Crossing into Georgia from Russia.. Please help!!
 

Greetings,
I am trying to go to Georgia so i can go to Turkey by car. I am planning to cross in Georgia from western border "Sochi" thus avoiding Grozny.
is this border good? and is it open?
are there any other option to cross in Georgia?
Thank you all for the help.
Regards
arun

arun@drivearoundtheworld.net

NO NOT POSSIBLE BY ANY MEANS
there is a country called Abhasia between Russia and Georgia ( very beautiful place by the way Àðõåîëîãèÿ è ýòíîãðàôèÿ Àáõàçèè - kolhida.ru - the Kolhida from Jason and the argonauts ).
this country is in a war with Georgia since 1996. last incident was less then a month ago.
nobody crosses Georgian-Abhazian border near Sukhumi alive for at least 10 years.
thus another tresspass exists in the mountains - but it's totally unofficial and i doubt a foreigner can use it.
the only way from russia to georgia on the ground (from krasnodar region where you are (?) now) is krasnodar-Stavrpol-elista-mahachkala-baku- tbilisi. look here http://www.photoshare.ru/original/ph....ru-981214.jpg
sochi is a dead end if only you're not going by ferry.
Sochi-Trabzon(TR) ferry is the easiest way in your situation. she goes three or four times a week and not very expensive.
sorry you'll miss georgia

Exactly what Belka said ... The border is closed. There is loose talk of re-opening it somewhere near the end of the year, but it totally wont happen while the Abkhazia pot is as volatile as it is now.

As mentioned above... you will have to drive from Russia to Azerbaijan (via Dagestan) and then cross from Azerbaijan to Georgia. .... After which you will be able to drive to Turkey.

Thank you guys
 

does ferry take cars?
How can I cross in Azerbaijan from Russia?
Thanks a lot.
This is a great help.
regards
arun

ferry does take cars

look for exact route at the link i gave you.
went that way last fall - totally safe but remember to find hotel in central Mahachkala before dark (very important).
the hotel is right opposit VOENKOMAT (military office) in the very center

where r you at the moment? call +7 926 2460066 if lost i'll tell you the way out.

Ferry to Georgia
 

Is there not a ferry that goes between
Batumi (Georgia) <-> Poti (Georgia) <-> Sochi (Russia) ??

Ship Mikhail Svetlov (95 passengers/2 autos)
Sails 2 times/week according to this website in Russian Commercial Sea Port of Sochi
My Russian is very poor. Is this correct motobelka?

arunp please understand there is NO connection between RUS and Georgia.NOT AT ALL. not on the ground not in the sea. at the moment Geo government is hostile to Rus that's the reason. the only way to get to GEO from rus is thru Dagestan and Azeri. m. svetlov goes to Turky. if u r poor at Russian catch any friendly englishspeaking creature and ask for translation

Closed
 

We are in Georgia now on a motorcycle. We went up on the georgian military highway till we reached the russian border. It is closed, writen with big letters: "Border Locked" and there are soldiers quarding it. It's closed for everybody, be it Georgian, Russian or from any other country. Sorry about the bad news. We will head tomorrow into Azerbaidjan and continue east across the Caspian.

Regards

Sochi, Russia
 

We arrived in Sochi today and most probably will board the ferry to Tarbazon, Turkey tomorrow. Just bought the tickets 15300 rubles.
There is no fixed time but there is a chance it will leave tomorrow.
will update you.
Thanks for all the help, specially Nadia from Moscow.
Best
arun
arun@drivearoundtheworld.net

Sochi to Trabzon ferry
 

Hi,

We are leaving tomorrow for a loop around the Black Sea and plan to take the ferry from Schi to Tranzon.

Do you have any updates on the schedule of the ferry?
Which route did you take and how was the road to Sochi? any problems with police or at the border?

Thanks,
Adrian

If we want to take the route Dagestan into Azerbaijan then Georgia to Turkey will our Russian multi entry visas be OK to engter Dagastan. I know it is a republic of the Russian Federation but does Dagestan have any borders or travel restrictions/special permits of its own does anyone know ?

