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AbkhaziaHow to enter Abkhazia by car
You can enter Abkhazia by car only through the PSOU checkpoint, which is located on the border with the Russian Federation (Psou checkpoint on the map) in Krasnodar Territory, Sochi, Adler district, Veseloe settlement. Passage through another checkpoint "Inguri", which is located on the border of Georgia and Abkhazia (Inguri checkpoint on the map), closed to foreigners.
Given that the Georgian legislation considers the entry into the territory of Abkhazia through the Psou checkpoint uncontrolled by the Georgian authorities to be a violation of borders, entry by car without further consequences from the Georgian authorities is possible only for Russian citizens who can enter using internal Russian passports. The entry of citizens of other countries through this checkpoint on foreign passports may lead to a further ban on subsequent entry to Georgia (for more information, see Visa to Abkhazia and visa regime).
Distance to Abkhazia from major cities of the Russian Federation
- Moscow-Abkhazia-1655 km.
- St. Petersburg-Abkhazia-2373 km.
- Kazan Abkhazia-2095 km.
- Samara Abkhazia-2000 km.
- Volgograd-Abkhazia-1008 km.
- Rostov-On-Don-Abkhazia – 586 km.
- Krasnodar Abkhazia-440 km.
Distance from the border of Abkhazia (PSOU checkpoint) to the resorts:
- Sukhum - 115 km.
- Gagra-25 km.
- Pitsunda-60 km.
- Gudauta-70 km.
- Tsandripsh -5 km.
- New Athos-80km.
- Ochamchira - 170 km.
What documents are required to enter Abkhazia by car
The list of documents is extremely simple:
- Passport (it is better to enter using an internal Russian passport, not a foreign one)
- International driver's license (all Russian rights are valid)
- Certificate of registration of the vehicle, i.e. technical passport
- If the car does not belong to you, you need a notarized power of attorney, in which there is a permit for the right to travel abroad (the usual power of attorney in simple written form is not suitable).
No documents for citizens of the Russian Federation on cars with Russian numbers do not need to be filled in. You just need to go through customs and passport control, and that's it. You also do not need to pay for a temporary vehicle registration coupon and insurance. information about the payment of mandatory insurance fees and for a temporary registration coupon, which can be found on other sites, does not correspond to reality.
But be sure to check before traveling to Abkhazia for unpaid fines, otherwise you simply will not be released at the border (see is it possible to travel to Abkhazia if you have debts).
Do I need insurance
The Russian Osago policy in Abkhazia does not work. Compulsory insurance at the border is not done, just as you can not insure the car at will. Therefore, it is better to drive very carefully, otherwise all the damage will have to be paid out of pocket.
But if you can not insure the car, you can, at least, issue travel insurance for the driver and passengers.:
Border crossing
Passage of the border of Ukraine takes place through the checkpoint "Psou" on the bridge. The checkpoint operates around the clock, seven days a week, but with a technical break from 01:00 to 03:00, as well as shifts from 07:45 to 08:15 and from 19:45 to 20:15. The travel time of the border is greatly increased in the high season (June-August) and can reach several hours, and in the absence of a queue, everything takes no more than half an hour. In high season, it is best to cross the border at night, early in the morning (just after 08:00) or at least on weekdays, then there are fewer queues.
Border crossing consists of two parts: first, the passage of the Russian checkpoint, then you need to drive a little to the checkpoint on the Abkhaz side, and there again go through the verification procedures. no papers need to be filled out anywhere, nothing needs to be paid either, all fees (insurance, registration coupons) are canceled.
Most of the time you will lose on the Russian side of the border, where a full customs inspection is carried out, checking passports, car documents, unpaid fines and debts. Before the Russian checkpoint, all passengers must get out and walk to the building, where they are checked separately, and the driver with the car follows on for the same checks and additional transport on the site. To go through the whole procedure faster, it is better to send passengers to the building earlier, while you are still standing in the queue of cars. True, there are signs that passengers can not get out of the car before entering the checkpoint, but no one pays attention to this. After the checkpoint there is a platform where passengers and the driver meet again, and go on to the checkpoint on the Abkhaz side.
At the checkpoint of the Abkhazian side, documents are also checked and customs inspection is carried out, but most often cars with Russian license plates are quickly passed after a cursory inspection and verification of documents.
Gasoline in Abkhazia, where to refuel
Gasoline in Abkhazia is Cheaper Than in the Russian Federation, about 2-3 rubles, so it makes no sense to go with a full tank. There are network gas stations "Rosneft", and local gas stations. Oddly enough, the cheapest gasoline is at Rosneft, while local gas stations with obscure names are even more expensive.
As local drivers say, you can refuel at any gas station, gasoline is very good everywhere. We (the authors of the site) repeatedly refueled at Rosneft, no problems arose, it felt like the fuel was good.
List and addresses of Rosneft filling stations in Abkhazia:
- Republic of Abkhazia, Gagra district, Lapstarkha village
- Republic of Abkhazia, Gagra District, P. Bzypta
- Republic of Abkhazia, Sukhumi district, Gumysta village
All these gas stations are located on the main road of the country.
