Sochi Trabzon car ferry IMPORTANT INFORMATION! And a call for help :)
 

Will get straight to it, this information is current at 13/02/2012:


As far as I can tell, there is no longer any car ferry from Trabzon to Sochi. There is only a passenger hydrofoil which seems to operate year round. I am currently in Trabzon, and went down to the shipping agents this morning to book my place on the car ferry.

I was told by each open travel agent that there is no car ferry anymore. The Oz Star Denizcilik office is closed, and the Sari Denizcilik office told me directly, there is no car ferry anymore.

This information directly contradicts many websites on the internet, including the ferry lines themselves, and the official port of Sochi website.

Consistent information from these places is that there is a Samsun – Novorossisk cargo ferry which will definitely take a bike, but Im not sure if it will take passengers.

Now Im in a bit of a situation… Ive got 7 days left on my Turkey Visa.. and no clear good option. So calling for anyone who may have info to help. This afternoon I will investigate a cargo ferry from Trabzon to Sochi, as mentioned by some other threads here. But as far as I can tell the Sochi port is now closed so this is also not an option. Thoughts anyone?!?!

Hi ChrisCole

Sorry, I can't offer an info/help on your immediate situation but read your post with interest as I received the below communication from Sari Denizcilik on Saturday, saying the ferry was cancelled until late May:

info saridenizcilik info@saridenizcilik.com

Feb 11 (2 days ago)

Unfortunately ferry has canceled between trabzon and sochi till late may. There is only passenger transportation which done by another company. Unfortunately they dont have a schedule either because of the weather.

If you have other questions feel free to ask


Kemal SARI

Will have to keep an eye on this situation as I know there are a few Hubbers (myself included) planning on using this ferry service in June if we can't cross the Georgia/Russia border on wheels.

I hope you find a solution.

Debz

Bugger. :rolleyes2:

This is because 2012 winter olympic games will be held in Sochi and the port area is under construction for the games...About 8 months ago we informed the situation in HUBB. when our friend Julian was the last biker passenger.
https://www.facebook.com/whereisjulian
As far as I remember, there will be ferry from Trabzon to a town 50 km.south of Sochi in summer months 2012..1-2 days later I will write all the current information with details here.
Wish you all the best

Many thanks amigos of Istanbul! bier

Our warning message in HUBB. in August 2011.
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...rt-going-58470

first of all 2 corrections.
1-ıt will be 2014 winter games.
2-new port is adler port instead of sochi, that is 30 km south of sochi.
just called friends in sochi again and waiting for the schedule.as soon as ı get the current inf.,will tell you all.
best wishes

Hi everyone, no update on Sochi, just my situation (which is all good):

Im in Rostov-on-Don now, the bike is in the Trabzon port customs pound. To answer a question from other threads here and other sites, yes you can leave Turkey without your vehicle. You need to stash it in a customs pound, and get the right stamp in you passport (which has the vehicle stamp you got when you came in).

I did this Wednesday, it took about 2 hours. You need a magic fixer (I wish I could stash one of these in my boxes for every country!) that speaks the language, mine was also a port worker, so the 15 (no joke) offices we visited to get stamps and forms, flew by. Really, I think it would have been impossible without the fixer. I just needed to sit nearby and look like a nice fellow :)

BTW the customs pound cost $5 US per day. I paid nothing up front, and was told I need to pay the total on my return.

Thanks for this.

I hope Adler port will be operating in June, otherwise it will be a big mess to find a way to move from Georgia to Russia.

However ferry from Poti (GEO) to Kerch (UA) could be an option. Kerch is not far away the russian border

Tariffs (freight charges) for Kerch (Ukraine) - Poti (Georgia)

Hi
Was just wondering about this new port Adler according to Google maps is North of Sochi, if you went 30km you would be back in Georgia????
Can you confirm this, seems many people will be using the ferry if the Georgia / Russia border closed.

Eric

Adler Port is very close to sochi airport.you can find it easily on any maps.

hava limanı : Soçi Adler Rusya

To make it more complicated according to this Europe's most comprehensive ferry portal - Online booking / Price comparison: Black Sea - www.ferrylines.com, ferry from Trabzon to Sochi are still operating.

This is the reply I got from Sari Denizcilik (MS Erke) operator based in Istanbul .....


Good day,

from Trabzon to Sochı there ıs a Ferry. ıt starts every Frıday from Trabzon for Sochi. Prices are as follows.

per person ın Pullman 120.-usd
Cabın 150.-usd

Car costs 500.-usd
motorcycle 250.-usd.

waiting yr reply
Leges Tourısm

?c?

So much bad information out there, ferries and border crossings around Georgia!!!! doh:confused1:doh
As plan D i have been looking at the regular [ish] ferry bertween Poti Georgia and Karch [Ukranie] runs Sundays and a 24/26 hour crossing this is the reply a received from them, this seems possible for none CIS just means one more visa for the Ukraine then a 20 min ferry crossing into Russia from Kerch.




Dear Eric ,

Thank you for the request!
Please be informed that our company operates on Kerch - Poti ferry crossing.
Validate schedule for August will be posted on our web-site at the and of July.
But this is a regular ferry line, departure from Poti every Sunday.
You can always check the schedule through our web-site www.ukrferry.com or call us by phone (0482) 34-82-96

Passengers must be aware that due to various circumstances beyond Carrier’s control including but not limited to berth availability, weather conditions, rails car and truck availability, extended control by customs or any other official authority, dates of departure and arrival are subject to changes both before and after the ferry leaves.

The tariffs are posted on our site.
On the questions about additional payments (like BAF, THC, customs procedures etc ), nationality, vasa's and booking please contact our agents in loading port Poti:

'UBG-AGENCY POTI'
20/1, Gegidze str., Poti, Georgia, 4400
+995 (493) 221060
+995 (493) 221998
ubgcompany@yandex.ru

UBG-AGENCY” LLC
Ident. Code: 404885861
12-a A. Kazbegi Ave., 0160, Tbilisi, Georgia
+995 (32) 2223987
+995 (32) 2385635
ubgagency@gol.ge


Bit more news this morning.


Dear Eric,

Transportation of one bike in the direction of Poti Kerch 250 U.S.D
Transportation of a passenger in the direction of Poti Kerch is 175 U.S.D
The ferryto goonce a week.

Hi,

Just coming to this thread at it appears to have the most up to date info on the Trabzon to Sochi ferry. Does anyone have any more up to date information on that?

Also, note on the Poti to Kerch ferry, it is currently suspended, got this email from the company:
___

Dear Sir,

Unfortunately line Kerch-Poti was suspended. We can offered you line Poti-Ilyichevsk, departure every Sunday (evening).

BRGDS,
Dispatcher