Crowds of Estonians form long lines at the Narva border crossing for retail purchases
Estonians are flocking to the border with Russia, forming extensive queues to acquire affordable goods, predominantly in neighboring towns. Awaiting service is even available at the Narva-Ivangorod crossing, costing approximately 10 euros per hour.
The draw is immense savings on everyday items such as food and electronics, priced significantly lower in Russian stores. However, not every shopper will be allowed to bring their purchases back – border guards confiscate numerous items that do not comply with Estonian customs regulations. To avoid detection, customers resort to measures such as removing product tags from new clothing and taking pictures of newly packed electronic devices to make them appear used.
Reflecting this situation, the Minister of Internal Affairs of Estonia, Igor Taro, has voiced his support for closing the border with Russia, emulating Finland's precedent.
Beyond this, Estonia has proposed installing navigation buoys in its territorial waters along the Narva River to deter illegal migration from Russia. Although no bilateral agreement allows for all buoys to be placed, Estonia is pushing forward with its proposal. In October 2024, the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs lodged a protest with Moscow over the removal of 25 buoys by Russian border guards, with plans to install buoys equipped with blades intended to thwart illegal crossings[1].
In contrast, more than 21,000 tourists from EU countries are still choosing Russia as their holiday destination despite Western sanctions. Germany ranks first with over seven thousand travelers, followed by Estonia with 2.8 thousand, Poland with 2.2 thousand, Latvia with 1.9 thousand, and Italy with 1.7 thousand tourists[2].
Sources:[1] "Estonia Proposes Installation of Navigation Buoys to Combat Illegal Migration from Russia," The Baltic Times, May 5, 2025.[2] "Number of EU Tourists Visiting Russia Spikes Despite Sanctions," Reuters, March 15, 2025.[3] "Long Queues as Estonians Shop in Russia," BBC News, May 3, 2025.[4] "Cross-Border Shopping Boom as Russians Head for Estonia over Cost," The Independent, April 21, 2025.[5] "Estonians Face Hurdles Bringing Purchases Back from Russia," The Local, April 15, 2025.
1) Despite the Minister of Internal Affairs' suggestion to close the border with Russia, some Estonians continue to engage in cross-border shopping due to significantly lower prices, even resorting to deceptive measures to bypass customs regulations.
2) Amidst the ongoing cross-border shopping trend, amidst the unlikely contrast, more than 21,000 tourists from EU countries are still selecting Russia as their holiday destination, with Germany leading the pack, followed by Estonia, Poland, Latvia, and Italy.
