Russia

Russia
Information
Language:	Russian
Capital:	Moscow
Population:	145,274,019
Currency:	Ruble (RUB)
Hitchability:	from (average) to (very good)
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Russia is the largest country on Earth. There is a large number of active hitchhikers, but compared to the total number of the population it's not that much. It is a great country to hitchhike. some drivers expect money, some not. Count about 5 days from Moscow to Novosibirsk.

Safety

Sigurdas hitch-hiking towards Murmansk from St. Petersburg. Winter 2001.

Russian roads are not among the safest on Earth.

Russians like to drink vodka. And some of them like to drink vodka in their cars. Be aware of drunken drivers, but at least on trunk roads (transsiberian there are so many police checkpoints) and drivers don't want to run the risk of getting caught drunk. Then again, Russians who own a car are not very probably to be the worst alcoholics and drinking and driving is heavily penalized in Russia.

Lucysd 200 km from Mongolia

To increase your safety you might want to hitchhike from police post to police post. The police posts situated on all highways with intervals of about 100 km. These posts, commonly called Post DPS, are good places to hitchhike since cars will drive by slowly, and police is always close. You can also ask the police officers to help you get a ride which really might work.

Especially the southern provinces Dagestan, Chechnya (worldwide most victims), Ingushetia, North Ossetia and Kabardino-Balkaria have problems with landmines.

Cities

• Cheboksary
• Moscow
• Novosibirsk
• Omsk
• Petrozavodsk
• St. Petersburg
• Yekaterinburg

Border Crossing

Georgia

The border is now closed, and entering the country via territories in question might be extremely dangerous or even fatal (even if the territories themselves, like Abhasia, are safe). The advice is to go to Turkey or to Azerbaijan first and then to Georgia.

Azerbaijan

You will need a special premission to be allowed to cross the border. Don't try to cross the border illegal.

Latvia

It's no problem (at least for EU passport holders) to walk over the checkpoints in Latvia to Russia.

Ukraine

The country is Russia's eternal 'native brother' and, despite all the political mess that constantly happenes between the two states, Ukraine is one of the countries that is very easy to enter from Russia (Russians do not even need a foreign passport to enter it, as well as for Belarus). Make sure that the border crossing is working before attempting to use it. The big gate on the M2/E95 road (Moscow to Kharkiv) can be passed by foot, which is very convenient because you do not have to wait in the line of the cars and you wont make your driver wait for you in case you have any delayes with your passport; you will have to exit the car before all the checkpoints start, though, or you will be considered a car passenger by the border police.

External links

• Story about hitchhiking from Rotterdam to Vladivostok
• Russian website about hitchhiking in Russia
• Russian Backpacker, Russian hitchhiker's forum, in Russian
• Academy of Free Travel, Moscow based hitchhiking club, in Russian

Countries of Europe

Albania • Andorra • Austria • Belarus • Belgium • Bosnia and Herzegovina • Bulgaria • Croatia • Cyprus • Czech Republic • Denmark • Estonia • Finland • France • Germany • Greece • Hungary • Iceland • Ireland • Italy • Kosovo • Latvia • Liechtenstein • Lithuania • Luxembourg • Macedonia • Malta • Moldova • Monaco • Montenegro • Netherlands • Norway • Poland • Portugal • Romania • Russia • San Marino • Serbia • Slovakia • Slovenia • Spain • Sweden • Switzerland • Turkey • United Kingdom • Ukraine • Vatican