Is it OK for foreigners to go between Russia and Azerbaijan now? I was reading a travel blog the other day by a Japanese guy traveling by train. He was turned back at the border and had to take a plane. I would imagine the situation is even more strict for operators of private vehicles. One would imagine the international border to be more difficult than the inter-republic border.

RUS-AZ border thru Dagestan is for CIS citizens only.
no way a non-CIS person can enter Rus on Caucasis ground.
if you go from Turkey ( Geo or Az or Armenia) ride thru Tegheran and Kaz. if have no time take a Sochi-Trabzon ferry

Short briefing on our Black Sea Tour 2011
 

Short briefing on our Black Sea Tour 2011
- I shall cross post this in all the related topics on the Hubb to be seen by as many. If you have questions please ask and I will answer as soon as I can -
In the first 2 weeks of July 2011 we had circumnavigate around the Black Sea (Romania – Moldova - Ukraina – Russia – Turcia – Bulgaria – Romania). That would be around 18 days, 4200 km, 6 countries and 2 ferries.
The only downside of the trip was the fact that for foreigners (non CIS, Russian or Georgian citizens) it is impossible to cross the border from Russia to Georgia.
The only way for foreigners is to take a ferry either from Trabzon in Turkey to Sochi Russia, or the other way around from Sochi to Trabzon. The ferry does not have a clear schedule (it runs according to the information posted on the website of Sochi port once a week) and it’s pretty expensive (2 persons in one cabin without a window and the bike 16.500 Rubles / 650 USD). The phone numbers posted on the site are working and the lady from Kassa 5 (where you buy the ticket) speaks a bit of English.
Note: when you buy the tickets you must have your passport with you and bike registration.
Website of Sochi port: Commercial Sea Port of Sochi
In theory, according to some information I found on here and from various people, it is possible to enter Georgia, from there to enter Abhazia (which is according to Georgia part of their territory) and from Abhazia to cross into Russia since Russia recognise Abhazia as independent country. I also heard that for Abhazia you need visa. We didn’t try it thou.
We didn’t had any problems at the border crossings. Some were slow but you expect that. Entering Ukraine we were not requested to fill the immigration form and we were not asked for it on exit.
At Kerch/Krym Port when you buy the tickets you must have your passport with you and bike registration.
Entering Russia one had to fill the immigration paper (they have a bilingual version also in English which they handed to us on the ferry) and another paper for the temporary import of the bike. Hold well onto that paper since without it your bike shall remain in Russia. At least this is what I understand from the lady making the papers.
We crossed the border at Kerch/Kavkaz by ferry. It was a 90 minutes process on the Russian side, again no problems. The road from the border to Novorossiysk is good. Novorossiysk is a pain to cross due to traffic. From there to Sochi is was hell. Aprox 260 km of 2 lane slow traffic, lots of lorries and POLICE. Lots of them, with cameras. DO NOT CROSS THE WHITE LINE FROM THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. Although we were not stopped it was stressful. From the border to Sochi, 10 hours riding, with 3 brakes for gas and coffee. We arrived there Friday and as luck turns out the ferry was schedule to leave Saturday. Exiting Russia, we were told to be at 6 at the check point. Two hours later, with the border formalities done, we boarded the ferry. The passenger must go with the pedestrians and only the driver/rider remains in the vehicle for border formalities. No problems again. The ferry left after 8 in the evening and arrived on Sunday morning in Trabzon around 8.30. It was Sunday so the Turkish customs guys were not in a hurry. We with the bike were processed the very last after 3 and a half hours. The one with Russian cars paid some bribes. They did not ask any from us.
Note: for Highways in Turkey one must pay. You can buy special cards from petrol stations. The fines are pretty hefty. We did not and all the bells and alarms went of when exiting the highway.

Georgia to Russia @ Vladikavkaz
 

"The only downside of the trip was the fact that for foreigners (non CIS, Russian or Georgian citizens) it is impossible to cross the border from Russia to Georgia."

Thought I thought it was not possible, some of my friends DID CROSS the border from Georgia to Russia about 2 weeks ago. Non CIS residents, not Russians, not Georgians with a simple tourist visa.

I'll talk to them soon so get all the details...


g.