Barley-Mow
Registered user
I've just returned from a 3,500 mile return trip to Novgorod, Russia, outwards via Vilnius and back via Tartu (Estonia) and Riga (Latvia).
I entered Russia on the road from Rezekne, Latvia to Ostrov. The visa procedure has been covered else where. Here's what actually happens at the border.
1. Make sure you have a working ballpoint pen or two with you and some Roubles in cash.
2. Make sure you have a new style photocard driving licence. The only issue of my entire trip was the Latvian border police who insisted my old style green driving licence was invalid in Europe. They were not interested at all in my IDP
3. Have ready your passport, V5 and driving licence. It will also be helpful to have a separate note handy of your vehicle's VIN number, date of first registration and exact cc for the customs form.
4. Don't waste time and money trying to get insurance before you cross. If you can at all it'll be very expensive.
You first have to exit Latvia and have to show all three documents to the Latvian police and border authorities.
Once cleared, you then drive forward some way to the Russian border station.
At the first control box you show your passport and are given a short form in two parts which you have to fill in about you, your vehicle and your trip. The information on both halves must be the same. This is then taken, stamped, torn in two and you are given one half. You MUST retain this throughout your trip and be ready to hand it in when you exit Russia. If not you'll have trouble. Your passport is then returned and you drive forward to Russian customs.
Here you are given two copies of a two sided A4 size customs declaration to complete. It's available in English so if you happen to be given a Russian one just ask. Please take time to read it carefully and fill it in correctly. Any errors or crossings out will mean you have to start again with a new form. You have to complete two identical copies. In general terms, if you are only taking your vehicle, normal personal belongings and your own cash you don't need to specifically declare anything.
When you've done this correctly both forms will be taken and one stamped and handed back to you. Again you MUST retain this for production when you exit. Your vehicle may be inspected - mine wasn't - probably because I'm an old git.
You then go forward to another booth where your passport is again checked and when you are allowed through you are in Russia.
As you drive forward you will see immediately on your right a filling station and shop. Stop there and go in the shop. Immediately to the left of the entrance is a guy sitting at a desk with a laptop and printer. He's the insurance man and he spends his life issuing policies. He will want to see your passport and your V5 but strangely, not your licence. He will then quote you a price and on payment (cash) issue a policy. You will have lots of pages to sign. The policy is of course in Russian and comes with the usual policy booklet etc in a plastic wallet, very much as happens here.
I was on a 15 year old R1100RT and only staying for 5 days. My policy covered 2 weeks, which I think may be a minimum period or a safety margin, and cost 720 roubles. That's about £15. You have to get used to big numbers in Russia as the rouble's worth about 2.2p at the moment.
Armed with that you're all done and away you go.
Note the following:
You may be asked by the border people to clarify which part of the address on your V5 is the post town. I don't think they're overly familiar with British documents
Don't worry about glum looks or endless requests to do fresh copies of forms, just get on with it. When all was correct I suddenly got a big smile and a hearty "Welcome to Russia"
When you exit (I left via Narva) you will have to hand in the other half of the small passport form. You will also have to hand in to Russian customs the stamped customs declaration you made on entry and then complete two copies of a fresh identical form and hand them in.
It took me 2 hours to get through going in, mainly because I messed up the customs form twice and then of course had to get my vehicle insurance as well, and one hour coming out, mainly because of queues at Narva on the Estonian side.
Bear in mind that you must exit Russia before your Visa expires and it will only have been granted for the exact period you are in Russia, there are no days of grace. So if, like me, you're travelling entirely on your own, have an exit plan in case you have a breakdown.
Most UK insurers don't extend European breakdown cover to Russia but the RAC do a breakdown policy that covers cars and bikes of any age in Russia west of the Urals.
And finally, you can apply for your Visa any time within reason, you don't have to wait until 3 months before you travel so get in early. I used the online form then applied to VFS the official agency who were extremely helpful and patient. My main problem was getting the invitation correctly worded. Do remember to ask for an auto tourism visa, not just a tourist visa and make sure your invitation says the same.
As far as I'm aware none of the passport or customs forms mentioned above at the border are available online, you have to fill them in there and then at the border.
Was it worth it all - you bet. Russia is the most wonderful place to visit, people are generally curious but most welcoming, and Novgorod must be one of its best kept secrets - it's a really beautiful city and the place where the Russian state was born. It has it all - wonderful monuments and churches, a fine river with lovely embankments, well maintained parks and gardens, even a proper beach with umbrellas and beach volleyball. And where else but Russia would you find a magazine that had 10 pages of the sports section devoted to chess.
As for the roads, just mention the subject to any Russian and you'll get a wry smile. They are by turns fine and more awful than you can possibly imagine, irrespective of road category. Believe all the dreadful things you've read and then some. But Russia is an immense country, the inheritance of soviet days seems to be an infrastructure that is utterly worn out, plus a fairly limited window of suitable weather for repairs. They are working hard at improving things, though it's an enormous task. In short they're ideal territory for a GS.
I must also say I found no problems at all with any of the driving I encountered anywhere in Russia or the Baltic states. Once you get used to local ways it's all perfectly fine. Just don't panic the first time you see a lorry coming towards you in a cloud of dust on the opposite side of the road and a car emerging from the cloud down the middle of the road. Just move over. But you must at all times stay alert and keep your eye on the ball, and the road ahead. You cannot afford to let your attention wander for a moment.
