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Because you can get dropped off and immediately hitch onwards on nearly all roads in Russia, using a sign is never necessary and in fact the community recommends against it. Hitchhiking in Russian is ''Avtostop'' (Автостоп). It literally means “stopping cars”, and is basically the only word 100% understood as hitching (i.e. traveling by getting lifts for free).

In mostly all bigger book stores in Russia one can find the [http://www.allmaps.ru/avto_km_stolb/russia/ Автоатлас России] (''Auto Atlas Russia'') which is perfect for hitchhiking Russia. Including gas stations, DPS stations, even traffic lights along main roads. The atlas also includes city maps and maps of Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova and the Baltic states as well. Price is 377 RUB (July 2009).

Especially the southern provinces [[Dagestan]], [[Chechnya]] (worldwide most victims), [[Ingushetia]], [[North Ossetia]] and [[Kabardino-Balkaria]] have problems with land-mines.

Many Russian girls do hitch alone, and still scary stories seldom hit the news lines. It does not at all mean that the country is free of perverts, and almost all of the solo-travelers (not necessarily girls) will tell you accounts of some sexual harassment they have encountered while hitching. 99% of such encounters end OK with nothing more serious then words but if you do not want to be asked for sex – or to hold a camera while somebody is masturbating – consider finding a travel buddy.

Somehow, Russians are still very amused by foreigners, and many report that solo traveling even extremely long distances, like Central and Eastern Russia, for a foreign girl who speaks some Russian is absolutely safe since she is treated like someone ‘from the outside’ by virtually everyone. Keep in mind that being a foreigner you are somewhat protected from some issues that Russian hitchhikers face on the roads.

Police in Russia just loves to check IDs and you can get a hell lot of troubles if your papers are not in order (being asked for a bribe is the least). You do have to have your passport with the visa and other papers you get while crossing the border handy. A good idea is to put them in some transparent waterproof bag – the immigration card is absolutely soviet style, and will not survive even the light raining.

Count about 5 days from [[Moscow]] to [[Novosibirsk]], and about 18 days from Moscow to [[Vladivostok]].

Russian number plates contain a region code, that indicates the origin of the car and possibly the drivers destination.

You can write it on a cardboard instead of a place name and use while thumbing. See [[Russian plate numbers]] for a list.

You will need a special premission to be allowed to cross the border. Don't try to cross the border illegal.

It's no problem (at least for EU passport holders) to walk over the checkpoints in Latvia to Russia.

The country is Russia's eternal 'native brother' and, despite all the political mess that constantly happenes between the two states, [[Ukraine]] is one of the countries that is very easy to enter from Russia (Russians do not even need a foreign passport to enter it, as well as for [[Belarus]]). Make sure that the border crossing is working before attempting to use it. The big gate on the M2/E95 road ([[Moscow]] to [[Kharkiv]]) can be passed by foot, which is very convenient because you do not have to wait in the line of the cars and you wont make your driver wait for you in case you have any delays with your passport. You will have to leave the car before all the checkpoints begin, though, or you will be considered a car passenger by the border police.

[[es:Rusia]]

[[fi:Venäjä]]

[[ru:Россия]]