Way to Russia Talk Lounge

tombarwick · Just Starting Joined: 26 Jan 2007 Posts: 2

I'm thinking about this road trip for the summer. I've heard the road is quite dangerous in places. Does anyone have any up to date information on it? We were thinking of buying a car in Vvo and selling it in Moscow. Has anyone done anything similar?
Thanks,
Tom

mev · Frequent Guest Joined: 01 Apr 2004 Posts: 28

Does anyone have any up to date information on it?

Try a web search to find recent accounts, or look in the web site horizonsunlimited.com (motorcycle site) to find some recent accounts.

--mev, Mike Vermeulen

p.s. I am planning on bicycling from Amsterdam to Vladivostok in 2007.

rogerm · Just Starting Joined: 31 Dec 2006 Posts: 5

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/excessbaggage/index_20061111.shtml

is a radio programme from the BBC about travel across Russia the other way in a UKP300 Ford Sierra.

As far as I can tell its a fairly common trip nowadays, the road is a bit rough in places.

http://dreamers1.com/russia/Practicalities/Russia_Mongolia_Practicalities.htm

Is an Aussie couple plus a guy on a BMW who did the trip 2005. They refer to a lot of people buying used vehicles in Japan and then driving them across Siberia to sell in Moscow.

Annadan

Rust

Don't worry!!! I advice you - you have to do it! They are afraid of this trip becouse they now about it nothing! If you want - I could send some foto about it (unfortunally I very seldom made foto). For example - I never was in England and I think that majority in England are emigrants from muslim countres and very dangerous to walk there and every day terracts there - but it is not right of course until now. Gossip and rumour and its all about vlad - moscow trip.

Vladskywolf · Posted: Sat Mar 17, 2007 1:07 pm Post subject:

Well, I have to chime in on this one.

If you are traveling in a car with *normal* license plates, then it's not much of a problem. I know of people who've made cross-country trips without incident.

The problem is traveling in a car with 'transit' (temporary) plates. These are almost a dead give-away that you're intending to transport the car to some other location for sale. You may get stopped by local criminals along the way, especially if they think you're intending on selling in their turf. At best you may have to only pay a bribe, at worst you may have to give up the car. However, I've heard hearsay that they'll generally leave foreigners alone, but again, that's just hearsay. I'm not currently interested in this line of work. Smile

Now if you're thinking of putting regular plates on the vehicle and driving it to your destination, well that's not as easy as it sounds. For a car to be sold (legally), you must *unregister* the vehicle (a process which includes a physical inspection to verify correct serial numbers) in the region in which it was registered in the first place. I had to go through this process simply to 'sell' it to my wife. Very Happy

If there's another way around this, I'm not aware of it.

If anyone from within Russia can confirm that cars can be unregistered in any other region (and hence able to travel with regular plates), then - and only then - could I recommend this kind of trip, especially for someone who hasn't done it before (with this purpose in mind).

Rust · Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2007 12:49 am Post subject:

Ok. If you have really expirience - please tell us (not only hearing). Of course, in this way you have to follow some rule - it's every where(but everywhere different rule).