hi from istanbul,
did anybody use the trabzon-sochi ferry recently and has closer Information on the schedule and price.
thanks and happy travels

Mike

Yup went on the boat last year.

The ticket office is outside the main gate of the port facility Trabzon isn't easy to navigate however.

Bring US$ the cost of a meal is $8USD, coke is $2USD, There are 3 ships, one leaves every 2 days to one day depending on Sochi customs.

The cost varies from $200USD to $250USD. Cabins are manditory and shared between 3-4 people depending on load.

George's ship the pricess victoria cost $200, 2 years ago Alan used it and it cost $240.

However I had a good word put in by me by the mechanic near Dosta's hostel a few miles away and they managed to get me the price of $200.

Some warnings:

Luggage on your bike is NOT secure if in soft luggage, bring it to your room, mine was picked over on the dock in Trabzon AND Sochi as well as being in the hold.

There is scant entertainment on the boat, TV is rubbish repeats so bring books.

The free water cooler on the pricess victoria (you'll need it) is left front next to the kitchen.

Bikes and cars load last after cargo, it can take a very long time for cargo to arrive.

The boat is stunningly hot in the cabins, the showers are disgusting, the upper deck has open plan pullman seats you have to get a cabin but use the seats instead it is much cooler and quieter.

Food/drink is V expensive on board and demands US$.

The ferry trip takes 10 hours, the loading of the ships takes 10-12 hours, and the docking can take a long time as I spent a very long time on the boat in total, 10 hours loading tomatoes, 10 hours travelling and 16 hours waiting to be allowed to dock.

Then I was denied entry until they tested my medical kit for illicit drugs meaning another day spent on the boat.

Take the sunday/Monday boats as if you arrive on a Saturday/Sunday docking time takes longer and the insurance agent will take a very long time to get to you (it took 10 hours). I also was arrested on arrival after my medical kit was to be checked out (denied entry had to stay on the boat)

The customs guy in Sochi is called the beast, he gave me 12 days on my customs docket, I annoyed him he gave me 8 days instead after annoying him. You can extend this somewhere in Sochi I have no idea where as I extended mine in Rostov en danu (fairly easy to find if you stay in the rostov hotel they will give you directions). The sochi hotel in view of the port hates bikers.

Say hi to the bald Georgian captain called George, tell him Leon in 2009 made it to Vladivostok.

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Another thought on this, why not just ride INTO russia? You can go into Georgia no problems (no Visa, no insurance, no carnet) and ride north through Batumi (Georgia is worth visiting though btw) and head into Abkhazia the independent region of Georgia and into Russia over the land border.

Two people did it last month, it will be cheaper AND faster if you are allowed in and you can ride from Trabzon to Batumi in 2 hours (the coastal road is excellent) and from Batumi to the Abkhazia border point in 3 hours.

Batumi is nice though so are the coastal towns north of it.

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Hey Mike
the boat sounds like an adventure! hahaha

Im also looking into visiting Abkhazia, but will return to Georgia, no RU visa this year.

You will need to get a visa for ABK also, but it seems pretty easy, Im working on it now.

look here
Ошибка 404

this is the visa application form. When its approved, you cross the border, & go to the town of sukhumi, & pick up your visa. you will need it when you exit.

Good luck!
Doug

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Howdy,

I applıed for the Abkhazıa vısa and got the document sent to me ın three workıng days. Pretty good way to get a vısa!

forward

I was wondering if someone has more news about the Verkhny Lars border post (Russia - Georgia). Because I'm hearing / reading all kinds of different information. Is this borderpost open for foreigners ? Has someone crossed this borderpost ?

Peter

I dont have any first hand info, sorry. But I have read of a few people going georgia-abkhazia-russia. but you cant go the other way.

Doug

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Just used the ferry a week ago. The travel times seem random but often. 270 $. Couldn't get it cheaper. Cleared russian customs 2 hours and given 3 month temp import no problem

cheers

there is definitely no way to cross the georgia-russia border legally as a foreigner. only open to GUS and Georgia citizens.I double checked with the german embassy in Tiflis, and there were 2 guys on the ferry that tried to cross and had to return.
the ferry was 270 $ (bike and rider) and took forever, but we actually had fun on board, no problems.
Custom took 7 hours, we cleared at 2 a.m. Besides the time no problems there either, 3 month for the bike, no fees etc.....
happy travels

Mike

This is the answer I received from the Georgian Ambassade in Belgium :

Please find requested information here http://mfa.gov.ge/index.php?lang_id=ENG&sec_id=59&info_id=11678.
Also we would like to inform you that if your country doesn’t have visa free regime with the RF you will need valid visa.

It seems that they don't know it for themselves...

Peter

good day biker

only russian and georgien passport owner can cross this borders, from and to russia or georgia, by feet and cars, bikes,truck

there is an other ferry, from tuerkey,trabzon to russia and russia,socci to turkey,trabzon once per week evenning,is a truckferry going, 200,- usd per bike and driver, 16 hrs, no cabins and shower,very bad but ok, i like adventure's
eat dinner with the truckdriver together,one diner,was not bad, the truckdriver sleep in their carkabins and biker in an open seaman kajuet,
in socci go to the sailinghabour master in the little tower, he spaeks well englisch, he can give you more information about the truckferry,
the personal from the normal carferry have no information about this and not willing to say anything about this to you, my experience
but when you run out on visa or so take the truckferry,it's the only way to go out,
or take the normal ferry, twice per week,or every 4 days, from socci to batumi, georgia. ,
FRED KLEIN, now in NZ

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Howdy,
I was refused exit from Georgia into occupied Abkhazia today (august 1). Head policeman told me exit from Georgia was a) unsafe and b) illegal. He had this info written in a notebook in several languages. Now back in Trabzon for the ferry to Sochi.

thanks for the info, I guess I'll just visit georgia.
I'll be in Trazbon in a day or 2, when does the ferry leave?
Maybe we can meet up

Doug

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@Fredontour

Could you give some details concerning the ferry from Sochi to Batumi/Sochi?? E.g. a name of the ferry, ferry company, tel. number, price...

Such a ferry would be a salvation for us, as we are just about to start a trip across Ukraine, Russia to Georgia - and the need to circle Abkhasia is a bit of pain in the ass... I know a Sochi-Trabzon ferry from a last year trip, but it would be much easier to get from Sochi straight to Georgia.. Looking forward to your advice!

Pawel

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just in case anyone would find this helpful....
Ive been in Trabzon a couple days, heading to Georgia now.
I found a cheap hotel with internet & garage parking. Close to the main port.
Hotel Imaj (pronounced like image)
when you come from the west, on the main road into trabzon, when you get close to the center, the road curves right & goes thru a tunnel. right after that is a traffic light. turn right, then veer left. you'll see a row of hotels, its the big red one. garage is out back about 100 meters from the building.
also, when you make the left, theres a small market, usually has a gsxr750 out front. Efe market. nice guy, & thats his bike. often the local bike riders sit out front. Very nice & helpful bunch. the guy with the new honda shadow is a retired customs officer, just in case you have problems at the port.

Tell em Doug from Alabama said hi

Doug

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