Russia changes border opening hours
Russia adjusts opening hours at its northern check-points when Norway and Finland returns to wintertime on Sunday.
Moscow has decided to drop transition to wintertime and as a result the Norwegian, Russian land border will have a three hours time difference from October 30.
For practical reasons, the opening hours on the Russian border station will be adjusted one hour ahead. New opening hours will be from 10 am to Midnight Moscow time, or 7 am to 9 pm Norwegian time, the Norwegian Border Commissioner informs.
Read also: Russia drops transition to wintertime
The Norwegian, Russian border will then be the only land border in Europe with a three hour time difference. When citizens in the Norwegian border town of Kirkenes are finishing breakfast, it will already be time for lunch in the Russian border town of Nikel, although the actual distance between the two towns is only some 60 kilometres.
Read also: Parliament wants 24h border opening
The time difference between Finland and Russia will be two hours in the winter period. Russia will therefore adjust the opening hours at the two border crossing points to northern Finland, Salla and Raja Jooseppi. The new opening hours will be 9 am to 23 pm Moscow time, or 7 am to 9 pm Finnish time.
The time difference between Finland, Norway and Russia will be one and two hours again in March 2012, when Norway and Finland adjusts to Daylight saving time.
Still confused? Welcome to a border-crossing exercise tour in the Barents Region in times of change.
