Wendy Zhang/ Shanghai Daily news

Package tour travelers from Shanghai can enjoy trips to Russia without the need for visas, commencing with the upcoming week-long National Day holiday beginning October 1, eastday.com reported today.
Travel agencies in Shanghai received circulars on the visa-waiver policies yesterday, and package tours,  with a minimum of five members, can enjoy the preferential policies starting from the National Day holiday.
Compared with tours to Western European countries, the tour to Russia, at between 8,000 and 9,000 yuan (US$986-US$1,110), is very price competitive. However, to date, only China Eastern Airlines and Aeroflot offer direct flights from Shanghai to Moscow, so air-tickets might be hard to come by over the holiday period, said an industry analyst, adding that Russia is expected to become a popular new destination for domestic travelers after the golden week-long holiday.