How much does it cost to travel to belarus by car. Train ride from Russia to Belarus. Which road is better to go to Belarus

I dreamed of visiting Belarus for a very long time. Its extraordinary cleanliness and ideal roads, the friendliness of people and the amazing taste of local products are legendary. Belarus is a foreign country, but you do not need visas to visit it. And so, one friendly September morning, we as a family (me, husband and daughter of 6 years old) got into the car and went on a trip.

We left on Tuesday at 3:00 am. The distance from Kovrov to Minsk is 1,100 km, the estimated travel time is about 14 hours.

A few general questions:

1. The local currency is Belarusian rubles. Even before the trip, I read a lot about the fact that it is unprofitable to change money in Russia. But it’s always uncomfortable for me to travel without local currency in my pocket, so I changed 1,000,000 bel at Sberbank. rubles. So, I confirm from my own experience that it is necessary to change money in Belarus. There are exchange offices in all shopping centers in Minsk, the exchange rate is much more profitable than in Russian banks.
2. Registration of the "Green Card - Green Card" - an international auto insurance policy. Everywhere they write that it must be mandatory. No one asked us for insurance during the entire trip, but this is not an indicator, of course. You can issue it both at home with an insurance company and along the highway, starting from Smolensk and beyond. There are a lot of insurance points, the price is approximately the same everywhere.
3. Petrol. It is better to fill up with gasoline as much as possible in Russia, in Belarus it is more expensive. But the price at all gas stations is identical, which is very convenient.
4. Toll roads. Near Minsk there are many signs "Toll road". How and where they pay for travel on these roads - we did not understand. No booths, barriers - nothing. Having passed many toll roads, we never paid. Mystery.
5. The driving culture in Belarus is very high. They follow the rules, disciplinedly let people pass at pedestrian crossings.

Well, that's about all. Let's get straight to the journey. So, having left Kovrov at 03.00 in the morning, at 16.00 we were already in Minsk. (

Stopped only at gas stations - coffee / snack / toilet / a little rest for the driver.

I read a lot before the trip and had a rough idea of ​​what to expect from the country. But still, the first thing you pay attention to as soon as you cross the border is the extraordinary cleanliness. The grass, as if combed with a comb, is even, beautiful. And, by the way, not only on the main roads. We had to go and small villages - everything is identical. There are freshly harvested fields all around, I have already forgotten how beautiful it is - well-groomed land.

There are many places for parking along the route, equipped with everything you need. For using the forest as a free toilet / garbage container, you are fined. In general, Belarus is not at all like Russia in appearance. To European countries where I have been too. Belarus is original, and this makes it unique.

The first impression of Minsk is a cozy, calm city. There are no rushing crowds of people. No traffic jams either!

Day 1. Victory Park - Museum of the Great Patriotic War

Guest house «Comfort-House» in Minsk

Upon arrival, we went to the Comfort-House guest house on the street. Novinkovskaya, pre-booked on the booking.com website. We were attracted by the relative cheapness of the room - about 2000 rubles. for three per night and a lot of positive reviews (the average rating of the guest house is very high - 9.3 points).

So, all the praises that are sung to this small hotel are completely true. I have only enthusiastic exclamations and superlatives. "Comfort-House" consists of several small houses, each of which can accommodate two rooms.
In our house there was a swimming pool (use is included in the price), barbecue, sauna (for an additional fee). Huge kitchen with everything you need, TV, sofa, air conditioning, airfield bed in the room. The territory is well-groomed, with an abundance of vegetation, all sorts of figurines, grottoes, fountains, arbors. Honestly, I don't even want to leave. My child was absolutely delighted and still remembers the "Comfortable House" with great tenderness.

A tiny fly in the ointment in this ocean of honey is a very friendly host. Very very. Three times a night he came to see if everything was all right. Edited our plans for the day, etc. and so on. But these are just my troubles, I don’t really like stormy communication with unfamiliar people.
I recommend this hotel to everyone. Probably the best place we have ever stayed.

But let's get back to the journey. Having settled down, we went for a walk around the city. Stopped near victory park on Pobediteley Avenue. Excellent panorama, well-groomed park with fountains, bridges, picturesque alleys.

The landscape is crowned by a majestic building - the Museum of the Great Patriotic War. That's where we went. In general, it should be noted the great respect with which Belarusians treat the memory of the war. Numerous steles, monuments - all in excellent condition. During the war, every third Belarusian died (it’s even scary to think about this figure), and this tragedy will forever remain in the minds of the people.

The Minsk Museum of the Great Patriotic War consists of expositions dedicated to the course of the war, the partisan movement and various installations. Several halls are given over to the demonstration of military equipment. I was especially touched by the halls of the fascist occupation of Belarus. The heart bleeds, one has only to imagine what the people who took upon themselves all the oppression and atrocities of the war experienced.

After wandering around the museum, we went to have dinner. By the way, I will tell you about our food in Belarus.

Food in Belarus

1. Independence Ave., 49, room 1
2. st. Kulman, 5A

Second day. Mir Castle - Nyasvizh Castle - National Library of Minsk

World

The castle itself looks monumental. When you enter the gate and see it in front of you, it takes your breath away, as if you were in a fairy tale ..

