st4
Banned
Nah mate sounds good.
Word of advice, getting insurance for NON EU countries is maybe a bit more advanced. I can only get 30 days cover for within the EU. Russia may not be covered. Sounds a brilliant trip BTW.
Word of advice, getting insurance for NON EU countries is maybe a bit more advanced. I can only get 30 days cover for within the EU. Russia may not be covered. Sounds a brilliant trip BTW.
grober
MB Master
What model of car have you got? Can you speak any of the languages you might encounter? Get some form of European car recovery insurance/ personal medical cover that includes all countries on your journey !
James Rothwell
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I drove from London to Nordkapp through Sweden and Norway and back through Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
Was a great trip, went in Feb so it was minus 42*c one day in Norway. Very cold but great experience.
Was a great trip, went in Feb so it was minus 42*c one day in Norway. Very cold but great experience.
Supacool1
Active Member
Impressive work! Did the car stand up well to the cold temps?
James Rothwell
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- S500L (W220) PREV- S600L (W140),3x E320, E280, E240, S500, 450SLC, E300D Wagon
Yes. I had an old Jeep Grand Cherokee at the time which I bought for the trip. It handled it brilliantly. I'd love to do the trip again sometime but make more of an effort to record more of it on film and photographs. My next big adventure is either going to be driving to Dubai (my parents live there and I'm bored of flying) that's if the Saudi embassy ever give me a definitive answer or my other idea which is much more likely is going down to the Sahara hopefully in July so it'll be baking and the exact opposite of Nordkapp. I only decided about 11 days before I left that I was going to go to Nordkapp only because I wanted to find out just how cold, cold could get.
DITTRICH
MB Enthusiast
Advice
I have driven to Russia and back both via scandinavia in 2005 and via the baltic countries in 2007 and 2008.
As for travelling times, it depends on how much you want to see along the way and whether or not you have a co-driver.
Moscow via Scandinavia can take around 4 to 5 days for one person driving solo. It is 3,000 miles.
Moscow via the baltic countries can take around 4 days again for one person driving solo. It is 2,000 miles. It ought to be quicker but Lithuania and Latvia have absurdly low speed limits and enthusiastic police with radar guns. Poland still has alot of crap single carriageway roads but is improving in leaps and bounds.
Scandinavia is easier because alot of people speak english and it is "less" foreign. It is however further in distance.
Getting into Russia by car used to be a real experience but is now MUCH easier. However, my 2c is to enter via scandinavia if you are doing a round trip. It will almost certainly be quicker at the border and you have a choice of border crossings - Valimaa the main one and Nuijamaa both close together. Nuijamma is close to Lappeenranta a good stopping point.
I have no recent experience of the border crossings in scandinavia. However, I know the border crossing from Latvia to Russia very well. I once spent about 15 hours in the queue to get across the border and 4 hours in the queue on the return journey. Be ready for delays. Imagine I had arrived at the border ahead of schedule in 3 days: London - overnight - Polish border near berlin by 10.00am the next day. Then to Kaunas in Lithuania in 13 hours across Poland. Then 5 hours to the Russian border. Then 15 hours in the queue overnight. I entered Russia proper at 5.30am the next morning.
Documentation to drive in Russia is slightly onerous but no big deal. All countries on your route except Russia are covered by the "green card" system. Russia has joined the "green card" system but trying to buy such insurance in 2008 in the UK proved impossible. I bought russian insurance at the Russian border from a bank branch that is open 24/7. You will also need an IDP from the AA. You will need the V5C original. Personally I take very good colour photocopies and use these keeping the real documents hidden out of the way.
The detailed version of my experiences are found on Way to Russia Guide | waytorussia.net where I post under the same name on the forum - called a talklounge - in the transport sub forum.
I did these trips solo going out and with my family coming back. I speak Russian which means going solo isn't too much of a problem for me.
In fact, read about all my trips and you will get a flavour of what to expect.
I am sure you will enjoy the road trip.
If you have any specific questions please ask.
Les
Anyone willing to share your experience driving there?
Am I crazy driving through Latvia, Estonia and Russia and it a long way
How long will it take me to get there?
What about the car insurance?
What about parking in Helsinki?
I have driven to Russia and back both via scandinavia in 2005 and via the baltic countries in 2007 and 2008.
As for travelling times, it depends on how much you want to see along the way and whether or not you have a co-driver.
Moscow via Scandinavia can take around 4 to 5 days for one person driving solo. It is 3,000 miles.
Moscow via the baltic countries can take around 4 days again for one person driving solo. It is 2,000 miles. It ought to be quicker but Lithuania and Latvia have absurdly low speed limits and enthusiastic police with radar guns. Poland still has alot of crap single carriageway roads but is improving in leaps and bounds.
Scandinavia is easier because alot of people speak english and it is "less" foreign. It is however further in distance.
Getting into Russia by car used to be a real experience but is now MUCH easier. However, my 2c is to enter via scandinavia if you are doing a round trip. It will almost certainly be quicker at the border and you have a choice of border crossings - Valimaa the main one and Nuijamaa both close together. Nuijamma is close to Lappeenranta a good stopping point.
I have no recent experience of the border crossings in scandinavia. However, I know the border crossing from Latvia to Russia very well. I once spent about 15 hours in the queue to get across the border and 4 hours in the queue on the return journey. Be ready for delays. Imagine I had arrived at the border ahead of schedule in 3 days: London - overnight - Polish border near berlin by 10.00am the next day. Then to Kaunas in Lithuania in 13 hours across Poland. Then 5 hours to the Russian border. Then 15 hours in the queue overnight. I entered Russia proper at 5.30am the next morning.
