Ekaterinburg is a major hub for Russia east of the Urals. Koltsovo Airport (IATA: SVX) handles domestic and international flights, with connections to Moscow (around two hours), St Petersburg, and Novosibirsk, plus international routes to several European and Asian cities. Aeroflot and Ural Airlines are the main carriers.
By train, Ekaterinburg sits on the Trans-Siberian Railway, which makes it accessible in both directions. The journey from Moscow takes around 26 hours by direct overnight train — the Ural sleeper services are comfortable, though not as fast as the Sapsan high-speed trains that serve Moscow-St Petersburg. From Novosibirsk to the east, it is around 12 hours. The railway station is central and well-connected to city transport.
By car, Ekaterinburg is about 1,700 kilometres from Moscow on the M5 highway, a drive of 20 to 22 hours that most Russians do in stages. The road is paved throughout but can be heavy with trucks. A more scenic approach is the old Siberian Highway, which crosses the Ural Mountains to the west of the city and passes through several historic towns.