Inside, everything is no less fabulous. It seems that you are in the Middle Ages, in a second knights and beautiful ladies in crinolines will appear, and servants with boar heads on trays and onion stew will scurry around the kitchen. There is no feeling of a remake, as in many similar places.
Very interesting tour of the castle and its environs. In particular, the tragic legend about the lake, which was dug out by cutting down a beautiful forest. The spirits of the forest cursed the race of the person who gave the order. Fiction or not, but the daughter of the owner of the castle, Prince Svyatopolk-Mirsky Sonechka, drowned in this lake, and then he himself.

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The Mir Castle is full of stairs and catacombs. The stairs are very steep and uncomfortable, I almost fell off the steps several times.

In the courtyard of the castle there is a very good souvenir shop and a small museum dedicated to the years of the fascist occupation of the Mir land. Also on the territory of the castle was located the Jewish ghetto. The ancient walls have become a dungeon for hundreds of people.
It is not only architecture that is beautiful in the World - a wonderful landscape, bridges, a picturesque chapel-tomb of the princes Svyatopolk-Mirsky.

An amazing place where I really want to go back.

Nesvizh

But inside the castle did not make much impression. It seems both beautiful and rich - but it is a remake and does not smell of history at all. We walked, looked, listened, nothing particularly impressed. According to my feelings, Nesvizh is elegant, modern, very similar to the palaces of St. Petersburg. Mir Castle is more exotic, you won’t see this in Russia.

The surrounding area is also disappointing. With such a majestic castle, the landscape is dull and faded. Souvenirs and food stalls are all around, there is a real lack of a well-groomed park with alleys where one could take a walk, admiring the views.
From Nesvizh we went to have lunch at Lido, and then we visited the pride of Minskers -National Library. Very interesting and unusual blue glass building.

We were there in the evening, it was already dark and the lights were on. The view is fantastic, of course.

On a high-speed elevator, we climbed to the observation deck - we saw Minsk at night from a height. Once again we were convinced what a beautiful city it is.

Without arms / without legs, we went to the hotel - to have dinner, swim in the pool, take a steam bath in the sauna and sleep, sleep, sleep.

Day 3. Khatyn - "Lake" - Museum of Folk Architecture and Life of the Republic of Belarus - Komarovsky Market, Minsk.

I will not talk much about the tragedy of Khatyn - everyone knows about it. One of the most tragic pages of our common history. On March 22, 1943, the Nazis drove the inhabitants of a small Belarusian village into a wooden shed and set it on fire. Old people, women, babies. They had no weapons, they did not harm anyone. And this case is not isolated. During the years of occupation, more than a hundred such tragedies occurred on Belarusian soil.

I heard a lot about Khatyn, read a lot, but when I myself found myself in this place ... Morning, fog, bells ring on the skeletons of burnt houses, a huge statue of the “Unconquered” - a burnt old man with a dead son in his arms. Dark, disturbing atmosphere. Everyone should be here, in my opinion. But I wouldn't hesitate to come back here.

From Khatyn we went to the Museum of Folk Architecture and Life of the Republic of Belarus "Lake".

And I fell in love with this place forever. "Lake" refers to open-air museums or skansen museums. That is, one where historical and cultural monuments are displayed in a natural environment.

First of all, it is famous for interesting sculptures in front of the entrance. Well, and of course, the range. Everything that Belarus is rich in is presented on the market. And sausages, and cheeses, and dairy products, and products of confectionery factories. For every taste. We stocked up on condensed cream - the taste is amazing and the price for our money is about 50 rubles per can, Belarusian lard and sweets. I wanted to buy everything at once. But since we, like Winnie the Pooh, love condensed milk most of all, we basically bought it. Yes, more. :) They also bought several cans of stew. By the way, it is very rare to find the word GOST on Belarusian stew. And the fact is that in Belarus this word is not an empty phrase. For the slightest discrepancy can be very severely punished.

I also want to note dairy products - everything is very tasty. For example, if you take a milkshake (my daughter loves them very much), it will be a real cocktail, and not a burd with a lot of E, which is sold in our stores. Sausages are like sausages. I did not notice any special difference with the Russian ones.

The products of Belarusian cosmetic companies - Biovita and Vitex - are sold everywhere. Shampoos and creams are good. But again, no better than "Clean Line" and "Grandmother Agafya", in my opinion.

After spending the night at the hotel again, in the morning we went home. The trip to Belarus by car was coming to an end... It was a pity to leave, we liked this hospitable country so much. So many interesting things remained unknown - Brest, Grodno, Lida and many, many more. There is a reason to return!

Those who know me personally will not be surprised if I once again sing diferambs in the style of "I love the country of Belarus" and say that going there to rest is very right and good!

I share my experience. I am writing my opinion. In short, 40 minutes :)

I have been to Belarus three times, and I plan to visit again. I love this country so much that I want to live there - the only thing that does not allow me to do this now is only deeds and projects that require my presence in Moscow for now :) So let's be raids for now!

In this topic, I will not overflow with thought and will try to be more compact.

General.

Money:

Take a card with you. Paying with it is really noticeably profitable, and there are payment machines almost everywhere (almost all gas stations, mostly hotels (only in the most budget ones in cash. And about stores, I’m still in shock - also almost everywhere, even in the most seedy ones)

In general, advice - wherever possible, pay by card.

