Norway, Russia border traffic up 10%
In times of political tensions between Oslo and Moscow is normal citizens’ travel across the border in the high north sharply up.
20,624 border-crossings were counted in January, up 9,32% compared with Janaury 2016.
The increase comes after a three-years declining period in cross-border traffic.
Head of Police at Storskog checkpoint, Stein Kristian Hansen, says the increase counts for all kind of travellers, Russians traveling with visa and both Norwegians and Russian citizens living in the visa-free border areas.
Visa-freedom at the Norwegian, Russian border is open for people living in a 30-kilometers distance from the border line on each side. That includes the towns of Kirkenes, Nikel and Zapolyarny.