Info: Russian Border Process [July 2004]

[iswoolley]

From Finland:

On the Helsinki to St.Petersburg road just before the Finnish border there is a new fuel/eating complex. This is a chance to fill your tanks, buy Russian motor insurance, and fill out a customs declaration. Inside, first buy your motor insurance at the left hand desk, then shuffle to the right and collect an English language customs form. Fill this in, then pay the desk to make a copy of both the insurance document and the customs declaration.

Next stop on the road is the Finnish border, at which you'll only get stopped if you make a big effort. Otherwise roll straight through. About half a kilometre along the road you'll be stopped by a couple of young Russian conscripts, who will give you a scrap of paper with your vehicle registration written on it. This ticket needs to be stamped at each stage of the border crossing, so take care of it.

Another half a kilometre and you arrive at the Russian border, a toll booth type bulding. Note that most of the border personel do not speak English and there are no English language posters telling you what to do, who to see and what documents to present. The first booth deals with you, and the second deals with the vehicle. There is a third booth that can sell insurance and make copies, but it's easier to use the English speaking services back in Finland.

So, at the first booth you present your passport, complete with visa inside, and the vehicle ticket for stamping. They'll enter your details into their computer, check your face against their photo, remove the entry part of the visa, and finally stamp your ticket. Move onto the next booth where you need to present your passport, proof of vehicle ownership, motor insurance and copy, customs declaration and copy, and vehicle ticket for stamping. They keep the copies of the insurance and customs declaration, stamp your customs declaration and give you a temporary import certificate for your vehicle. You need to present this when you exit Russia, so again take care of it.

With your ticket stamped at both booths you are almost into Russia. I wasn't searched, but if it's going to happen it will take place around the booths. A hundred metres past the border post is a final checkpoint (be careful of trucks merging from the right). Give your stamped ticket to the soldier here and you're in Russia.

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To Estonia:

On the St.Petersburg to Tallinn road you'll pass through the truck stop that is Novograd. The first obstacle is a STOP sign on the road and a couple of semi-official looking guys. They charged me 30 roubles for a ticket that they gestured I should have collected back up the road. However I think I may have been scammed as no-one at the border wanted this ticket. Next time I'd be tempted to go straight past these guys.

As you approach the Russian border you'll come down a hill to a barrier across the road. Bikers beware of your bikes rolling forward off of their sidestands. Go to the hut on the right and present your passport and temporary vehicle import certificate. You'll get a ticket back with your vehicle registration written on it. This ticket needs to be stamped at each stage of the border crossing, so take care of it.

The next stop is the border proper, another toll booth type affair. Again there are two booths, one for you and one for the vehicle. First is for the vehicle, where you need to present your passport, temporary import certificate, Russian motor insurance, proof of vehicle ownership and vehicle ticket for stamping. They may only need your passport and temporary import certificate, but again there are no English language notices telling you who to give what.

After this you roll forward 10 metres and go through a customs inspection. I got the full sniffer dog treatment, but it looks random how thoroughly they check your vehicle. Roll forward another 10 metres and go to the second booth for your visa check. Present your passport, complete with visa inside, and vehicle ticket. They'll take out the exit part of the visa and stamp your vehicle ticket. No-one asked to see my customs declaration, and it's not obvious who, if anyone, you should give it to. After the border post there's a final checkpoint to hand over your fully stamped vehicle ticket, and you're out of Russia.

Leaving the Russian side you cross a bridge and enter Estonia. On the Estonian side there is another toll booth. Note that there's a traffic light system 20 metres before the border post, with trucks crossing your lane from the right when the red light shows. Hand over your passport, proof of vehicle ownership and motor insurance to the border guard. They might have a look at your vehicle, but I only merited a casual glance at my luggage. They'll enter all your details into a computer and give you back your documents. Twenty metres beyond the border crossing is an automatic barrier, then you're in Estonia. McDonnalds and a Statoil fuel station are a kilometre along the road to Tallinn.