Documentation to drive in Russia is slightly onerous but no big deal. All countries on your route except Russia are covered by the "green card" system. Russia has joined the "green card" system but trying to buy such insurance in 2008 in the UK proved impossible. I bought russian insurance at the Russian border from a bank branch that is open 24/7. You will also need an IDP from the AA. You will need the V5C original. Personally I take very good colour photocopies and use these keeping the real documents hidden out of the way.
The detailed version of my experiences are found on Way to Russia Guide | waytorussia.net where I post under the same name on the forum - called a talklounge - in the transport sub forum.
I did these trips solo going out and with my family coming back. I speak Russian which means going solo isn't too much of a problem for me.
In fact, read about all my trips and you will get a flavour of what to expect.
I am sure you will enjoy the road trip.
If you have any specific questions please ask.
Les
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My advice based on my experience last year is -avoid Russia like the plague. Otherwise have deep pockets to bribe the police. I met 2 guys from England on a cancer charity run -they were kept at the border a mere 3 days!
Niks
MB Enthusiast
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Awesome! thats exactly something I would do! Good to know theres people out there who have a lively spirit for adventure
That's a little overkill isn't it?
One of our salesmen did the trip in a Reliant Robin. Apparently it was one of those pub-discussion ideas (as was entering the inaugaral Plymouth-Dakar event in a 1970 Hillman Hunter).
DITTRICH
MB Enthusiast
I'm curious.
What was your experience precisely and did the 2 people you mentioned say why they were kept at the border? All I can say is that I have managed to get to Russia and back 3 times in the last 5 years and emerged unscathed having paid precisely £0.00 in bribes. I did take care to ensure my paperwork and visas were okay before I arrived at the border. The only problems I have encountered are the queues at the border going in and out. If the paperwork and passports were in order then there would be no reason to be "kept" at the border for 3 days. It is quite usual to get stopped by the police who can check paperwork and if it is fine you just go on your way. A car with uk plates in russia would be a novelty and they would stop you just because they're bored and curious. Yes bribery does happen but I can honestly tell you that I have never paid anything to the cops at the roadside. Even when I broke some "rules" or even the russian highway code. If I was russian with russian documents then it would be a different story. Foreigners get treated better than the russians in a similar situation because of many reasons - spoken language barrier, unfamiliar vehicle documents in a foreign language and so on.
Just my 2c.
Les
To anyone attempting don't bring your car. I survived 3 weeks working for Nokia, it a nightmare, although high tech but backward country. I got here in 2 hours by easyjet or ryanair via Tampere another two hours train journey to Helsinki. There is nothing here although I am aware Mika Hakkinen lives here. When I arrived 3 weeks ago it still snowing and cars on winter tyres. They are changing for summer tyres now. Hiring a cheap car like a Nissan Micra costs twice as much at 90 euros.
You have to thank Tesco for bringing cheap food to UK, here everything at 22% SLV(VAT) even vat for bus and tram rides. It a crazy country.
Tried to pop by St Petersburg last weekend, was denied entry because we Brits need visa or else Putin will say no. If I brought my car along, I will be denied entry at the Russian border after driving through Latvia and Estonia. The only way to bypass Russia is to take a ferry at Tallin to Helsinki.
I set my Garmin sat nav to drive me home, it gave up with calculation error and ran out of memory. Now I know it rubbish.
Loads of Merc here but tends to be very old. Loads of new model E-class as taxi. While you guys enjoying sunny and 20 degress, here is only 10 degrees and frozen at nights.
You have to thank Tesco for bringing cheap food to UK, here everything at 22% SLV(VAT) even vat for bus and tram rides. It a crazy country.
Tried to pop by St Petersburg last weekend, was denied entry because we Brits need visa or else Putin will say no. If I brought my car along, I will be denied entry at the Russian border after driving through Latvia and Estonia. The only way to bypass Russia is to take a ferry at Tallin to Helsinki.
I set my Garmin sat nav to drive me home, it gave up with calculation error and ran out of memory. Now I know it rubbish.
Loads of Merc here but tends to be very old. Loads of new model E-class as taxi. While you guys enjoying sunny and 20 degress, here is only 10 degrees and frozen at nights.
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agatward
Active Member
Hmm not entirely sure I'd agree with that. I have a very good friend who is lead developer for Maemo OS at Nokia, he is not Finnish, and he is very happy where he is. When I visited I didn't see any evidence of being backward - yes taxes are high (apparently highest in Europe) and things are expensive as a result, but salaries reflect that.
You would also be denied on foot and on a bus or train... It is well known that residents of almost every country require a Visa to enter Russia, including most countries formerly in the SSR.
Nope, you could drive up through Denmark, across the bridge between Copenhagen and Malmö, then across sweden to either pick up the ferry from Stockholm to Helsinki, or drive up and round via northern Sweden and Finland.
I'd much prefer cooler climate to horrible sticky 20 degrees any day
I'd much prefer cooler climate to horrible sticky 20 degrees any day
You are wrong, it sticky 27 degress in Helsingki for at least two weeks now. There is no spring, winter straight into summer. It so hot I can't sleep. Now only we can see cherry blossoms, the daffs and the leaves sprouting.
Everything here are several weeks behind UK. No wonder it a backward country.
