Sochi

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Sochi
<map lat='43.6' lng='39.73' zoom='9' view='0' />
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Information
Country:	Russia
State:	Krasnodar Krai
Major roads:	A147, M27
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Sochi (Russian: Сочи) is the longest city in Russia, stretching along the coast of Krasnodar Krai in a narrow strip between the Black Sea and the Caucasus Mountains for about 145 km, from the village of Magri in the north to the Psou River in the south. It includes many settlements under a single administration known as Greater Sochi. The city is known for its unique climate—here, the world's northernmost subtropics coexist with eternal ice on the peaks of the Main Caucasus Range.

For hitchhiking, the entire 145 km of Sochi is a challenging "city stop" due to the abundance of local cars, tourist fares, and taxis. It makes little sense to travel the winding mountain road by changing multiple buses or minibuses—instead, it is recommended to take one of the suburban trains running between Adler and Tuapse. All stations are located by the sea, so you can wait on the beach.

Hitchhiking out

Northwest towards Tuapse, Dzhubga, Krasnodar via A147, also M27

• By suburban train to Tuapse. This is the most tactically correct option—money spent is compensated by convenience, speed, and comfort. In just two hours you bypass all the winding mountain roads full of taxis. From Tuapse, most cars go at least to Dzhubga, and many on to Krasnodar.
• Traffic police checkpoint after the junction of Kurortny Prospekt and the Sochi Bypass. You will need to hitchhike right at the checkpoint, as there are no positions further due to guardrails. Reachable by minibuses: 83, 92, 110. Buses: 154, 169.
• Cars from Krasnaya Polyana, Adler, and Abkhazia travel on the northern bypass without entering Sochi. You can simply reach this bypass and hitch with transit cars:

  1) Junction of Plastunskaya street and Baranovsky Viaduct. Go to the "Vyshnevyy Per." bus stop via buses 16, 101, 102, 180 or minibuses 7, 86, 87, 104, 114. Stand at the triangle at the start of the viaduct.
  2) Junction with Transportnaya street (minibus 47 passes here). Stand before the blue sign "Dzhubga 182".
  3) Junction with the Kurortny Prospekt bypass. The guardrail ends 10 meters before the tunnel entrance. There is a service pocket on the right before the tunnel. The nearest bus stop is 1.5 km along Zemlyanichnaya street, called "Most" and is served by buses 1, 103, 113 and minibuses 37, 45, 47.

Southeast towards Sukhumi via A147

• Adler - Psou Border Crossing on the border with Abkhazia. Bus 125P from central Sochi, or 173 from Kudepsta via airport. Also buses 117, 125 and minibus 100 + bus 57 from Adler.

Accommodation and Sleep

Free

• Couchsurfing, hospitalityclub, trustroots, BeWelcome, etc.
• You can also find a host through CouchBot: send the name of the city in the VK group messages or via CouchBot in Telegram. How and when to request a host? Read here.
• Sleeping in your own tent is possible on "wild" beaches, but use purchased drinking water, as riverbanks and streams are often built up without proper sewage. Along the sea, the railway goes all the way, so those who prefer to "sleep in a tent to the sound of wheels" are few—wild campers tend to stay closer to Tuapse.
• Nikita Bondarenko (VK) recommends a free tent spot near the bus stop "Sanatorium 'Krasny Shturm'": go up to the "Kvito's dacha" and camp nearby. Vegetation and elevation shield you from noise and prying eyes.
• Mikhail Tretyak 11/07/2017: No problems tent-camping on the city free beach, did it at Riviera beach with other hitchhikers, but preferred Matsesta beach for better lighting and friendly security—no one was disturbed. VK discussion
• Egor Kuzmenko 12.08.2017 recommends for tents a place beyond the Agura waterfalls, up the trail past the restaurant.