Way to Russia Talk Lounge

markreach · Just Starting Joined: 28 Mar 2008 Posts: 3

Hi all; I hope someone can help,

I am planning a trip to Russia in September of this year, so I guess it's probably time to get the ball rolling with visas and so on. But I have some specific questions about border crossings, especially with a vehicle.

I have read the information on the site about taking a car into Russia, and that all seems relatively straightforward, but what about Belarus? I plan to travel with two friends, one of whom has family in Romania. We are hoping to drive from the UK to Romania (Sibiu to be precise) across into the Ukraine (via Moldova if visas will be forthcoming), through to L'viv, Ukraine, hopefully Chernobyl, then up to Minsk. We are all UK citizens and passport holders.

I have been learning Russian for two years, so I'm ok at basic Russian, but the prospect of having to face Belarusian border guards does faze me somewhat! Do you think I'll manage the border formalities?

We realise that it would be easier to drive straight into Russia from the Ukraine, but we are very keen on seeing Belarus.

We are also hoping to 'pop into' Kaliningrad on the way back home to England, so this will necessitate double-entry visas. Will those overly complicate matters?

In summary:

How difficult is the border-crossing Ukraine-Belarus (with basic Russian to about GCSE-standard)?

How difficult is the paperwork to temporarily import a UK-registered vehicle into Belarus for enough time to see Minsk and transit to the Russian border?

How difficult is the border-crossing Belarus-Russia (on E30 at Krasnoye)?

How difficult are the border-crossings Lithuania-Kaliningrad Oblast' and Kaliningrad Oblast'-Poland?

Does the entire trip seem feasible?

Thanks,

Mark

DITTRICH · Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 5:55 pm Post subject:

Belarus has a reputation of not being a good country to travel through. Whether this reutation is deserved or not I can't say - certainly there aren't enough real posts here on WTR to form a view about this. All I can say is that in my mind it is a big question mark.

My honest opinion would be that unless you have a belarussian national travelling with you then don't go. That would be my decision. Your travel plans can easily be met by travelling across the Poland-Ukraine border and by the Russia-Latvia border.

On the way there UK-France-Belgium-Netherlands-Germany-Poland-Ukraine.
On the way back Ukraine-Russia-Latvia-Lithuania-Kaliningrad-Poland-Germany-Netherlands-Belgium-France-UK.

I've driven in the Baltic countries and Poland and Russia and its really no big deal if you are prepared and understand what it is you are doing.

But Belarus would be a step too far for me even though I do travel alone some of the time. I speak Russian and I suggest you read some of my other posts about cars to judge for yourself the quality of my advice.

Rgds

Les

markreach · Just Starting Joined: 28 Mar 2008 Posts: 3

Thanks Les,

That has clarified a few things. While we would love to visit Belarus, perhaps we won't risk it this time. I believe there is a Belarus guide book due out in May, according to hiddeneurope.co.uk, that might have some insight.

From your advice, and other posts, I think we will travel across to Norway from Newcastle, then enter Russia from Finland. We will then travel down through St. Petersburg and Moscow, hopefully stopping off in a few places en route, and eventually down into the Ukraine. From the Ukraine we'll head to our friends in Romania.

I have read some horror stories about travelling through Moldova, especially as we'd probably have to travel through Transnistria, which sounds unappealling and maybe a bit dangerous. If anyone has any advice about there, I'd be most grateful.

Thanks,

Mark

gomer · WayToRussified Joined: 30 Mar 2007 Posts: 410

http://www.englishmoldova.com/

This website has information that might be helpful.

chrisrein · Frequent Guest Joined: 19 Nov 2006 Posts: 22

A Dutch friend of me drove a couples of times from Holland to Moldova without problems. They worked in the capital for several months and they actually liked it there.

He compared Moldova with Russia. How Transnistria is? I don't know.