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=== From/to [[Russia]] ==='''Note that as of 2006:'''* No walking is permitted on any of existing Finnish-Russian border checkpoints.* ''Vaalimaa–Torfianovka'' border checkpoint is permitted to cross by cycling.* Russian visa can not be issued at the border checkpoint. The most important border checkpoints to Russia ([[St. Petersburg]]Wow! That's district) are ''Vaalimaa–Torfianovka'' on the road [[E18]]/7 Helsinki-St.Petersburg, and ''Nuijamaa–Brusnichnoe'' near [[Lappeenranta]]. ==== Vaalimaa–Torfianovka ====It is always open. Traffic is high there, and you might find there both long-distance trucks (however, see info below about trucks ) as well as lots of locals, from both sides of the border, with Russians coming to buy goods they don't have in Russia, and Finns going to the other side to buy alcohol, cigarettes and fuel. On a Finnish side, you can find most of them at the first [[petrol station]], just before the customs zone. You can also ask drivers on the parking, and those queuing to the terminal. A ride to [[Torfianovka]] is enough – there's lots of transport going to [[Vyborg]] and [[St. Petersburg]] from there. As of 2006, it was a complete waste of time to hitch a truck over the border to Russia – freight terminal is separate for trucks and the queue there is extremely slow: sometimes you wait for hours, sometimes for days. Same terminal from Russia to Finland, though, seems to be faster. To get back from [[Russia]] to Finland, simply ask drivers at the parking lot by one of the supermarkets around there on the Russian side. ==== Other checkpoints ====There is a checkpoint on the road '''13''' going south from [[Lappeenranta]] and bypassing the village of Niirala on the north. There is less traffic here but the route is more scenic, going along the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saimaa_canal Saimaa canal] (Russian: ''Сайменский канал''; Finnish: ''Saimaan kanava''). Next border checkpoint to the north from there is ''Niirala-Värtsilä'', on the road 70 south of [[Joensuu]]. The trafic is low, a road goes to [[Sortavala]] and then further to [[St. Petersburg]] via the south shore of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Ladoga lake Ladoga] (with a portion of an unpaved road), or via the north shore to [[Petrozavodsk]]. There are a few more border checkpoints: from [[Imatra]] to [[Svetogorsk]], from [[Kuhmo]] to [[Kostamuksha]], from [[Salla]] towards [[Kandalaksha]], and from [[Inari]] towards [[Murmansk]]. These days most of these checkpoints work 24/7. Good way to hitch a ride from Russia to Finland is to hang around some stores near borders and look for Finnish license plates. A smart trick you can do to lift up your chances to get a ride is by offering a driver you speak to to bring an extra load of cigarettes and alcohol - most of the Finnish drivers won't resist thatraelly neat answer!
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* [http://www.lindaliini.ee/ ''Linda Line'']
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