# What is the longest distance you can travel without a passport? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 10, 2012, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-distance-you-can-travel-without-a-passport/643592 "2012-12-10T12:28:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tellyworth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@tellyworth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tellyworth)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2012, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-distance-you-can-travel-without-a-passport/643592/1 "2012-12-10T12:28:08Z")
What is the longest trip that can be achieved today without a passport or any form of official documentation? By longest trip I mean the longest straight line (or great circle) distance from start to finish, both points being on land (on earth!). Bonus question: what trip has the greatest number of borders or checkpoints (national or state/province) that can be crossed without official documentation. ---
**Author:** ![tellyworth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@tellyworth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tellyworth)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2012, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-distance-you-can-travel-without-a-passport/643592/2 "2012-12-10T12:33:08Z")
A lazy example: Brisbane to Perth is about 3600 km in a straight line. If you go by road you’ll cross 3 state borders, no papers required. ---
**Author:** ![Donnerwetter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Donnerwetter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Donnerwetter)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2012, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-distance-you-can-travel-without-a-passport/643592/3 "2012-12-10T12:45:52Z")
According to Wolfram Alpha, the distance from St. Petersburg, Russia, to Vladivostok, Russia is 4074 miles (= 6556 km). I’d guess you don’t need a passport while traveling inside the country. In Europe, you can travel without a passport inside the countries which are part of the [Schengen agreement](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schengen_Agreement). ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2012, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-distance-you-can-travel-without-a-passport/643592/4 "2012-12-10T12:48:25Z")
My guess is [Maine to Hawaii](http://www.distancefromto.net/distance-from/Hawaii/to/Maine), 5069 miles (8157 km). ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2012, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-distance-you-can-travel-without-a-passport/643592/5 "2012-12-10T12:55:29Z")
> [@Donnerwetter](#): > > According to Wolfram Alpha, the distance from St. Petersburg, Russia, to Vladivostok, Russia is 4074 miles (= 6556 km). I’d guess you don’t need a passport while traveling inside the country. I’m not sure what the situation is nowadays. I do know that until quite recently (and possibly still today) Russian visas were only granted for specific named areas and didn’t grant free travel throughout the country. I don’t know whether Russian citizens had/have similar restrictions though. In Europe, the southern tip of Spain to the northern tip of Norway gives you just over 2700 miles, which is still less than you could achieve in the Lower 48 (Quoddy Head, ME, to the headland southwest of Lompoc, CA, is 2889 miles on a great circle according to Google Maps.) > [@CookingWithGas](#): > > My guess is Maine to Hawaii, 5069 miles (8157 km). Don’t you need “official documentation” to take an internal flight? If not, what about Guam or the minor US islands in the Pacific? ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2012, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-distance-you-can-travel-without-a-passport/643592/6 "2012-12-10T13:04:15Z")
Looks to me like you can sail from the 12-mile limit of Greenland to Antarctica in a straight line, without encountering any other jurisdictions. Should be around 9,000 miles. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2012, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-distance-you-can-travel-without-a-passport/643592/7 "2012-12-10T13:04:47Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > I’m not sure what the situation is nowadays. I do know that until quite recently (and possibly still today) Russian visas were only granted for specific named areas and didn’t grant free travel throughout the country. I don’t know whether Russian citizens had/have similar restrictions though. > > In Europe, the southern tip of Spain to the northern tip of Norway gives you just over 2700 miles, which is still less than you could achieve in the Lower 48 (Quoddy Head, ME, to the headland southwest of Lompoc, CA, is 2889 miles on a great circle according to Google Maps.) > Don’t you need “official documentation” to take an internal flight? If not, what about Guam or the minor US islands in the Pacific? You don’t need a passport. You do need photo ID. But that’s for a flight.the OP did not stipulate air travel. I would say its Maine to American Samoa. ---
**Author:** ![leahcim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b4bc9f/32.png) [@leahcim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leahcim)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2012, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-distance-you-can-travel-without-a-passport/643592/8 "2012-12-10T13:05:58Z")
The way I understand it, one can travel by road from the US to Canada without a passport, so long as you don’t plan on making the reverse crossing without one. So depending on the definition of “official documentation” you might be able to swing an El Paso to Alert trip. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2012, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-distance-you-can-travel-without-a-passport/643592/9 "2012-12-10T13:06:34Z")
nm ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2012, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-distance-you-can-travel-without-a-passport/643592/10 "2012-12-10T13:07:51Z")
