Five countries have no airport of their own: Andorra, Liechtenstein, Monaco, San Marino and Vatican City. All are small European states you reach by road or rail from an airport next door: Barcelona or Toulouse for Andorra, Zurich for Liechtenstein, Nice for Monaco, Rimini or Bologna for San Marino, and Rome for the Vatican. A handful of territories have no airport either, and they're far harder: Pitcairn and Tristan da Cunha can only be reached by sea.
Here, "no airport" means no airport with scheduled passenger flights. Several of these countries have a heliport.
The five countries with no airport
Andorra
Andorra sits high in the Pyrenees between France and Spain. Most visitors fly into Barcelona or Toulouse and take a bus or drive up through the mountains. A small airport just over the border in Spain, Andorra–La Seu d'Urgell, is the closest runway. Andorra is outside the Schengen area and the EU, so expect a customs check on the way out, mostly for what's in your car.
Liechtenstein
Liechtenstein lies in the Rhine valley between Switzerland and Austria. Fly into Zurich, take the train to Sargans or Buchs in Switzerland, and a local bus crosses into Vaduz. There's no passport control at the Swiss border. Because a visit leaves no stamp, the tourist office in Vaduz has long offered a souvenir stamp for your passport. Liechtenstein is also one of only two double-landlocked countries; see the world's double-landlocked countries.
Monaco
Monaco is on the French Riviera, a short ride from Nice Côte d'Azur Airport. The cheap way is the coastal train or a bus; the fast way is a helicopter shuttle to Monaco's heliport in Fontvieille. There's no border check between France and Monaco.
San Marino
San Marino is surrounded entirely by Italy, on a ridge above the Adriatic coast. The nearest airport is Rimini's, and Bologna's has more flights. A regular bus runs from Rimini up to the old town on Monte Titano. Like Liechtenstein, it has no passport control, and visitors can buy a souvenir stamp at the tourist office.
Vatican City
Vatican City, the world's smallest country, is a walled enclave inside Rome. Fly into Rome Fiumicino or Ciampino, then walk in through St. Peter's Square. There's no border check, and it has a heliport but no runway. It's on the 195, 250 and Travelers' Century Club lists but not among the 193 UN members; see which list to count by.
These five are close together, so they make a good set. Monaco pairs with Nice, San Marino with Rimini or Bologna, the Vatican with any trip to Rome. The smallest countries page has them side by side.
Countries with airports but no flights
Some countries have airports that aren't in use for passengers.
- Ukraine has many airports, but its airspace has been closed to civilian flights since February 2022. Visitors have arrived by train or road from neighbors such as Poland and Moldova. Many governments advise against travel; check your government's official advice.
- Palestine has no airport in use. Visitors to the West Bank usually arrive through Israel or cross from Jordan at the Allenby/King Hussein Bridge.
Territories you can only reach by sea
These are among the least visited places on the 250 list, and the reason is the trip.
- Pitcairn Islands. Fly to Tahiti, then to Mangareva in French Polynesia, and board the supply ship MV Silver Supporter for a crossing of about 32 hours and 480 km (300 miles). Berths are limited and book up early.
- Tokelau. Three atolls belonging to New Zealand, reached only by boat from Apia in Samoa. Visitors need a permit, the crossing takes more than a day, and access has been restricted at times, so check before planning.
- Tristan da Cunha. Part of the British territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha. There's no airport; scheduled ships leave from Cape Town, 2,810 km (1,750 miles) away, and visits are arranged with the island's administration.
- Saint Helena itself was reachable only by ship until its first scheduled commercial flight landed on 14 October 2017.
- Antarctica. No scheduled airport. Most visitors sail from Ushuaia in Argentina; some fly from Punta Arenas in Chile to King George Island and join a ship there.
Do these countries count the same?
Yes. Every list counts a country you reached by road, rail or sea exactly like one you flew into. What changes is the evidence: you'll have no boarding pass and often no stamp. A photo taken on the ground is the simplest record. Globestamp counts a country when one of your photos was taken on its ground, however you got there, so a picture in Vaduz or on the Pitcairn jetty is enough.