Way to Russia Talk Lounge

Defender · Posted: Mon May 19, 2003 2:57 am Post subject: Crossing Russia by car!

Hi out there.

I'm planning an overland trip through Russia (from Sct. Petersburg to either Mongolia or Vladivostok),. Departure: march/april 2004, arrival???, in my Land Rover.

I would like to hear if anybody has got experiences with travelling through Russia by car - or maybe someone would like to join me for part of/the whole tour? It could be great to travel through this huge, beautyful country in a group of cars... Russian speaking people would be perfect!

B.t.w.: I'm a 31.y.o. danish guy who wants to see the world. Nothing more, nothing less... Smile

See more about the trip/the idea/the car etc. on:
http://www.landy-rtw.com

Greetings!

Nata · Guest

hello, I live in St Petersburg, if you're going to come here I could show you around, I am just looking for new friends Smile

Natalia.

Defender · Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2003 6:24 pm Post subject: Re: hello

Hi there.

Thanks a lot - would be great to see what St. Petersburg is like. We actually might drop by on a test-trip in august. If so, how do we get in touch with you? (got a mail adress or something?)

Morten

PS: Check out our travelsite: http://www.landy-rtw.com

-----

Nata · Guest

yes, sure, my email is nvdem@mail.ru

talk to you soon?

Guest · Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2004 12:35 pm Post subject: you better think twice

Defender is sure great car but the Russian roads might be too much even for your baby. will have to lug all spare parts as well - but you sure you know already

haven't done St.Pet-Russian Far East myself but combined wisdom suggest that there are NO roads in Western sense beyond the Baikal lake - they're building one now but it's years away from being completed. what you've got is a country road at it's basic best augmented ( worsened? you decide) by huge size boulders that suppose to serve as a foundation of the future tarmac surface from what i understand.

like i said, my knowledge is secondary but methinks you are better off investigating further before embarking on the trip like that.

my colleagues from DR/SVT ( Danish Radio/ Swedish TV) planned the trip like that across Russia a few years ago but dropped it as too difficult and potentially too expensive - there are better ways to have fun in good old Russia Laughing

red bus · Guest

Lack of western roads past Baikal a concern. I would like to take my old London Bus to New Zealand and am checking out the possibility of driving to Vladivostok in 2005. Let me know how you get on.
Top site by the way I'll be back, especially if there is a drivable route..... Smile

www.bigredbus.co.uk

Ian

Dan · Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2004 8:59 pm Post subject: Russian Roads

Road.
This summer I read an article in Russian Auto magazine - "Za Rulem". They made a thgrough Russia car trip and published the results. According to this info, the road is alsmost ready. Only last part of the road - somewhere around Khabarovsk is being constructed.

Good Luck.

WayToRussia · Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2004 4:25 am Post subject:

Just to let everybody know: the road is completely constructed and was officially opened by president Putin a few days ago.

Some reports claim it's complete (ie Moscow - Vladivostok), some claim that parts of the road between Khabarovsk and Vladivostok are not asphalted yet, but that it can be used anyway.

Defender · Posted: Fri Apr 02, 2004 1:19 am Post subject: Hi all...!

Wow.... Haven't been in here for a looong time - and happy to see al your replies to my posting.

Thanks a lot folks!

Since my posting several things have happened:
- I decided to change the route, starting out with the Canada to South America leg, departing June 2004 (only 3 months away. Yeepiee!).
- I found a great travel mate for the first year of travelling
- I decided to DEFINATELY do the Russia overland trip. It's been done before (among others, a danish guy went all the way through Siberia in an old Land Rover. He gave me some interesting feedback to my idea).

So.... I am really looking forward to do the Russia leg at some stage. Stay in touch at www.landy-rtw.com and see how we progress. Any invitations for tea in Russia will accepted with huge thanks! Smile

Greetings from Denmark

Morten

WayToRussia · Posted: Fri Apr 02, 2004 1:42 am Post subject:

I invite you for a tea at my place in Moscow. Wink

kicius · Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2005 6:13 pm Post subject:

Hi!

Does anybody know how it is in real with the road from Vladivostok to Baikal? Is there really road or only Putin's propaganda? There are different opinion on the net.

Does anybody check it?

Best from Poland

DITTRICH · Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2005 6:42 pm Post subject:

http://www.AMUR-TRASSA.RU
Rgds
Les

kicius · Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2005 5:25 pm Post subject:

Sure, sure... but what about such relations?

In some sections there is no road, just a roadbed graded by bulldozers, with trees knocked down everywhere," said Gennadi Kulaev, a 42-year-old businessman. "You can hardly get through." In mid-March, he said, he wrestled a Toyota Land Cruiser from Vladivostok to his home in Ulan-Ude, east of Lake Baikal in Siberia, a trip of about 2,150 miles. Referring to one segment of about 450 miles, he said: "There is 700 kilometers of no road. There is no other word to call it -- goat tracks.

"At some places, it was blocked by rocks from the mountains detonated by dynamite. So drivers had to hire bulldozers working nearby, or just crawl atop those rock piles as I did."

Best
Kicius

marioafonso · Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 3:31 pm Post subject: Re: hello Nata

Entropy · WayToRussified Joined: 02 Mar 2006 Posts: 429

Defender,

I encourage you to read Adventure Capitalist: The Ultimate Road Trip (Hardcover).

This book is written by Jim Rogers who traveled around the world with his girlfriend, who became his wife, by car. Jim is a famous hedge fund manager in the U.S. He provided his views on various countries as he traveled through them. But most of the book was about his travels and challenges and joys he encountered. I highly recommend this book.

I should add that he traveled across Russia as part of his journey.

And I should add that if you want to see pictures of various places where he visited, you can go to his website Jim Rogers Web Site where he provides a timeline along with a description of his travels.

Entropy