- Tours for May around the world
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- Passports of all participants of the trip with valid Schengen visas pasted into them (a child under 14 years old can be entered in the passport of one of the parents; when traveling independently, they must have their own passport and a notarized consent to leave);
- Birth certificates of children;
- Medical insurance for each participant of the trip with a coverage amount of at least 30,000 EUR;
- Driving license of international standard;
- Vehicle registration certificate;
- Green card valid in the territory of Latvia. Civil liability insurance can be purchased in Russia no earlier than a month before the trip, the minimum validity period of the document is 15 days
Citizens of Russia, when visiting Latvia by car, must collect standard package documents: application form, certificate of employment, bank statement on the availability of funds in the account, hotel reservation, medical insurance. As well as a certificate of registration vehicle, driver's license, green card for a car.
Having collected the above package of documents, you can apply for a Schengen visa in Latvia.
Among the documents for the car are copies of rights, registration certificates and green cards. When traveling in a company car, you need general power of attorney with the right to travel abroad. The power of attorney must be certified by a notary.
Also, border guards can request a diagnostic card of a car with Russian registration older than 3 years, since according to the laws of Latvia (and Lithuania), an entering car must be in good condition according to the country of registration.
Edition of the "Subtleties of Tourism"
To enter the territory of Latvia with your own car, the following documents are required:
A driver crossing the Latvian border must have a driver's license that meets international standards. This is a plastic card, where the full name is indicated on English language. A corporate car additionally requires a general power of attorney certified by a notary to leave the car abroad.
You can drive into Latvia by car with tinted front side windows (carrying capacity of at least 80%). Rear and side rear windows may have less throughput. In European countries, you cannot cross the border if there are cracks on the windows of the car, the body is damaged. If the auto glass tinting is factory, then there are no problems.
When traveling to Latvia by car, keep in mind that there are restrictions on the import of the following things in the republic: no more than 40 cigarettes, 1 liter of strong alcohol and 156 liters of beer, 10 liters of automotive fuel in any appropriate container can be imported into Latvia. In addition, it is forbidden to import meat and meat products, including stew, into the republic.
Traveling in your own car has its advantages:
No need to depend on schedules public transport, look for favorable rates, connect routes (train + buses, plane + bus, etc.)
It is especially advantageous to travel by car with a family or a large company. Buying train or bus tickets for everyone will be much more expensive.
You can drive around in your car and see more interesting things. In addition, you can visit places where the foot of an ordinary, average tourist "does not set foot".
Before the trip, you can plan the route in advance, think about stops for gas stations, lunch and rest, etc.
Cons of traveling by car to Latvia:
Machine depreciation
- driver cushioning
Of the additional costs - Green card for the car
From Russia to Latvia by car - route options
Volokolamsk - Rzhev - Velikiye Luki - Burachki (border of Russia) and Terekhovo (border of Latvia)
From Moscow to Riga, the shortest road - the M9 highway leads through Volokolamsk, Rzhev, Velikiye Luki to Burachka / Terekhovo. The track after major repairs since 2016 is almost in perfect condition. However, quickly reaching the border does not mean that it is also fast to pass it. It is the Burachki/Terekhovo border crossing that is usually the busiest (more on that below).
Minsk highway - Smolensk - Velizh - Nevel - Pustoshka - Burachki (border of Russia) and Terekhovo (border of Latvia)
As an alternative to the first route, we can offer to leave Moscow along the M1 highway (Minsk highway). Just before reaching Smolensk, you will need to turn onto the road in the direction of Velizh - Nevel. From there, you can already take the M9 in the Pustoshka area and head towards the border to the Burachki/Terekhovo crossing.
Minsk highway - Smolensk - Rudnya - Vitebsk - through Belarus - Grigorovshchina (border of Belarus) - Paternieki (border of Latvia)
Third itinerary. Also leave Moscow along the M1, and after the Smolensk bypass, turn onto the road in the direction of Rudnya - Vitebsk. Then go through Belarus to the border with Latvia (crossings Grigorovschina - Paternieki).
No additional documents are needed (Green card / Green card will also be valid on the territory of Belarus).
Vehicle checkpoints on the border between Russia and Latvia
Checkpoint Burachki - Terehova
It is located on the direct route Moscow - Riga. The passage of this checkpoint always takes longer among all points due to the high congestion of the M9 Baltic highway.
Working hours- daily, around the clock, technological breaks: 08:45 - 09:00, 20:45 - 21:00
Works around the clock
Routes pass:
Russia - M9
Latvia - E22 (A12)
St. Petersburg - 460 km.
