Heading in to Russia

[skip]

Hi
can any one let me know what paper work you need for Russia and any tips to make easyer boarder crossings.
Also can you get from Magadan to Japan by ship or plane and a rough price, and i've heard that there is a bikers group there that can be of help, True/ false. And any other bits of info would be great Skip

[Tony P]

Originally Posted by skip

Hi
can any one let me know what paper work you need for Russia and any tips to make easyer boarder crossings.

Assuming you travel on GB docs you must have-
Passport with Visa
V5
Driving License + IDP
All originals. No translations needed, although V5 headings translated can be helpful if they want to crawl all over it looking for numbers.

You must have basic road insurance with a certificate issued by a Russian Ins Co. Buy this at the town before or at the border - about £35 for 2 months for a bike.

At borders, ride slowly to head of the first queue - no-one seems to mind and it can save you hours. I found the border at Zilupe (LAT) very busy (took me nearly 5 hours this year, and I had passed over 100 cars in the arrivals queue!) whereas the year before at Narva (EST) I sailed through in less than half an hour.

Have a few Roubles - they used to ask for 120 for the paperwork, but didn't this year. ATMs everywhere once in.
At the border they will give you a Temporary Import Permit for the bike. This is then the equivalent of a V5. Be sure it is valid for as long as you need. They take it back at exit border so be sure to leave before it expires. If re-entering RUS you get a new one each time, though the same Ins Cert is OK if still valid.
Once in RUS you must always have your Passport with you. If using a vehicle always also have the Import Permit, IDP and Ins Cert. These willl be inspected at the regular roadside police checks. A right pain in the arse, but just a fact of life - smile and be polite and helpful, they are only doing a job and once they see everything is correct they want rid of you, so they can look for irregularities with someone else and get bribes from them.

Cant help on Magadan but I know there are helpful bike groups all over RUS. Othere will reply.

Enjoy - its a great (in both meanings) country with wonderful people. Its the politics that get up my nose!

[Chris of Japan]

Originally Posted by skip

Also can you get from Magadan to Japan by ship or plane

Directly? No.
There are ferries from Sakhalin island and Vladivostok (or via Korea).

I think I have heard of people shipping bikes from Magadan to Vlad by ship. I don't know if you can ride on the ship with the bike. Probably not, if it is a cargo-only ship. Search the HUBB and maybe you will find more information on getting out of Magadan.
The writer of this post may have more information:
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...3-2#post204628
He says his friends took a plane from Magadan to Vlad.

[skip]

Cheers guys thats given me somthing to think about, all so how easy is it to get into Japan? Skip

[Redboots]

Originally Posted by Tony P

All originals. No translations needed, although V5 headings translated can be helpful if they want to crawl all over it looking for numbers.

If you get an ICMV from the AA/RAC That's all they were interested in at check-points as it has a full Russian translation of all your V5 details in it.

Cost 5 or 6 squids I think.

John

[Tony P]

I have entered RUS three times by bike and each time they ignored my typed translation of V5 headings (ie. numbers, make, colour etc) that had been lovingly prepared by 'her indoors'.

Not once were they interested in it. They just looked on the V5 to see if the Registration Mark (number) matched what was on the back of the bike and written on the Customs Declaration form.

As I said earlier, it could be useful if you get Mr Grumpy on a bad day, but I think I'll prefer to have 2 extra s when I get there than buy an ICMV.

[Chris of Japan]

Originally Posted by skip

how easy is it to get into Japan? Skip

If you have a carnet, no problem at all. Well, there is a bit of paperwork. But you will probably find the procedures for getting OUT of Russia more trouble than those to get into Japan.
see
Motorcycling to Japan
I heard from a traveler this year that if coming from Sakhalin, customs doesn't care about paperwork from the Japan automobile federation. But if you come from Vladivostok, the main route from Russia to Japan, you will need all the paperwork.

[Pumbaa]

I'm sure a carnet might be helpful, but it is definitely not needed.

We also entered Russia 3 times in the last 6 months with an Oz registered car, and All I give them at the border crossing is a photocopy of my rego papers. All they want to see is the registration number, vin/chassis number, make etc.

For info as well, we have an IDP, but no-one ever asked for it. If anyone wants to see a licence, I give a colour laminated copy of my Oz licence and thats it.

Another tip for driving in Moscow, as I learnt today. I made an illigel u-turn on one of the ring roads today. I tried to spot the police before I did it, and didn't see any. (The roads were quiet...a Saturday morning). They must've been hiding somewhere, because a few minutes afterwards I got pulled over. the fine would've been 1500 roubles, but after a few harsh words from myself, I got away with it...So if you think there are no police around, think twice.

[Tony P]

Originally Posted by Pumbaa

I made an illigel u-turn on one of the ring roads today.

The rule is never, NEVER cross a continuous white line dividing the carriageway.
Not even if it is invisible. EG.covered with snow (not a problem today!) or broken as a result of recent road works.

Only do it where a single line is dotted/broken or if double lines when broken on your side.

1500 would have been quite cheap, but well done. They don't usually give up that easily.

[Chris of Japan]

Originally Posted by Pumbaa

I'm sure a carnet might be helpful, but it is definitely not needed.

The question was how "how easy is it to get into Japan"
I do not recommend trying Japan without a carnet. Customs will probably send you back to Russia.
Russia: No carnet needed. Don't even tell them you have one. A friend had his carnet stamped entering Russia, but customs did not want to stamp him out. Took a week just to get out of the country.

[Traveldog]

+1 what Chris said:
- you WILL need a carnet for Japan
- you WILL NOT need a carnet for Russia

[Traveldog]

The one thing I would do differently, if I were to go again:
I would bring a spare "Title" for the bike, which here in Hawaii
the Dept. of Motor Vehicles issues upon request for a modest fee,
if the original is lost. Not sure how the British refer to it: the
title certifies you're the legal owner of the bike.

I lost mine on the ferry from Sochi to Trabzon.
The Turkish customs officer was not too happy about it
and saw it as a good opportunity to extract a few
quid from a dumb Westerner. For fifty $ the good man turned a blind
eye, although initially he was a bit more greedy, asking
for substantially more.

If I had lost the title in Russia, it would have been much worse -
at the police check points they always asked for it.

[motoreiter]

Originally Posted by Traveldog

If I had lost the title in Russia, it would have been much worse -
at the police check points they always asked for it.

My experience was different--spent about a month riding across Russia this summer, and the only place they asked for the title was at the borders. If I was pulled over on the road, if they asked for any documents (actually pretty rare), they asked for drivers licence and the russian doc I received at the border for the bike.

[Traveldog]

Good to hear - I was there in 2005, so things may be
loosening up. At the check-points they were
always analyzing our paperwork quite a bit.
The closer to Chechnya, the higher the number
of check-points.

[Chris Cowper]

I went from Russia to Japan via Sakalin Island in September '08. No problems, read my post on the "Bike Shipping" section of Horizons. it was a great way to go. My friends did fly their bikes from Magadan to Vladivostok. Possible but it I am told it was a big pain in the arse.

The Iron Tigers at Vladivostok are great people and Michael and Max will look after you.