Trans Russia - 30 days enough time?
 

Hi!

I'm shortly going to embark on a Vladivostok to Ukraine ride and am puzzling over which visa to get (a 30-day tourist visa or a more expensive 90-day buisiness visa).

Time is not really luxury for me anyway but is it reasonable to assume that I could cover the distance (without killing myself) within 30 days?
Thanks for any advice,

Cheers, Jasper

I would think 30 days was tight but I have not looked too much into time.

The Long Way Round team took more than double that time from Ukraine to Magadan but they did have the luxury (or hinderance) of 4X4s and lots of advance PR notifications and assistance along the route. (I have just seen similar Emails to media with PR instructions regarding the Long Way Down trip - these are not just 'lads fun trips' but highly professional businesses ventures seeking maximum publicity to sell their product, be it for free fun, profits or charity).

For what your trip will probably cost you, what real difference will an additional £50 or so for a longer and more flexible multi entry Business Visa make to your finances?

Russian Visa prices vary as to the country in which you apply for them.

If you are running late you cannot extend a Visa - you have to apply for a new one, and you can only do this from outside Russia.

To over stay presents problems at roadside spot checks which can be regular on all roads (I was last year stopped for one Roads Police check on a gravel track in the Caucuses more than 15 miles from the nearest town or tarmac!). Having expired papers could lead to possible arrest and possible future Visa refusal, but definitely will involve fines/bribes. You will have the same problems at the exit border.

Bite the bullet - spend!

Hi Tony,
Thanks for the advice - sounds sensible, even if its just to spare me the worry of overstaying and the complications that would follow.

Cheers,
Jasper

business visa is a good move, but 30 days should be enough time (a week to Irkustk, another two weeks to Moscow, it takes a day to ride from Moscow to any Eastern border (a long day.......)

Russia rocks, have a fantastic time!

p.s The roads in Russia are pretty good compared to a lot of the former USSR but beware trucks being overtaken by buses coming towards you - you are expected to leave the road (happened twice)! Also people flashing you normally means cops ahead. I got stopped a LOT, 95% of the time smiles, handshakes and lots of 'I don't speak Russian' if they are moving towards a bribe should see you through

I did manage to get an extension to my visa in kazan after I was delayed by 2 days after an RTA, it can be done but is tricky and I had the advantage of a friend to translate for me.
Also a top tip is to keep a small amount of money in a seperate pocket for 'fines' tends to keep the cost down! It's hard to negotiate your fine down with a fistful of euros/dollars (they prefer dollars and euros)

I rode from Vladivostok to Latvia in 2005 in about three weeks, so it's definitely doable in a month if, and it's a big if, you have no major problems - accident, injury, big mechanical problems, detained by beautiful Russian women, etc. Given the difficulty in getting a thirty day visa extended (or a new visa), I agree with your decision to get a longer stay visa. You may well not need it, but if you do it will be money very well spent.

Mike
Idaho
Ride Around the World 2005

Get a longer visa.

30 days is fine, if you dont want to experience anything AND nothing goes wrong