keith
Free Member
- Aug 25, 2007
- 3,421
- 1,864
- Funster No
- 168
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- Autocruise Starseeker
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- Caravaning since 1974 - Motorhoming since 2003
I just picked this up on Motorhome-list. As some of you may remember Don Madge I thought you may be interested in what he has to say, especially if you are heading that way.
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EGNATIA ODOS (The Northern Greek motorway) A2 E90 January 2010
The A2 (E90) motorway from Igoumenitsa to the Turkish border near
Ipsala is fully open except for one bridge that has a 400 metre
detour.
The total distance is about 420 miles we do it in two days and then
have a couple of nights at the municipal campsite at Alexandroupoli
(€18 per night).
Stopping places on the motorway are few and far between, the only
service area we saw was 94 miles from Igoumenitsa; it is accessable
from both carriageways. There were also fuel stations marked off the
motorway.
We went through two toll booths but both were unmanned. The only toll
we paid was €2 near the start of the Thessaloniki Ring road.
TURKEY UPDATE JANUARY 2010
Ipsala Border crossing.
The first kiosk you come to when entering the border complex you just
present your passports.
We then drive into the main complex and park in front of the duty free
building, in there are two banks, ATM's, currency exchange counter and
an insurance office for those who have no Green Card. We priced a
Green Card for three months and they quoted £136 for third party cover.
You will see about four or five lanes with the first kiosk marked
"passports". Don't go down the lane until you have got your visa from
the main building on the left, enter the building, turn left and the
visa counter is on the right. The visa costs £10.
Once you have your visa drive to the passport control kiosk, here they
record your details again. Once that's completed drive to the other
end of the lane which is the customs kiosk. Here they will need your
V5C (registration document), Green Card and drivers passport.
The customs sometimes check the van but in our case they are mostly
interested in our back box.
Once you have finished there you drive out of the main complex and
present all your documents to the last kiosk, where they are all
checked once again. Then you're free to go.
This year (Jan 7th) we completed all the procedures in about 20
minutes, bearing in mind this was winter time and we were the only ones
going through at the time. The Turks have really got there act
together, we can only assume they are trying to pull themselves into
line with the EU.
Note.
The registration document and a Manual GREEN CARD are required to
enter Turkey. Make sure the Green Card covers Asian Turkey as some
insurers only cover European Turkey also the cover is fully comp and
not just third party. They will not accept a photo copy of any of your
documents, they must be the originals.
A point worth remembering is the vehicle details are entered on the
driver's passport and under normal circumstances the driver will not be
able to leave Turkey without the vehicle. Make sure you have Travel or
Vehicle Insurance that will cover the Duty/Customs Bond if you are
taken ill and have to fly home or the vehicle is written off in an
accident.
Wild camping is not a problem in Turkey we have spent four winters
there and never had a problem. The days of a cheap holiday in Turkey
are long gone.
Using an exchange rate of TL2.4 to the £Sterling the latest
approximate fuel prices per litre are:-
Diesel £1.30
Petrol £1.54
LPG £0.83
The rural areas of Turkey are policed by the Jandarma (Military
police) they set up road blocks but usually wave you through when they
see you are a tourist. Don't under any circumstances park or camp in
the vicinity of a Jandarma Post they will move you on, the posts are
marked with plenty of white paint, large Turkish flags and soldiers
with guns. The coastal posts are usually situated in very picturesque
spots and it is very tempting to park/camp near them just for the
views.
We have always found the Jandarma to be very correct and polite. The
rank and file are conscripts the officers and NCO's are usually the
only ones who speak English. They also have a traffic division. The
town/city police (Blue uniforms) are usually a scruffy lot compared to
the Jandarma.
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- - Quote
EGNATIA ODOS (The Northern Greek motorway) A2 E90 January 2010
The A2 (E90) motorway from Igoumenitsa to the Turkish border near
Ipsala is fully open except for one bridge that has a 400 metre
detour.
The total distance is about 420 miles we do it in two days and then
have a couple of nights at the municipal campsite at Alexandroupoli
(€18 per night).
Stopping places on the motorway are few and far between, the only
service area we saw was 94 miles from Igoumenitsa; it is accessable
from both carriageways. There were also fuel stations marked off the
motorway.
We went through two toll booths but both were unmanned. The only toll
we paid was €2 near the start of the Thessaloniki Ring road.
TURKEY UPDATE JANUARY 2010
Ipsala Border crossing.
The first kiosk you come to when entering the border complex you just
present your passports.
We then drive into the main complex and park in front of the duty free
building, in there are two banks, ATM's, currency exchange counter and
an insurance office for those who have no Green Card. We priced a
Green Card for three months and they quoted £136 for third party cover.
You will see about four or five lanes with the first kiosk marked
"passports". Don't go down the lane until you have got your visa from
the main building on the left, enter the building, turn left and the
visa counter is on the right. The visa costs £10.
Once you have your visa drive to the passport control kiosk, here they
record your details again. Once that's completed drive to the other
end of the lane which is the customs kiosk. Here they will need your
V5C (registration document), Green Card and drivers passport.
The customs sometimes check the van but in our case they are mostly
interested in our back box.
Once you have finished there you drive out of the main complex and
present all your documents to the last kiosk, where they are all
checked once again. Then you're free to go.
This year (Jan 7th) we completed all the procedures in about 20
minutes, bearing in mind this was winter time and we were the only ones
going through at the time. The Turks have really got there act
together, we can only assume they are trying to pull themselves into
line with the EU.
Note.
The registration document and a Manual GREEN CARD are required to
enter Turkey. Make sure the Green Card covers Asian Turkey as some
insurers only cover European Turkey also the cover is fully comp and
not just third party. They will not accept a photo copy of any of your
documents, they must be the originals.
A point worth remembering is the vehicle details are entered on the
driver's passport and under normal circumstances the driver will not be
able to leave Turkey without the vehicle. Make sure you have Travel or
Vehicle Insurance that will cover the Duty/Customs Bond if you are
taken ill and have to fly home or the vehicle is written off in an
accident.
Wild camping is not a problem in Turkey we have spent four winters
there and never had a problem. The days of a cheap holiday in Turkey
are long gone.
Using an exchange rate of TL2.4 to the £Sterling the latest
approximate fuel prices per litre are:-
Diesel £1.30
Petrol £1.54
LPG £0.83
The rural areas of Turkey are policed by the Jandarma (Military
police) they set up road blocks but usually wave you through when they
see you are a tourist. Don't under any circumstances park or camp in
the vicinity of a Jandarma Post they will move you on, the posts are
marked with plenty of white paint, large Turkish flags and soldiers
with guns. The coastal posts are usually situated in very picturesque
spots and it is very tempting to park/camp near them just for the
views.
We have always found the Jandarma to be very correct and polite. The
rank and file are conscripts the officers and NCO's are usually the
only ones who speak English. They also have a traffic division. The
town/city police (Blue uniforms) are usually a scruffy lot compared to
the Jandarma.