Of course, cash must also be exchanged. It turned out to be more profitable to change in Belagroprombank than in Belarusbank (state, like Sberbank, and the colors are the same)

We remember that the work schedule of the Banks is Soviet. There is lunch, and weekends in the form of Saturday and Sunday. There is a problem with schedules in general - in stores the same thing), so just keep this in mind and you will be able to avoid surprises :) Believe me, this is not even an inconvenience compared to all the advantages of this beautiful country!

Kmk, it’s more logical to divide the entire budget into three parts, exchange a third for cash, and pay the rest with a card. By the way, if you buy euros in the Russian Federation, and then change them for belrubles, it also turns out to be more profitable (I changed euros there).

To help you see/estimate prices:

Petrol- Cheap and good quality. A liter of the 95th in January was 7 rubles cheaper. But I poured and 92, there was no difference at all, not like in the Russian Federation.

Documentation

Russians don't need anything special with them. A passport for those over 14 and a birth certificate for those under 14. If minors are not traveling with their parents (at least with one), then they need to draw up an agreement with a notary from their parents to leave their child with the one they are traveling with (I haven’t drawn up all the details with a notary yet).

On a car - everything that we use in Russia (if not the owner - a notarized power of attorney for management)

Well, and make a Green Card (insurance for a car like our OSAGO). Moreover, it is cheaper at home near the house in any insurance.

Roads

Awesome!

Excellent in all respects. Traffic rules must be strictly enforced - traffic cops are not corrupt, the fines are serious. But traffic rules in Belarus are logical and correct. Gas stations sell traffic rules, etc. - buy, let them be.

M1 is great! Europe. The speed limit for a passenger car is 120 km/h.

Alcohol

Bourgeois - expensive. Sambuca cost twice as much as in Moscow Auchan.

Belarusian - cheap and high quality. And. In Belarus, Georgian wines are made under license - they make very well and sell very budget. Georgian wines from Georgia are also sold there, by the way (unlike the Russian Federation), so to Belarus - for Georgian wine, yes! In addition, they also sell Borjomi there, if anyone is interested. And the prices for all this are very attractive.

Pay attention to - Alivaria beer in glass (white unfiltered), Lida beer and kvass, and other Belarusian beer and kvass.

Cool soda with blueberries, megafruit:

Multifruit nialo, kmk :)

And for lovers of Sheridans / Baileys, take note of this info. If somewhere in restaurants-shops-cafes you will meet such a yummy:

Buy it, it's a cool thing :) I bought it in Peter's restaurant in Kobrin, they told me that it was contraband from Poland :) Well, the status is not important, the essence is important :) Soft thing, you don't feel alcohol, 20 degrees, chocolate-caramel like this: )

In shops

You can write about Belarusian products for months. EVERYTHING is tasty, high quality, cheap. 100 times better than Russian!!! AND EVERYTHING IS!!! The shelves are breaking!!!

Moreover, everything that they bring to us is like Savushkin's product and so on. No need to buy. Buy what you don't see in Russia. It's tastier and cheaper! No empty counters and queues, do not believe our media and throw the TV in the trash))).

The only thing that I would especially note from the products is ketchup. ABC like, in bags, like milk. It is very tasty. But…. I am forced to refuse to buy it in the future - despite the fact that it is really very tasty, its composition includes certain elements that will be superfluous in the human body. In Belarus, it is customary to write the composition honestly.

Judging by the composition, there are no such things in Heinz (and only) these things, judging by the composition, therefore Heinz rules, so I will take him with me, as well as:

Coffee, Tea - bring your own. For in Belarus they are expensive.

But there are many places where you can buy real German cocoa, a stunningly delicious drink (it is expensive, 100 gr is about 60 rubles)

Belarusian CHOCOLATE!!! "Spartacus" It's just "NO WORDS, ONLY EMOTIONS"!!! for 40 rf you get a bar of awesome chocolate to your taste!!! Real 90% cocoa or milk with almonds, or mint!!! Etc.

And cookies and waffles, of course :)

Public catering (restaurants, cafes, canteens)

Everything is great everywhere! Usually.

Well, except for coffee - because for my biased taste of a coffee gourmet in Belarus, coffee is sooooo weak :)

Smile Cafe, which I will talk about below:

The prices of restaurants are at the level of prices in Moscow cafes such as mu-mu or McDucks. It turns out to be more expensive to eat in a McDuck in Moscow time than in restaurants in Belarus with alcohol in the bill. In other establishments, respectively, much cheaper. Canteens in general amaze the imagination - to eat for 60 rubles (RF) so that it’s hard to go later)) Moreover, it’s tasty and high quality, but grab a couple of pies with you)))

Housing

And from the general point - there is a network of hotels "tourist" operating in Belarus, it is ambiguous there, because budget rooms are full of the USSR of the 80s. new ones - nothing like that, but in the whole network, it seems to me, in comparison with Belarus as a whole, prices are clearly a bit too high))

In general, you can look for hotels in advance in Belarus either on, or everything is very loyal, it is also convenient to look for a suitable hotel there. There are even GPS coordinates.

Or according to this algorithm:

You go to the Yandex main page - you interrupt the city, like you are, say, in Bobruisk - Yandex is deceived, and thinks that you are in Belarus)) - you type specifics like “Borisov hotel” into the search box - it gives you .

