Novosibirsk Airport Guide: S7’s Siberian Crossroads
Novosibirsk Airport is the Siberian hub of S7 Airlines. Our guide covers its two long runways, new terminal, busiest routes, transport and spotting.
By The Aviation Hub
6 min read
Updated October 20, 2026 
Tolmachevo sits beside the town of Ob, west of Novosibirsk, in the heart of southern Siberia. Novosibirsk Airport is one of the main air gateways to Siberia and a home base for S7 Airlines, with around 9 million passengers a year. Its position halfway between Europe and East Asia has made it a long standing refuelling stop for freighters, and a new terminal is transforming the passenger experience.
Novosibirsk Airport at a Glance
The IATA code is OVB and the ICAO code is UNNT. Novosibirsk Airport lies about 10 miles (16 km) west of the city centre at an elevation of 111 metres (365 feet). It has two runways of almost identical length and a terminal complex split into Section A for domestic flights and Section B for international services, with a new terminal alongside.
Traffic has climbed to roughly 9 million passengers a year, well above the 4.6 million recorded in the pandemic year of 2020. S7 Airlines is the dominant carrier and has its head office in Ob. Novaport, the airport group controlled by Roman Trotsenko, has run the airport since 2011. Up to date flight and transport details are on the airport’s official website.
How Novosibirsk’s Airport Came to Be
Novosibirsk grew rapidly in the Soviet era, and by the 1950s its small city airfield could not handle the new generation of jets. Tolmachevo opened on 12 July 1957, when a Tupolev Tu-104 flew the first service to Moscow. The name comes from the nearby village of Tolmachevo.
For decades the airport was a stop on Aeroflot’s trunk routes across the Soviet Union. After 1991 the local carrier Sibir took over much of the flying, and it later rebranded as S7 Airlines. The old domestic and international buildings were merged into one complex in 2014 and 2015, creating Sections A and B.
In 2019 the airport was named after Alexander Pokryshkin, the Second World War fighter ace born in Novosibirsk, as part of a national programme naming airports after notable figures. Construction of a new terminal began in September 2020, and its first phase of about 56,000 square metres was completed in 2022.
Runways at Novosibirsk Airport
Novosibirsk Airport has two runways set at an angle to each other. Runway 16/34 is 3,602 metres (11,818 feet) long and 45 metres wide. Runway 07/25 is 3,597 metres (11,801 feet) long and 60 metres wide. Runway 16 has a Category II instrument landing system for low visibility approaches.
Both runways are long enough for fully loaded wide body freighters, which matters for an airport used as a refuelling stop. Which runway is active depends on the wind, and the crossing layout gives controllers an option in most conditions.
Siberian winters are the main operational challenge. Temperatures regularly fall below minus 30C, and snow clearing and de icing are a constant part of airport life from November to March. The airfield also hosts a military helicopter regiment, so military helicopters share the circuit with airliners.
Terminals and Airlines
Domestic flights use Section A and international flights use Section B. The new terminal adds a large modern building beside them, with a second phase planned to take total terminal space above 100,000 square metres. Four new stands for wide body aircraft and a rapid exit taxiway are also part of the plan.
S7 Airlines dominates, flying Airbus A320neo family jets, Boeing 737-800 and Embraer E170 aircraft from its Novosibirsk Airport base. Its network covers Moscow, St Petersburg, Siberia, the Russian Far East, Central Asia and holiday destinations further south.
Aeroflot and its low cost arm Pobeda serve Moscow and other cities, and Azur Air runs holiday charters. Foreign airlines include flydubai and Uzbekistan Airways, along with carriers from Central Asia, the Caucasus, Vietnam and Myanmar. Western airlines no longer fly to Russia under sanctions imposed since 2022.
Routes and Destinations
Moscow is the busiest route by a wide margin, carrying more than a million passengers a year as early as 2013. St Petersburg and Khabarovsk followed on the domestic side. Flights to Sochi, Krasnodar and other southern resorts are strong in summer.
Internationally, Bangkok, Antalya and Bishkek once led the market. Since 2022 the focus has shifted to countries still open to Russian airlines, including Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Thailand, Vietnam, China and the former Soviet republics of Central Asia. Labour migration keeps flights to Tashkent, Bishkek and Dushanbe busy year round.
Cargo gives Novosibirsk Airport a distinct role. Freighters flying between East Asia and Europe have long stopped here to refuel, and the airport is a diversion option on polar routes. The closure of Russian airspace to many Western carriers since 2022 has changed who uses it, but the transit role remains.
Getting to and from Novosibirsk Airport
There is no direct rail link to the terminal. Shuttle buses run to Ob station on the Trans Siberian Railway, where suburban trains continue into Novosibirsk. City buses and minibuses link the airport with the city centre and the main railway station in around 45 minutes to an hour, and they are the cheapest sensible option.
Taxis and ride hailing apps such as Yandex Go operate from the forecourt. A ride to central Novosibirsk takes 30 to 45 minutes outside rush hour and usually costs under RUB 1,500. The airport sits on the main highway running west from the city, and car parks face the terminals.
Visitors should note that the UK Foreign Office currently advises against all travel to Russia. Payment cards issued in the UK and most of Europe do not work there, which makes even a simple taxi ride complicated.
Spotting and Photography
Novosibirsk Airport offers a mix that is hard to find elsewhere. S7 A320neos share the apron with Russian built Sukhoi Superjets, Central Asian Airbus jets and transiting freighters. In the past, Boeing 747 freighters on refuelling stops drew enthusiasts from across the region.
There is no official viewing area, and the terminal windows are the safest place to watch. The flat land around the field offers views of approaches, with the sun to the south favouring positions north of the runways.
Caution is essential. Russia treats aviation sites with military units as sensitive, and photographing near the fence can lead to detention and questioning. Keep cameras out of sight near military areas and follow any instruction from police without argument.
What Comes Next
The second phase of the new terminal, the wide body stands and the extra taxiway are the main projects. Novaport also wants to turn Tolmachevo into a transfer hub, using its central location to connect Siberia and the Far East with Central Asia and the south.
Sanctions remain the biggest constraint. Shortages of spare parts and engines have grounded some aircraft across Russian fleets, and that limits growth. Novosibirsk Airport has modern infrastructure and a strong home airline, but its future depends on politics far beyond Siberia. Compare it with other Asian gateways on the Airports of the World map.
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