Hey Nicoletti
I will look forward to any updates on the road, & any weird things that arise. Are you taking the ferry out of Azer? or returning?

Thanks, Doug

Hey, Donato, nice to read you again also here!

Well, you must know that according to what I found on this board and on the other Italian one we are members of, motorbikes can remain within Azerbaijan borders only 72 hours maximum, even though you have a 30-day valid VISA (that still remains valid for you).
You can contact Momi20 on the other board for better explanations, because this happened to him also: look at post #34 here Suzuki DR 350: Balcani-Turc.Georgia-Azerb.Turkm.Uzb.Kaz.Russia-Ukr.Rom.Ungh.

Your VISA and, let's say, "your motorcycle's VISA" are two different things to Azeri border officers... at least at border station of Krasni Most (I read that at Lagodekhi border station they have a different "opinion" and let you in with less restrictions).
Safe trip, bro!

Just wondering, but can you go to the border post at the port in Baku & get another 3 days?
where is the Lagodekhi border at? what do they do differently?

Thanks, Doug

Lagodekhi border is this Bing Maps
I read somewhere (maybe just here on the HUBB) that Azeri officers have allowed a 10-day period in AZ to somebody but I don't think you can take it 100% as granted for anybody showing up there (Asian rules...).

Actually, I don't know if it's possible to extend the 3-day vehicle allowance at port in Baku, but to tell you the truth I never read about this possibility anywhere, Doug.

hmmmm
I wonder what the road is like Tlibisi-Lagodekhi-baku?
then return to geo the more direct route from Baku
that would prevent having to backtrack on the same road, and a possiblity of a longer stay than 72 hours. If the border guys are willing.
At worst, theres still the 72 hour transit.

strange, that one border would let the bike stay longer than the other?

Doug

Welcome to Asia, my friend! :biggrin3:

hi nicola, hi doug, hi there,
i went to the port here in baku this morning: custom officiers confirm me the 72 hours rule within you must to get the bike cleared. this should sounds good to me and my travel mate as we planning to leave sunday morning by ferry to turkmenistan. we'll enter the custom at 10.00 a.m. just one hour the 72 h. rule exprit (when you get in azerbaijan doesn't matter wich border) they specify the hour of entry: the 3 days rule will start at that time. but have not any idea if is it possible to extend this time at the port itself. they also told me in case the ferry should be leave with delay or at worst on monday to get in the custom anyway sunday morning at 10 a.m. this should mean (i think) no extension can be obtained...
i'll be more detailed when on the clearance process on sunday.
keep fingers crossed guys.

p.s. the ferry ticket baku-turkmenbashi it costs 200$ for one person & one bike.

Hello, Donato.

Thanks for all the precious infos you're giving us.

May your trip proceed in the best and safest way possible.

Keep in mind that the 72 hour rule applies to your bike only. You can check the bike in at the customs office at the ferry, leave it there and spend some time in Baku. Baku actually was a very pleasant surprise for us. Well worth spending a day or two and do some relaxing. You may have to wait that long anyway waiting for the ferry. I would not wait until the last hour to check it in, who knows what you will run into and I imagine then there will be bureaucratic hell awaiting you when you are a few minutes too late. From what I remember check in for the biek took an hour or two when they felt like working on it. The customs office is all the way at the end at the left of alley way to the ferry.

KP

Hi KP
thanks for the info, but Graal & I arent leaving thru the port, were just goin in & comin out. I'd like to see Baku & get to the Caspian, but with only 3 days, I dunno if its feasible on my bike. I may just go in thru the northern border crossing from GEO, & if I cant beg/buy/steal a longer visa for the bike, then I may just do a loop & come out the southern border., of course alot depends on oad conditions, if the road is ok, I'll try for Baku.
If not, then I will get a short tour & wont have to backtrack as much

Doug

Thanks for the offer doug! That's very kind. I think we'll be ok as she's broken the back of it, so to speak. We're still trying (and failing) to get our heads round the Turkish legal system. Nobody here seems to know what to do to, and we want to be able to leave Istanbul when she's up and running safe in the knowledge that it's all being dealt with but at the moment there seems to be some confusion as to how to continue despite the police already saying the cab driver was 100% at fault!

All very frustrating! Sorry, I'm way off topic!...

Azerbaijan update
 

Hi guys,

Just thought I'd give an update as we're now in Baku. Georgia was lovely, and Tbilisi is a nice town, but as others have said the driving is crazy!

We crossed the border into Azerbaijan having headed south from Tbilisi and passing the town of Rutavi. There's a nice shiny new border post being built but for now you get directed down a steep narrow dirt track to a compound with a few huts. It took us 3 hours to get through, and they officials were pretty miserable and moody right up until we left when they demanded a wheelie!

We were warned very clearly that failure to get our bikes out of the country within 72 hours was a big problem, and would come with a $2000 fine per bike! We paid $30 per bike plus $10 each for various forms - no idea what they are as only in Azeri!

The road from the border to Baku is pretty good bar a 10km section of road works. Our biggest problem was definitely with the police. We came across check points every 40kms or so and more often than not were pulled over. On a couple of occasions I was taken aside into the office where I was asked aggressively for $200 to proceed. I found that claiming that I didn't understand what they were talking about and then rabbiting on at them in English alot and then ultimately, when the policeman was shouting and banging the table, just saying 'no' did the trick. They tended to decide it wasn't going to happen and then would smile as if to say 'well played' and then let us go - again not before demanding a wheelie!!

Also got the same treatment whislt we were at the side of the road chatting to some french cyclists. A police car pulled up, made me sit in the car and spent ages telling me a form was missing (it blatently doesn't exist!), before changing his tack and claiming we'd been speeding - despite the fact we were sat at the side of the road. Same treatment, same result!

We've not had to pay a single bribe to the police but have been pulled over 8 times in less than a day! Locals told us that if you pay a bribe to one it often gets relayed down to his mates further along the road.

Those delays meant we didn't get to the Turkmen Embassy in Baku before it closed for the weekend, our 72 hours are up on sunday afternoon so will be parking up in the customs area and then getting our visas on monday.

All in all, we've found that Azeri people to be great and super friendy, and Baku is quite the cosmopolitan town. Just a shame the police are so utterly corrupt!

Hey Bob
glad you made it, & thanks for the info. Sounds like the police there are more fun than in Ukraine!

I had misread about getting an azeri visa, seems you can get one at the airport when landing, but not at a land border.

So I will try to get one in Tlibisi. Or I could just fly in n out of azeri, then cross the border with the bike. but that probably aint cheap!

I dont HAVE to go to Azeri, just wanted to see it.

Im sure I'd have as much fun spending more time in georgia.

Doug

Border is correct.

Try to keep smiling when handing 20-50 usd bribe to traffic policemen in Azerbaijan :) Sure you will see this scene quite often... :) :oops2:

You mean GEORGIAN :)