There is nothing more exciting than a long journey on own car across our vast country. This is a long but exciting adventure that is sure to leave some impressions. The M29 highway is one of the most picturesque Russian roads because it goes to wonderful places. Unfortunately, many drivers are biased towards the Caucasus region and spread false information about the quality of the federal highway and safety when driving along it.
Track Features
The whole of Russia is entwined with a network of automotive significance, but nowhere are there such features as on the M29 highway. Since the road runs through the Caucasus region, which has long been famous for the wayward local population, it will not be possible to drive along it very quickly.
First of all, because there you can meet a huge number of tuned cars and understated Prior, whose drivers perceive any overtaking as a challenge and an invitation to the race. However, racing is still not worth it. Especially if you take into account the different quality of the roadway on different sections of the route. Oddly enough, the most comfortable section of the road runs through Chechnya. Besides, in summer time The highway can't handle traffic. This is mainly facilitated by fruit carriers and cars of travelers who go to the sea.
The other and most significant feature is reinforced traffic police posts and real paramilitary checkpoints. It will not be possible to drive through these sections quickly, since the flow of cars is divided into 2: those who want to drive in the usual way and those who are in a hurry. In any case, the queue is formed, so it is unlikely that it will be possible to bypass it.
Entry into Chechnya is possible with any numbers, the presence of Chechen license plates is not required. However, Moscow numbers are really rare there for obvious reasons.
Toning - no!
If there is a need to visit the city of Grozny or drive along the Chechen section of the M29 highway, you must follow the main rule, namely, remove the tint. The region is not famous for calmness, and tinting is an excellent reason for the traffic police patrol to stop the car. Also, tinting can cause a lot of questions from local residents. Which of these is better and which is worse, no one will say.
Be careful with refills!
In general, the M29 highway is calm and fairly well-maintained. However, in some of its sections there is a problem with car refueling. Most of all, this concerns Kabardino-Balkaria, Ingushetia, North Ossetia and Dagestan. There are gas stations there, but the quality of the fuel is very low. When driving around Chechnya or simply visiting any of the above regions, it is undesirable to refuel at local gas stations. It is recommended that you always have a supply of high-quality fuel and a spare fuel filter with you if you still need to refuel in the region. It's best to have enough fuel and two filters, just in case. If there is a need for practical advice, it is best to ask truckers and drivers tourist buses, they have nasty stories of breakdowns due to local fuel. Their advice will be very useful, because they can recommend good car services and more or less reliable gas stations.
Road surface quality
Roads in Russia are not famous for their excellent quality, but quite the contrary, they are famous for constant pits. Nevertheless, the M29 has a satisfactory asphalt surface. This is especially true of the entrances to the highway, its beginning and exits from it. The first 100 km of the route pass along the road, which drivers in the slang call "killed". However, the further the path, the better road.
striped menace
When driving along the M29 "Kavkaz" highway, you need to be as attentive as possible to oncoming traffic. Drivers of oncoming vehicles constantly warn about the so-called "striped threat". Traffic police officers or fixation cameras are everywhere. On the territory of the Stavropol Territory, the situation with traffic police is improving. Their concentration decreases, and stops occur only when an offense is recorded. However, drivers become less polite and often forget to warn of "danger".
Driving Rules
The M29 highway today is amazing place. Normal rules apply for the first half of the road traffic. However, in Kabardino-Balkaria, Ingushetia, North Ossetia or Dagestan, the rules are slightly different. Drivers often completely ignore road markings and signs. There you should go either as slowly as possible, or greatly exceed the speed limit. No less significant will be the habit of looking in mirrors. Local drivers overtake anywhere and anyhow, often do not use turn signals and make maneuvers at the very last moment, and to all this you can safely add a significant excess of the permissible speed limit.
A beautiful and exciting track leading to the southern borders of our country, replete with descents and ascents and numerous turns.
In addition, along the way you will meet a variety of roadside motels, hotels and other places to stay, which are located along the highway in Krasnodar Territory, Stavropol, as well as the Republic of Ingushetia, Chechnya and North Ossetia.
M29 (P217) "Caucasus" - highway federal significance "village Pavlovskaya Krasnodar Territory- the village of Yarag-Kazmalyar" (the border of Dagestan with Azerbaijan). Until December 31, 2017 inclusive, the account number M29 "Kavkaz" can also be used (Government Decree Russian Federation November 17, 2010 N 928).
The length of the motorway is 1,118 kilometers. Docks with M-4. The road section from Pavlovskaya to Makhachkala is an integral part of the European route E50. The section from Makhachkala to the border with Azerbaijan is included in the European route E119 and the Asian route AH8. The section from Mineralnye Vody to Beslan is also part of route E 117
I don’t think there is much to tell about the M4 Don - all community members will pass it with their eyes closed with average speed 110 km/h The problems are the same - the Voronezh rim and the Tarasovsky district, where a meat accident happened at the narrowing place in front of us.
On the territory of the Krasnodar Territory, the “Kavkaz” is an ordinary unpleasant Russian two-lane road, on every hill and turn of which traffic police officers graze. Interestingly, the quality continues to improve.
Stavropol region nothing remarkable. The road is good, there are a lot of cops, but they don’t slow down for no reason. On the outskirts of the region are the so-called resort towns Mineral water and Pyatigorsk. Essentuki - a little further. It is not worth staying in these cities, and there are practically no places in filthy hotels, and from what they have, they cost some incredible money.
Kabardino-Balkaria. A small traffic police post, a selective stop, we are passing. Suddenly, clear fourteenth and no less clear priors appear on the roads. Tinted, of course, in a circle. According to subjective impressions, black is preferred in the republic
Here they drive either slowly or boldly - they do not hesitate to go completely into the oncoming lane and thrash in the forehead to the last. Driving in the traffic lane is zapadlo.
And the road is getting better - already a permanent 4-lane road with a separator.
At the entrance to North Ossetia stands the most serious post on the way from Moscow to Tbilisi. They slow everyone down, including us. I previously, back in Essentuki, put me behind the wheel mexdrive to doubly divert the attention of gaytsov. The plan worked, but every next, even the smallest Ossetian post, was ours. No one looked at the documents - they only pretended.
Immediately after Vladikavkaz, the mountains begin.
In front of the Verkhny Lars checkpoint, they stood in line for 2 hours, including because of the assholes who consider it beneath their dignity to stand with everyone. The same thing happened on the reverse side. We skipped back without a queue.
Checkpoint passage. Everything seems to be serious. They didn’t dig into the convertible, but they took a symbolic 500 rubles from the Range without a total inspection.
They didn’t lie about the Georgian checkpoint “Kazbegi” - you open the window, hold out your passport, smile at the webcam and drive calmly.
What's in a nutshell
The M29 "Kavkaz" highway is a dick, no one extorts money and does not shoot in the head, at least in the section to Vladikavkaz. The most serious post is Kabardino-Balkaria - North Ossetia.
