How Flowers Travel: Carrying a Bouquet by Car, Train or Plane
Cut flowers travel well for a few hours if they are hydrated beforehand, kept cool and protected from wind, frost and crushing; most sturdy varieties cope with three to six hours out of water, while delicate ones start to droop within one or two. The longer the trip, the more the result depends on preparation: a water source at the stems, firm packaging and a cool, stable temperature. For journeys longer than a day, or across borders, it is usually wiser to have the bouquet delivered at the destination.
In our Saint Petersburg shops, open since 2011, this is one of the questions we hear most: how to take a bouquet on a train to Moscow, whether roses will survive a flight, how to carry peonies across the city in January. Below is what we tell customers at the counter, from choosing travel-proof flowers to reviving a bouquet after the journey.
Which flowers handle a journey and which do not
Chrysanthemums, alstroemeria, carnations, spray roses, eucalyptus and most orchids are the most forgiving travellers. Their stems hold water well, their petals are firm, and after three or four hours in a box they recover completely once they are back in a vase. Standard roses are also reliable if they are bought at the half-open stage rather than fully blown, because tight heads resist crushing and lose less moisture.
Hydrangeas, sweet peas, anemones, gerberas and fully open peonies are the opposite. Hydrangeas drink through their petals as well as their stems and wilt visibly after an hour without water. Gerberas have soft, hollow stems that bend under their own weight once they dehydrate. Tulips are a special case: they tolerate travel well, but they keep growing and curving afterwards, so a neat bouquet can look quite different the next morning.
For a long trip, ask the florist for a compact, round arrangement rather than a tall, airy one. Short stems mean less distance for water to travel to the head, and a dense shape protects the inner flowers. Greenery such as pittosporum or ruscus adds structure and survives almost anything.
Preparing a bouquet for the road
Preparation starts the evening before or at least a few hours before you leave. Recut the stems by 2 cm at an angle and let the flowers stand in deep, cool water for two to three hours so that they are fully hydrated. A well-hydrated bouquet loses moisture more slowly than one bought five minutes before the train.
For the journey itself, the simplest solution is a water source at the stems. Wrap the stem ends in damp paper towels or cotton wool, cover them with a plastic bag and fix it with an elastic band or tape. Florists also use small water tubes on individual stems and aqua packs, a sealed bag of water around the base of the bouquet, which keep flowers fresh for a full day.
The outer wrapping should protect rather than decorate. Kraft paper or a cardboard box holds the shape and lets the flowers breathe; thin film alone creates condensation and can cause petals to spot. If the bouquet will be in the cold, add a second layer of thick paper and keep the heads fully covered.
Bouquets we can deliver
Carrying flowers in winter and summer
Temperature is the main risk on any trip. In a Saint Petersburg winter, frost combined with wind from the river damages unprotected petals in minutes; roses darken at the edges and turn glassy. Carry the bouquet with its heads down inside a closed wrap, minimise the time outside and never leave flowers in a cold car overnight. When you come indoors from strong frost, give the bouquet 20-30 minutes to warm up before unwrapping it.
Summer heat is just as harmful. A car parked in the sun reaches temperatures at which flowers collapse within half an hour, so a bouquet should travel inside the cabin with the air conditioning on, never in the boot. Keep it out of direct sunlight on public transport, and choose a seat on the shady side of the train if you can.
Avoid placing flowers next to fruit in a bag or on the back seat. Ripening fruit, especially apples and bananas, gives off ethylene gas, which speeds up ageing and makes petals drop.
Flowers on planes, trains and across borders
On domestic trains flowers are treated as ordinary hand luggage, and the main difficulty is space. Keep the bouquet upright between your knees or on the top shelf away from heating vents, which in Russian long-distance carriages run warm in winter. On an overnight train, open the wrap slightly and keep the stems in their damp pack so that the flowers do not dry out in the warm, dry air.
Airlines generally allow a bouquet as part of hand luggage, but rules on size and liquids vary, so a water tube or aqua pack may need to be emptied at security. Check your carrier's rules before you fly, and ask the florist for a bouquet with a damp gel pack or wet wrap rather than free water. Cabin air is very dry, so a bouquet loses moisture faster on a three-hour flight than on a three-hour drive.
International trips are where travelling with flowers usually stops making sense. Many countries restrict the import of plant material, and customs officers can confiscate fresh flowers at the border. If the bouquet is meant for someone in another country, having it made and delivered there gives you fresher flowers and spares you the paperwork.
Reviving flowers after the trip
Once you arrive, unwrap the bouquet completely and recut every stem by 2-3 cm at an angle with a sharp knife, ideally under running water so that no air enters the stem. Remove leaves that would sit below the waterline and place the flowers in a clean vase with cool water. Most varieties lift their heads within one or two hours.
For roses that have drooped, a deeper revival works well: wrap the heads tightly in paper and stand the stems in deep water up to the base of the flowers for several hours or overnight. Hydrangeas can be submerged completely in cool water for 30-40 minutes. Change the water every one or two days and trim the stems a little each time.
Choose a cool place for the vase, away from radiators, sunny windowsills and the fruit bowl. Freshly travelled flowers are already stressed, and a warm room will undo all the care you took on the road.
When delivery is the better option
For many of our customers abroad the real question is not how to carry flowers but how to get them to someone in Russia. We deliver across Russia: delivery within a city costs 500 RUB, and for remote districts and suburbs the operator confirms the price when confirming the order. In large cities express delivery takes 1-2 hours after confirmation, and you can also choose an exact time, a time window from 09-12 to 18-21, or pre-order 1-30 days ahead.
You choose a bouquet in the catalogue and pay online by bank card, SBP or Yandex Pay; foreign bank cards are accepted through Robokassa. The courier calls the recipient about 15 minutes before arrival, delivery is anonymous by default and a card with your text is free. In Saint Petersburg delivery runs around the clock. Full terms are on the delivery and payment page, and for questions you can call 8 (812) 507-67-05.
Frequently asked questions
How long can cut flowers stay out of water while travelling?
Sturdy flowers such as chrysanthemums, carnations and spray roses usually cope with three to six hours. Delicate ones like hydrangeas and sweet peas start to wilt after one or two hours, so give them a damp stem pack.
Can I take a bouquet on a plane?
Airlines generally allow flowers in hand luggage, but size and liquid rules vary by carrier. Use a wet wrap or gel pack instead of free water, and check the rules before you fly.
Can I take fresh flowers to another country?
Many countries restrict importing plant material, and flowers can be confiscated at customs. It is usually easier to order delivery in the destination country.
How do I revive flowers after a long journey?
Recut the stems at an angle, remove lower leaves and put the flowers in cool, clean water. Drooping roses recover well if their heads are wrapped in paper and the stems stand in deep water for a few hours.
Can I send flowers to Saint Petersburg with a foreign card?
Yes. Foreign bank cards are accepted through Robokassa, and in Saint Petersburg delivery runs around the clock.
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