Independent travel in Belarus. By car to Belarus: free toll roads and thousands of fines

It is an amazing fact that the sights of Belarus a month ago were not even considered in my life rhythm, and I did not even think about an independent trip by car around Belarus to its monuments and interesting places.

But the circumstances so developed that in early April I decided to go for the weekend to Minsk, the capital of Belarus on. And already in the process of preparing for this trip, an idea came up about the sights of Belarus, and about the possibility of a car trip around this country.

Suddenly, school memories of the beauties of Belovezhskaya Pushcha and the legendary Brest Fortress surfaced in my memory. After analyzing the Minsk-Brest route, I found many more interesting places that could also be easily seen along the way by car.

This is how my excursion route gradually developed, in which in just one week I managed to visit many amazing historical and modern places, walk through ancient parks and climb narrow stone stairs in the ancient towers of knight's castles, see many unusual representatives of the animal world and even meet with a fairy tale in the face of such an unusual character as Santa Claus! 🙂

Well, now about everything in order ... To learn more about any excursion or tourist site, you can follow the link.

It was in the spring. Nature gradually came to its senses after a winter sleepy state. In the suburbs, on a gloomy early April morning, it was raining. The airfield of Vnukovo airport and the planes weeping on it also looked sad.

Flight UT835 on the Moscow-Minsk route from UTair departed as scheduled. At 10 o'clock in the morning we boarded a small plane. Outside the windows, the Moscow morning was still frowning, and in my soul, oddly enough, it was sunny and a little exciting in front of the unknown.

This always happens at the very beginning of the trip. And this is the feeling that, probably, so attracts to itself in every journey.

The flight lasted only 1 hour 20 minutes, and I took up a more detailed study of the details of the preliminary route of my independent trip. Initial actions, such as transfer from the airport, renting an apartment in Minsk, booking a car, I carried out at home. But the whole excursion program was not yet completely thought out.

What can you see in Belarus by car? Before me were interesting sights of Belarus and the general direction where I would like to go. And where I would stay, how long it would take to inspect each object, what day I would be in what place - it was still very foggy.

Day 1-4. Hello Minsk city

First Impressions

And now I'm already there, at the international airport of the Belarusian capital, in Minsk. It is also cloudy here, but dry and warmer.

First of all, I decide to acquire local currency. Money in Belarus is generally a special conversation. Getting full-fledged millions for your Russian rubles ... that's cool! You immediately feel like if not a Rockefeller, then at least his relative. 😀

Having given 10 thousand Russian rubles, I received almost 3 million Belarusian rubles in return.

It turned out that this is a very pleasant experience - "rustling" millions. 😆

It's good to have friends! Especially in the places where you plan to visit. My old friend met me at the airport and very quickly took me to the capital, telling me about the main subtleties and secrets of Belarusian life as well as any guide. 🙂

The first impression from the view outside the windows is amazing cleanliness! And this despite the fact that here, too, is still the off-season, that is, fresh grass does not close the winter debris. There is simply nothing to hide here. In contrast to the Russian routes - it looks amazing!

We got to Minsk very comfortably, and I went to meet the owner of my rented apartment. A little more about renting a house and a car, as well as traveling by public transport and taxis, I will tell at the end of this article.

I spent the first 4 days in Minsk: 2 of them were mainly devoted to learning, and the rest of the time I just walked around the city. She came to the apartment in the evening, only to spend the night. I wanted to see so many things that I said to myself: “I will have a rest at home.”

Now let's move on to the sights. In addition, all of them are indicated on the map at the bottom of this article, it will be easier to navigate what and where is located and how easier it is to get to each attraction.

And I will start my review of the trip with a trip to.

City walks

Independence of Belarus

Perhaps it would be more logical to start it from the main square of the city - Independence Square (or, as it is funnyly called in Belarusian, Nezalezhnosti). What a beauty around!

Over the entire long history, the square has changed its name 14 times. Until 1991, it was, like all central city squares, Lenin Square. Now, decorated with fountains, it attracts the attention of tourists with its unique beauty. And the locals like to take a walk here in the evening, when the lights turn on, and the square is illuminated with delightful light.

A huge shopping center with a parking lot has been built underground here. Independence Square gives rise to Independence Avenue, which runs almost through the entire city. Here is the main building of the country - the Government House.

