Russia in Camping-Car: rental, tips, areas, routes

Russia is rich in an exceptional historical and cultural heritage and nature. To better discover this amazing country, why not visit Russia on a motorhome?

On horseback in Asia and Europe, Russia is the largest country in the world, with 17.1 million square kilometres. Gigantesque, it houses an incredible diversity of places and landscapes, different cultures and heritages: from the Baltic Sea to the Caucasus mountains, from the Siberian plains to the China . Here you will find an impressive historical and cultural heritage, with more than 20 sites listed in Unesco. Desert stretches, you will pass to monumental and magnificent cities, such as the sublime St. Petersburg .

If travel to Russia has been complicated for a long time, especially because of obtaining the Russian visa, the conditions to enter are now a little more flexible. The country then becomes a great tourist destination for nature, history and heritage lovers. Do you want to go to the discovery of Russia on a motorhome? Discover our comprehensive guide for your next adventures!

Ideas of itineraries in Russia by motorhome

Russia is a vast, vast country. So you imagine it well, there are many possible routes. Coming from Europe, we recommend that you focus your stay and your adventures on the surrounding area Moscow and separating the Russian capital of St. Petersburg. The distances are important here. And your horizon is unfortunately delimited by the duration of your visa. As a reminder, you must enter and exit from Russian territory during the period mentioned on your passport .

It is therefore better to confine itself to the western part of Russia for a first adventure. You will then have the opportunity to discover exceptional places and cities: Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novgorod, the Golden Ring, even the Karelia or the banks of the Volga. During a next adventure, you can discover a region that makes you particularly envious: the Caucasus, the Ural, the Siberian plains with Lake Baikal.

For your first adventure, discover our route ideas in Russia by camping-car for a week, two weeks or a full month:

For one week

During a week, you can travel from Moscow to St. Petersburg, or vice versa. You can discover the two main cities of the country, as well as the countryside separating them.

• 1 day : Moscow, visit the Place du Manège, the Place Rouge, the famous Kremlin, the Cathedral of Christ Saviour and Saint-Basile-le-Bienheureux Cathedral ;
• 2nd day : visit to Tver, 4 hours drive for 200 kilometers separate you from this historic city. On the way you can admire the Volga before visiting Tver;
• 3rd day : a long road awaits you from Tver to Novgorod, 400 kilometers for a minimum of 5 to 6 hours. On the way, stop in Valdai to visit the Monastery Iverski;
• 4th day : visit of Novgorod, 4 hours for 250 kilometers;
• 5th day : from Novgorod to St. Petersburg, 200 kilometers for 3 and a half hours drive. You can then start your visit to the city or rest a little;
• 6th and 7th days Discovering St. Petersburg, with the visit of the Place des Décembristes, the Amirauté, the Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul, the Museum of Hermitage or the canals of the city.

Note that as soon as you spend more than 7 days in Russia, you must register with the authorities. This recording can be done via a hotel. In this case, we recommend you book a night for your first day in Moscow.

A 7-day route can also include only the cities of the Ring of Gold, which we will detail in the next circuit. You would then make a loop with a return to Moscow at the end of the itinerary.

For two weeks

Do you have more time? Then you can extend your adventure to the Golden Ring, located between the Volga and the Kliazma in the northeast of Moscow. It is delimited by several ancient cities that form the historical heart of Russia.