And up there is just a list of hotels known to Yandex - you need to call them, because not everyone has websites and, as practice has shown, you just need to call. I don’t know, maybe this is some kind of New Year’s glitch, but it seemed to us that if we switch Yandex in this way, then somehow more information is found, namely Belarusian sites.

On the territory of Belarus there are several, as I called them, travel magnates)) Who cooperate with hotels and will always offer you a room - they always have it in stock, only at a slightly different price. Therefore, on their websites there is a description of hotels, detailed and all that, but their contacts. At the extreme is also an option, of course, but I don’t like to pay for something that I can do myself :)

There is also such a thing in Belarus as agro-estates or eco-estates, here is an example:

We used this January in Pruzhany and Kobrin, we liked it very much.

Many people rent apartments and houses there.

Phone and Internet

mobile connection Cheap, good coverage. We used the package with the Internet - the Internet is excellent! Still used. Also, no complaints about the quality of communication (the Internet was not used through it).

Wi-Fi in cities. In Belarus, it’s great with this (it’s not there in the forest, of course, and in small villages so far, too, but everywhere the mobile Internet has shown itself perfectly).

It's cheap and the connection is good. Payment by cards that you buy at the post office, for example, or at any hotel reception. It seems that there are also soyuzpechaty (these are kiosks, on which the mysterious word hour painting is often written))).

If we call to Belarus from the Russian Federation (or from a mobile phone of the Russian Federation):

From Russia, from a landline phone, call: 8 - beep - 10 - 375 - area code - local telephone number of the subscriber in Belarus

8 - exit to intercity

10 - access to the international line

375 - international dialing code of Belarus

From Russia, call from a mobile phone: +375-<код города>-<номер телефона>

If we call in Belarus from a purchased Belarusian SIM card to Belarusian phones, everything will be written there in the package. How to call.

Chips

All cities are ancient, many hundreds of years old. The steles in front of them will definitely tell you about it.

Attitude to the monuments of the Great Patriotic War, the War of 1812 and other monuments of history, culture and architecture. Awesome attitude!!! An example for the entire CIS!

This photo is from DisaV:

Catholicism. So, a lot of churches and other Catholic paraphernalia. So, beautiful, festive and positive! :) And gothic))

On the shields, as a rule, either the patriotic "I love Belarus"

Or regional patriotism:

Flickers.

These are reflective pieces to make it safer for pedestrians to move around the streets at night. As a driver I will say - this is an excellent law!

Wear those flickers. And. mutually beneficial

You can buy flickers of various modifications - bright Velcro strips (like, an adult version) or different toy characters, and simply reflective toys can be everywhere. I will definitely bring them to Russia.

By the way. Also, with regard to pedestrians, and compared to the Russian Federation, the right thing:

Giant "70" sign on some tracks. Divided in half and standing on different sides of the road - suddenly jumps out in the beams of the high beam, don't be scared)))

On all roads, every few kilometers there are nice, well-groomed, clean rest areas for motorists.

Drive into the woods to a platform where there are pavilions and some other coloring like a giant stork (N 52 43.054 E 24 41.920).

As a rule, there is a toilet and a garbage container.

Storks. Alive, in the sense) The country of storks is simple! They don't pay attention to people at all, they go about their business))

Throughout the country, you will be haunted by the symbols of Belarus - an ornament, a cornflower and the Belarusian flag. And often also Bison, Stork and Swans. in the design of everything)

Very beautiful steles. Cities, regions and so on. Everywhere with fiction, everywhere something of their own.

A lot of Soviet paraphernalia remained on the streets. Moreover, carefully guarded, updated and in excellent condition.

Everywhere, everywhere, everywhere, both in big cities and in small villages. away from the main tourist and transit routes, both public and private are nice ideas to decorate your living space :)! It's so cool :) And so positive :) A vivid illustration of what our life will be like - depends entirely on ourselves! Wait for mercy from DEZ or go to your yard, under your window and make something cute with your own hands !!!

Or like this, just on the most ordinary roadside in the village of Vorony near Vitebsk, there are such copies of the real ones (photo by DisaV):

Sites:

Useful addresses:

Brest, st. Moscow, 210

Bobruisk, st. 50 years of the Komsomol, 33

Vitebsk, st. Beshenkovichi highway, 3

Grodno st. Gorky, 91

Minsk st. Kalvariyskaya, 24

G. Volkovysk cafe-pizza, tasty 53 09.738 24 27.730

If you are in the area of ​​Zhirovichi and Synkovichi, be sure to taxi to the Zhirovichi Monastery N 53 ° 0.950 "E 25 ° 20.597" and eat in the refectory there!!! from 9 to 18 works.

It's amazing! Amazingly tasty and almost free!

And the assortment is amazing to numbness :)

Well, you can get some water from the Holy Spring in Synkovichi N 53ᵒ 06.985 E 25ᵒ 09.416

It seems that she spoke about the general in a nutshell. I'll add as I go, I think.

Now from personal practice. By cities.

ORSHA

Positive city! Mandatory to visit! Low-rise buildings, all houses are painted in gentle positive, light colors, no dullness and dampness :)

And I am delighted with Orsha townhouses!!! It seems to me that it is so cozy there, and I so want to live there at least a little bit :)

Live - in a hotel, st. Mira, 11 coordinates from the BelHotel website: 54 30.786""N, 30 25.452""E You can pay by card.

