The Baltics and Russia

[supertrux]

Hi all.

1st post here though been reading for a while. I have searched on the topic of Russia, but have some specifics that I could do with some help on.

I run the BIGFOOT monster truck team that some of you will have seen at the Truckfest events for the last 10 years. We have been contracted to perform in the Baltics (Latvia, Lithuania & Poland) and then on into Russia. I have been to Latvia and Lithuania before with little trouble (2007).

I have been told by the promoter that i need a special licence to drive my hauler in Russia! is this true??

The tell me I have to have an aids test to get the visa, where on earth do you get that done? and do any of you know of an agency that deals with the Russian visa applications? If not I guess I am on for a couple of trips to the Embassy!!

My insurance company have told me they cant offer cover into Russia, do we know of any that can?

Lastly as we are hauling in a (small) convoy of about 6 trucks are there any recommendations, things to watch for etc??

Thanks in advance, as reading previous posts you guys seem real helpful…

Nigel Morris
Team BIGFOOT Racing

[riho]

There shouldnt be any problems in Latvia, there are speed cameras operating now in Latvia, but I really doubt that even if you get cought speeding they will send you a fine.
Whereabouts in Latvia you will have the event?

[chilistrucker]

an aids test, w.t.f
i’ve been to russia a couple of times in the truck, but never had an aids test to get a visa. the company sorts the visas out, i justgive them my passport. we normally travel under convoy when in russia, as could be a few of us. 26 one time, 8 the last.
we have fixers at the border for getting in and out of russia. escorts used to be done by the police, but last time they appeared to be private pilot/■■■■■■ cars, but i don’t know if you “have” to have them.

[riho]

As far a I know you only need ■■■■■■(usually a person is sent with you) if the value of the load is more than 250k.

[supertrux]

Thanks guys, all good info there.

We are going to Riga in Latvia. bigfoot4x4.co.uk/appearances.asp

Chillistrucker, Are the fixers there for hire or organised by the company??

Our loads would be over that £number

[limeyphil]

no, you don’t need an aids test for russia . single entry visas are available on the border.
but i’d always try to sort out all visas with the russian embassy before setting off.
you will need an ATA carnet for each vehicle.
weigh the vehicles when you have everything in them, including the driver and his gear.
if there is a substantial weight difference on the paperwork and the actual weight, then they can be a bit suspicious.

[turnip]

supertrux:
Thanks guys, all good info there.

We are going to Riga in Latvia. bigfoot4x4.co.uk/appearances.asp

Chillistrucker, Are the fixers there for hire or organised by the company??

Our loads would be over that £number

You need to contact whoever is organising the show ! They will be aware of these things & will probably be able to help. Also ( unless it’s changed in recent years ) you will need a sponsor/invite from somebody in Russia to be able to get your visas.

[chester1]

Hi you dont need aids tests or escorts for any value in russia. im on me way back from moscow at the moment and only had security for insurance reasons (extreme high value load) you will need tempory import documents for load and cover letters as thay ask for a v5 and insurance for trailers wich in the uk we dont have. try giving one of the rock n roll firms like stage truck or trans am trucking a call as thay do that type of work in to russia all the time. we have found them very helpfull for advise. latvia and lithuainia you will have no props with although the latvian customs and security will be the difficult part of crossing into russia hope this helps you… chester ps dont think you need a sponser or invite as you will be getting work visas dont bother with fixers you will prob be ripped of by them the customs agent on the border can usualy help you grease any palms if required

[limeyphil]

you can pre book customs in latvia for crossing into russia, they do 1 truck per hour, but you may be able to pre book a convoy, but i can’t be sure.

[harry_monk]

No AIDS test, get your visa through an agency, type “visa procurement” into Google, here’s one. ruvisa.co.uk/

I’ll ask my mate about insurance later, he’s on his way back from Moscow atm.

[limeyphil]

customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPort … e=document

[supertrux]

THANKS GUYS!!

This sort of help is invaluable, thank you…

[limeyphil]

supertrux:
THANKS GUYS!!

This sort of help is invaluable, thank you…

sorry, got my countries mixed up. it’s estonia for the pre booking.

