Russia has banned the sale of cigarettes, vapes and hookahs at all public transport stops across the country under new regulations that came into effect on September 1.
The new rules restrict tobacco availability at the convenience kiosks and small retail outlets commonly found next to bus, tram and trolleybus shelters in Russian cities. According to the state owned RIA Novosti news agency, the comprehensive ban covers stops for all forms of public transit.
The legislation includes a single exemption designed for isolated rural communities. If a shop located next to a transport stop is the only retail outlet selling tobacco products in the entire settlement, it will be permitted to continue sales to ensure local access is not entirely removed.
Public transport networks form the backbone of daily travel in most major Russian cities, with millions of passengers using buses, trams and trolleybuses every day. The placement of retail kiosks directly at these waiting areas has traditionally provided vendors with a steady stream of customers, a retail dynamic the new law will fundamentally alter for tobacco sellers.
Financial penalties introduced
Administrative fines await businesses that fail to comply with the new public health restrictions. Representatives from one major Russian tobacco retail chain stated that selling products in violation of the updated requirements would lead to administrative liability following the enforcement date.
Under the new penalty structure, legal entities caught selling cigarettes or alternative vaping products at transport stops will face substantial fines ranging from 90,000 to 120,000 rubles.
The restriction at transport hubs is part of a broader, years long public health campaign in Russia to reduce smoking rates, tighten access to electronic cigarettes, and limit the visibility of tobacco products in everyday public spaces. Convenience kiosks at bus stops have historically been common, high traffic points of sale for commuters buying cigarettes alongside daily goods, making them a primary target for the new regulation.
Crackdown on illegal tobacco
The latest point of sale restriction follows reported progress in Russia's ongoing efforts to regulate its wider tobacco market and crack down on the shadow economy.
Between 2020 and 2025, the share of illegal tobacco circulation across Russia dropped significantly, falling from 15.6 percent to 9 percent.
This continuous reduction in the illicit trade has brought significant financial benefits to the legal retail market. Over that five year period, the successful process of bringing tobacco sales out of the shadow economy generated up to 858 billion rubles in additional market revenues.