It is 11,160 miles from Christchurch, New Zealand to Bergen, Norway. Although to travel without a passport you would have to be dead. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2012, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-distance-you-can-travel-without-a-passport/643592/11 "2012-12-10T13:10:07Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > I’m not sure what the situation is nowadays. I do know that until quite recently (and possibly still today) Russian visas were only granted for specific named areas and didn’t grant free travel throughout the country. I don’t know whether Russian citizens had/have similar restrictions though. I’m not sure either, but if one is able to take domestic flights in Russia without documentation, Vladivostok to Kaliningrad comes up at 4,575 miles. If a drivers license were to be allowed for this exercise, from Bangor, Maine to Pago Pago, American Samoa is 6,097 miles. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2012, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-distance-you-can-travel-without-a-passport/643592/12 "2012-12-10T13:11:25Z")
> [@leahcim](#): > > The way I understand it, one can travel by road from the US to Canada without a passport, so long as you don’t plan on making the reverse crossing without one. So depending on the definition of “official documentation” you might be able to swing an El Paso to Alert trip. You do need to show some sort of is to cross the border into Canada. Not necessarily a passport, but something to show you’re an American. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2012, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-distance-you-can-travel-without-a-passport/643592/13 "2012-12-10T13:11:25Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > (Quoddy Head, ME, to the headland southwest of Lompoc, CA, is 2889 miles on a great circle according to Google Maps.) How do you get this great circle search function? And what would the distance be between St John’s, NL and Ivvavik National Park, Yukon? ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2012, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-distance-you-can-travel-without-a-passport/643592/14 "2012-12-10T13:11:44Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > You don’t need a passport. You do need photo ID. But that’s for a flight.the OP did not stipulate air travel. I would say its Maine to American Samoa. Would you be able to rock up in a boat at Pago Pago with no official documentation and walk in? Of course, if you’re in a boat you could travel as far as you liked. I’m sure you could find two antipodal points both of which are in international waters. ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2012, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-distance-you-can-travel-without-a-passport/643592/15 "2012-12-10T13:12:25Z")
> [@TonySinclair](#): > > Looks to me like you can sail from the 12-mile limit of Greenland to Antarctica in a straight line, without encountering any other jurisdictions. Should be around 9,000 miles. Oops, I missed the OP’s requirement that you start and finish on land. But I think Antarctica is open to everyone, and I would imagine you could go quite a long distance along the coast of Greenland without encountering any government officials. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2012, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-distance-you-can-travel-without-a-passport/643592/16 "2012-12-10T13:15:06Z")
Why not just go from Corpus Christi to Seattle by boat? The long way, staying out of other countries’ territorial waters. (other than the getting killed by pirates, disease, and/or famine part) ---
**Author:** ![tellyworth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@tellyworth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tellyworth)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2012, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-distance-you-can-travel-without-a-passport/643592/17 "2012-12-10T13:15:11Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > But that’s for a flight.the OP did not stipulate air travel. I would say its Maine to American Samoa. What happens when you arrive in Hawaii or American Samoa by boat? Does someone check ID if you’re on a commercial vessel? If you sail in and dock solo, are there documents required? ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2012, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-distance-you-can-travel-without-a-passport/643592/18 "2012-12-10T13:18:02Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > How do you get this great circle search function? Click the “Maps Labs” link at the bottom of the left-hand panel (it’s pretty small). Then enable “Distance Measurement Tool”. That will place a little ruler icon on your map window, next to the scale bar. Click that, then click a start point and an end point. Intuitive, huh? :rolleyes: > [@](#): > > And what would the distance be between St John’s, NL and Ivvavik National Park, Yukon? About 3,150 miles to the northern shore - but oddly you’d be coming in from the **northeast** on a great circle. The greater distance is actually to the southernmost point of the straight north-south border in Kluane NP, at 3,415 miles. Odd huh? Go from Mistaken Point in far south Newfoundland and you can get 3,450 miles. Great circles are funny. The greatest distance within Russia is from the Black Sea coast to the southern tip of Kamchatka at just over 4,900 miles. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2012, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-distance-you-can-travel-without-a-passport/643592/19 "2012-12-10T13:21:13Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > Click the “Maps Labs” link at the bottom of the left-hand panel (it’s pretty small). Then enable “Distance Measurement Tool”. That will place a little ruler icon on your map window, next to the scale bar. Click that, then click a start point and an end point. Intuitive, huh? :rolleyes: Cool. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2012, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-distance-you-can-travel-without-a-passport/643592/20 "2012-12-10T13:26:33Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > My guess is [Maine to Hawaii](http://www.distancefromto.net/distance-from/Hawaii/to/Maine), 5069 miles (8157 km). St. Thomas, USVI to Akun Island, AK: 6141 miles (9883 km). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-distance-you-can-travel-without-a-passport/643592.md?page=2)