[riho]

limeyphil:

supertrux:
THANKS GUYS!!

This sort of help is invaluable, thank you…

sorry, got my countries mixed up. it’s estonia for the pre booking.

If you go into Russia from LV, you just get a number, then park up and wait untill your turn comes up.

[orys]

Tell me which way you will go through Poland and I can tell you where it is worth to stop and see something

[supertrux]

This is the tour schedule…

October 2012
October 20th
Atlas Arena - Lodz, Poland

October 23rd
Zalgirio Arena - Kaunas, Lithuania

October 28th
Ergo Arena - Gdansk, Poland

October 31st Riga Arena - Riga, Latvia

November 2012
November 4th
Olimpiyski - Moscow, Russia

[orys]

So on your way to Łódź (I guess you will be going via Berlin) I would recomend to see:

• (I am ashamed about that, but for sure it is something peculiar): The bigges Jesus in Europe if not in the World
  
  in Åšwiebodzin. Don’t worry, the people there are quite normal, its just the local priest that has been taken some really good stuff

• if you can plan your trip that way, stop in Mostki in one of the truck stops there (I recomend Las Vegas, the smaller one):
  lasvegascenter.pl/en.html

There used to be very nice restaurant there. Also, Niesłysz Lake is within walking distance:

But what is even more interesting, if you could drive few miles, or at least if you carry bicycles with you, I would recomend you to see Międzyrzecz Fortified Region, the second biggest fortification system after the Maginot line, build by Hitler for some purpose and then never defended and given up to soviet without a single bullet being shot:Festungsfront Oder-Warthe-Bogen - Wikipedia
You can visit it with the guide: petla-boryszynska.com/index.html
or go explore for yourself, if you are brave enough and can find one of the access points…

Then Poznań, its a beautiful city:



Old town is a must see in my opinion, if you want, I can ask my friends from there what else can be seen.

In Łódź (which is, imho, an ugly city) its worth to see Piotrkowska street - one of the longest market streets in Europe:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piotrkowska_Street

Some parts of it are ugly, some parts are nice, if you walk the whole lenght (sligthly over 4 km) you can see how much changed in Poland in recent years - it is like time travel.

Łódź is also famous for its industrial architecture, it used to be something like Manchester, the mechanisation of the textile industry started there, if we speak about this part of Europe.

Warsaw: Well, you can see Łazienki park:
lazienki-krolewskie.pl/en,home.html
The palace of culture and science (a gift to Poland from Stalin, but I am afraid you will have more of them in Russia)

And old town with a king castle.

But Warsaw is pin in the arse to drive a truck (bans and everything, ask me if you need) and the most congested city in Europe and there is no baypass, if I was you, I would rather try to avoid it and cross the Vistula river in Wyszogród for example.

As for North-East Poland, its famous for its nature. Augustów Lake District and surrounding areas are one of the wildest in Europe. And when you will be passing Suwałki, it will be worth to make a quick trip to Wigry lake:

And see the monastery on the pennisula:

Around Suwałki there is really beautiful area, its a scenic park of post-glacial scenery (i am not sure if I translated that one correctly).


and one of the last places in EU when you can feel that the time stood still - a small villages with wooden houses that do not even have a tarmac road leading to them:

[chester1]

if your goin in oct you will need to get cracking with visas as thay can take upto 5 weeks some of ours only came thru the day b4 we were due to leave .

[chilistrucker]

supertrux:
Thanks guys, all good info there.

We are going to Riga in Latvia. bigfoot4x4.co.uk/appearances.asp

Chillistrucker, Are the fixers there for hire or organised by the company??

Our loads would be over that £number

not sure if you can get them there? sorry.
ours are always sorted in advance. expect the getting into russia, and getting out of russia to take a while, especially with what your carrying. last time i came out of russia, it was into finland, a group of 8 or so of us, and the russian side took 12 hours, that was from joning a queue, (and we bypass alot of it) to actually getting to no mans land. then getting into finland took 15 minutes, i kid you not.

[fly_sheet]

Nice pictures Orys, loving the Jesus one, I thought The USA was the place for all that but looks like its spreading