Crossing the Georgia / Russia border

Hi,

You’ll find an answer in the report linked below. https://www.lescs.fr/IMG/pdf/240618_georgie-russie.pdf We met a traveler at the Russian border post who turned back at the Latvian border because there were too many days of waiting.

On the way back (Russia→Georgia) in early October, it took us 1.5 hours to cross both borders. You can find reports from our trip this year here: https://www.lescs.fr/Asie-Centrale-2024

Happy researching. LesCs

FYI: I included the report link because I don’t think this forum has a built-in PDF reader, unlike many others.

Okay, thanks for the link—it’s way smoother from Georgia. I also took about 1h 30 to exit in August from Vladikavkaz toward Georgia, but 3 days to enter from Latvia with a line of only 12 cars waiting... but 4 forms to fill out—3 in Russian and English, and the fourth in Russian only. If you don’t speak the language, forget it—the officials won’t help you. They’re already swamped with paperwork, plus inspections, scanners, etc. There’s a blatant lack of staff and equipment.

Hi, When traveling by motorcycle—and this is also true in Russia—we can often filter through lines of vehicles without it being frowned upon. This year, I followed some travelers in a 4x4 who did this from Georgia to Russia without any particular issues. Have you already seen the Russian entry form that needs to be filled out? Thierry

Hi again, "Three forms in Russian and English, and the fourth in Russian only. If you don’t speak the language," Sorry, do you have a copy of those three documents, please?

blatant understaffing

Wow, I wonder where they all went...

glaring lack of staff

Wow, wonder where they all went...

Even before February 2022, we’d often spend 9 hours crossing into Russia. The bureaucracy there is intense and surprising. On our last crossing in October, Russian customs officers asked us for French treats. So random!!!! But exiting Russia only took us 1 hour.

Hi there,

Back in 2019, I traveled to Georgia and then into Russia via Vladikavkaz. From there, we made our way to Volgograd and followed the Volga up through Saratov, Samara, Kazan, and Nizhny Novgorod. No issues at the border at that time.

You can find the full details of the trip on my site: https://voyagesetmoto.wordpress.com/

With the current situation, things are definitely different now. As for bringing French food items, just so you know, they’re pretty much unavailable in Russia these days—especially in regions far from Moscow.

Hey all you survivors of the strong rum that was supposed to kill everyone... I took a trip to Russia in August 2024, 16 unforgettable days. Entered via KARSAVA, Ostrov, then Saint Petersburg, Moscow, Voronezh, Rostov-on-Don, and exited at VLADIKAVKAZ via Georgia, Turkey, etc... I’d like to know if anyone has done the reverse route—entering via Vladikavkaz from Georgia by personal vehicle, car, or motorcycle—and how long the wait was to cross the border. At the Karsava crossing in Latvia last August, it was between 2 and 3 days. The holdup is on the Russian side due to lack of staff and equipment because the formalities are complicated... I’m looking for a smoother crossing point for 2025. Thanks for your feedback.

Hey Versys6, I’m planning to leave in early May 2025 for Tajikistan via Turkey, Georgia, Russia, Kazakhstan, etc... I’m thinking of crossing at the Verkhnii Lars border post (Vladikavkaz) to head toward Astrakhan and enter Kazakhstan. By motorcycle and weaving through the lines of cars and trucks, based on my research, I’m expecting at least 3 hours to enter Russia (fingers crossed) 😉 If I understood your username right, you travel on a Suzuki Versys. I’m on a Ténéré 700. Are you traveling solo? Would you be open to the idea of riding together (or just part of the route)? That’d be awesome...🙂

Just to clarify, I’m retired and will be 63 in May 2025. I travel at a relaxed pace, stopping now and then to take photos or videos or to fly my drone, depending on the landscapes I come across... I’m not looking for anything challenging like enduro trails, but moderately easy tracks don’t bother me.

I’m used to traveling by motorcycle (always solo, unfortunately 🤪). My wife isn’t interested in this kind of motorcycle trip, and she’s still got a few years of work before she retires. So I’m taking the opportunity to do my “round-the-world” trip in stages. A REAL round-the-world trip would’ve taken at least two and a half years, and my wife wasn’t too keen on that... 😏

Welcome Juracik! I also ride solo, sometimes with a colleague on a Multistrada. I’m 68 but I’d be happy to ride with a younger guy...😉. However, you’re leaving a bit early for me—I’ve planned to start in early July. If you can change your plans, message me privately and we can chat on WhatsApp. I’m currently in Asia until May 29.

About crossing into Russia, I think you’re being *very* optimistic estimating it’ll only take 3 hours. I don’t believe that for a second, but I could be wrong. And don’t even imagine that people who’ve already been waiting 30+ hours will let you cut in line. I saw this in Karsava—people get really aggressive, and the issue isn’t the number of cars waiting (there were only 12 ahead of me, who’d already been there since the day before)... it doesn’t exactly put you in a joking mood. Motorcycle or not, YOU WAIT YOUR TURN. It’s nothing like the Serbian or Turkish borders, where you can roll up to the counter with barely an insult thrown your way... ALMOST.

