Urgent info bordercrossing Russia-Kazachstan

[Bossit]

Hello,

I'm waiting for my visa to Kazachstan at the moment and hear different things about which bordercrossing is possible to use for foreigners.
As i need to go south to Almaty asap, i like to take the southern entry to Priityshsk. But here they say it's not open for foreigners and i got to take the one west from here, Karakoga. Which means that i got to make a detour. Anyone who can help me out? By the way, any info on roadconditions??
Thank you guys,

Cheers,Bossit.

[colebatch]

Yes that border you want is not open to foreigners. See Просмотр документа | Росграница for details of russian border crossings.

You didnt say where you are but I assume from your post you are in Omsk?

Either you backtrack and use the border they suggest, or you buy a good map and follow the border round, using back roads, through the towns of Okoneshnikovo, ChistoOzornoye, Kupino, Karasuk, Slavgorod, and on to Kulunda. You can then enter KZ on the main road between Kulunda and Pavlodar. That border is open.

As your route is then close to the border, watch out for Border Zone warning signs ... if you see any, either be prepared to be hauled in or be prepared to make detours. They look like this:

[colebatch]

I assume you are in Omsk?

Get a decent map and try following the border round via ChistoOzornoe, Kupino, Karasuk, Slavgorod to Kulunda.

You can enter on the main road from Kulunda to Pavlodar ... its open to foreigners.

note, you will be going close to the border ... so if you see a border zone warning sign (see below) be prepared to make detours:

[Bossit]

Hey Colebatch,

Thanks for the info! But i'm in kind of a hurry to get to Almaty so i guess my best option is to go towards Petropavlovsk and go down to Astana and that way to Almaty, don't you think?
And how can i see on the Link you posted which bordercrossing is open to foreigners or bikes?

Cheers man, Bossit.

[colebatch]

Sure you can go that way, but I thought you didnt want to go that way? How meaningful is "quicker" after waiting a few days for a visa? One way might be an hour or two quicker than the other ... But for sure, the main road via Petropavlovsk is simpler and no risk of border zones

Anyway, on the document, bikes are not relevant ... any road border that is open to foreigners will be able to process the bikes. The first 160 or so crossings are road borders - they have "автомобильный" listed in the classifications column (the middle column with most of the writing in it)

The crossings that process foreigners also have "многосторонний" in the classification column.

[Bossit]

Hi Colebatch,

I wanted to go south from Omsk at first as that was the quickest way. But as that border wouldn't work, i'm better of going west from Omsk. I agree that your suggestion is probably more fun.
BUT due to visa problems i'm already more than a week in Omsk and i want to get out of here. Another point is that i'd like to go to the Pamir and it starts to get colder and colder over there. So can't wait too long.

And thank you for the explanation on the link. I can read Russian but was looking more for something like'tourist' or 'foreigner'.

Bossit.