Google Maps Location Approx
Border Countries
🇨🇳 China 🇷🇺 Russia
Nearest Cities
Sunwu, Konstantinovka²
Coordinates
49.13°N, 127.30°E
Border Type
Land crossing via road
Operating Hours
Open 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Wait Times
30-60 min for pedestrians/vehicles
Peak Times
Mornings (7-10 AM), weekends
Crossing Types
Pedestrians, vehicles
Daily Crossings
~1000 travelers/vehicles
Languages Spoken
Mandarin, Russian, English
Currency Exchange
Limited near Sunwu (CNY, RUB)
Connectivity Options
Limited Wi-Fi, 3G
Accessibility Features
Ramps, assistance
Safety Information
Restricted, remote risks
Emergency Contacts
🇨🇳 110 🇷🇺 112
Google Maps Location Approx
Country Information
About Konstantinovka², Sunwu
Important Note: A Closed and Inactive Border
The border crossing between Mohe in Heilongjiang Province, China, and the Russian village of Dzhalinda in the Amur Oblast, is currently closed and not operational. It was a minor, seasonal river crossing that has been inactive for many years. There are long-term plans to build a major railway bridge and develop a new economic corridor here, but this is a future project. This guide is for historical and geographical context only. It is not possible to cross the border at this location.
The Mohe-Dzhalinda Crossing: The Arctic Gateway
The border crossing point at Mohe, China’s northernmost city, which connects across the Amur River to the Russian village of Dzhalinda, is a place of immense geographical and symbolic significance. This is the “Arctic” frontier of China, a region known for its brutally cold winters, where temperatures can plunge below -50 degrees Celsius. Mohe is a popular domestic tourist destination, promoted as China’s “Arctic Village,” where visitors can experience the aurora borealis and the polar day phenomena. The crossing itself, when it was operational, was a very minor, seasonal ferry, a tiny outpost on a vast and empty frontier. Its real significance lies in its potential future. It is the proposed site for a major new railway bridge that would connect China’s northeastern provinces with the mineral and timber resources of Russia’s vast Sakha Republic (Yakutia). The crossing, therefore, represents a future ambition, a place where a grand strategic vision meets a harsh and frozen reality.
A History of an Empty Frontier and Future Plans
For almost all of history, this was one of the most remote and sparsely populated regions on earth, the domain of Tungusic peoples like the Evenks. The modern border was established by the 19th-century treaties between Russia and China, but the area remained an undeveloped wilderness. The town of Mohe was a small gold-mining outpost. The Russian village of Dzhalinda was a stop on the BAM (Baikal-Amur Mainline) railway, a massive Soviet infrastructure project. A small, local ferry operated in the summer, but it was not an international crossing. The idea of transforming this remote outpost into a major economic corridor is a 21st-century one. The plan for the Mohe-Dzhalinda railway bridge is part of a larger strategy to create new resource corridors between Russia’s resource-rich Far East and China’s industrial heartland. The project is technically challenging and enormously expensive, and while it remains a long-term goal for both governments, its implementation has been slow. The border here is defined more by its future potential than by its past or present reality.
Border Procedures: Non-Existent
As the border crossing is not operational, there are no procedures. There are no immigration or customs facilities on either side of the river at this location that are designated for international travel. The former local ferry service has been suspended for many years. It is not possible to cross the Amur River here legally. The entire border is a high-security zone, patrolled by the Russian FSB and the China Immigration Inspection. Any attempt to cross the river would be a serious crime and would result in immediate arrest. All travel between China and Russia in this vast region must be done through the designated international crossing at Heihe-Blagoveshchensk, which is hundreds of kilometers to the southeast.
The Regional Context: China’s Arctic and Russia’s Far East
The crossing is located in a region of extreme climate and vast wilderness. Mohe, on the Chinese side, has been successfully developed as a unique domestic tourist destination. Visitors come to experience the extreme cold, see the ice sculptures, and visit the “northernmost point” of China. It has an airport and is connected by road and rail to the rest of Heilongjiang province. The Russian side, however, is much less developed. The village of Dzhalinda is a tiny settlement in a vast, empty landscape. The region of Yakutia to the north is one of the coldest and most sparsely populated places on earth, a land of tundra, permafrost, and incredible mineral wealth. The logistical challenges of building and operating a major transport corridor in this environment are immense. The vision for this border is a bold one, but it faces formidable natural and financial obstacles.
Final Contextual Note: A Frozen Dream
The Mohe-Dzhalinda crossing is a fascinating story of a border that is yet to be. It is a place where geography, climate, and grand economic strategy intersect. For the traveler, the city of Mohe is an interesting and accessible destination within China, a chance to experience a unique “polar” environment. However, the border itself is a closed door, a line on the map that cannot be crossed. It is a symbol of future ambition, a dream of a new Silk Road through the Siberian taiga. But for now, the Amur River flows freely, and the border remains a quiet, frozen, and impassable frontier. It is a place that reminds us that even in our hyper-connected world, there are still vast spaces where the lines on the map have yet to become realities on the ground.