Moscow to Beijing flight path: SVO to PEK

Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Moscow to Beijing. The left side wins on both ends: Moscow's river-laced suburbs at departure and the Yan Mountains with Great Wall terrain on arrival into Beijing give it more visual variety and drama than the right side's flatter, less distinctive views.

During takeoff from Sheremetyevo (SVO), sit on the Left side for the best views. Departing SVO heading east, the left side offers views over Moscow's northern suburbs and the Volga river basin before the route bends southeast toward the Urals. It's a good mix of urban sprawl and river geography in the first hour. Notable sights include: Moscow northern outskirts, Klyazma river valley, Volga tributaries, patchwork farmland.

When landing at Capital (PEK), sit on the Left side for the best views. On approach into Beijing Capital from the northwest, the left side reveals the dramatic Yan Mountains and the tail end of the Mongolian Plateau's rugged foothills before the terrain flattens into the North China Plain. This is far more dramatic than the flat plain view on the right. Notable sights include: Yan Mountains foothills, sections of the Great Wall's mountain ridgelines, North China Plain, Beijing's outer suburbs.

The flight from Sheremetyevo (SVO) to Capital (PEK) takes about 7 hours 55 minutes. The shortest flight path between them is 3,602 miles (5,796 km); winds and air traffic control usually add a few percent.

The flight crosses the Ural Mountains, the vast forests and steppe of central Siberia, the Altai region, and the southern edge of the Gobi Desert before descending into the North China Plain.