Curonian Spit / Russia

[Gav]

Anyone got any advice about riding through the area of the Russian Federation between Lithuania & Poland? Have only found one thread mentioning this area from about a year ago. Is this a bad move? Was thinking of riding the length of the Curonian Spit and crossing the border here between Lithuania & Russia. It was just an idea. I assume I would need visas which might be costly and restrictive. Has anyone here done this before?

Gav

 

[Timolgra]

I think you need a visa Gav.
We had to miss that bit out with Greg's tour of the Baltics a couple of years ago and crossed straight into Poland from Lithuania.

 

[ovenpaa]

I am thinking about it as well but next year, it looks stunning but I hear bad things about Kaliningrad - a mate has just come back, he speaks russian, is married to a Russian has a good idea of the rules and still said it was a bad experiance including the locals one night discussing the merits of raping an American tourist, despite knowing he and his wife could understand them.

Of course this is just one view...

 

[Gav]

Liked the idea of riding the length of the spit but it just sounds like too much hassle. Thinkiing now of just visiting the spit on the Lithuanian side.

 

[Loiq]

I don't think there's an open border on the spit and locals can cross with a local passport... you'd need to have a look at that...

 

[Fitzy]

I did the Baltic States trip last year and loved all three countries, the people were friendly, countryside interesting and cost of living very reasonable. We went across from Sweden and i'd recommend Estonia and Latvia, especially Riga. Don't bother spending too long in Poland though, we thought it was grey, grim and grotty. Berlin's a good stop over for a couple of nights on the way back. Have fun.

 

[Gav]

Fitzy, what were the roads like in Estonia, Latvia & Lithuania?

 

[sethmopp]

I went through Poland and the Baltics last summer. Much of my riding was limited to the via Baltica, the main road running northwards (it was for me 'cos I was going north). I found the main roads good, but a lot of roadworks and I think you'll find a lot this year too. The older roads though, are what you might expect - rough.

 

[spot]

The roads are fine. In fact the worst roads ive seen for some time are here in sheffield. This country isnt going to the dogs its alreadygone. Watch out for roadworks, instead of digging up half the road at a time they dig the lot up and often there is little warning In latvia last year i came over the brow of a hill at about 80 and there was no ***ing road surface, just one inch stones!

I really fancied the cuonian spit but didnt get there. Instead I went up the east side of the three baltic countries. I think it was a bit less touristy.
I liked all three countries. I liked poland aswell fitzy, the big cities are a bit grotty but we met good people.The "lake district" is good to visit. I can reccomend a small hotel called Pension teresa somewhere near piz. Its a good stopover in north poland en route to lithuania. Vilnius is nice aswell.