Go there, see for yourself. Now.
John Gudgeon
I entered Russia on the road from Rezekne, Latvia to Ostrov. The visa procedure has been covered else where. Here's what actually happens at the border.
1. Make sure you have a working ballpoint pen or two with you and some Roubles in cash.
2. Make sure you have a new style photocard driving licence. The only issue of my entire trip was the Latvian border police who insisted my old style green driving licence was invalid in Europe. They were not interested at all in my IDP
3. Have ready your passport, V5 and driving licence. It will also be helpful to have a separate note handy of your vehicle's VIN number, date of first registration and exact cc for the customs form.
4. Don't waste time and money trying to get insurance before you cross. If you can at all it'll be very expensive.
You first have to exit Latvia and have to show all three documents to the Latvian police and border authorities.
Once cleared, you then drive forward some way to the Russian border station.
At the first control box you show your passport and are given a short form in two parts which you have to fill in about you, your vehicle and your trip. The information on both halves must be the same. This is then taken, stamped, torn in two and you are given one half. You MUST retain this throughout your trip and be ready to hand it in when you exit Russia. If not you'll have trouble. Your passport is then returned and you drive forward to Russian customs.
Here you are given two copies of a two sided A4 size customs declaration to complete. It's available in English so if you happen to be given a Russian one just ask. Please take time to read it carefully and fill it in correctly. Any errors or crossings out will mean you have to start again with a new form. You have to complete two identical copies. In general terms, if you are only taking your vehicle, normal personal belongings and your own cash you don't need to specifically declare anything.
When you've done this correctly both forms will be taken and one stamped and handed back to you. Again you MUST retain this for production when you exit. Your vehicle may be inspected - mine wasn't - probably because I'm an old git.
You then go forward to another booth where your passport is again checked and when you are allowed through you are in Russia.
As you drive forward you will see immediately on your right a filling station and shop. Stop there and go in the shop. Immediately to the left of the entrance is a guy sitting at a desk with a laptop and printer. He's the insurance man and he spends his life issuing policies. He will want to see your passport and your V5 but strangely, not your licence. He will then quote you a price and on payment (cash) issue a policy. You will have lots of pages to sign. The policy is of course in Russian and comes with the usual policy booklet etc in a plastic wallet, very much as happens here.
I was on a 15 year old R1100RT and only staying for 5 days. My policy covered 2 weeks, which I think may be a minimum period or a safety margin, and cost 720 roubles. That's about £15. You have to get used to big numbers in Russia as the rouble's worth about 2.2p at the moment.
Armed with that you're all done and away you go.
Note the following:
You may be asked by the border people to clarify which part of the address on your V5 is the post town. I don't think they're overly familiar with British documents
Don't worry about glum looks or endless requests to do fresh copies of forms, just get on with it. When all was correct I suddenly got a big smile and a hearty "Welcome to Russia"
When you exit (I left via Narva) you will have to hand in the other half of the small passport form. You will also have to hand in to Russian customs the stamped customs declaration you made on entry and then complete two copies of a fresh identical form and hand them in.
It took me 2 hours to get through going in, mainly because I messed up the customs form twice and then of course had to get my vehicle insurance as well, and one hour coming out, mainly because of queues at Narva on the Estonian side.
Bear in mind that you must exit Russia before your Visa expires and it will only have been granted for the exact period you are in Russia, there are no days of grace. So if, like me, you're travelling entirely on your own, have an exit plan in case you have a breakdown.
Most UK insurers don't extend European breakdown cover to Russia but the RAC do a breakdown policy that covers cars and bikes of any age in Russia west of the Urals.
And finally, you can apply for your Visa any time within reason, you don't have to wait until 3 months before you travel so get in early. I used the online form then applied to VFS the official agency who were extremely helpful and patient. My main problem was getting the invitation correctly worded. Do remember to ask for an auto tourism visa, not just a tourist visa and make sure your invitation says the same.
As far as I'm aware none of the passport or customs forms mentioned above at the border are available online, you have to fill them in there and then at the border.
Was it worth it all - you bet. Russia is the most wonderful place to visit, people are generally curious but most welcoming, and Novgorod must be one of its best kept secrets - it's a really beautiful city and the place where the Russian state was born. It has it all - wonderful monuments and churches, a fine river with lovely embankments, well maintained parks and gardens, even a proper beach with umbrellas and beach volleyball. And where else but Russia would you find a magazine that had 10 pages of the sports section devoted to chess.
As for the roads, just mention the subject to any Russian and you'll get a wry smile. They are by turns fine and more awful than you can possibly imagine, irrespective of road category. Believe all the dreadful things you've read and then some. But Russia is an immense country, the inheritance of soviet days seems to be an infrastructure that is utterly worn out, plus a fairly limited window of suitable weather for repairs. They are working hard at improving things, though it's an enormous task. In short they're ideal territory for a GS.
I must also say I found no problems at all with any of the driving I encountered anywhere in Russia or the Baltic states. Once you get used to local ways it's all perfectly fine. Just don't panic the first time you see a lorry coming towards you in a cloud of dust on the opposite side of the road and a car emerging from the cloud down the middle of the road. Just move over. But you must at all times stay alert and keep your eye on the ball, and the road ahead. You cannot afford to let your attention wander for a moment.
Go there, see for yourself. Now.
John Gudgeon