The 2008 statistics from Eastern Finnmark Police district shows that the numbers of Russian citizens crossing the border is more or less the same as the year before, some 64.000 people. Storskog – Boris Gleb is the only legal road to cross the 196 km long Norwegian – Russian border.
18.315 Norwegians crossed the border, down from 19.727 in 2007. For Norwegians, 2004 was the peak year when 24.745 travelled to Russia via Storskog – Boris Gleb.
Seamen passports
Many Russian seamen cross the border on their way from Murmansk to their fishing boats moored in the harbours in Eastern Finnmark, mostly in Kirkenes. 19.000 seamen crossed the border last year, down with 2.700 compared with 2007.
The rest is other nationalities, some few thousands.
Less business – more shopping
For Russians going to Norway, their type of visa gives an indication of the travellers aim in Norway. Last year 11.453 Russians crossed the border with business visa, down from 15.991 in 2007. On the other side, the number of Russian shoppers goes up to with 1.200 to a total of 8.000.
BarentsObserver.com has not obtained the statistics from the Russian border station at Boris Gleb so it is difficult to tell the aim of the Norwegian visitors to Russia.
Near 31.000 vehicles crossed the Storskog – Boris Gleb border stations in 2008.
