By car

Are you driving your car all the way to Russia? Don’t forget the following: your National and International Driving Permit, registration and insurance documents for the car and of course your passport with visa. At the border, ask for an Immigration Card and make sure it is stamped! Stay on the main roads, as you might get pulled over when not doing so, for example for entering a military zone. Traffic police (recognizable by ДПС or ГИБДД or ГАИ) might also fine you for not having a fire extinguisher, a first-aid kit, or for exceeding the speed limit, which on the highway varies between 80 and 110 km/h.

The normal procedure for pumping gas is that you first pay for a certain amount and then start filling up your tank.


The Traffic Police have stops when you enter a new zone of jurisdiction. You are required to proceed slowly and there is a chance you might get pulled off. Don't overpay the traffic police: the official penalty for driving 20-40km too fast is 300Rbl, for 60km over the limit, it costs between 1000 and 1500Rbl. Driving through a red light will cost 700Rbl and not wearing a seatbelt will cost 500Rbl. Most of the policemen do not speak English, which might make things difficult, or perhaps very easy. In towns the speed limit is around 60 km/h, but road conditions often force you to drive more carefully and thus more slowly.