The Kaliningrad region is generously endowed with nature. There are spacious beaches with golden sand, pine and deciduous forests, lakes, healing mud and healing mineral waters. And about the cultural and historical heritage of the city, which used to be called Krulevets (and Königsberg), and can not speak. By the way, he is the birthplace of the famous philosopher Immanuel Kant. So, many citizens of our country are tempted to visit this area: for tourism, recreation or just go to visit relatives or friends. But here the question arises: do I need a passport to Kaliningrad?
There is no definite answer here. On the one hand, this amazing region of amber is an integral part of our state, and from these positions, every person who has Russian citizenship has every right to come there, taking with him only an internal document. After all, a passport is “required” only when entering a foreign country (with a visa - to non-CIS countries, and without it - to some neighboring countries: Ukraine, Belarus, for example). However, the Kaliningrad region is unique in that it is almost an enclave, that is, a part of the country, surrounded on all sides by the territories of other states.
So do I need a passport to Kaliningrad? If you travel by plane, the answer is unequivocal - no. Airspace is a neutral zone, and the board of a Russian aircraft is part of our country. Therefore, when flying, say, Moscow-Kaliningrad, you legally do not leave the borders of the Russian Federation. Documents for boarding a flight are exactly the same as for domestic flights around the country.
Saying that this area is almost an enclave, it means that it has access to the sea, that is, to neutral waters. Are you taking a St. Petersburg-Kaliningrad ferry ticket? Then you can safely embark on a journey with an internal document of a citizen of the Russian Federation. That is, the question of whether you need a passport to Kaliningrad if you travel by sea, the answer is: no - for a scheduled ferry that runs between two Russian cities: yes - if you are going to visit the coastal region aboard the Baltic cruise ship to the sea.
What about ground transportation - bus, train, own car? Here the answer to the question of whether a passport to Kaliningrad is needed is also unequivocal: it is definitely needed. And for those who travel by car, a Lithuanian visa is also required . Why? It is known that the Republic of Lithuania is included in the Schengen zone. Therefore, those who like to travel comfortably with their own vehicles, you first need to contact the embassy and apply for permission to enter this country. Even Belarusian border guards have the legal right to demand the presentation of a passport.
In order to avoid problems with obtaining a visa (and at the same time move around the land while traveling to Kaliningrad), there is only one way: buy a ticket for a scheduled train or a bus of Russian formation. A passport with such a move is also necessary. But the cashiers of state bus services and railways, when selling a ticket, automatically apply for a transit visa to Lithuania, also called a “simplified travel document”. It should be noted that this service is absolutely free, but the cost of a passport is not included in it: you must already have this document with you to purchase a ticket.