Moscow - 590 km.
Pskov - 200 km.
Rezekne - 60 km.
Riga - 300 km.
Daugavpils - 150 km.
Up-to-date information about the situation on the highway and the Burachki Checkpoint -on the website of the Administration of Federal Highways of the North-West of Russia
Checkpoint Brunishevo - Pededze
Convenient for those who plan to travel to Latvia from St. Petersburg.
Routes pass:
Russia - A212
Latvia - R42
Approximate distance to/from the checkpoint:
St. Petersburg - 340 km.
Moscow - 720 km.
Pskov - 65 km.
Aluksne - 35 km.
Riga - 235 km.
Daugavpils - 230 km.
Tallinn - 340 km.
Not
Checkpoint Ludonka - Vientuli
Suitable for those who drive up to the Latvian border from Nosovo. It is located in the village of Novaya Ludonka, on the fifth kilometer of the Nosovo-Ludonka highway. Point throughput - 100 trucks, 380 cars and 20 buses per day.
Working hours: around the clock, technological breaks: 8:40 - 9:00, 13:00 - 13:30, 01:30 - 02:00, 20:40 - 21:00
Routes pass:
Russia - A116
Latvia - R35
Approximate distance to/from the checkpoint:
St. Petersburg - 390 km.
Pskov - 115 km.
Gulbene - 70 km.
Riga - 250 km.
Daugavpils - 200 km.
Duty Free Shops- No
Checkpoint Ubylinka - Grebneva (Grebnova)
The nearest checkpoint from Pskov. The M9 highway passes here.
Working hours: around the clock, technological breaks: 8:00 - 9:00, 20:00 - 21:00, lunch: 13:00 - 14:00
Routes pass:
Russia - A116
Latvia - E262 (A13)
Approximate distance to/from the checkpoint:
St. Petersburg - 400 km.
Moscow - 650 km.
Pskov - 120 km.
Rezekne - 50 km.
Riga - 300 km.
Daugavpils - 150 km.
Duty Free Shop- works around the clock
Up-to-date information about the queues at the customs checkpoints Terekhovo, Grebnevo, Paternieki on the website of the Latvian Tax Service:
In terms of the development of electric vehicles Latvia a fairly advanced country compared to other European countries. True, it is somewhat behind Estonia, but ahead of Lithuania. True, in neighboring Lithuania there are already electric taxis, but not yet in Latvia.
By the way, in Latvia, electric cars have the right to drive along the public transport lane, but there are still no promised preferential parking spaces (neither in municipal car parks, nor even in commercial ones).
The only thing is that you can stand for free while charging at charging points (in Riga - only at 3 gas stations at the addresses - Dārzciema iela, 60E, Kārļa Ulmaņa gatve, 86, Ķīpsalas iela, 8). In regional cities - places on special gas stations- everywhere free.
At 6 EuroPark car parks, you can charge an electric car for free, but the parking itself is still paid (without benefits).
In the photo - A dedicated parking lot for refueling electric vehicles in Riga - at the Mols shopping center
In Riga by car - where to leave the car, how much does parking cost?
Where can I leave a car in the center of Riga, in the Old Town for free? How much does parking cost in paid parking lots and Europark parking lots, how to pay for parking?
Before the trip, read the reviews and travel reports of those who have already traveled to Latvia in their car. There is always really useful practical information here.
If you are going to go to Latvia through Belarus - stock up on fuel in advance! There are gas stations in Belarus only in large cities, and between them there is every chance of getting empty.
It is forbidden to smoke in public places in Latvia, as well as to carry a bottle of alcohol down the street that is not packed in a special bag. (the municipal police works very quickly in this regard - the streets of Riga, for example, are equipped with a large number of surveillance cameras)
Getting around Riga by car is not difficult, but keep in mind that many city streets are one-way and there is nowhere to park
Parking in Riga is expensive. If you want to go by car, you can enter the territory of the Old Town for free, but here you have every chance of getting lost along the tangled and small streets. The cost of parking in this part of Riga is the highest. For the first hour of parking, you will have to pay 8 euros, and for all subsequent hours - already 11.5 euros.
In Riga, Latvia, it is customary to leave a small tip to taxi drivers, in hotels, as well as in cafes and restaurants (if they are not included in the bill).
By car you can travel like Rundale, Cēsis, Sigulda, Tervete, lakes in Latgale, as well as many other picturesque places. The bus service to these places is quite inconvenient, so it is better to go there by your own car.