Amazing hotel!!! The quality exceeds the price. Gave 600 rubles for a 2-bed room. The quality is clearly higher than ***cat.

Downstairs at the reception you can buy a bunch of all sorts of sweets and white unfiltered Alivaria))), etc. without extra charge. And also a lot of linen products at very reasonable prices.

The view from the hotel window (the weather on that day, however, whispered "pour it and drink it"))))

Linen - Belarus in general and ORSHA in particular are famous for this, because it is there that the famous flax mill is located (the company store will surprise and shock even more, the choice, prices and quality will shock positively, of course) N 54 29.420 "E 30 23.731" from 9 to 18 on weekdays . There is a canteen and a hotel at the factory (but the hotel is a little cheaper than ORSH, however, it was killed tightly)

And in the shops of the Niko network, be sure to buy smoked eggs !!! - I haven't seen them anywhere else in Belarus)

Attractions on geocaching are all there. Walking in the center is very pleasant. Lots of cafes, we ate pizza. They were satisfied.

ORSH sites

And there are others online.

Mogilev

Where to live? Definitely in Korchma!!! Rating "5" and recommendation!!!

This place is worth the money on all counts, and even more!!! Just be sure to book in advance there, there are few rooms, there are many who want to :)

Luxurious rooms (***** stars, instead of the declared ***), the price is average, a thousand and a half per room.

A very tasty restaurant, but the whole complex is a MEGA attraction. THERE - A MANDATORY!!! Especially if you are making a romantic trip together;) or traveling with children!!!

And over the years I’ll write a separate topic about this complex in more detail, I really like it :)))

If you are suddenly in Mogilev and decide to go to the cinema - Prospekt Mira, 23, I recommend it!! The price and quality will pleasantly surprise you!

And be sure to go to the square, to the Stargazer!!!

It's nice to walk around the historical center of Mogilev in principle.

Well, you need to visit the town hall :)

We ate there in the ISS cafe on Star Square and in some other national cafe in the basement, everything is fine.

Downstairs in the bar chocolate with mint (and not only) Belarusian (prices in the bar - like in a store, no extra charges)

Vitebsk

I have stayed twice in this glorious city.

This is all one double our room was in 2010 for 2 with something thousand rubles per day:

There is info about this place: st. Suvorova 10/2. Manager: +375-29-515-25-84, Receptionist: +375-212-23-66-26. We called up, even booked, but due to bad weather we didn’t get there, we settled in Orsha. There prices are different, we were offered 7 bucks per night, and this is not the lowest price there.

Good big hotel, good location, in the center. You need to ask about the quality of the rooms at the reception desk, they will announce everything and give you a choice. Parking near the entrance. You can pay by card.

In general, I liked the hotel, although it is far from the budget) On the 9th floor, a 2-bed room 909 is awesome!!! I recommend;)

Next to the hotel, to the right of the entrance Department store - the flavor of the USSR! Cool :) There, be sure to go to the toy department and buy harmless soft toys from the Gomel factory, and there are also souvenirs on the 3rd floor. And on the first, delicious local drinking yogurt :)

Opposite the entrance to the hotel, if you cross the road, there will be a Gulliver cafe on the left (like) - it's delicious and good!

Night Vitebsk is a song! Take a tripod :) I didn’t have a tripod, and I’m sorry)))

The famous Slavic Bazaar

It's on that stage that everything happens:

This is how the THEME OF VASILK, ORNAMENT AND BELARUSIAN FLAG is revealed:

Vitebsk is full of sights, there is plenty of information about them on geocaching, on the globe of Belarus and on the net in general. By the way, on both links to hotels you can also find interesting and useful information about the city.

We also (in summer) enjoyed the amusement park at magically low prices - not far from the Slavic bazaar, under the bridge on the embankment. Oxygen cocktail, cotton candy - immersion in childhood :)

On the same square, the Slavianski Bazaar has:

Jewelery, which sells fridge magnets and awesome badges with the Belarusian flag. Jewelry is also at Belarusian prices, I have silver earrings from there for 93 Russian rubles)). Opposite the Slavic Bazaar, you will also not pass BULBYANA. Quickly and inexpensively, according to the principle of a canteen with a tray, you can eat there! :)

POLOTSK and NOVOPOLOTSK

Polotsk is the most ancient Belarusian city, and, of course, it must be visited!!! This is one of my favorite cities in BR.

By the way, on the site to which Dvina belongs, there is useful info on cafes, for example, and so on.

Certificates of visiting the Center of Europe are sold in the hotel lobby, the same ones are sold at the post office nearby.

Center itself N 55° 29.083" E 28° 46.567"

Photo again from Denis:

I really liked potato pancakes and in general everything in the cafe, I don’t remember the name, but it is located at the end of this whole boulevard with the Center of Europe, if you move along it. passing by the Dvin Hotel, leaving it on the right and looks like this:

Finally, our trip to Belarus began. We were a little delayed with the trip and got ready to go only at the end of June 2018. I have long wanted to visit this country, about which I have heard so much. The funny thing is that the way to Belarus, or rather to Minsk from Moscow, turned out to be one of the easiest road trips we have ever been on. And was it worth the effort? However, the road will be discussed in this article. And about the road with a baby under the age of six months, who is not even sitting yet - this is our first experience. Looking ahead, I’ll say that the Moscow-Minsk route by car is ideal for beginners.

