Trip to Russia - Route,advices

[jlabro]

Hello every1 .

A friend of mine want's to go to Russia for summer vocations,and is thinking about the route. Many have said that the way through Ukraine is dangerous and is thinking of going throught Sweden !!

Has anyone done this before,if has something to say about the route (and not only)

Any help will be appreciated.

 

[jlabro]

 

[Gecko]

check out www.horizonsunlimited.com - there's loads of useful relevant info there for a trip like this.

 

[Gazzr]

Hi Mate,

I reckon Belaurus would be more dangerous than Ukraine although I havent been there! Ukrainians were a friendly bunch and even the police waved at as (in a nice way!) when we overtook them on the way in to town. People took great interest in the GS (it was bright yellow) and most wanted to know how much it cost but we didnt feel threatened. The only dodgy part was getting bike insurance at the border which we had to bribe the guards for (only because we didnt know what we were doing!) but they were still friendly.

We rode up to Pskov and then to St Petersburg and the down to Russia/Orel and Keiv. Anyway check out our story at theworld-ismyoyster.com.

Regards
Garry

 

[birdseye]

advice? industrial quantities of immodium.

 

[Micky]

We went through Poland, Belarus and in to Russia... no probs.



www.adventure.gs

 

[Loiq]

don't hang around suspect areas and both countries seem fine, if a place looks rough it probably is... then plan leaving in plenty of time.

 

[Ted]

Went in through Lithuania and Latvia. Out via Ukraine and Hungary. Hungary was worth the trip on it's own. No problems really, Kiev was the closest I got to a problem when two guys tried to scam some cash. Just chill at the boarders. Latvia/Russian border officials couldn't have been more helpfull

 

[Mr Custard]

Hi

I rode to Russia last year travelling thru Norway, Sweden down thru Finland and got the ferry from helsinki to Tallinn, then crossed into Russia from Narva.
There was a lot of waiting around getting across the border, bout 4 hours, and the local cops stop you for a past time but no real problems. Getting around St Petersburg is a nightmare, its best to pay a cabbie and follow them to where your staying, brilliant place to visit tho!

 

[PhilBolton]

You guys who've been into Russia, did you arrange a visa beforehand or did you just turn up at the border?

I'm maybe going this summer, (via Norway and Finland) & I understand that accommodation must be pre-booked for Russia. Is that so?

Phil

 

[SpyInTheCamp]

You guys who've been into Russia, did you arrange a visa beforehand or did you just turn up at the border?

Try turning up at the border and see what happens...

 

[Loiq]

got my visa from www.waytorussia.net, you need to book into a hotel to register your arrival they'll fill in a form etc. or just go to local police station within 2 days of arrival they'll stamp some forms hassle you for ciggies and stuff once your in it's a big palce and easy just to disappear.


As tourist your supposed to saty in certain hotels which are more expensive but we just wanderde in looked stupid and played dum easy when your me.

 

[PhilBolton]

spyinthecamp - you're so helpful maybe you could get a job as a border guard.


lo iq - cheers mate - that site looks very useful.

Phil

 

[jlabro]

thank you everyone..hope to get more answers as the matter goes on.

Please advise if you have anything at all !

Thank you

 

[Mr Custard]

Phil

The only part of my trip that was pre booked was the hotel in St Petersburg as i was told that there would be a problem with the Russian visa application if i didn't. The wife flew over and met me there for a week, so it wasn't an issue, and the travel agent who did the hotel booking sorted out the visas for us. If you go ahead make sure the hotel has secure bike parking and how much will it cost!

 

[Cole]

Russia

You guys who've been into Russia, did you arrange a visa beforehand or did you just turn up at the border?

I'm maybe going this summer, (via Norway and Finland) & I understand that accommodation must be pre-booked for Russia. Is that so?

Phil

You definately need a visa beforehand ... You dont however really need to book any accomodation at all before you arrive, but you have to register your arrival with the local authorities within 72 hrs of arriving in the country. Sometimes this is easiest by just staying one of the fist few nights in a decent hotel - they register your visa for you when you stay with them.

You need an invitation for a Russian visa ... The old way (in Soviet times) to get one was to prebook and pay for every single night's accomodation in the USSR ... These days you just buy the invitation from an agency. Get a visa invitation in a few hours from www.visalink.ru and then once you have that, apply for your visa. Download visa application forms at www.rusemblon.org ... there is a really cumbersome form procedure, and they are really anal about it, so make sure you get it right. You can wait in queues in the Russian Embassy in London or pay an agency to do the queue waiting, but I find the easiest way to get the visa processed is to post it to the Consulate General in Edinburgh

If you are going to need more than one entry to Russia, then get a multiple entry business visa ... they give you the most flexibility.

 

[SpyInTheCamp]

spyinthecamp - you're so helpful maybe you could get a job as a border guard.

Now there's an idea. But on which side of 'the border'?

Sorry pal, but I thought it deserved that response.

Kai