The first Belarusian skyscraper is how Minsk residents proudly and respectfully call this building. There is still a seven-meter monument to V.I. Lenin in front of the entrance. During the war years, the monument was destroyed, but after the capitulation of the Germans, it was quickly restored. And the building itself, as well as the nearby Catholic Church of Saints Simon and Helena, became one of the few buildings that survived the war years without much damage.

Catholic church with a sad history

Nearby stands the Church of Saints Simeon and Helena, built entirely of red brick.

In memory of two children who died early from illness, it was built with their own money by inconsolable parents - Edward and Olimpia Voinilovichi. Once Elena saw this beautiful building in a dream, and in the morning she painted it. And now it is rightfully considered one of the decorations of the Belarusian capital.

If you're nearby, be sure to go inside. It is very beautiful and a little mysterious here. Beautiful sculptures, bronze details of the temple, magnificently painted walls and vaults, amazing stained-glass windows on the windows - all this creates a solemn atmosphere. And in combination with organ music, one of the oldest in Europe, it is simply an amazing experience.

The temple contains one of the seven copies of the Shroud of Turin. An extensive library of old books has been collected. The ashes of the founder of the church, Edward Voynilovich, are also buried here. Right at the entrance there is a statue where the Archangel Michael, the patron saint of Belarus, pierces the winged serpent of darkness with his sword.

Right there, very close by, is another monument "The Bell of Nagasaki", it was erected in memory of those who died in nuclear disasters. Very dramatic!

Belarusian Bastille

Now it carries out the death penalty for criminals - execution. Quite unusual: a shooting in the center of a metropolis... though! “Crosses” in St. Petersburg, Lubyanka with its cellars in the center of Moscow…

fertile place

Next, your attention will undoubtedly be attracted by the white stone.

This majestic building was originally built as a Catholic church. But over time, after a small repair, it became Orthodox. In addition to other Orthodox shrines, the icon of the Mother of God, now called Minsk, is kept in the cathedral.

It was once written by the holy apostle Luke. Many events happened in the life of the icon, she visited many churches. According to legend, she sailed to Minsk along the Svisloch River and was placed, not immediately of course, in the Holy Spirit Cathedral. And now this miraculous Image helps everyone who turns to him for help in difficult life situations.

And so I went to the embankment of the jumper (this is how the word “beauty” will sound in Belarusian) Svisloch! How beautiful it is here!

The birds are singing, the sun is shining, making the water surface shimmer with all the colors of the rainbow. Gulls fly and cry, ducks swim near the shore. If you have a desire and a bun in your purse, then you can feed them, then they will swim closer.

Beautiful weather and, which is immediately very noticeable, perfect cleanliness and order around! And not only here! It is immediately clear that the janitors are conscientiously doing their job, and Minsk residents, of course, care about the cleanliness of their hometown. Well done!

Blessed memory of the heroes!

A small figured bridge leads to an artificial island located not far from the shore. A monument to soldiers who died on the battlefields has recently been opened here. At first, this monument was conceived as a tribute to those who died in Afghanistan.

But, unfortunately, there were many more terrible events in the world where Belarusian soldiers took part. This monument is dedicated to all of them.

The figurine of a small Weeping Angel, who cries inconsolably for those who died, who could not return to their beloved and loving wife, mother or bride, is very touchingly made.

Trinity suburb - history and legends

Directly opposite is a very beautiful place in which the spirit of old Minsk is still preserved. This Trinity Suburb is the historical center of the city.

There are a lot of benches to sit, breathe fresh air and a large number of all kinds of cafes and restaurants. And yet such beauty is hidden in the greenery of trees.

"Girl with an owl" is considered a symbol of the Trinity suburb. The girl is holding an owl, and she herself is standing on a branch of a flowering fern, a lizard is sitting near her feet. The whole sculpture is located on a large stone, and two more lie nearby. There are only three - a place called Troitskoye.

According to the existing legend, it is at this place that every poet or artist must make a choice for himself what is more important to him:

• girl personifying the muse;
• the owl is a symbol of wisdom;
• flowering branch - a symbol of glory;
• the lizard is a symbol of wealth.

What choice would you make?

And here's another ... The first public toilet of the city is located very close. Yes, yes, sorry. I will now tell you what it attracts special attention. According to the existing legend, in 1912 a very famous architect Senkevich built a palace for a noble count. But he refused to pay, and did not pay a penny for the work.

