Hiya

I am a total beginner at this trip planning business....

We are planning to go from the UK down through France, Germany, Poland and Down through various places to Turkey... then back again possibly via The Greek Islands....

Can someone please give me some basic tips the Carnet / Insurance situations...

Can anyone tell me which countries I can get to on Normal UK bike insurance and which ones I will need to do something else for....

Is there a published list etc on this...

What about other requirements for entering each country like the things you must carry, entry costs/border charges etc...

What about up to date lists (or updated regularly) about where to cross borders and where not to...

All help much appreciated.

Tony.

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Tony Robson
I'll try anything once, twice if it didn't kill me!

Your UK insurance company should automatically provide minimum legal cover throughout the EU, without them being informed, for up to a certain number of days a year. Your UK Certificate of Insurance should have the necessary wording on the back.

If you want more than the minimum legal necessity within the EU you must ask for a Green Card, which extends your full cover to the countries and dates you tell them, for a fee.

A Carnet is not required for any EU registered private vehicle (car/bike) within the EU, nor in Norway, Switzerland or Russia.

For a list of EU countries go to - Countries in the EU

All you need to cross borders within the EU is a UK (or other EU) passport, vehicle V5, proof of insurance and your driving licence. Russia requires an International Driving Permit obtainable from the AA, RAC and others for about £5.

Within the Schengen Area there are no controls - it is just like crossing counties here, just a sign board telling you where you are going into. Other, non Schengen, EU countries just look at Passports and V5s and let you through - they have to under EU law!!

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Vitim Bridge Clubwww.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=533442
www.sibirskyextreme.com

A good summary by Tony P above.

If you're heading to some of the non EU countries (Serbia and Montenegro, Moldova, Albania etc.), they will ask you for your Green Card. I would strongly recommend getting one from your insurance company, but let them know which countries you plan to visit first, since insurers strike certain countries from the list, which you'll see on the Green Card with a cross through that country code. If you get stopped for a "routine" control in some of the "new" EU countries, the police may well ask to see the Green Card as well.

Make sure you have your ORIGINAL bike papers - some countries will not let you cross the border without it, due to previous problems with auto/bike theft and smuggling etc. It's basically for your own protection (or so they say )

If you can read German, the link below to the German ADAC website allows you to select a country from the list. Afterwards, select "Einreisebestimmungen" (Entry Requirements) from the "Thema" pull-down menu. This then identifies the personal entry requirements (Passport, visas etc.), but more importantly, vehicle entry requirements ("Kraftfahrzeuge").

If you need a hand in translating, or if you need a summary once you know which countries you want to visit, please let me know and I will happily help you.



<b><span style="background: #FFCC00">Länderinfos=

Green card will not extend your fully comp insurance to fully comp abroad.you will have to pay extra normally.With Hastings it was only £23.I asked for green card as i was going to Bosnia but they said they do not issue them anymore.Had to pay 21 Euro on Bosnia border as i I did not have green card to show them.If they said it was road tax i wouldn't have mind as Bosnia was worth the ride.
On return I wrote to Hastings and they were very apologetic assuring me they would issue Green cards in future for these countries plus they put a cheque in the post !
As said all the schengen countries no problems or extra papers required.New entrants to the EU such as Romania and Bulgaria may want to see a Green Card still.
So if your insurers refuse to issue you with one nag them to they do.After all it is only a piece of paper.

I insure with Carole Nash, and their policy's have it all on the back, also a bail bond for Spain, all with translations


Trophymick

Thanks folks for that - it's very reassuring

I will get sat down and start planning a more detailed route for where we want to get and then start checking with our insurance company and also the website GhostRider mentioned... I may be calling on you for some translation though.

Thank you very much,

Tony.

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Tony Robson
I'll try anything once, twice if it didn't kill me!

Hi

I am currently in Montenegro which is not covered by my green card issued in the Uk. The cost to get insurance at the border was 10 euroes for 14 days. I previously came through Albania and Macedonia, again not covered with my green card.

The cost for Macedonia was 40 Euroes for a minimum of 50 days, not sure if it was the minimum or not. Albania was quite time consummg at the border, again the total about 40 euroes in total. 10 entrance tax, 15 insurance cover then another 5 that you pay either on leaving or entering.

I paid entering and just had to show my receipt on leaving. Just make sure you keep all your receipts.

One other bit of advice, I have been involved in an accident in Croatia and the other driver from Austria insisted on calling out the poilce even though nobody was injured. It was a big mistake, they were not impressed and took a full 5 hours to process the paperwork. Also dont forget 0% drink driving limit as automatic breath test.


Its your call at the time depending on damage and injury.

Currently stuck in Kotor Montenegro waiting for parts for a Triumph sprint if anybody is down this way.

Ride safely

Kevin

Hi

Sorry it was 25 Euroes in Albania cover, not 15.

Kev

Thanks Caleyman

That's really useful to know... I think it's time to start getting some maps and start planning some idea of route...

Thanks, Tony.

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Tony Robson
I'll try anything once, twice if it didn't kill me!

Hi Tony,

A lot of my navigating in Eastern Europe was with the free (to members) ADAC maps. The ones with good biking routes are are available online as pdf here:

www.uem-online.org

(From the menu on the left, select "Tourism", then either "Overview of UEM-Motorcycling maps" or "Online Versions of the UEM-Motorcycling maps").

These will at least start you off for Slovenia and Croatia!

What did the €21 on the Bosnian border cover? I've been told that it might be as much as €130 for a bike...

I want to transit through Bosnia with an overnight stop on a trip between Balaton and Split, rather than go all the long way round staying in Croatia.

I'm with eBike and they haven't bothered to reply to calls and email.

I found earlier this year that the cover offered to me by e-bike was the minimum; Third Party for Romania & Bulgaria. Cover was not offered for Turkey. I therefore opted for Carol Nash affording fully comp, with Green Card, for all countries en route to and including Turkey.

It seems that UK insurance is always complex!

I have always understood the situation to be as stated in the quote: a Green Card provides the minimum cover required by the laws of each country that is entered - in other words, the cover varies (potentially) and can change as each national border is crossed.

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Dave

Still on the insurance theme .....

I'm insured FC with Carole Nash - this covers me FC for all EU countries (plus a few others as stated on the policy) and also includes breakdown, legal cover etc. as I get in UK.
For an extra £29 they insured me on the same basis for one week in Bosnia last year. The only downside was I had to work out when I was going to be there.
They didn't issue a Green Card but gave me a policy supplement clearly stating Bosnia cover.

The only other tip is remember to tell your bank/credit card when and where you are going. I forgot this year and had my accounts locked as it looked dodgy on their security system! Sorted it out OK with a couple of phone calls but a hassle I could have done without!

It was for the minimum period of 'insurance cover' for their country.Probably not worth a light and all for not nagging my insurers for a green bit of paper.I was with a Czech rider who had green card and therefore he didn't have to pay.
To be on safe side make sure bike is covered fully comp with your UK insurer for countries that you will be visiting especially if you have an expensive to repair bike.Then just pay the small amount on border to satisfy the officials if you can't get green card.Don't know if the legal cover you pay £20 for still works for these countries.Worth it if it does as you could end up in a legal wrangle with some ****hole car driver.Never happened to me but i am sure it has to someone.
Saying all that I have often just had 3rd party in Europe as i was too tight to pay extra for for fully comp but that's probably tempting fate.