Border crossing time at different countries in the region
 

Hi all,

We are going to make a tour around the world with a self-developed electric motorcycle with a team of 30 students, as we have mentioned before in the ‘welcome to HU’ section. (http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...electric-78319).

At the moment, we are trying to make an estimation on the total time that our trip will take. Therefore, we are trying to estimate the time lost while crossing borders. I put up different topics in the regional forums, to get to the travellers who have been there. I hope you can help me estimating the time lost at the following borders:

Poland -> Belarus
Belarus -> Russia
Turkey -> Iraq
Ukraine -> Russia

Any information you have on the estimated time for either a motorcycle, truck or car to pass the border would be helpful. Information on the time of the year and the border post you got through may help us.

Thanks in advance!

There are multiple threads about Belarus, Russia, and Iran. Belarus sounds to be the absolutely worst one of them.

But if you're taking a group of 30 across I would suggest to get some help from a tour operator as otherwise you might be in over your head.

Borders
 

1.Poland-Belarus is very simple and easy border. You have to write only custom document which is stamped and you will have to show it on Russia last border.
It is normal temporary custom doc.
On the Polish side you have separate line for EU citizens, on the Belorusia side everybody togeother. My last time 0,5h. from Bobrowniki-Berestavica.
2. Belarus-Russia no border (something like our Schengen).
3. Ukraine-Russia. I was 5 times. It usually 1, max.2 hours. Everything depends how many cars are in the line.

I have crossed the Belorussian Border probably 9 or 10 times, last time was a year or so ago but I believe the above is not correct.

Poland to Belarus, fastest I have done is 2.5 hours, slowest 6 hours. It has improved since Poland joined the EU because there's not so much unofficial cross border trading.

You need immigration, vehicle customs, personal customs (taking the kids out of your car and shaking them upside down, that sort of thing, not a latex glove job!), vehicle insurance (I have green card on my UK insurance but not all companies offer it for Belarus), temporary entry permit for the vehicle. That's from memory, I think you need four stamps to be able to exit the border control into Belarus (but don't quote me on that!). It's not especially difficult, I've certainly done worse, but can be time consuming and if you get some arse on the border who doesn't want to help you can be waiting a while. I was once kept waiting because I was missing one stamp on my exit paper and I didn't know which one. I was on my own at the time but I rang my wife (who is Belorussian) who rang a major she knows that works on the border who came down and kicked the guys arse. All he needed to do was print a form off his PC in English, he was just being a dick! You may also need to change some Belorussian rubles depending on how the wind blows to pay for some of the fees. Not corrupt, there was a big campaign a few years ago and the border is relatively corruption free now, but there are fees to pay. Also take photocopies of documents or you will have to pay to have them done at the border.You need to make sure when you go into Belarus they understand you will be leaving by a different border. Otherwise it confuses their import documentation for the vehicles (the computer systems don't appear to be linked)

They do also have a tendency to bugger off for a tea/vodka break at very inopportune moments!

I usually enter via Terespol, although have used other points. All different times of the year, it makes no difference. Drive past the queues of commercial vehicles at the border or you will literally be there for days.

Belarus to Russia, while formal border controls are pretty slack you need to get your vehicle stamped out of Belarus and you need your Russian visa stamped on the way in.

Ukraine to Russia, well, who knows these days! take a tank! You might be better avoiding at the moment and access Russia via Belarus or the Baltic states where you won't need a visa.

I seem to remember you can buy insurance at the first border you come to that will cover Belarus, Russia and Ukraine.

The time is also heavily governed by you language ability. first time I crossed from Ukraine to Poland it took me over 20 hours, including paying a bribe to jump the queue outside the border compound. My wife, on the other hand, managed to get my truck and 11 motorbikes through the same border with the same size queue in 2 1/2 hours!

The one thing that is certain about borders, is the uncertainty. Although you can weigh the odds in your favour by speaking the language and being open and friendly (and calm!) but still it's all just luck of when you happen to catch them and what mood the guards are in. when I first started travelling I thought borders were exciting and adventurous, now they're just an expensive, time sapping pain in the arse!! You can literally lose days, and it's totally unpredictable!