Turkey is gaining more and more popularity among vacationers every year. And this is no coincidence, because the state is investing more and more financial resources in the development of resorts and the creation of new hotels for tourists. In this regard, the question arises of how to get to Turkey.
What can replace the plane?
Of course, the easiest way is to buy a plane ticket, which can be done in all major cities of Russia and the CIS, board the liner and get to the same Istanbul. But this pleasure is expensive. Water transport can serve as an alternative to air transport. In this article, we will talk about ferries from Sochi to Turkey and other countries, as well as discuss such a Turkish port city as Trabzon.
Ferries make it possible to travel with a personal vehicle.
Sochi Sea Station
Marine Station in Sochi sends its ships to countries such as Abkhazia, Georgia, Turkey, etc. For more information about flights, visit the official website of the city of Sochi.
The sea route to Abkhazia lies through the resort town of Gagra. The fastest way to get there is to buy a ticket for the Sochi-1 catamaran. In this case, the journey will take no more than an hour and a half. There are two types of tickets:
1. An ordinary ticket costs 500 rubles.
2. Reduced ticket - its cost is 400 rubles (the discount applies to all residents of Abkhazia and the Krasnodar Territory).
In addition, children under the age of seven board free of charge.
The sea route to Georgia from Sochi lies through the port city of Batumi. Every Saturday and Sunday, a rocket boat departs from the Sochi sea station, which delivers passengers to their destination in 5-6 hours. The ticket price for an adult passenger is 3 thousand rubles, for a child under the age of twelve - 1.5 thousand rubles. You can take up to 20 kg of luggage on such a boat.
Sochi-Trabzon ferry
The way to Turkey from Sochi, if we are talking about ferry transport, lies through the port town of Trabzon. Large ferries run between these points, thanks to which it is possible to transport not only tourists, but also road transport. Remarkably, the time that will be spent on the way Sochi - Trabzon (ferry) is 12 hours, which is not as much as it might seem. There are also alternative water modes of transport that can take you to Trabzon. More on them later.
There is good news for those who love to travel and are going to use the ferry to cross the route Sochi - Trabzon. Ticket price forsuch a vessel is in the range of 4-5 thousand rubles, which is acceptable even for people with an average income. Ferries are equipped with comfortable lounges for passengers, so that the time spent on the road will be spent in comfort.
Alternative to Ferry
Ferries from Sochi to Turkey are not the only way to get to Trabzon by sea. If you do not have a car, then you can use the services of a "rocket" - a small ship that moves at a much faster speed. Such vessels leave 2-3 times a week from Sochi. The ship arrives in the Turkish port city in 4-5 hours, which is more than twice as fast as the ferry. Please note that the price of a ticket for such a vessel is 3.5 thousand rubles, which is even less than on a ferry.
To Turkey by car
The ferry is one of the most convenient and versatile types of sea transport, because it allows you to transport not only passengers, but also road transport. In connection with this feature of this type of ships, it becomes possible to get to Turkey by car, no matter how implausible it may sound. Interestingly, it doesn't matter where you are in Russia. You will be required to have:
1. Car filled with fuel.
2. The required amount of money.
3. Documents that will prove your identity (for crossing to a neighboring state).
Please note that if you are going to Turkey for up to two months, you will not even be required to complete customs documents forentering this country by car. If you encounter representatives of the Turkish traffic police, then it will be enough for them to demonstrate:
- Russian driving license;
- registration certificate for the car;
- certificate of liability insurance.
If you do not have an insurance policy, you can purchase it at the border.
Having filled up the car, having prepared money and a package of documents, you can move forward in the direction of Sochi - Trabzon. The ferry, if not waiting for you, will arrive soon. After that, you will need to pay for your personal ticket. As noted above, its cost will be about 5 thousand rubles (for one adult). As for the price for transporting a car, it can vary greatly. Due to the fact that various ferries are moving in the direction of Trabzon from Sochi, the exact cost of tickets, transportation of vehicles and the time that will be spent on the road should be found out by calling the contact numbers of the Sochi sea station or already on the spot.
Sochi - Trabzon. Ferry
On all ferries that are able to deliver passengers and vehicles to Trabzon, there are both comfortable cabins that are located along the sides of the ferry, and common rooms.
The crew and passengers are in the cabins. As you understand, for tourists, the cost of tickets to the cabins is higher than to the common room. Given that the average time it takes a ferry toto get to Trabzon, - 12 hours, you can face a difficult choice: spend this half of the day in a comfortable cabin, overpaying for a ticket, or sit in the common room, saving money.
Given the convenience and arrangement of ferry cabins, this time flies by unnoticed and comfortably. The ship employs a whole staff of specialists who will gladly make every effort to create the most comfortable conditions for passengers.
Trabzon (Turkey)
Given that this article is about how to get to Turkey by sea, and that the only city through which you can get there is Trabzon, it is impossible not to talk about it. This is an ancient city, which is already more than 2.5 thousand years old, and it was founded in the 6th century BC. There are more than 200 thousand inhabitants here.
The city of Trabzon is famous not only for its regular sea communication with the countries of the former USSR. One of its attractions is the Hagia Sophia, which was built in the 13th century. The frescoes that cover the ceiling of the temple are considered masterpieces of Byzantine art.
Historical Monuments of Trabzon
Another historical monument is the belfry, which is located next to the cathedral. It is 200 years younger than the church. In addition to this historical monument, a number of others can be distinguished:
- Gulbahar Khatun Mosque;
- tomb (turbe);
- Yeni Juma Mosque;
- Monastery of Our Lady of the Black Mountain.
This proves that Trabzon is valuable not only as a port, but alsoas a town that has collected a huge number of historical monuments.
Many people use a ferry to cross the route Sochi - Trabzon as the most convenient type of transport. Some stay to rest here, at the end point of the journey, that is, they do not then go to Istanbul or other popular tourist cities in Turkey. And it is no coincidence. After all, Trabzon, in addition to historical monuments, is also famous for its tourist routes. For example, many go to the city under discussion to see the Kachkar mountains, which are located parallel to the Black Sea.
