I will be entering Russia at the border east of Rezekne, Latvia on July 13th attempting to make a hotel reservation in Moscow that night. I am looking for any and all advice about the route and border crossing. I want to know what to expect as much as possible regarding paperwork ( I have Visa and US Passport), process at the border, insurance (I carry Green Card issued by AIU and World-Wide Motorcycle coverage issued by Encompass and Int'l Drivers Permit), road conditions...anything you think might make this easier/quicker. If my bike is shipped into Germany from te US, what paperwork do I need for the bike, other than Title and Registration? Do I need any import or customs documents? How long willl it take very early on a Friday morning to get through border control? Any idea how long the entire trip will take from Rezekne to Moscow? Also, two days, Sunday, I will leave Moscow for St Petersburg. I'm open to any advise here too! Thanks, Jon

Russian slang dictionary

Green Card is invalid in Russia. You will have to buy Russian third party insurance on the Latvian side of the border (liability insurance in Russian is called strakhovka). It will be readily available, people make living selling insurance, don't worry about this issue. At the border you will get two papers - temporary import for the motorcycle (you will care not to loose it!) and a migration card. The whole process border crossing should take up to 2 hours. It's a good idea to start early in the morning to avoid queues. I crossed Russian border twice (both on a motorcycle which probably helps) and appreciate Russian custom and border officers, both professional and helpful. While in Russia I was stopped a couple of times by police but mostly for a chat. Just once I was stopped for a careful inspection of documents which included even a stamp for the technical inspection of a motorcycle (to make sure it was valid). No idea about road condition in Western Russia but I liked it (on Transalp) in Southern Russia. Roads were well marked and easy to navigate. I advice you to bypass cities as much as you can. Highway traffic is relatively safe (by Polish standards, not American ones) but inside cities it can be uncomfortable...

Good luck,
Kris