Why Internet Traffic from Rostov to Tokyo Takes a 5324 km Detour
When internet packets are sent from Rostov-on-Don to Tokyo, it seems logical that they should follow the most direct route through Eurasia. However, GeoCables data shows that the traffic instead takes a surprising detour through Singapore, deviating 5,324 km from the straight line. This results in a significant increase in round-trip time (RTT): 319 milliseconds instead of the theoretical minimum of 79 ms that could be achieved by traveling in a straight line. What is happening in the depths of the internet infrastructure?
Who carries the packets and why?
Several key network operators are involved in this route. The initial node in Rostov-on-Don is serviced by JSC ER-Telecom Holding (AS57378), a major Russian provider. The traffic is then handed over to one of the world's largest transit operators, Arelion Sweden AB (AS1299, formerly known as Telia Carrier). Arelion routes the traffic through Moscow, Stockholm, Frankfurt, and Paris before passing it to Internet Initiative Japan Inc. (IIJ, AS2497) for delivery to the final destination in Tokyo.
Why does the route go through Singapore? The reason lies in the global transit economy and peering agreements. Direct interconnections between major operators are often absent in key geographic locations. In this case, despite the existence of cables across the Eurasian continent, packets traverse Europe, reach Southeast Asia, and only then return to Japan. Singapore, one of the largest submarine cable landing points and a major peering hub, serves as a critical transit center.
Practical implications for the user
For the end user, such latency can be critical. For instance, during video calls with Japanese colleagues, every word arrives with a noticeable delay, as the 319 ms latency exceeds the comfortable threshold of 150 ms. In online gaming, where every millisecond counts, such RTT figures can lead to significant synchronization issues and make it impossible to compete on equal footing. High-frequency traders working with Japanese stock exchanges will also feel the impact: the extended route increases system response times, potentially causing financial losses. Even working with cloud services located in Japan becomes more challenging.
Infrastructure context: why does the region's traffic go "off course"?
The main reason is the lack of direct network connections between key providers in the region. While there are cables linking Russia and Japan through North China and North Korea, they are either underdeveloped or unused due to political, economic, or technical factors. Instead, traffic is routed through more complex paths using major transit hubs in Europe and Asia.
This detour could be eliminated if peering agreements between operators were optimized or if more resources were invested in developing direct routes through Eurasia. For now, global transit operators like Arelion use their major hubs in Europe and Singapore to ensure reliability and scalability, even if this increases latency.
Real events: a colorful backdrop without impact
Although the detour is solely caused by routing characteristics, GeoCables monitoring records interesting events near the geography of the route. For example, in August 2026, an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.8 occurred just 39 km from the endpoint in Tokyo. However, GeoCables data clearly shows that this event was unrelated to the route change.
Other natural phenomena, such as the floods in 2026 in Russia, Ukraine, and Georgia, also did not affect routing despite their relative proximity. These events serve merely as a backdrop, highlighting the complexity and vulnerability of global infrastructure.
This case is a vivid reminder of how modern internet technologies depend on invisible decisions made behind the scenes by transit and local operators. GeoCables continues to study such routes, uncovering the hidden logistical and technical nuances that impact the speed and quality of connectivity.