Roads in Abkhazia and the situation on the roads
Before we turn to the roads in Abkhazia itself, we will mention the section of road on Russian territory that leads to the entrance to Abkhazia at the PSOU checkpoint. This road runs along the Black Sea coast through the cities of Greater Sochi, and this is the only way here. If you have never been to Sochi, then keep in mind that the section from Dzhubga to the checkpoint is a very difficult mountain winding road. Its length is 200 kilometers, but you can drive it in 5-6 hours with good weather and a free highway. And in the high holiday season (July-August) you can get stuck here for 8-10 hours. Gasoline on this site is consumed decently.
Now about the roads and the situation on them in Abkhazia itself. The main route of Abkhazia runs along the Black Sea coast through all resorts and large settlements. The road is good, few cars, few traffic lights. But there are very "cool" artificial irregularities, and if you do not want to repair the chassis or wheels of your car, pay attention to the speed limit signs and slow down to 30 km/h in a timely manner. The rest of the roads are about the same as ours: in some places they are good, and in some places they require serious repairs.
Local drivers do not always comply with traffic rules, and sometimes do it right under the nose of local traffic police inspectors. "Recklessness" and speeding are the norm here, especially for young people driving. As a result, tourists have a deceptive feeling that everyone can ride like this, but this is not the case. Local traffic cops do not pay attention to the locals, because their main earnings in the holiday season is focused on tourists. This is a big problem for Russian motorists, who are already a little unaccustomed to the fact that they can "nightmare" traffic inspectors, and on Business and without business. Even the head of the Ministry of internal affairs of Abkhazia in 2016 forbade his subordinates to stop cars with foreign numbers without a reason, but the problem remained. Therefore, be careful and careful, do not succumb to the temptation to violate traffic rules, looking at the locals. And be sure to use the DVR.
Many problems are also caused by animals on the road: cows, sheep. They are completely free to walk and rest on the road, and sometimes in places where they can be bypassed only in violation of the rules in the oncoming lane. Be careful in such places, local traffic police like to ambush.
In case of any violation of traffic rules in Abkhazia, the withdrawal of Rights is provided. You can return them after paying a fine to the traffic police of the area where you committed the violation, and the rights are returned there. There is no such payment of fines through the bank or the Internet. During the rest, this is a waste of time, which is what the inspectors use, offering to solve the issue on the spot.
Sometimes traffic inspectors directly "breed" tourists for non-existent violations, for example: speeding on the radar with another car; violation of the sign, which in fact does not exist. Therefore, be careful and double-check the violations that are imputed to you, even to the point that you go back and check for signs.
And yet, keep in mind that in Abkhazia, violation of the speed limit is punished for exceeding more than 10 km/h, and not 20, as in our country. ie, where the maximum speed is 60 km/h, you can not go above 70, otherwise you will get 600-1800 rubles. Management in the NA or transfer to a person in the NA is punished severely.
Here are the sizes of fines for traffic violations in Abkhazia for reference:
- Vehicle management without documents (rights, technical passport) - 300 rubles.
- Vehicle management without state license plates-1200-1800 rubles.
- Management of vehicles with non-standard unreadable or installed license plates in violation of the requirements-1200-1800 rubles.
- Exceeding the speed by 10 to 30 km/h-600-1800 rubles.
- Violation of the rules for the location of vehicles on the roadway, stops, parking-600-1800 rubles.
- Exceeding the speed by more than 30 km/h - 1800-3000 rubles. or a referral to retake the SDA exam
- Travel to the forbidding traffic light or traffic controller-1800-3000 rubles. or a referral to retake the SDA exam
- Failure to comply with the requirements of road signs "entry prohibited", "movement prohibited", "danger" - 1800-3000 rubles. or a referral to retake the SDA exam
- The intersection of a solid marking line separating traffic flows in opposite directions - 1800-3000 rubles. or a referral to retake the SDA exam
- Not providing an advantage in traffic to drivers of vehicles or pedestrians who have such a right - 1800-3000 rubles. or a referral to retake the SDA exam
- Management in a state of intoxication-4800-6000 rubles. or deprivation of the right to manage from 1 to 2 years, or administrative arrest for up to 15 days.
Addresses and contacts of the traffic police of Abkhazia and consulates
State automobile inspection of the Ministry of internal affairs of the Republic of Abkhazia (Gai)
- Address: Sukhum, Heroes of border guards STR., 3
- + 7(840)222-51-17
- Phone / fax +7(840) 222-23-80
- + 7(940)775-22-77
- Site: http://mvdra.org/inform/355/
Russian Embassy in Sukhumi
- Address: Sukhum, Lakoba STR., 45
- Phone: +7(840)226-36-93
- fax: +7(840)226-56-93
- E-mail: rusembsukhum@mail.ru
- Site: www.abkhazia.mid.ru