Turkey-Georgia Border crossing at Sarp/sarpi
 

Hi, I'm planning a route around the Black Sea, Google maps doesn't like the border crossing at sarp/Sarpi, it does a 900 mile loop to avoid it. Has anyone used this crossing recently or have knowledge of it?

ta for reading,

JC

The Sarp/ Sarpi border crossing is the primary crossing on the Black Sea
coastal highway between Georgia/ Batumi and Turkey/ Trabzon.

I've only been through it once, several years ago, but there've been no
reports of problems at that border.

Several online sources, including
Transport in Turkey - Lonely Planet Travel Information
and
Turkey - Wikitravel
say it's the main international crossing, say nothing about problems there.
Several 2011 Turkish newspaper websites indicate only that crossings at
Sarp have been made easier for local Turkish/ Georgian residents (but not
that the border is closed to international travelers).

No idea why Google maps would route around it. A static view on Google maps shows the Sarp border crossing facilities clearly. Strange--MapQuest also routes around it.

The OSM maps are good
 

have you thought about downloading the (free) OSM maps John?
I've just checked the detail level and it's very high- Sarpi at the bottom
E70 / D010 goes through Sarpi then changes to S2 to Batumi and beyond

I crossed that border in August 2010 (I and my girl are Italian nationals) and we found no problems at all.

You want to know how much time it took? :smartass:


Exiting Turkey: 1 and 1/2 hours.

Entering Georgia: 10 minutes.


Georgian Police officers were very professional and as soon as they saw our motorcycle at the end of the long line of cars, they waved us to the front.
Very fast passport and motorcycle's documents check and 10 minutes later we were out on the road to Batumi after two nice smiling female customs officers greeted us with "Welcome to Georgia" while giving us our passports back.

I've been checking out the OSM stuff, has anyone used this site-

Free worldwide routable Garmin maps from OpenStreetMap


JC

I passed it 20 days ago. It took only 15 minutes total time for me...

We will get into Georgia tomorrow morning, via Sarp.
Anyone know if we can get cash (atm machines) or change money at the border? Or do we need to get georgian ccy at a bank before crossing? Or ride to Batumi?
Thx to let us know,
Cheers,

I'm doing the same later this year and my research has shown quite a few ATM's at the entry point, on the right hand side. So hopefully at least one will work !

Thx Tim,
Will keep my eyes open tomorrow then and will revert to u if i find the ATMs....

Cheers,

Great info peeps , be there myself in around 5 weeks , never gave cash a thought !!! doh

Made it through the border.

There are plenty of money changers if you want to get rid of your turkish Liras.... Avoid the ones closest to customs and go to the ones further away (50m) as they offer a better rate.

There are few ATM machines too for cash. It worked.

For fuel, wait to get to Georgia where fuel is about half the price of the fuel in Turkey! Plenty of fuel stations after the border.

On another note, the minor road from batumi to Ahalcihi is... Interrupted half way.

We arrived at what was like a dead end. We took various roads through the mountains that ended up to nowhere.... Maybe we missed something. Our map showed a nice road... Google map shows a gap.....
There might be a trail but no way to find it..... So back to Batumi tonight and trying tomorrow another route!


Cheers,

That's good Maria, glad it all went well at the border. Shame about the road. But who needs a road anyway follow your compass and make a new road :biggrin3:

Do you mean the road to Akhaltsikhe? I have looked at that road too as an option. As you say there is a "change" in the middle at one point on google maps but clearly shows the road continuing in some form.(zoom in close to see) Info from various sources indicate it's not in great condition especially for a Fiat Panda apparently ??? But you should be able to pass with ease on your bikes. Hopefully some body who has been there will pop up soon.

Here is a video from the road towards Akhaltsikhe from 17.7.2011 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRJ6evwix5Q and a story Ilpo Juvander - Caucasus Tour–Day #23

Here is also gpx file from the route if you have trouble finding the correct road: http://1drv.ms/1ieprI1

Road three years ago was doable with GSA, but I would not take my car there :)

In Akhaltsikhe there is a great hotel Lomsia with working WLAN. There were lots of locals with their tablets and phones sitting outside and just enjoying that. Story from 2013: http://www.juvander.fi/site/ilpo/Hom...o-Georgia.aspx

And pop up some one has :D

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