If you leave in May, let us know how it goes crossing from Georgia into Russia. But I’d recommend bringing water and enough food for 2 days. If you’re lucky, a friendly driver might offer you a spot to sleep in their Toyota—otherwise... pray it doesn’t rain...😏

Contrary to what people say, Russian officials aren’t lazy good-for-nothings. They’re just understaffed (an understatement), lack equipment, and are drowning in Soviet-era paperwork. Russia is something you *earn*.

c

Hey there, old-timer 😏

Joking aside, early July is way too late for me. I’m planning to head back to South America at the end of the year, which means I’ll need to drop off my bike in Marseille by mid- or late September. So, I might not even be back from Central Asia if I left in July.

I was there last year but only stayed for 3 weeks because of a stupid fall on a trail—something we’ve all had dozens of times—but this time, I had to be on the other side of the planet in the middle of Patagonia when I tore my inner knee ligament! 🤪 🏴‍☠️ 😠 So, prioritizing caution (I could still walk and ride the bike), and not knowing if I’d need surgery, I decided to head back to Montevideo and return to France. But I can’t wait to go back... 😎

As for crossing the Georgia/Russia border, I’m basing my info on I-Overlander, where several reports say pretty much the same thing: about 3 hours for bikers (since they filter through the lines of cars and trucks). For 4x4s, vans, etc., it’s more like 6 to 7 hours because they get stuck in 3 or 4 hours of traffic before even reaching the border.

That said, if it takes 6 or 7 hours, then it takes 6 or 7 hours... No big deal. And if I need to be aggressive to get to the front of the line at the counters, well, I’ll adapt to local customs... 😉

But yeah, I’m planning to bring water and food with me anyway...

From what I’ve seen following some bikers on YouTube at this border, they actually got help cutting through the lines (like cars in the queue moving aside to let bikers pass) rather than getting yelled at. So, fingers crossed...

TIR freight trucks have a separate queue outside and inside the customs post. You can overtake them—drivers won’t say anything. Avoid crossing on weekends to steer clear of the influx of Russian tourist vehicles heading to Tbilisi for the weekend. Be prepared to answer questions from Russian intelligence agents, like: - "Is Crimea part of the Russian Federation?" - ...etc... on forms with very rough French. Phone searches... etc...

On the road, stay alert: lots of speed cameras and white-line crossing checks.

TIR freight trucks have a separate queue outside and inside the customs post. You can overtake them; the drivers won’t say anything. Avoid crossing on the weekend to steer clear of the influx of Russian tourist vehicles heading to Tbilisi for the weekend. Also, be prepared to answer questions from Russian intelligence agents like: - "Is Crimea part of the Russian Federation?" - ...etc... on forms with very rough French. Phone searches... etc...

On the road, stay alert: lots of speed cameras and white-line crossing checks.

Yeah, I’m expecting all that—I was already aware. Even if the "interrogations" are random, I know they can happen... My phone has nothing to hide. Just family photos and videos from my previous trips, and anyway, I don’t have any social media except WhatsApp, and there’s nothing secret there either... And for road checks, I also know they can be in completely unmarked cars, driving really slowly to "force" you to overtake them—right where there are white lines to cross. 😉 Anyway, thanks for the info... that’s really helpful... I might not have known about all these little details... I’ll take the opportunity to add one more thing: Apparently, the timing with the Versys won’t work out, so unfortunately, we won’t be doing this trip together. So if anyone else is interested in joining me for part (or even the whole thing—let’s go wild... 😉) of this trip, don’t hesitate to speak up... Safe travels to everyone

It's not easy to find a "compatible" travel companion for so many reasons... Personally, I often drive at night to escape the heat, traffic, the king's archers, and the queues at border posts. On average, how long are your stages? I’ve got a few great tips for you along the route—Serbia, Turkey, Georgia.

It’s not easy to find a "compatible" travel buddy for so many reasons... Personally, I often drive at night to avoid the heat, traffic, the king’s archers, and long lines at border crossings. On average, how far do you usually go in one stretch? I’ve got a few great tips for your route—Serbia, Turkey, Georgia.

I’ll reply in a DM this morning so I don’t "clutter" this post.

send the addresses 😛, that's cool.

At the Karsava crossing in Latvia, it took between 2 and 3 days last August. The holdup is on the Russian side due to lack of staff and equipment because the formalities are complicated..... I'm looking for a smoother crossing point for 2025.

The last time I crossed with my car was summer 2023 via Finland, which was later closed. Since then, I've taken the Riga-Pskov bus and the Gdansk-Kaliningrad bus. The Riga-Pskov bus doesn't cross the border in Latvia but in southern Estonia at Luhaama-Shumilkino. Even as a bus passenger, I didn't notice any car queues.

Since the visa is now unified with Belarus, crossing south of Vilnius toward Lida could be an option. Avoid Terespol-Brest from Poland! And the main Vilnius-Minsk road.