A trip to Sochi in winter by car is always pleasant, and a trip on your own transport is doubly pleasant. You do not need to think about the public transport schedule, carry your suitcases with you, you can stop whenever you want, do not limit yourself to shopping for souvenirs. Such are the amenities awaiting the autotourist. Let's see how to get to Sochi in winter by car, how long to get to Sochi and what awaits you on the road.
Before considering the main question, or after all, we read a very interesting article about winter holidays in Sochi and what to see here first. Also, it will be useful for you to learn about the private sector where you can stay. Choose a hotel in Krasnaya Polyana and other areas at low prices. I definitely recommend finding out the prices at ski resorts, suddenly go for a drive.
Advantages and disadvantages of traveling by car in Sochi
Driving your own car from Moscow to Sochi has a number of positive aspects:
- I put my suitcases in the trunk once and go calmly to the place of rest;
- no need to look for free places on public transport;
- you leave at a convenient time for you;
- on the way, you can admire the beauty of nature and stop to see historical cities;
- the number of gas stations along the entire route will pleasantly surprise you.
In addition to pleasant moments, negative moments await the car enthusiast, which must be taken into account:
- Russian roads: sometimes there are roads with disgusting surfaces and you have to significantly reduce the speed;
- control by sergeants of the traffic police: in the south it is more frequent and harsh;
- highway Dzhugba - Dagomys (M27) - serpentine along the mountain slopes, where you need to drive with extreme caution, especially in winter;
- frequent traffic jams in the city of Sochi in summer and winter;
- free parking is not very easy to find, so it would be nice to stay in a hotel with parking.
Route calculation
How long does it take to get to Sochi by car in winter? According to online guides, the distance from Moscow to Sochi is 1635 km, which is covered in 24 hours 49 minutes. This time is calculated for a continuous trip. How long to travel by car to Sochi can be calculated if we take into account that the road from Moscow to Rostov-on-Don is overcome without hindrance in 15 hours. The best option is to stay in the suburbs, or in the city itself for the night.
If you are planning a sightseeing trip along the way, you can see the memorial "Kulikovo Pole" in the Tula region, the Ascension Cathedral in the city of Yelets, Lipetsk region, the Cathedral of Rostov, the museum of railway transport, the state Rostov reserve, Lake Manych-Gudilo and underground catacombs in Aksakai.
Further from Rostov to Krasnodar 280 km, which can be covered in 5 hours. This section of the road has its own peculiarities - rush hours are from 7 to 9 in the morning and from 5 to 7 in the evening, on Friday there is heavy traffic all day and on Sunday in the direction of Sochi - Krasnodar.
The last leg of the route: Krasnodar - Sochi, only 290 km, but this is the most unforeseen stage. The time to cover this distance varies from 5 to 14 hours. It all depends on the condition of the road, traffic and driver experience. The reward for taking the pass will be the contemplation of the beauty of the Caucasus Mountains and the Black Sea coast.
Stages of the journey from Moscow to Sochi
Various guidebooks indicate the beginning of the road from the center of Moscow, but each driver should be guided by his place of residence. The main thing is to get out of the city and get to the Kashirskoe highway. Sign to see: Domodedovo, M4 - Kashira - MKAD - South. The next turn to the right E115 / M4 in the direction - MKAD - West Vidnoe Kashira - Rostov-on-Don.
Continue in this direction until Voronezh. During the trip, you can stop 1-2 times to stretch your legs, drink coffee or have a snack. At 530 km or after 7 hours 40 minutes of travel, you need to exit onto the E114 road and cross the city of Voronezh. At 556 km you leave the city and onto the E115 / M4 highway in the direction of Rostov-on-Don. Through 130 km drive through the city of Pavlovsk.
Continue driving in the same direction: the E115 / M4 highway to Rostov-on-Don itself, after driving 1046 km or 15 hours. Leaving Rostov, go in the direction of Krasnodar along the E115 / E50 / M4 highway. Over the next two hours, the road is winding and you can see signs limiting traffic to 40 km / h. At 1335 km the path should be turned in the direction of M4 Dzhugba - Novorossiysk.
Drive through the city of Krasnodar E592 / M4 towards Dzhugba. At 1457 km, turn onto the E97 / M27 highway. This section of the road is quite difficult - the speed limit is up to 40 km / h, slippery road, sharp turns, almost 200 km long. At 1626 km, drive along Mamaika, which has a sign to the center of Sochi. After 9 km you find yourself in the city center. How long to go to Sochi depends individually on each driver. In winter, the time can be increased due to bad weather or the impossibility of fast movement along the icy roads of central Russia.
Road and Trail Map
When planning a trip, everyone must individually calculate their strength - if there are two drivers, then it is possible to overcome this distance in one sitting: while one driver is resting, the second is driving. If there is only one experienced driver, you should think about long stops and overnight stays. Better to sleep and feel refreshed than to get into trouble on an icy winter road. You should also carry out a technical check of the car and put on winter tires before a long journey - in the south you can also ride a summer one, but the pass in the Dzhugba region and mountain serpentines must be taken into account.
Be sure to take care of the little things - drinking water, a first aid kit, a spare wheel, a minimum set of food, an extra pair of winter shoes will not take up much space in the trunk and can do a good job on the road.
Using your own transport at the resort
Where to go to Sochi by car is a rhetorical question. It is advisable to plan your trip in such a way as to visit all the surrounding cities and see their attractions. For example, if you go to inspect the Navalinskoye gorge, you can also see the Alek cave, boxwoods, yew trees, a four-meter waterfall, "Turkish bridge", the ruins of castles and temples and the Vorontsovskaya cave. And if there is a desire, then climb Mount Fisht. According to legend, Prometheus was chained to her, whose liver was pecked at by an eagle.
There are even more places where it is better to go in Russia in our separate section on inexpensive travel and vacation planning with tips and nuances.
