Travel Guide: Knoxville To Minsk, Belarus

If you're planning a trip from Knoxville, Tennessee, to Minsk, Belarus, you're looking at a journey of over 5,000 miles. The best way to get to Minsk is by plane, with the closest airport to Knoxville being McGhee Tyson Airport, located 13 miles from downtown. From there, you can fly to Minsk National Airport, the major international airport for Belarus. The flight time from Nashville, TN, to Minsk is approximately 10 hours and 43 minutes. Alternatively, you can travel to Minsk by train or bus, although this may take longer.

Getting to Minsk National Airport

To get to Minsk National Airport from Knoxville, TN, you will need to fly from a connecting airport such as Nashville, TN. The flight time from Nashville to Minsk is approximately 10 hours and 43 minutes.

When you arrive at Minsk National Airport, there are several transport options to reach the city centre, which is about 30km away. Here are some options to get to Minsk from the airport:

Bus

Take bus 300Э or 173Э from the Centralny bus station. Buses depart hourly.

Train

Take a shuttle bus to the train station "National Airport Minsk", and from there, take a train to Smolevichi, and then Minsk.

Taxi

You can take a taxi from the airport to Minsk city centre for around €25.

Car

You can hire a car from the Arrivals hall at the airport.

Travel from Nashville to Knoxville

To travel from Nashville to Knoxville, you can take a bus, car, or plane. The fastest way to travel between the two cities is by car, which takes approximately 3 hours and costs $30-$50. The distance between the two cities is around 180 miles.

If you're looking for a scenic road trip, the drive from Nashville to Knoxville offers plenty of opportunities for adventure, including several state parks with natural wonders such as waterfalls and gorges. Here are some recommended stops along the way:

• Belle Meade Historic Site and Winery in Nashville offers tours, wine and food pairings, chef-inspired meals, and bourbon tastings.
• The Grand Ole Opry in Nashville is a great option if you enjoy country music. This performing arts venue showcases country music's past, present, and future, with live shows and backstage tours.
• Lost Sea in Sweetwater, TN, is located about an hour south of Knoxville. It is the largest underground lake in America, covering over 4 acres. You can take a boat ride on the lake, explore the caverns, or hike the trails.
• Market Square in Knoxville is a charming downtown district with cobblestone sidewalks, unique shops, and restaurants serving classic southern cuisine.
• Rock Island State Park features amazing waterways and gorges across 883 acres of natural landscape. You can discover natural wonders such as Great Falls and Twin Falls, as well as wildlife like osprey and great blue herons.
• Frozen Head State Park encompasses over 24,000 acres of wilderness, including the 3,324-foot Frozen Head Peak in the Cumberland Mountains, often covered in ice or snow during winter. Flat Fork Creek is a great spot for fishing, especially for rainbow trout in February and March.
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park, located on the border of North Carolina and Tennessee, is one of America's most beloved parks. You can explore towering mountains, shimmering rivers, wildflowers, and waterfalls.

If you prefer not to drive, you can take a direct bus from Nashville to Knoxville. The bus journey takes approximately 4 hours and costs around $40. Alternatively, you can fly between the two cities, although this option is more expensive and may not be much faster when you consider the time spent at the airport and in the air.

Flight from Nashville to Minsk

To get from Knoxville, TN to Minsk, Belarus, you'll first need to make your way to Nashville, TN. The closest airport to Knoxville is McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS), which is served by 10 airlines and offers 30 domestic flights.

Once in Nashville, you can catch a flight to Minsk. The flight time from Nashville to Minsk is approximately 10 hours and 43 minutes. However, there are no direct flights between the two cities, so you'll need to make at least one stopover. Some airlines that fly to Minsk from the United States include Uzbekistan Airways, Azerbaijan Airlines, Azimuth Airlines, Red Wings Airlines, and Severstal Air Company.

When booking your flight, be aware that choosing a non-stop flight is often more expensive, but can save you time. It may be cheaper to opt for a route with connections. Additionally, the day of the week you book your flight can impact the price. Sunday is typically the best day to buy plane tickets, and booking several weeks in advance can help you find lower fares.

Upon arriving at Minsk International Airport (MSQ), you'll be about 30 miles from the city centre. You can get to the centre of town by bus, train, taxi, or hired car.

Driving to Belarus

The US Embassy in Belarus strongly advises US citizens against travelling to Belarus due to the current situation in the region. However, if you are still planning to make the journey from Knoxville, Tennessee to Minsk, Belarus, here is some information that might be useful.

Firstly, you should be aware that it is not possible to cross the Belarusian-Russian border by car, even with a valid visa. This means that you will have to drive through other countries to reach Belarus. The distance from Nashville, Tennessee to Minsk, Belarus is approximately 5,105 miles or 8,216 kilometres, and the flight time is around 10 hours and 43 minutes. Therefore, driving will likely take multiple days, depending on your route and speed.

To drive in Belarus, you will need an International Driving Licence and documents showing that you are the owner of the car. These documents must be the originals, not photocopies. You will also need to purchase car insurance, which can be bought at the border crossing when you enter the country. The Green Card, the international motor insurance certificate, is also valid in Belarus.

When driving in Belarus, keep in mind that traffic drives on the right. The speed limits are 60 km/h in built-up areas, 90 km/h outside built-up areas, and 110 km/h on motorways. There is a zero-tolerance policy for alcohol when driving, and most traffic signs are in Cyrillic script only. Checkpoints are common on roads and border crossings, so be prepared to provide your documentation when requested.

Additionally, Belarus has a digital system called BelToll for collecting road tolls on its motorways. The length of toll roads is approximately 1,786 kilometres, and the tariffs depend on the technical total weight of the vehicle and the number of axles, ranging from €0.04 to €0.145 per 1 kilometre.

Travel by train to Minsk

Minsk, the capital of Belarus, is accessible by train from almost every major city in Europe and the CIS. The city's new Central Station is one of the largest in Europe, open 24 hours a day, and offering a wide range of facilities.

To travel to Minsk from Knoxville, TN, by train, you will first need to take a train to a European or CIS country that offers direct trains to Minsk. Some of the possible routes you could consider are:

• Via Washington, D.C.: Take a train from Knoxville to Washington, D.C., and from there, you can take a direct train to European cities such as Paris or London. From these cities, you can take a train to Warsaw, Poland, which has direct trains to Minsk.
• Via New York: Consider taking a train from Knoxville to New York. From New York, you can take a train to Berlin, Germany, which offers direct trains to Minsk.
• Via Montreal: Another option is to take a train from Knoxville to Montreal, Canada. From Montreal, you can take a train to Moscow, Russia, which has direct trains to Minsk.

Once you arrive in one of these cities, you can purchase a train ticket to Minsk through the Belarusian Railways website or at a local train station. The cost of train tickets from these cities to Minsk varies depending on the route and class of service.

Keep in mind that travelling by train from North America to Europe may involve multiple train changes and can be a lengthy journey. You may also need to obtain any necessary visas or travel documents for the countries you will be transiting through.

Frequently asked questions