The distance from Moscow to Minsk is only 717 kilometers, according to Google maps, which we decided to use this year as an experiment. Before that, they used navigation from Novitel. Although I made my first route using paper maps, it was also a kind of experience. However, I will return to the road to Belarus.

Google offers three routes from Moscow to Belarus to choose from, see the map below:

• Fast route on M1(marked with toll roads) with a distance from Moscow to Minsk 717 km. Travel time is just over 8 hours.
• Average mileage on the A-130 highway through Mogilev
• Long route along the M9 highway through Velikiye Luki and Vitebsk region, 841 km long

In fact, we left the Kaluga region, through Protvino and Obolensk, so the navigator did not offer us the longest route - it is too far away from us. Trusting the description and common sense, we chose the M1 track, almost straight, almost free. The mark "toll road" did not bother us. On the Russian side, we did not meet paid sections (it is on the outskirts of Moscow), in Belarus for Russian citizens, the use of roads is also free.

In choosing the route, travel time and the quality of the road played a big role, since, I repeat, we went to Minsk with our whole small family, including Timofey. And for him it was the first such a long move. I think I will talk in a separate article about what it is like to drive with a baby in a car. The experience of the Minsk trip turned out to be very interesting

I would like to emphasize that this route is ideal for beginners in auto travel. There are several reasons for this:

• A short distance from Moscow to Minsk - only 717 kilometers
• Short travel time. Especially without straining the whole way can be done in 9-10 hours
• Simple road. Everywhere four lanes no problem with overtaking

For comparison, no less interesting, but slightly more complex, our road trips you can see in the following series of articles:

Road to the border with Belarus

As I said, we still had to go to the M1 highway. In fact, we got almost from the M2 itself (who's to blame that it was in that area that we spent several days before the road) along the A108. I suspect that when leaving Podolsk, we would even save a little travel time. And from Moscow to Minsk we would have reached a couple of hours faster. This is due to the A108 highway with periodic passage of residential areas, where cameras and radars are installed all over the place, and the permissible speed is 40 km / h

Highway M1 Moscow - Minsk, police, cameras in Russia

Coming out on the M1 highway, we hurried to the gas station. And the price of gasoline in Russia has risen! We refueled to a full tank for 1800 rubles, according to my calculations, this should have been enough until Minsk itself. By the way, in Belarus, gasoline is a little cheaper, given the last May price increase in Russia and the change in the ruble exchange rate.

What was striking on the way to Minsk from Moscow by car was the abundance of patrols and cameras on the road. In addition to the stationary cameras with which almost all the villages located along the M1 highway on the way to Belarus are equipped, we also met probably about 7 patrols, and somewhere with a couple of dozen tripods. And according to the good old tradition, the police are in the bushes, the tripod is covered by a civilian car- in general, a classic of the genre.

Of course, I tried to keep the speed limit as much as possible. At one time, I even joined a Belarusian truck - a very useful life hack for those who do not want to bring fines home. However, I am almost sure that it will not do without letters of happiness, our guardians of order are painfully good at hiding, and even put up unexpected signs. In general, they moved carefully, like sappers.

The road from Moscow to Belarus, description and reviews

The paid understudy of the M1 highway starts in the area of ​​the Molodogvardeiskaya transport interchange of the Moscow Ring Road and ends at the 33rd km of the Minsk highway. The road goes around the city of Odintsovo. The length of the toll road is 18.535 km, the fare is 150 and 50 rubles during the day and at night, respectively.

All highway M1 all the way from our exit to it, to Minsk turned out to be a four-lane— a definite plus for any track. Given the small load, it was a pleasure to drive like that - it’s not like reaching for trucks for kilometers on a two-lane highway, waiting for the coveted permission to overtake. Perhaps it seemed to me, but the lanes of the road were slightly narrower, at least compared to the usual highways. Two trucks without much comfort fit on the road. Yes, and it was not very convenient for me to overtake them on turns.

Please note that on the M1 Moscow-Minsk highway, from the Russian side almost everywhere the limit is 90 km/h, of course, not counting the settlements. In addition, there were often signs with a limit of up to 70 km / h, and behind them portable cameras. By the way, it was these signs that made me doubt that the M1 is a motorway

I would like to note the relatively high quality of the road surface. When driving at the permitted speed, there is no risk of losing the suspension - and this is already a good indicator for our roads. However, in recent years I have been riding on paid sections of the M4 and on the free part of Leningradka, in both cases I am also satisfied with the roads. This is me to the fact that in the central region the issue of roads, although slowly, is being solved.

Where to eat on the way to Belarus, stops along the way

Since we were traveling with a small child in the car, we had to make extra stops. After all, Timofey is not used to long trips by car, and in the infant carrier the position is not the most convenient, although safe. I will return to it in a separate article, but perhaps I will describe our stops.

First stop was at a Gazprom Neft gas station.. We also had lunch at the local cafeteria next door. The prices turned out to be quite friendly - our lunch cost us 380 rubles (the first two, plus a side dish and one Kiev cutlet for two). The food was delicious and nutritious. Portions are not big - travel

Second stop at the source of the Moskva River. More to give my son some rest. However, in this place we found about a dozen comfortable gazebos where you can stop and have a bite to eat. Despite the inscription "making fire is prohibited" on the territory there were several barbecues and a large fire pit, nomadic motorists. In general, it would be with you a bucket of barbecue, it is quite possible to sit and have a bite to eat.