Then the angry architect decided to take revenge on the greedy count and built a public toilet in Alexander Square with his own money. An exact reduced copy of the same castle. Now in this small house they sell tickets to the Yanka Kupala Theater. But from 1912 to 2012 - exactly one hundred years - it was used for its original purpose.

The pride of contemporaries is the Belarusian “Diamond of Knowledge”

Of course, I really wanted to take a closer look at the famous National Library of Belarus. I was very interested in this unusual structure.

Indeed, the shape of the library building resembles a cut diamond. The “Diamond of Knowledge”, as the Belarusians also call it, contains 9 million book volumes. This unique building is equipped with the latest technology.

For children there is a playroom, and for adults there is a special room for relaxation, there are gyms, a cafe and a restaurant.

An observation deck is equipped at a height of 73 meters, from where you can admire the beautiful views of Minsk.

In the evening, the backlight turns on, and the facade of the building turns into a huge multi-colored screen. The spectacle is amazing!

Day 5. On the way to Brest

My training is over, and the main sights of Minsk have been studied. Now you can safely go for new adventures! The issue with the car rental was resolved very successfully the day before, and it is waiting for me under the windows of my rented apartment.

Details about renting housing, cars and other necessary things, I will tell at the end of the article.

In the morning, having collected things, throwing a farewell glance at the awakening Minsk

and saying goodbye to the hostess, I leave Minsk on a rented car in the direction of Brest. The main goal of today is Belovezhskaya Pushcha, about which so much has been heard over the years of life in the Soviet Union.

And just now my old dream of walking through the protected forest, looking at live bison is starting to come true. I described my route in more detail in.

In total for today I have driven 447 kilometers. And here are the sights that we managed to look at along the way.

Nesvizh - the patrimony of the Radziwills

Nesvizh Castle

Moving along an excellent highway, I turn to Nesvizh, about which many reviews have been read.

And now, having overcome 120 km from Minsk, I am on the spot. In the city, I am met by beautiful swans and the striking of the clock on the city tower in the city center. Every 15 minutes they remind you of the past tense.

The small town of Nesvizh has been known for a very long time. But it began to develop especially rapidly when it began to belong in 1533 to Jan Radziwill, a representative of the majestic, influential and very wealthy family of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.

For centuries, the Radziwills owned vast lands, they owned towns and cities. Kings without a crown - that's what their compatriots called them.

Indeed, the Radziwills occupied the highest state and military positions. The opinion of the representatives of this clan influenced the fate of the entire state. And their untold wealth would be the envy of the king himself.

4 parks surround the Nesvizh Castle of the Radziwills. And each has its own history, its own, in a special way, decorated territory, its own monuments, original sculptures, its own legends.

So I took a walk in these parks.

Very beautiful, young leaves bloom on the trees, the birds sing.

But cold…

Brest Fortress - Citadel of Courage

On June 22, 1941, the soldiers of the Brest Fortress were the first to come under fire from the Nazis and for more than a month, completely surrounded, without food and water, without medicines and ammunition, held the line, not letting the Nazis go further.

After the war, the fortress was not fully restored. For an eternal reminder to the descendants of the feat of the defenders of the Motherland, a whole memorial complex was created here, and the Eternal Flame burns without fading.

On November 3-4, 2016, the memorial complex celebrated memorable dates. The Defense Museum is 60 years old! And the State Institution Memorial Complex “Brest Fortress-Hero! — 45!

Brest is a city of unusual museums

And about 900 species of plants grow in the reserve, including rare and endangered species. Some trees are over 500 years old. 227 species of birds delight visitors with their beauty and iridescent singing.

But the biggest pride of Bialowieza is the bison living here.

Today, there is the largest population of these forest giants in Europe. And, among other things, I was surprised by the fantastically clean air in Pushcha. I have not seen such an amount of oxygen anywhere else! Just a fairy tale!

Belarusian Father Frost lives here

By the way, there is a fairy tale here too! Believe it or not, but here, in Belovezhskaya Pushcha, in his wonderful residence, Father Frost lives and gladly receives numerous guests with his assistants.

The estate of a good wizard includes the owner's own house with workshops where gifts are made; the house where the Snow Maiden lives; a magic well that grants wishes; a windmill that grinds everything bad, sculptural figures of heroes of favorite fairy tales and much, much more.

