Way to Russia Talk Lounge

danrosen · Just Starting Joined: 23 Apr 2003 Posts: 1

Hi,
I'll be in Turkey in May, and I'm looking to go to Russia. I've heard from someone about ferries from Trabzon to Sochi, but the Lonely Planet guidebook doesn't mention them. So, are there ferries between Turkey and Russia?

Thanks.

Pasha · Guest

Hey Danrosen !
I went on that route last summer. Yes, there is a ferry. It goes twice a day. It costs 70-80 $, but it's possible to buy the ticket for 60 at the company which owns the boat. Don't look for passenger boats at Samsun.
What's your route throug Turkey?

PS It's better if you leave your e-mail.

elizabeth · Just Starting Joined: 02 May 2007 Posts: 6

Hi danrosen,
off course you can get luxury cars there. Last year i went Gumbet Turkey for holiday. I got there decent weather and all things like luxury rental cars, and stars hotel and lot of beautiful places for visit, there is a very popular bus called Dolmus Bus, you can also contact them.

elizabeth
Gumbet Turkey

daniata · Just Starting Joined: 23 Apr 2008 Posts: 2

I am also looking for a ferry from Turkey. I will be in Istanbul and will either take a ferry from Istanbul or from Trabzon, arriving in Sochi. I'm having a hard time finding ferry information. Does anyone know of ferry schedules for May or June 2008?

Has anyone taken these ferries? Any suggestions? Is it better to go from Trabzon, or from Istanbul?

Thank you all so much!

Dani

DITTRICH · Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 1:45 pm Post subject:

http://www.morport-sochi.ru/lines/

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/northern-asia/ferry-russia-turkey-across-black-20955 scroll down a few posts

Rgds

Les

daniata · Just Starting Joined: 23 Apr 2008 Posts: 2

In case anyone else wants to do this, thought I would update the info. I went to Trabzon, Turkey and took the ferry to Sochi, Russia. The ferry was run by a Turkish company called Apollonia. It runs 4-5 times a week, at least it did in May 2008. The cost was $75 US per person for a shared cabin, or $100 per person for a single cabin. As a single female, I was placed in a women only cabin.

The boat is supposed to take 12 hours but it was more like 16 hour with random delays. The ferry was comfortable enough but the waters were rough and many people were seasick.

I had problems on the Russian side. I was the only foreigner on the boat, and for this reason, might have been singled out for Special Treatment.

I had a valid Russian visa, and had gotten an invitation, but didn't have a "tourist voucher." They wanted to see my tourist voucher, which my local Russian consulate didn't seem to think was necessary.

So for anyone doing this route, I would say be prepared for extra special scrutiny on the Russian side. Have extra copies of any and all paperwork, and be sure to have hotel reservations in Sochi, preferably at a hotel that can register your passport. Many hotels cannot register so this is important. (Passport Control kept asking me about where I was staying and where I was going in Russia.)

I don't really recommend this route, but hey, for the adventurous, it's possible to do.