• 1st and 2nd day : visit of Moscow, registration of your stay and preparation of the suite of adventure ;
• 3rd day : discovery of Vladimir, former capital of Russia in the 11th and 12th centuries, visit his buildings listed in Unesco. 180 kilometers, 5 hours of road;
• 4th day : visit of Souzdal, its sublime Cathedral of the Nativity and its churches. 1 hour drive, 40 kilometers;
• 5th day : visit of Ivanovo and Kostroma, by the Volga. 180 kilometers, 4 hours of road;
• 6th day : discovery of Yaroslavl, the capital of the Year of Gold of Russia, located on the edge of the Volga and listed on the UNESCO world heritage. 2 hours of road for 83 kilometers;
• 7th day : visit of Rostov-Veliky, founded in 802, it is one of the oldest cities in Russia. Then discover Pereslav-Zalesski. 3 hours of road for 125 kilometres;
• 8th day : visit of Serguiev Possad then discover Tver. 4 hours of road for 270 kilometers;
• 9th day : discovery of Vychni Volotchek, Monastery Iverski and Lake Valdai, 400 kilometers for 4 hours;
• 10th day : visit of Novgorod, 3 hours for 250 kilometers;
• 11th day : from Novgorod to St. Petersburg, 200 kilometers for 3 to 4 hours;
• 12th to 14th day Discovering St. Petersburg, its unmissable sites and monuments, such as the Hermitage Museum.

For one month

The maximum duration of a tourist visa in Russia is 30 days . Note that you must scrupulously respect your entry and exit dates . Here is a 30-day itinerary for a trip to Russia by motorhome:

• From 1st to 3rd day : arrival in Moscow, registration and visits of the must-sees;
• From 4th to 11th day : visit of the Golden Ring, with the historic cities of Vladimir, Souzdal, Ivanovo, Kostroma, Iaroslavl, Rostov-Veliky, Pereslav-Zalesski and Serguiev Possad. The region houses many UNESCO World Heritage sites and churches;
• 12th and 13th days Discover Riazan, his Kremlin and his museums. 4-hour road for 290 kilometres;
• 14th and 15th days : Route of 14 hours for 900 kilometers, from Riazan to Samara, on the banks of the Volga;
• 16th to 19th day : Discovery of Samara and Kazan, and especially of a unique region of Russia: Tatarstan. Discover its historic cities, its unique landscapes, its welcoming population;
• 20th to 22nd day : towards Moscow, passing through the beautiful historic city of Nijni Novgorod, road of 820 kilometers;
• From 23rd to 28th day : Traject from Moscow to St Petersburg, with the visits of Tver, Vychni Volotchek, Monastery Iverski, Lake Valdai and Novgorod. Route of 770 kilometers;
• From 28th to 30th day : Discovery of St. Petersburg, with the visit of the Place des Décembristes, the Amirauté, the Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul Cathedral, the Hermitage Museum or the canals of the city.

What budget to travel by motorhome in Russia?

Preparing a trip to Russia by camping-car is not at all rest. Russia is a vast country, not touristic compared to many other destinations. To help you, here is a brief overview of the budget to travel by motorhome in Russia. These include insurance, gasoline and other essential financial information.

Average budget for 1 week (excluding activities and meals):

• For the rental and insurance of the motorhome : count about 800€
• Essence : 70€ (variable) ;
• Parking : 80€ ;
• Insurance : 40€ on average;
• Visa : 184€ on average by an agency with invitation letter and filling of the form;
• Total : 1 174€.

Average budget for 2 weeks (excluding activities and meals):

• For the rental and insurance of the motorhome : count about €1,600;
• Essence : 140€;
• Parking : 160€;
• Insurance : 40€;
• Visa : 184€;
• Total : 2 124€.

Average budget for 1 month (Oven activities and meals):

• For the rental and insurance of the motorhome : count about 3,200;
• Essence : 280€;
• Parking : 320€;
• Insurance : 40€;
• Visa : 184€;
• Total : 4 024€.

Driving in Russia by motorhome : traffic rules to know

Travelling into unknown lands is never simple. This is why we accompany you on your new adventures with the various information below.

Discover the speed limits to be respected, the documents to be accessed, the fuel information and much more information needed.

What documents do you have on board?

To drive to Russia, you will have to have your international permit (PCI) and your French permit . The request for the ICP is free , but the deadline for obtaining is 5 weeks . In addition to these documents, you will have to have your passport with your visa as well as possible additional documents (registration). Do not hesitate to get closer to the Russian authorities to find out more or to ask your loueur.