At any time of the year, guests are absolutely always welcome here. Previously, an incomparable spruce grew here for more than 120 years. Its height was 40 meters. Unfortunately, she died a few years ago. But a new young beauty has been planted in its place. Children and adults are happy to dance around her.

In the residence of Father Frost, you can take part in funny games and contests, taste the most delicious potato pancakes and other national dishes.

You definitely won't be bored! So if you're in the area, be sure to check it out! Santa Claus lives about 10 km from the main entrance to the reserved forest!

The way of the Belarusian family in the museum of the village of Pererov

The Museum of Folk Life and Ancient Technologies is another interesting place that I managed to visit here. It is located in the village of Pererov. This museum complex was created on the basis of an old manor of the 19th century, which was restored in the spirit of that time and filled with things that no rural family could do without.

Every corner of the house used to have its own purpose. Be sure to have icons in the house - the image of the Savior and the image of the Virgin. Each member of the family had their own rights and obligations. Men and women have their own trades. For example, in a museum, your attention will be drawn to an old loom for weaving. This art is currently included in the list of intangible cultural heritage of Belarus.

And here you will be treated to the most real moonshine. This is one of the few places in Belarus where moonshine is officially allowed, and there is a license for the moonshine still installed here.

Here you will learn about all this, about the traditions and customs of our ancestors.

Day 8. Belovezhskaya Pushcha - Kossovo - Ruzhany - Synkovichi - Zhirovichi - Baranovichi

So the time has come for my departure from the amazing nature reserve. Belovezhskaya Pushcha did not disappoint, but, on the contrary, fascinated me even more. And now I want to go back there even more.

Well, my path now lies in the direction of Minsk. But on the way, Belarus prepared many more sights for me. These are amazing and Orthodox shrines. It is difficult to do everything in one day, so I plan to stretch my road to the capital for 2 days.

During this day, I traveled 389 km from Belovezhskaya Pushcha to the place of my overnight stay in the city of Baranovichi.

Kossovsky Palace "Knight's Dreams"

And in Kosovo there is a castle that once belonged to the magnates Puslovsky. For its luxurious interior decoration and external grandeur, it was called the "Knight's Dream".

The palace had some features that made it inimitable and unique. For example, in the Main Hall the floor was made of glass. And you could see fish swimming under it. Under the floor was a huge aquarium.

A lion lived in the castle. At night, the owners released him, and he freely moved throughout the palace.

Throughout its history, the castle has been destroyed and rebuilt several times. He received very severe damage in a multi-day fire during the Great Patriotic War. It is currently under renovation and is scheduled to be completed in 2018. But even now!

Directly opposite, on the shore of the lake is the estate of Tadeusz Kosciuszko - the national hero of the four countries he visited: Belarus, Poland, Lithuania and the USA, and also an honorary citizen of France. Now he would be called a professional revolutionary. The house in which he was born and lived for some time has been made into a museum of the hero.

This is a two-storey house with 8 rooms. Near the house there is a huge stone with a commemorative plaque in honor of Tadeusz Kosciuszko. The museum contains items found during excavations at this site, which once belonged to the Kosciuszko family.

A collection of stamps dedicated to Tadeusz, a copy of his saber and other valuables. Here you can buy souvenirs, participate in various events and ... get married. Yes, now you can officially register a marriage here.

By the way, this place is amazing! Welcome to visit .

Ruzhany and its castle-fortress

And here is the town of Ruzhany, known since the 15th century. In 1598, it was bought by the famous politician, the creator of the Statute - the code of laws of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania - Lev Sapega. He built a grandiose palace here, which combined elements of a fortress and a luxurious castle.

The entire treasury of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the weapons arsenal, documents of state importance, food supplies and barrels of wine were stored in the huge cellars of the palace.

Many times the castle was rebuilt and changed owners. At one time, the pride of the palace was the presence of a theater within its walls. The theater troupe consisted of 60 actors and 40 musicians. The theater productions were famous all over Europe. Noble guests were often received in the palace: kings, ambassadors of distant countries and other celebrities. According to legend, there was an underground passage that connected Ruzhany Castle and Kossovsky.

Zhirovichi Monastery

For more than 500 years, the Holy Assumption Monastery in Zhirovichi has existed. And his story began with a small icon on a stone, which is currently one of the most revered in the world of Orthodoxy.

According to legend, once upon a time, shepherds saw an unusual radiance in the crown of trees. It was a small Icon of the Mother of God, which the shepherds took to the owner of the land. A little later, a temple was built on this site. Thus began the history of the monastery.