Definitely a must visit! Ride a bike along the seashore, breathe in the pine air...
The capital of Latvia is close enough to Russia, so a car trip from Moscow to Riga will not be tiring. Traveling by car is less expensive than traveling by plane or by bus.
Own car gives freedom of movement, independence from the route of other tourists and the ability to independently plan your time throughout the trip. For it to be successful, you need to familiarize yourself with the route in advance, consider stops for rest and meals, prepare a car and take all the necessary documents with you.
List of required documents
The following documents are required to travel to Latvia:
- Foreign passport with a valid Schengen visa.
- Child's birth certificate.
- A driver's license that meets international standards.
- Vehicle registration certificate.
- Diagnostic card for the car.
- Medical insurance.
- Car owner's civil liability insurance policy ("Green Card").
The "Green Card" can be purchased from the insurance company not earlier than one month before the start date of the trip. The minimum period for which insurance is issued is 15 days, while its cost for passenger car will be 1670 rubles.
From January 2015, the price of the policy will increase by 23%.
Travel routes
From Moscow to Riga by car, you can take the M9 (Baltic) or M1 (Belarus) highways. The first route is a direct road to Riga, choosing the second route, you will have to enter Latvia through Belarus.
The length of the road to Riga along the M9 highway (its other name is Novorizhskoye highway) is 919 km, this distance can be covered without stops in 11-12 hours. The road passes through Volokolamsk, Rzhev, Velikiye Luki to the Burachki-Terekhovo border crossing. The advantages of this route include a small number of settlements, when passing through which you will have to slow down. Among the shortcomings, drivers note:
- Insufficient density of roadside cafes and gas stations.
- The workload of the checkpoint on the border of Russia and Latvia.
- The queue at the border control on weekends and holidays, which reaches several hours. The reason is that the flow of Russian tourists to Latvia is increasing.
Movement on the M1 highway allows 2 options:
- You can move from Moscow along the M1 (Minsk highway), before reaching Smolensk, turn towards Velez-Nevel. In the Pustoshka area, you need to return to the M9 highway and continue on your way towards the Russian-Latvian border.
- Another option involves driving along the Minsk highway to Smolensk, after which you need to turn onto the road to Vitebsk. The rest of the way passes through the territory of Belarus to the checkpoint Grigorovshchina-Paternieki. The queue at the border here is usually shorter than at the Burachki-Terekhovo crossing.
The distance from Moscow to Riga in this case will be just over 1000 km, the travel time is 13-14 hours. Throughout the M1 highway, you can find a sufficient number of cafes and gas stations. The last gas station on the territory of Belarus will be near Polotsk. Given the high cost of gasoline in Latvia, it is better to fill it with full tank. The average cost of 1 liter of gasoline in Latvia is 1.2 €.
Features of traveling around Latvia by car
When planning a road train to Latvia, you need to take into account local rules:
- AT settlements the maximum allowed speed is 50 km/h, outside of them – 90 km/h. You can pay from 7 to 570 € for speeding.
- At any time of the day while the car is moving, the dipped headlights must be turned on.
- The allowed blood alcohol level is 0.5 ppm, which means that the driver can drink 1 mug of beer or a glass of wine. For drivers with a driving experience of less than 2 years, the maximum allowable level has been reduced to 0.2 ppm.
- Studded tires are only allowed between October 1st and May 1st.
- The use of seat belts is mandatory for all vehicle occupants. The fine for this violation is 30 €.
- Children under 14 years of age and shorter than 150 cm must be transported in special restraints. For ignoring this requirement, a fine of 15 € is provided.
- The car must have: an emergency stop sign, a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit and a reflective vest. If any item from this list is missing, a fine of 7 € is imposed.
- The use of radar detectors is prohibited on the territory of the country. Otherwise, the device is confiscated and the car owner is fined 55 €.
It is prohibited to import meat and meat products, dairy products (except for baby food), animal feed containing meat or milk into the territory of Latvia.
It is allowed to import into the territory of Latvia without paying customs duties:
- 2 packs of cigarettes or 10 cigars.
- 1 liter of strong alcohol, or 2 liters of alcohol with a strength of not more than 22%, or 4 liters of non-sparkling wine and 16 liters of beer.
- A full tank of gasoline and 1 canister of fuel with a capacity of not more than 10 liters.
Travelers who bring more excisable goods with them must pay customs duties. To do this, they need to fill out a declaration, select the "Red Corridor" at the customs post and present their luggage for inspection. Cash in excess of 10,000 € is also subject to mandatory declaration.