Hi all - first time posting but have already gleened so much information from the HUBB - we're all off to Russia from London via most of eastern europe next year... I've worked out most things from reading older posts but I just have a couple of questions - any help would be fantastic!

1 - What happens if we need a hospital / doctor / dentist... do we go to the local place and pay? No idea where to start on this one!

2 - What are the roads REALLY like - particulary from Estonia down to St Petersburg and from there down to Moscow and then south down and out through Ukraine.

Any help / advise would be great - thanks!

Matthew

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1- Yes, in case you need any kind of medical treatment you go to local places and pay. In 2002 almost no one among common people knew english. I am quite sure, so i advice you to learn russian.

2- Roads are quite ok. No problem what so ever.


Have a nice trip

Dear mattcbf600

You really need to check with your travel/health insurance exactly what documentation you need in case something happens which requires treatment. Credit cards or debit cards won't do but better to withdraw cash from atm's in cities and settle invoices in cash. I suggest a visit to www.waytorussia.net for a quick read about what Russia is all about. There is VERY good general advice on the site on all manner of topics, as well as a very good forum "talklounge".

Russian roads can be very good, but also very bad. Main highways between cities in western russia likely to be good with bad stretches. Good means approaching UK standards, bad means watch out for potholes, lorry 'ruts' and so on. Mainly watch out for Russian driving styles and standards. Some roads are 2 lane with a middle suicide lane on which priority changes every few kms. Pay more attention to oncoming traffic than any road markings. The markings may indicate you have right of way, but the ZIL truck bearing down on you will indicate the reverse!

Have fun

Les

Hi Matt if your travelling in Russia as with most places people will try to help you out and the Russians are really a friendly lot. however if you need a hospital best bet is to head into Moscow or St Petersburg where I believe you will find very decent quality hospitals and private clinics also American run private hospital which your insurance will cover you for. I have searched for the details of these hospitals but can not find where I got them from or where I have put the details of them from my last trip. However If you have something serious and can get back over the border to Finland then that is your best bet. Aids is rife in Russia as in many parts of the world so maybe if your feeling extra careful carry your own syringe and needles. However I think you will find both Moscow and NW russia very westernised and has a very good standard of services available. As for the roads they can be anything from very good to very very bad the same can be said about the driving. If your travelling off the main motorway route which I would recommend you do you may find some roads have had little or no mainteneance, however there are sections of the motorway which are also pretty poor. Some roads can be waiting for repair! and may be only gravel.Have a great trip make sure you get all your paperwork right at the border and all should be fine

thanks all - this is brilliant info :-)

m

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Hi

We only recently rode from London to Tokyo through Kaz and Mongolia and I saw a number of hospitals that I wouldn't want to check myself into. If you get a problem find the best hotel you can in each large city and ask for assistance. The good hotels will have a translator that will asist you for a small fee.

As for the roads, you wont need nobblies and watch out for manhole's without covers. You will see dozens of manholes without covers

Here's our blog if you're interested www.kenandtoni.com

Ken

Fantastic -thanks Ken :-)

m

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Hello! At first it's a good trip, you'r planing, but you will not see RUSSIA, it's a kind of Europe in this area, but not bad for the first experiance.
1. Good hospitals are in St.Petersburg and Moscow, you won't have problems there, all others are pure and often don't have brand new equipment (but they're good enough to help you with tooth problems or some not very serious operations, so you can find help in Novgorod, Pskov, Tver, Bryansk - cities you root wull lay through).
2. Roads: Estonia-St.Petersburg - good,
St.Petersburg - Moscow - OK, but 2 bad parts: Novgorod area(70 km) and Tver area (40 km), I've heard they fixed it, but I didn't see it myself yet, lust year I've made this 700km on TDM850 in 6 hours, so it's nothing to be afraid.
Moscow - Bryansk - Ukranian border - so-so, wach out for road works. I would recomend you to go through Belorussia, it's 200 km longel, but roads are exhelent, but you need extra visa as I know.
If you will go through south Russia, through Rostov and Krasnodar, M4 road became better this year, but in 1-st 900 km you'll find 200 km of not very pleasent riding. Then in Rostov's region roads are good and they're as better as you're getting to the south. If you'll choose this root with ferry from Port Kavkas to Ukarain, please ride to Sochi through Novorosiysk and Gelendzhik, you'll love it.
Be free to ask me any questions, I'll behappy to assist you.
On your way in every city there are bikers and motorcycle clubs, they'll help you if something will go wrong.
Good luck!
Dmitry