We made one more stop in the village of Istomino. Just like that, for no particular reason. The village turned out to be exemplary. Just 300 meters from the Moscow-Belarus highway, the asphalt ends and the Russian hinterland begins. It's also not the most colorful. It should be noted that approximately after this village, the number of cameras on the road began to decline sharply.

Russians are frequent guests in Belarus. According to statistics, this country remains the most popular tourist destination among citizens of the Russian Federation. In addition, many come here to visit relatives or friends, on a business trip on production issues or to establish business partnerships.

Minsk, Belarus

Local sanatoriums and boarding houses are also popular among Russians. Here you can have an inexpensive rest, improve your health in the conditions of almost untouched nature and eat plenty of the famous Belarusian milk.

Do I need a visa to Belarus in 2020?

Citizens of the Russian Federation are attracted to Belarus not only by its territorial proximity, but also by visa-free entry to Belarus for Russians. From the moment of entry, they can stay in the Republic of Belarus without a visa for 90 days as part of a temporary stay. At the same time, Russians, unlike other foreigners, do not even need to register at the place of residence.

A trip to Belarus for a period of 3 months to a year requires the Russians to issue a temporary residence permit. To do this, you need to contact the Belarusian department for citizenship and migration of the Republic of Belarus.

Russians, going on a trip, do not have to have. As part of the visa-free regime, it is allowed to cross the border with Belarus even with a civil passport. Citizens of the Russian Federation have also been exempted from filling out a migration card.

Crossing the Russia-Belarus border

Border control on the Russian-Belarusian border was canceled back in 1995 for citizens of both states. This was done after the signing of the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus.

When crossing the border, Russians are not required to have medical insurance for 10,000 euros, which is mandatory for other foreigners. At the same time, it should be taken into account that Belarus does not recognize Russian compulsory insurance policies. Russians can only count on emergency medical care in Belarusian hospitals free of charge.

By plane

At Minsk National Airport, flights from Russia are considered domestic. On this basis, border control of passengers is not carried out.

By train

Traveling by rail takes place in comfortable conditions. Belarusian border guards do not disturb passengers, so they do not even notice how they got into a neighboring state. However, it is important to carry your passport, children's birth certificates and other documents.

Crossing the border with Belarus by car

Those who choose a car to travel to Belarus usually do not even notice the moment of crossing the border. Passenger cars are stopped for passport and customs control only if their appearance or the behavior of the driver is suspicious.

What documents are needed to travel by car?

When traveling by car, you must have a certificate of registration and a Green card (international insurance). The driver must be ready to present a driver's license and passport, the rest of the passengers - only foreign or Russian general passports.

Car insurance for a trip to Belarus - Green card

It is recommended to issue a policy of international motor transport insurance Green card (Green Card) in Russia. This is cheaper than buying it at the border, especially if you take coverage only for the CIS countries. A green card is required for all vehicles registered outside the Republic of Belarus. The absence of a Green card may result in a fine of 20 basic units (since January 2018, this is 20x24.5 = 490 Belarusian rubles).

Do I need medical insurance to travel to Belarus?

Medical insurance is not a mandatory document, but we always advise you to purchase it when traveling abroad.

Documents for children

Children over 14 must have their own passport when traveling to Belarus. Until this age, a birth certificate is sufficient. When crossing the border, Russian border guards may also require permission from the parent who does not accompany the child on the Belarusian voyage.

Customs regulations

Despite the fact that customs on the Russian-Belarusian border does not check tourists, it is still not worth violating the customs rules of Belarus. In personal luggage, it is allowed to import up to 50 kg with a total value of up to 1.5 thousand euros.

It is allowed to import no more than:

• 3 liters of alcoholic beverages, including beer with a strength of 7%;
• 200 cigarettes or 250 g of tobacco or 50 cigars.

It is forbidden to import into the Belarusian territory:

• military equipment;
• weapon;
• drugs;
• explosive and radioactive substances.

Plants and animals are allowed to be imported only if there are veterinary certificates.

Temporary residence in the Republic of Belarus for Russians

Legislation allows Russians who came here to study, work or do business to stay in Belarus for more than 3 months. Also, those who have Belarusian real estate or a spouse, a relative from among the citizens of the Republic of Belarus who permanently live here can also stay longer than 90 days.

To obtain a temporary residence permit, you must submit to the local department of citizenship and migration:

1. Statement;
2. Passport;
3. Employment contract / certificate from the university / documents of relatives;
4. Proof of residence;
5. Receipt for payment of state duty.

Belarusian officials consider documents for 2 weeks. If the decision is positive, they will paste the stamp “Dazvol on the watch znakhodzhanna” into the insert to the passport. It allows you to live in Belarus legally for a year.

Finally, be sure to watch the video from the Inter TV channel about the capital of Belarus - Minsk:

The rules for entry into Belarus for Russians have long remained unchanged. Since 1997, an agreement on a visa-free regime has been in force between the states. In 2020, when traveling to the republic for up to 90 days, you do not need to apply for a visa or any additional permits. Entry into Belarus is carried out on the basis of an internal Russian or foreign passport.