Also plan road maps in French and up to date for your stay. One. GPS can also be a plus. Then you will not risk getting lost and losing yourself. Finally think about taking one pocket guide For the Russian. This can make a difference!

What are the speed limits?

Speed is limited to 60 km/h in town and even 30 km/h in Moscow city centre . Outside the agglomerations, she settled at 90 km/h maximum . Excluding agglomeration and highways in particular, the speed is fixed at 110 km/h . Be vigilant to panels and controls, Russian police are very strict .

Fuel

You will usually find petrol stations near the towns and cities of the country, along the main roads. Be sure to always have a margin and a good reserve before you start on long journeys. In 2021, the price of petrol is around 0.57€ per litre and that of diesel is around 0.56€ per litre .

Alcohol flying

One tolerance zero is applied for alcohol in the steering wheel. The driving is forbidden from drinking . Also know that the conduct is formally prohibited under the influence of narcotic drugs .

Motorway to Russia: what price for your motorhome category?

The highway toll in Russia will depend on the category of your vehicle. If you rent it, don't miss asking the renter before taking the road. The Moscow-St. Petersburg Motorway has a toll, such as some highways and major highways in the country.

If you come from a European country, don’t hesitate to ask the authorities at your border crossing.

Other information on driving in Russia

Generally speaking, we recommend you the greatest attention and the greatest caution during your trip to Russia. The road code is not always scrupulously respected by Russian drivers. Conversely, we recommend that you respect it as much as possible, as controls are not rare.

In Russia, road quality is also very variable due to extreme temperatures in the summer and winter season. The work is thus numerous and sometimes poorly organized. Your current map and GPS can then be very useful for planning an alternative route and avoiding long slowdowns!

We recommend that you study your itineraries well. The state of roads and the lack of road signs can quickly disarm drivers.

How and where to rent a motorhome in France?

Would you like to visit Russia on a motorhome, but you don't have a vehicle? Now it is very simple to rent these vehicles between individuals, especially in France. Many platforms allow this type of rental, online, as Yescapa For example.

How does it work?

• At first, you have to choose the motorhome in your city (For example Bordeaux, Nantes, Toulouse, Paris, Montpellier or Marseille).
• Be careful choose unlimited mileage, to check the number of beds available and if travel abroad is possible.
• Do your work online rental request and share your travel information (dates, rental options, mileage, etc.) to the owner.
• If your request is accepted and after payment, you will have access to the owner's contact information to organize a First meeting.
• Day J, present your driver's license and pour bail.
• One. status of premises is executed and a lease is signed between the two parties. You'll have to sign it as soon as you get back from Russia, and once done, the tour is played!

Camping-car areas in Russia: where to park?

Parking in the largest cities in the country is complicated. In Moscow, we recommend you install yourself in a campsite, such as " Kemping Sokol’niki " You will have to take the train then the metro to visit Moscow, but it can be much more convenient.

In St. Petersburg, you can install yourself in several parking spaces in the city. In particular, there is a cheap car park at night next to the metro station Pushkinskaya and the station Vitebsky . You can also install yourself in the Auto Camping Aurora , close to the center, for better services and facilities.

Overall, near the sights or major cities, you will almost always find car parks or campsites where you are located. As for the rules of good conduct, always inform campsites or car park keepers when you arrive.

What is the best time to travel by motorhome in Russia?

The climate in Russia is continental. Temperature amplitudes are very important. Summers are usually short, but very hot. Winters are longer or less depending on the region and are, as you can imagine, very cold. To travel by motorhome in Russia, better avoid the period from October to March . In winter, temperatures are generally very low throughout the Russian territory.

We recommend you thus May, June and September for your camping trip in Russia. At the end of winter, you will be able to attend the many festivities celebrating the end of the cold season and the return of a milder climate. The months of July and August are not recommended because of mass tourism in major cities. It can also be very hot.