Way to Russia Talk Lounge

Tris · Just Starting Joined: 21 Jul 2009 Posts: 5 Location: Kent

HI Les,

Thanks for your message and information. Um are you driving or using a train/coach to cross the border? If Car do you know a polish travel agent? I will be stopping in Braniewo near the border and hopefully there will be someone there who will know.

Thanks again

Tristan

DITTRICH · Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2009 2:28 pm Post subject:

I'm not going to Kaliningrad, but to Russia.
Poland is directly connected to Lithuania so I don't need to go to Kaliningrad.
I don't know any Polish Travel Agents.
As I said, google and the telephone are your best bets.
If you are indeed staying at a Polish Hotel close to the border ring them up right now and ask the question.
I have my own research to do!
Les

Tris · Just Starting Joined: 21 Jul 2009 Posts: 5 Location: Kent

Hi

Thanks will do,

Good luck with your trip. Will post up what I find!

Thanks again

Tris

Tris · Just Starting Joined: 21 Jul 2009 Posts: 5 Location: Kent

Well I have returned from my 3870miles roadtrip!!! to Kaliningrad, crossing the border at Braniewo

So Insurance - If you drive through the town Braniewo and as you leave there is a Lidl on your right hand side and a Petrol Station blue&yellow think it was called UK. On the side of the garage there is a small office with 'Kantor' written on it. This is where you can get Car Insurance for Russia. 50 zolty for 15 days so about £10. Need V5 car certificate and your passport.
You get a A4 greeny blue piece of paper with your name on it. They don't speak very good English so you have to point at the Reg. No. of the car and the VIN number.

So at the Polish border - You drive up to the polish border and they will raise the barrier, proceed to next point and they will look over the car and want the passport for the car which is our V5 document again point at the Reg. No.

Russian Border - the next point you are stopped you will be given a migration card to fill out prior to reaching the border. Once filled out they will let you through to the border. Follow the signs for EU cars and when you get seen you need to show them your passport and visa and they will give you a form to fill out for the car. Also have your insurance and V5 to hand. They have two offices one for visas and one for dealing with the car details.

There will generally always be someone who speaks English so don't worry. I had to fill the form out 4 times as I did it wrong. They are quite friendly.
They give you a A5 piece of paper also blue in colour with all all your details of car on etc which you would need to show if you got stopped by police. They'll look over the car and in the boot. Took me about 1h30 mins to cross the border into Kaliningrad.

Driving in Russia was great, had no problems. Took my 2006 Mazda 6 and was fine, took to the Russia roads like a duck to water. Had no problems with Police, got quite a few looks though as they don't see UK cars very often!!! But would recommend having a Russian speaker in the car.

Coming back 6 days later took 4 hours to get into Poland!! So allow plenty of time. We got there at 9 am and didnt get on our way until 1pm!
Russian border had big Queues, and they only see a couple of cars a time. Make sure you get in the EU line unless in a Russian Car. Again you have to fill out a form for the car so they can process it on their computer. Take all your documents and car documents with you when you see anyone.

Once through you then have to Queue at the Polish border!! which took awhile there are 2 lines of traffic so we just picked one and waited. They let only a few cars from each line through at a time and even hold these cars until space at the border. Once you get through the first barrier (its in half so one covers each line of traffic and there is someone there directing), you can skip the queue of maybe 1 or 2 cars and go up to the barrier which is clear this will raise!!! allowing you through to border control. as we got closer a Russian was pointing us down an empty Queue so we went and someone came out and processed us and went over the car and finally we got into Poland!! But it was quite frustrating. Next time when I approach the polish border I will drive down the hard shoulder sort of thing and go up to barrier which will go up and get to the border alot faster!!

Well I think that is about it. Any Qs then please ask.

DITTRICH · Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2009 2:37 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the great report.
I just came back to the UK from my trip.
Already planning next year's little journey.
Les

Tris · Just Starting Joined: 21 Jul 2009 Posts: 5 Location: Kent

No problem. Yes I think I'll be driving over again next summer as well!

All good fun. It is cheaper to fly but not as much fun! The Autobahns were great but did have to stop alot at Fuel stations quite abit as the Mazda 6 drunk petrol at 130+ Smile

DITTRICH · Posted: Wed Sep 02, 2009 2:02 pm Post subject:

The C230K drank around 60 litres over 377 miles on the autobahns - around 28mpg (normally 33mpg) equivalent to 6.3 mpl or 10 kmpl.
I didn't manage 130+ only around 110 - 120. My trip computer maximum said 198 kmph which is quite fast enough for me - 55 m/s.
But it was fun!
I agree with your sentiments entirely.
Les