Today it is a whole architectural complex, famous not only in Belarus, but also far beyond its borders. Never, in its entire long history, the temple has closed its doors to pilgrims.

Now the complex combines, 2 churches, a bell tower, the Theological Academy and Seminary and other buildings adjacent to them. The House of the Pilgrim was also built, where people who come to pray to the miraculous icon can, if necessary, rest and spend the night.

Well, my overnight stay is planned in the city of Borovichi, where I booked an apartment. Tomorrow I will continue my route with renewed vigor.

Day 9. Mir Castle - history and modernity

Mir Castle, built in the 16th century, rises in the Grodno region of Belarus.

The construction was started by a wealthy landowner Yuri Ilyinich. But after his death, 4 of his sons also did not live long. One was poisoned, the other died of an illness - so the Ilyinich family died out. And the Radziwills began to own the castle. But they, after a while, sold it. The last owner of the castle died in 1938, and since then it has been in a state of neglect.

A whole trail of fantastic legends and scary stories envelops the beautiful castle. This is also a legend about a stone that looks like a ram's head, which, according to some laws of magic, is called upon to protect the castle and its owners; a story about a cut down garden and a brutal reprisal for it; ghost stories, yes, there are more than one; and of course about the countless treasures hidden somewhere here. There is such a mysterious place in Belarus.

Dudutki - is it from the word "dutki"?

In the afternoon, I part with the car that I rented and which for a whole week was my faithful assistant. Therefore, I am going on the next excursion as part of a tourist group.

While our bus is driving to the museum complex, the guide talks about Minsk and other sights of Belarus. How interesting it is to listen to him now, when I have just visited many objects personally, and the impressions are still so fresh! I am happy to immerse myself in my memories of an independent trip.

The Dudutki Museum Complex is located 40 km from Minsk, in the Pukhovichi district. Here you can get acquainted with the crafts of our ancestors, try dishes according to old recipes, ride horses and even fly on an airplane.

So much is presented here that in 2 hours, allotted to us by the guide, it is impossible to do everything! Read on for details on how you can have fun at.

So the time that I could devote to a trip around Belarus ended. It's time to go home. It's a bit of a pity, I would like to stay here for a few more days - there are so many more interesting things to see! But after all, nothing prevents me from coming here again, and maybe not alone.

What passport do you need

Do I need a passport to travel to Belarus? This is the first question that, for sure, is asked by everyone who plans to visit Belarus for the first time.

The very good news is that Russians do not need a foreign passport to enter Belarus. Enough Russian. A visa is also not needed when crossing the border, even a stamp is not put in the passport.

The only important point. If you issue tickets, for example, for an airplane, and indicate the data of a foreign document, then in this case you will need to present it when boarding. If the data is indicated from a Russian passport, then other identity documents will not be required for Russian citizens.

And for citizens of other countries, a visa can be obtained directly at the National Airport of Minsk, after sending your documents here. But, of course, it is better to clarify all these questions in advance.

Where and how to rent a house in Belarus

It turned out that renting an apartment in Minsk is very simple. Through you can book a room in numerous hotels, and on the service you can choose accommodation in any area of ​​the city. By the way, it turns out much cheaper than a hotel room. And if you travel not alone, but in a company, then the benefit is very significant.

I rented a very comfortable apartment in Minsk near the metro.

From here it was possible to get to any point of the city by any means of transport, and in 20 minutes walk to the center. Hotels in this area were much more expensive.

But, having returned back to Minsk from my car trip, I booked the hotel "". It was located far from the center, but its location and cost suited me quite well, since I could easily move around in a rented car.

In other cities of Belarus, you can also rent a house, but here the choice will be smaller. Here is my apartment in the city of Baranovichi.

I liked its location: close to the highway. It was very convenient to spend the night and hit the road again in the morning.

I wrote in detail about the amazing hotel complex on the territory of Belovezhskaya Pushcha.

Transport in Minsk

Transport links in the capital of Belarus are excellent. Buses and trolleybuses, numerous minibuses run around the city. There is also intercity communication. But I had no “communication” with this type of transport.

I enjoyed using the metro, which was the easiest way to get to any desired point in the city.

For a tourist who has got into the Belarusian subway for the first time, it is very easy to navigate: there are only 2 branches: red and blue. All stations are quite clearly called, although they are written in the local language.

