Vladikavkaz

Due to latest advancements in language models this article could be translated from its original language into English. Still - as with any other articles - its correctness and up-to-datedness have to be confirmed. If you visited this place or are a local and could verify the present information, please remove this tag. Otherwise, you have the chance to correct this article!

Vladikavkaz (Russian: Владикавказ, on Soviet maps as Ordzhonikidze) is a city in Russia and the administrative center of the republic of North Ossetia.

Vladikavkaz
<map lat='43.0367' lng='44.6678' zoom='9' view='0' />
Check out hitchhiking spots on Hitchmap
Information
Country:	Russia
State:	North Ossetia
Major roads:	M29, A161, R296
Meet fellow hitchhikers on Trustroots

It is located at the foothills of the Caucasus from the Russian side, along both banks of the Terek River, 30 km from the Darial Gorge. The Georgian Military Road starts from Vladikavkaz. Vladikavkaz is often passed through by hitchhikers traveling to/from Georgia, since the only functioning border crossing between Russia and Georgia (Upper Lars - Dariali Border Crossing) is located nearby.

Contents

Hitchhiking in

The Rostov–Baku road, known as the M-29 and since 2010 renamed R217 "Kavkaz", passes 13 km north of Vladikavkaz. There are two exits onto it: 1. The interchange between R217 and A161 near the town of Beslan. 2. The "Chermen Circle" – a checkpoint at the border of North Ossetia–Alania and Ingushetia; this checkpoint arose after the 1992 armed conflict. The junction and checkpoint are controlled by North Ossetia, where the "Kavkaz" highway and R296 intersect. About 3 km further east is Nazran, the capital of Ingushetia.

Hitchhiking out

South towards Georgia and "Upper Lars Border Crossing" via A161

Option 1 – DPS Post at the intersection of Kosta Avenue and Moskovskoe Highway

About 2.2 km down Kosta Avenue, the final stops "Vodnaya stantsiya" of tram #5 and #9; you can walk from here. As of August 2019, minibus 23A goes directly to the DPS post and can be boarded on Kosta Avenue. After the intersection, the minibus travels some distance down the Georgian Military Road before turning back into the city.

There is a minibus from Vladikavkaz to Upper Lars three times a day: 7:00, 13:00, 17:00 (as of March 2016).

A bus departs from the Ossetian theater to Tbilisi. Check the schedule by phone: 89188233638. In November 2017 it departed once per day at 10:10 for 700 RUB.

Taxi drivers can be found near the train station, some using minibuses. If you bargain well, you might get a seat for 400 RUB to Kazbegi, then continue hitchhiking or take a minibus to Tbilisi (220 RUB).

See also: Upper Lars - Dariali Border Crossing.

Northwest towards Beslan via A161

Option 1 – Arkhonskoe Highway from the Bus Station

The Arkhonskoe highway starts from the bus station. The turn to the "Kavkaz" highway is 8 km away. There should be minibuses to the village of Arkhonskaya.

You can take minibus #17 from the bus station to the Arkhonskaya ring, walk a bit, and start hitchhiking.

North towards the "Chermen Circle" checkpoint and Nazran via R296

Option 1 – Chermen Highway

Look for minibuses to the village of Chermen — the intersection and checkpoint are just beyond the village.

Exit to Transkam

To head towards Transkam, first reach the highway leading to Alagir. You can start hitchhiking from the Gizel Circle, which is accessible from the city center via minibus #5. At the entrance to Alagir, the road forks — take the left.

Accommodation and Sleep

For free

• Couchsurfing, hospitalityclub, trustroots, BeWelcome, etc.
• You can also find a couch host via CouchBot: send a command with the city name in this VK group chat or, if you prefer, via CouchBot on Telegram. How and when to write your request? Read here.
• There is also an art space "Portal" in Vladikavkaz where any traveler can spend the night for free. Their VK group.
• No social hostel/shelter/ pilgrim’s house has been found.

Paid

• Rest rooms at the railway station: double, triple, and quadruple rooms. Station phone: (8672)53-24-42; 53-84-22;
• Another possible place to stay: 43 Marx St, phone 8 (867) 225-20-08, OAO "Slavyanka", with showers and good beds, mobile 8-918-834-03-21. Website: http://slav-ex.ru/offices/one/873, approx. 300 RUB per person.
• Hostels on 2GIS
• Add the cheapest options not listed in hostel catalogs.

Other useful info

• Vladikavkaz airport: http://mav.aero – tel. (8672) 50-50-29, (8672) 40-30-40
• Railway station: 24 Markova St, tel. +7 (8672) 53-84-22
• Bus station: tel. (8673) 74-12-79, 1 Arkhonskoe sh.

• Buses
• Trams
• Minibuses

Useful Links

• "House for All" in Vladikavkaz 2013 – VK group
• Wikivoyage – Vladikavkaz
• Samokatus Guides
• In Ilya Buyanovsky’s (Varandej) Subjective Guide
• What to see in Vladikavkaz over the weekend, Ekaterina Puchkova, 2024
• on the TravelAsk portal
• Add more online travel guide links!

Useful in Telegram

• Vladikavkaz Chat
• Vladikavkaz News
• Add relevant links for visitors/travelers in TG.