Hello!

I am on the first stages of a RTW trip and I am currently in Ulan Bator.

I had a big breakdown here and I was stuck while the bike was repaired, but now I am ready to leave.

My original plan was to go to Magadan from here. After that, my plan was to ship the bike to Vladivostok and then to Vancouver via Corea. but I don't trust the bike so much after the breakdown and I would like to stay on a more BMW-friendly route (BMW r1200gs) just in case I have more problems.

So after eliminating Magadan from my plan.. I find myself with an extra couple of weeks and some extra money in the budget and I am starting to think that I should do something different and I thought maybe going through Japan for a couple of weeks (with the bike) and then shipping to Vancouver from there.

So I see that there are two ways to get to Japan via ferry, one from Vladivostok and the other is from the Shakhalin island... and I think I like the second option better. Because once in Japan, I will be in the north of the country and I could travel from north to south and also visit Hokkaido which is perfect for motorcyclists.

Does anyone have some information about this route? Specially about how to get to Shakhalin from mainland Russia? How are the roads from the main transiberian route to the ports with ferry connections to the Shakhalin island? How are the roads in the island? Places to stay? How is the weather normally? And any other think you think may be interesting for a lonely motorcyclist in a remote area

Once in Japan... any advice on how to make it not so expensive? What roads to ride? What places to visit?

Also... any info on how to ship from Japan to Vancouver?

Thanks a lot!

Regards,
Teo.

Teo, hi there and GREAT plan!

I will send you an e-mail this weekend with some info - hope that's not too late.

Chris (here on the HUBB) will be the best POC for you - he is very familiar with shipping options, customs (even got the connections ) and knows just everything about anything.

Hope I won't be too late. And if you want to hook up with foreign bikers over here in Japan, you might want to visit the gaijin rider website.

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Mail sent!

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Perfect! Thanks!

Teo, I just checked again Heidi and Bernd Kleine's agenda, when they came here (English in bold letters :-)

Der übliche Weg ist von Vladivostok mit der Fähre via Korea nach Japan. Das dauert zwei Tage und man muss sein Bike Montags in Vlad. abgeben, die Fähre geht Mittwochs. Buchen muss man sie aber mindestens 1-2 Wochen vorher, sonst ist alles voll, unglaublich, aber war. Das ganze kostet zusammen mit Agent und Zoll etc. 1000 €, also viel Geld. Das Bike wird eingepackt in eine Kiste...warum??

The "normal way is from Vladivostok by ferry via Korea to Japan. Takes 2 days, ferry leaving on Wednesdays. 1 to 2 weeks advance booking. Roughly Euro 1.000 including agent and customs. Bike will be crated.
Wir haben uns entschieden, von der tollen russischen Insel Sachalin aus nach Japan zu gehen.
We decided to leave from Sakhalin.

Die Fähre geht von Vanino, 520km, nordöstlich von Khabarovsk. Achtung, in Vanino gibt es nur ein Hotel, für 60€...also lieber vorher zelten. Plätze hat es schöne dort und die Strecke ist super geil.
The ferry leaves from Vanino, 520km north-east of Khabarovsk. Only one hotel in Vanino, Euro 60 per night, camping is cheaper. Great ride!

Wir haben am Hafeneingang, rechts in dem Container, etwas ausgefüllt und dann gab man uns Zettel. Damit immer der Hafenhauptstrasse folgen, bis auf die andere Seite, da ist recht ein großes Haus, dort gibt es die Tickets...kostet pro Person und Bike 75€.
Es gibt im Internet auch einen Fährplan, aber ob der immer so stimmt...
We filled out some paperwork in the container building at the port entrance on the right side, a big building on the right hand side to obtain tickets, Euro 75 per person and bike.
http://www.sasco.ru/en-Vanino-Kholmsk-i37

Auf Sachalin sind wir gleich zum Hafen nach Korsakov. Im Ort immer bis zum Ende, dann sieht man den Hafeneingang. Ist ein großes Bürohaus, 3 Etage, links, fast ganz am Ende des Ganges ist das Büro. "Inflot", kennt jeder da. Die kennen sich super aus, keine bange. Es gibt im Internet den Fährplan.
On Sachalin we went right to the port to Korsakov. Straight thru the village and you reach the port area. Office building, 3 floor left side almost at the end of the floor you will find the office. "INFLOT", everybody knows them.

http://www.heartlandferry.jp/english/

Und das aller beste, man benötigt kein Carnet!!! Die wollen keins haben! Viel zu kompliziert, so die Aussage der Zöllner…..
And the best of all, you don't need a Carnet. They don't want one. Too difficult according to the customs official.

Gegenüber ist ein kleines, feines "Hotel", die Frau von der Agentur klärt alles.
Wir zahlten für alles komplett 13.100 Rubel, also 325 € (2 Pers, 2 Motorräder). Morgens mussten wir um 8 Uhr am Hafen sein, 10 min Zoll, Passkontrolle, fertig!
On the opposite site is a nice "hotel", the agency lady will take care of everything. We paid for everything 13.100 rubels (2 people, 2 bikes) or Euro 325. We had to be at the port at 8 the next morning, 10 minutes customs, passport check, good to go.

Auf japanischer Seite zahlt man dann noch fürs Moped:
On the Japanese side you pay again for the bike.

Das Fährticket: 90 €, - 9000 Yen, ferry ticket Yen 9000
Versicherung fürs Bike, 7300 Yen, (galt für 6 Monate, ein Monat kostet 5500 Yen) Bike insurance Yen 7300 for 6 months (1 month is Yen 5.500)
und 5000 für den Agenten... Yen 5.000 for the agent.

Die Fähre zur Hauptinsel kostet für uns zwei zusammen auch nur 84 €, also recht günstig. Ferry from Hokkaido to the main island (Honshu) Euro 84 for the both of us.

Well, this is what they wrote on their German website. Hope this helps again!! I am not sure whether all the info is 100% accurate, maybe some other members can update it.

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Klaus!

This is sooooo useful! I owe you a

My only concern is I hope the customs office in Wakkanai has not started to ask for carne in the mean time. I am waiting for someone to confirm this extent on a different post in the paperwork sub-forum. But it seems it will be ok.

I am so happy that I have an alternative route and I am visiting Japan!

Thanks again!