It is also very convenient to use a taxi. They work according to the meter, and if you go for short distances, you get 1 trip around the city within 200-300 Russian rubles.

I also booked a return transfer to the airport. In this case, the taxi cost me 390,000 Belarusian rubles. (this is 1320 Russian rubles or $20)

You can get to the Minsk National Airport and back more budget by train (for only 25,000 Belarusian rubles). This is what the poster says.

In this case, you arrive from the airport to the Minsk railway station, from where you can already get to the desired place in the city by public transport. The big disadvantage is that these trains run infrequently.

Car rental in Minsk

Of course, it is most convenient to travel by car, and in Minsk you can easily rent a car for any convenient period. Having studied the prices in different rental offices, I settled on a company with an optimistic name: Maya the Bee.

Why car rental is called so unusual, it turned out later when I signed the lease. It turned out that this office was registered at the IP Pchelka Denis Viktorovich. These are the positive surnames in Belarus. 🙂

To get a car, it is enough to have a driver's license, make a copy of a Russian passport, and sign an agreement! Yes, and do not forget, of course, to pay! But not only the amount specified in the contract. There is also an additional deposit, which in my case amounted to 10,000 Russian rubles (it was returned at the end of the lease).

And here are the keys to the silver Peugeot 206 in my hands.

When renting a car, there were some surprises: the condition was to drive no more than 350 km per day. First time I hear this! Well, okay, I was, in general, satisfied. I don't get that far in a week. After all, the longest distances are from Minsk to Brest and back, all other sights can be seen along the way, only briefly deviating from the main route.

If, as a result, it would not be possible to meet these limits, then you would have to pay extra $ 10 for every extra 350 km per day.

The cost of the 95th gasoline in the country, on average, amounted to 40 Russian rubles per 1 liter ($0.6).

There was also unexpected news about the terms of the lease, which I had not encountered before when booking a car abroad.

It turns out that the car must be returned perfectly clean or you will have to pay extra $ 25 to the rental price. Fortunately, there was a car wash near the hotel where I lived the last few days. And for $ 5 there the car was perfectly washed. 🙂

How much does a vacation cost (results and prices)

This time, according to my subjective feelings, the total cost of the trip was quite high. No, prices in Belarus are quite acceptable, and in some places even lower than European ones, and even more so Russian ones. It's just that this time I traveled alone, so all the costs were solely at my expense.

Indeed, for example, accommodation and car rental cost almost the same: for one, for two people. And the costs in the 2nd case are easily divided in half.

Excursion program:

1. Entrance tickets to all attractions cost me 1620 rubles.
2. Booked excursions, including audio guides - 4320 rubles.

And here are the results:

Money has come and gone, they are no longer remembered. And here are the impressions of a great time spent! And after all, this is the most important thing, why people seek to travel! 🙂

The map below shows all the sights of Belarus, where I managed to visit. You can see more about each of them.

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, for the sake of experiment, we decided to go this year. 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 route. Taking into account the small load, it was a pleasure to drive like that at all - it’s not on a two-lane highway for kilometers to reach for trucks in anticipation of 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.

The border of Russia and Belarus - the highway M1 Moscow-Minsk

Let me give you some preliminary results. Without much adventure, but with an unusual number of stops, we reached the border of Russia and Belarus. More precisely, at some point we just drove into a neighboring country, not particularly noticing the border. It was nice. This is how all travel to neighboring countries should go.

The entire border control consisted in letting a couple of pedestrians at the crossing of sluggishly wandering border guards. There were no stops or document checks.

I want to note that our OSAGO policy is not suitable for trips around Belarus and it is required to buy an international policy "Green Card" - the price of the issue for 15 days is 840 rubles. We bought in our city. However, along the entire route from about 160 km, I began to notice green tents selling insurance. It will not be superfluous to purchase travel insurance in case of unforeseen visits to medical institutions, the cost of the policy is not significant, and the medical coverage is great:

To be continued, the first impression of the Belarusian side and the trip with a child is still ahead.

Belarus is a country located in the eastern part of Europe. The famous Belovezhskaya Pushcha is located here, the glorious Pesnyary is from here, and only here you can buy products made in accordance with GOST of the USSR. This power is famous for its beautiful nature, magnificent castles and unsurpassed architectural objects. It is best to view by car, because only in this way you can enjoy their splendor to the fullest. All excursions in the state start from its capital - Minsk. The hero city, like a Phoenix, was reborn after the almost complete devastation that overtook it during the Second World War. Today there is something to pay attention to and where to go.

