M9 (Russia)

The road - "Baltic" is a 610 km long motorway which connects the capital of Russia, Moscow, with the Latvian border. It is the main connection from Moscow towards Riga and vice versa.

Traffic Police posts (гаи) can be found at kilometre 48, 98, 146, 204 and 440.

Hitchhiking this highway at daylight is very easy. Just stand whereever there is space and not too much mud, and drivers might stop. For the first kilometres from Latvia coming, one might need to take several short rides until the highway connects with the road to Pskov, where traffic increases. The route can be done west to east in about 7 to 9 hours.

At night, especially the last part close to Latvia is literally free of traffic. The closer one gets towards Moscow, the more traffic, of course. There are several huge petrol stations located with great light instalments that make up for comfortable night hitchhiking along the road. But be sure to ask your drivers beforehand if he knows the road and can let you out at one, otherwise you might be stuck in the middle of nowhere until the first daylight.

Between km 400 and 620, dense fog seems to be very common, so be prepared! Drivers might see you sometimes only seconds before they override you.

Hitching the M9

 * KM 0: MKAD
 * See Moscow hitchhiking spot for direction West to get onto the M9.
 * Volokolamsk
 * Veliki Luki
 * Coming from the West, there's a petrol station with sufficient light instalments some 10km before V. Luki and enough space for night-hitchhiking towards Moscow. At the Veliki Luki crossing itself there's only a small petrol station on the northern side of the road, which doesn't make up for good night hitchhiking.
 * Sebesh
 * KM 620: Terehova-Zasitino border crossing

Links
Original AVP encyclopedia article

М9 (Россия)