Russia’s visa-free policy has attracted a large number of Chinese tourists, but recently Chinese tourists have encountered a series of dangerous incidents in Russia. In addition to the tragedy on the 20th where seven Chinese tourists died after their vehicle plunged into Lake Baikal, more than 100 Chinese tourists were stranded on a tour bus from the 14th due to heavy snow, and did not escape until the morning of the 16th, on Lunar New Year's Eve, having been trapped for as long as 40 hours.
According to reports from Upstream News and Hong Kong Sing Tao Daily, Teriberka, located in the northwest coastal part of European Russia within the Arctic Circle, is a popular check-in destination among Chinese tourists, known for its auroras and often described as the "end of the world" in China in recent years.
According to the report, before the Spring Festival holiday, a tourist from Shanghai, Ms. Sun, traveled to Russia with her mother. On the 14th local time, they went on a day trip to Teriberka. On their return, they were caught in a snowstorm and the Chinese tourists on the bus were forced to spend the night on the vehicle, with dozens of other cars of various sizes also stranded during that time.
Ms. Sun said that the tour guide tried to return to Teriberka to buy bread and hot water for the tourists, but as of 4 p.m. on the 15th local time, the tour bus still could not move forward. Everyone had no choice but to return to Teriberka, where they were arranged to stay in the only school in town, which at least had heating, hot water, and toilets. Many Chinese tourists were already sheltering in the school. Not until 11 a.m. on the 16th were Ms. Sun and her fellow travelers finally able to get out and return to the largest local city, Murmansk.
Another female tourist from Guangdong, "Xiao Na," said she and her friends arrived in Teriberka on the 13th and were originally scheduled to leave on the 16th. But knowing the weather would worsen, they decided to depart early on the evening of the 15th by chartered car, only to find that all roads out of town had already been closed. They were then temporarily housed in the same school. At 10 p.m. that night, they took a police armored rescue vehicle that was about to leave, together with several other Chinese tourists. At that time, there were still more than 100 Chinese tourists sheltering in the school.
The report noted that due to severe weather conditions and equipment failures, about 480 tourists were stranded in Teriberka, including 343 foreigners. Local authorities set up shelters in the school and cultural center, and all the stranded tourists have now safely left.
According to the report, before the Spring Festival holiday, a tourist from Shanghai, Ms. Sun, traveled to Russia with her mother. On the 14th local time, they went on a day trip to Teriberka. On their return, they were caught in a snowstorm and the Chinese tourists on the bus were forced to spend the night on the vehicle, with dozens of other cars of various sizes also stranded during that time.
Ms. Sun said that the tour guide tried to return to Teriberka to buy bread and hot water for the tourists, but as of 4 p.m. on the 15th local time, the tour bus still could not move forward. Everyone had no choice but to return to Teriberka, where they were arranged to stay in the only school in town, which at least had heating, hot water, and toilets. Many Chinese tourists were already sheltering in the school. Not until 11 a.m. on the 16th were Ms. Sun and her fellow travelers finally able to get out and return to the largest local city, Murmansk.
Another female tourist from Guangdong, "Xiao Na," said she and her friends arrived in Teriberka on the 13th and were originally scheduled to leave on the 16th. But knowing the weather would worsen, they decided to depart early on the evening of the 15th by chartered car, only to find that all roads out of town had already been closed. They were then temporarily housed in the same school. At 10 p.m. that night, they took a police armored rescue vehicle that was about to leave, together with several other Chinese tourists. At that time, there were still more than 100 Chinese tourists sheltering in the school.
The report noted that due to severe weather conditions and equipment failures, about 480 tourists were stranded in Teriberka, including 343 foreigners. Local authorities set up shelters in the school and cultural center, and all the stranded tourists have now safely left.