I have been told that the border from Georgia into Russia is currently closed? Can anyone confirm/deny this? I am thinking of riding from the Balkans through Turkey and up through Georgia to Moscow. I've only travelled through Latin America where I didn't need carnets etc. - will I need this sort of thing?

Thanks for any help!

g

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http://www.guyfixsen.com
http://wanderinggoo.blogspot.com
F650GS twin - Enfield Bullet 350 - Honda XL250 Degree

Hi G,
Just went through the border yesterday and no problem at all! On 24/7!

To exit Georgia it took about 15 minutes.
Then we rode few miles to the russian side. All in all it took us then 3 h to get through, just all very slow but staff was friendly enough, helpful and professional.

To help you here are few tips.
Unlike europe where you wait your turn in your vehicle, there you don't!
First, once you are in a queue, get a form for passport control. Fill it and then walk to the hut of the passport control lady. Do not wait for the traffic to move!

Once you get your passport stamped, once again, abandon your bike. Don't worry no one will touch your stuff, no one did ours, lots of uniforms around.

There is a building on your left hand side. Go to the last office and pick up two custom forms. They are in russian only, BUT, there is a sample form in english on the wall, inside that office.

Do not put any luggage in the tick box. We did this as we have panniers but the custom lady made us refill the forms saying we had no additional lugagge.

Once you fill those forms, go to the custom office cabin at the front of your waiting line. There may be people queuing, get in the queue.
Once all is done you are good to go, as long as the vehicle on front of you can go too!

For bike insurance, you can buy it after. Once you ride out, about 500m there is a big building with shop, coffee etc.
There, you will find an office where the nice young russian lady will sort out your insurance.
There is a cashpoint somewhere as we saw lots of guys leaving the insurance office and coming back with cash.

Cheers,

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Maria

www.franglais-riders.com

Thanks so much for that maria41! Good to know. Do I need a carnet for this trip or can all the customs arrangements be done at borders? That's what I found in Latin America but I thought in other parts of the world I needed a carnet? not so?

__________________
http://www.guyfixsen.com
http://wanderinggoo.blogspot.com
F650GS twin - Enfield Bullet 350 - Honda XL250 Degree

No carnet for any country central northern asia, i.e.

Russia, Georgia, Kazakh, Uzbek, Tajik, Kyrgyz or Mongolia.

Visa required of course, but not for Georgia or Kyrgyz,de pending on your nationality of course!

Cheers,

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Maria

www.franglais-riders.com

Great. Thanks for the information! Do you know if I'd need it for Turkey?

__________________
http://www.guyfixsen.com
http://wanderinggoo.blogspot.com
F650GS twin - Enfield Bullet 350 - Honda XL250 Degree

No carnet no, getting into Turkey is easy and they are very nice and helpful.

You may need a visa though as they changed requirement as of jan. 2014.
I did not as French, but my husband as british needed one, easy to do online!

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Maria

www.franglais-riders.com

Brilliant. Thanks so much for all your help! Have a great trip

__________________
http://www.guyfixsen.com
http://wanderinggoo.blogspot.com
F650GS twin - Enfield Bullet 350 - Honda XL250 Degree

Many thanks very useful. We are crossing that way in a few days

You can get a Turkish visa on the border for about 20 Euros.

Out of curiosity, where did you hear that??

There must be 20-30 regulars here on the HUBB that have been thru there and reported on it since it reopened about 2 years back.

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I live in Georgia and know the border is open as I passed through this weekend.

Previous postings have good suggestions to speed your Russian experience.

Many friends doing it every month on all types of vehicle for tourism and business as it is a popular destination..

Possibly what you ve heard is,(messages from cyclist friends dd.may-2012 and sept-2013)
"" you can not cycle from georgia to russia and must be on a vehicle with your bicycle for border crossing""

Hitch hiking for 300 meters available and easy..

All the best...

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Mehmet Zeki Avar
''Borderlines divide countries,HU friendship finds a way to reunited"
https://www.facebook.com/mehmet.avar.12?ref=tn_tnmn

Cliffi,


Can you find out if they are letting people through on an alternative route after the military highway was flooded with mud earlier this week?

Cheers,
Lukas

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Currently on a RTW ride:
https://www.facebook.com/AroundTheWorldWithLukasM

We will ring the British Embassy tomorrow (Tuesday)

Can I just ask which crossing we're talking about? We're planning to drive back to Oz next year via central Asia and Russia and we're trying to find a way of avoiding the dreaded Caspian ferry from Baku.