R21 - St.Petersburg - Murmansk, in Cyrillic - Р21) are a part of the E105 European route. On 1050 km of M18 highway take a turn (right turn on the way from Moscow, St. Petersburg and Chupa; or left turn on the way from Murmansk) at the sign spelled in Cyrillic "ПОЛЯРНЫЙ КРУГ" (pronounced "Polyarniy Kroug" i.e. "Arctic Circle") and keep driving 30 km of dirt-road towards the sea to the village Nilmoguba (in Cyrillic - Нильмогуба).   

Note that after the turn to the dirt-road the mobile connection is very poor or is not availabale at all. So we strongly recommend you to phone from that turn to the local office (+7 921 665 3056) and inform the Manager of the Tourism Centre that you are on the way.   It is also very important to know that depending on the weather the road condition may vary and at some periods (esp. spring and autumn) become nearly impossible to be driven by an ordinary car. So it's better to check it in advance with the help of our managers. .

Geographic Coordinates of "The "Arctic Circle" Dive Centre and Lodge — N66° 30,145′  E33° 07,765′