Dabro inquire or Welcome

Inspection of Minsk begins with its airport or railway station. It all depends on how you got here. If you are going to go around the sights of Belarus by car, then start from here anyway.

National airport "Minsk 2" is located 42 kilometers from the city. On its territory there is an open-air museum, which presents aircraft from the times of the Soviet Union. Models of such aircraft as Tu-134A, Yak-40 and An-2 are exhibited here.

The main cultural and architectural object of Minsk is the railway station and the Minsk Gates, located on the Railway Station Square. The railway station building is incredibly functional and beautiful. Here you can exchange money, buy medicines and souvenirs, and have a snack.

The Minsk Gates are two towers, each eleven meters high. They are built in the manner of Stalinist classicism. The towers are included in the list of the city's most recognizable landmarks and are considered a visiting card. The object was built during 1947-1953. The left tower is decorated with a clock, the diameter of which reaches four meters, and the right tower is decorated with the coat of arms of the Byelorussian SSR.

Conquer Belarus

Let's go further to see the sights of Belarus by car. The memorial complex "Khatyn", located in the village of the same name, causes both sadness and delight. The village itself was burned to the ground along with all its inhabitants in March 1943. Only three people from the village could survive - an elderly man and two boys.

The authorities of the Soviet Union considered it their duty to perpetuate the memory of the victims of that terrible event and similar horrors of the war period. Therefore, in 1969 they opened the Khatyn memorial complex. It includes a sculpture of a rescued old man from the village, who carries a dying child in his arms. Sculpting conveys tremendous emotional power. The prototype of the artifact was Joseph Kaminsky, a blacksmith who found his dying offspring under a pile of corpses. Every half a minute in "Khatyn" the ringing of bells is heard, enhancing the effect of what he saw.

castle country

The sights of Belarus, the photos of which are shown in our review, are a huge number of palaces. Each of them is awarded a separate praise and description. For example, it is a monument of defensive architecture of the 16th-17th centuries. It is located in the village of Golshany and was built by order of Pavel Stefan Sapieha in 1610. Once it was a majestic rectangular building with an area of ​​89 meters * 69 meters. And today it has turned into ruins, which are overgrown with shrubs. Dungeons, where in the old days the history of the country was created, are covered with earth and are not of particular interest. The east wing and a couple of towers are in slightly better condition.

The sights of Belarus, especially castles, are of great interest to tourists. Another fortress the state can be proud of. This is Borisov Castle. It was built for quite a long time: from the end of the XII century until the beginning of the XIV century. The object played a significant strategic role, because under its control was the shipping route that passed from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea. Little has survived to the present, but Belarus can truly admire such a “hero”.

Lida

This is the name of a city in Belarus. It is located 160 kilometers from the capital. Here you can also see some of the sights of Belarus. It is best to travel by car. The settlement is located on the Lydia River and was founded in 1323. At one time it was the largest center in the country. True, it was a long time ago, but still ... In the XIV century, the great Lithuanian prince Gediminas laid a castle near Lydia. A settlement began to form around it, which soon became a large and powerful city. The owners of Lida changed several times, which left an imprint on its culture, architecture and history.

What to see here

Lida (Belarus), whose sights are the monument to Adam Mickiewicz, the Mound of Immortality and other objects, is an ancient city, and therefore there are many interesting things here. For example, the Lida Castle of Gediminas, which is built of gravel and sand on a piece of the island. Or the Church of the Immaculate Conception, created at the turn of the past and present centuries. And here you can visit the monument to the sundial and other amazing objects.

And finally

After admiring the beauties of the country and already leaving it, pay a little more attention to the museum of ancient folk crafts "Dudutki", the path to which will be indicated by a map of Belarus with sights. It used to be a farm type. And now it has turned into a huge tourist complex, on the territory of which there is a forge, a bakery, a menagerie and a mill.

In 2019, the rules for entering Belarus for Russians remain unchanged. Since 1997, an agreement on a visa-free regime has been in force between the states. When traveling to the republic for up to 90 days, you do not need to apply for a visa. 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 1400 to 1800 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 2019 for a passenger car is: about 920 rubles for 15 days, 1230 rubles for 30 days, 6150 rubles for 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