Russians are exempted from the need to fill out migration cards, questionnaires or any other documents. If the period of residence does not exceed 30 days, then there is no need to register. Traveling through the territory of the republic in case of going to a third country is free: a transit visa is also not required. There is practically no border, a trip to this country resembles a trip to a neighboring region.

• Birth certificate;
• Internal passport if the child is already 14 years old;
• Or a foreign passport if available.

The entry rules of the republic do not exclude the possibility of minors traveling on foreign passports of their parents, provided that information about the children is included in these documents.

Consent to leave the Russian Federation with notarization from the second parent is not required if the child travels only with mom or dad. However, in situations where a minor leaves the Russian Federation accompanied by third parties or independently, consent to leave Russia must be obtained from both parents. The last rule is enshrined in Russian legislation.

Medical insurance

Belarus does not have a compulsory medical insurance policy adopted in Russia. Nevertheless, if necessary, the Russians will receive emergency and ambulance assistance. But for further treatment in a hospital, you will have to pay at the current rates. Therefore, before traveling to the republic, it makes sense to take care of buying an insurance policy in advance. In this case, the cost of paying for medical services will fall on the shoulders of the insurance company.

How to get to Belarus?

There are several options to get to Belarus. The list of documents required for travel remains unchanged. The only thing is that there are nuances when entering by private vehicle.

By plane

A simple and quick way to get to the republic is by plane. The cost of a ticket from Moscow to Minsk is about 9,000-10,000 rubles. Flight time - 1 hour 20 minutes. The ticket price depends on the selected airline. Three airlines fly to Belarus daily from the capital of the Russian Federation: Belavia, UTair and S7 Airlines. There are options for direct flights from St. Petersburg, Krasnodar, Samara, Novosibirsk, Sochi, Yekaterinburg.

By train

The second option is to go to the republic by train. You can get to Minsk from Moscow in 8-10 hours. A ticket in a reserved seat car costs from 3,000 rubles, in a compartment - from 5,000 rubles. Regular trains run from many regions of Russia.

By bus

Buses run from all Russian regions bordering Belarus. Also, the flow of transit transport through the republic connects Russia and Europe. Travel time - from 10 to 12 hours. The ticket price varies from 1500 to 2000 rubles.

A trip to Belarus by car

A trip to Belarus by car is the most convenient way to get into the country. In addition, if you plan to see as many sights as possible, a trip by private transport is an ideal, practical and most economical option. The distance between Moscow and Minsk is 700 km. It will take about 7-8 hours to overcome it.

There are many video and photo cameras both on the Russian side and on the Belarusian side. Exceeding the speed limit by more than 30 km / h can lead to a fine of up to 7,000 rubles. In case of repeated violation, there is a chance to part with the rights for up to a year.

The roads in the republic are of high quality and not as busy as in Russia. It is not necessary to prepare especially for crossing the border, in fact it does not exist. There is practically no border control between Belarus and the Russian Federation. Only heavy vehicles are subject to inspection. Individuals in personal cars are rarely stopped at the checkpoint. However, upon returning to Russia, the documents are still checked, but this does not take much time.

Documents for a car trip:

1. Internal or foreign passport;
2. Driver's license;
3. Vehicle registration certificate;
4. Green card insurance;
5. Power of attorney for the car, if its owner is another person.

It is recommended to exchange Russian rubles for Belarusian in advance. It will be problematic to do this, for example, at a gas station. Until March 01, 2015, it was allowed to refuel for rubles, but later this possibility was canceled.

Video: crossing the border of Russia and Belarus by car (without stopping!)

"Green map"

Green card is an international insurance system operating in 47 countries of the world, these are the majority of countries in Europe, Asia and Africa. The "Green Card" can be purchased both in advance (many Russian insurance companies provide such a service), and before the border. The insurance protects the interests of the driver if he got into a traffic accident in another state. The material damage caused is paid by the insurance company.

There are two policy options:

• To travel within the participating states "All countries";
• For trips around Ukraine, Belarus or Moldova.

It is more profitable for Russian citizens to purchase a policy that is valid only in Belarus, its cost is 3-4 times cheaper than the “All countries” tariff.

The policy price is reviewed every three months. If you are planning a short trip around Belarus, it is economically justified to buy a policy for a short period. The minimum insurance period is 15 days. If visits to the country are regular, it makes sense to purchase a "Green Card" for a year at once, this will save on quarterly price increases.

For example, the cost of the Green Card for 2020 for a passenger car is: 970 rubles - for 15 days, 1290 rubles - for 30 days, 5570 rubles - 12 months. The price of the policy will increase significantly for trucks and tractors.

When is a residence permit required?

There are situations when special permission is needed. For example, long-term residence in the republic (over 90 days), doing business, working or studying is planned.

In such cases, a residence permit is issued, for which you will need the following documents:

1. application for the issuance of a residence permit;
2. internal or foreign passport;
3. 4 photographs 4x5 cm;
4. document on registration at the place of residence;
5. medical certificate confirming the absence of dangerous diseases;
6. documentation on the need for long-term residence in the country (employment contract, invitation letter from relatives, confirmation of enrollment in an educational institution, and so on).

Initially, a residence permit is issued for 2 years and then extended.

Customs regulations