Road freight Russia → Türkiye: routes and timelines
Via Georgia, Black Sea ferry, or transit — comparing options for delivery to Istanbul and Izmir.
April 29, 2026
Road delivery from Russia to Türkiye is a busy lane both for clothing, footwear, electronics imports and for metal, chemical, food product exports. Here is how to choose the route.
Through Georgia (overland)
Standard route: Moscow → Rostov → Verkhny Lars → Tbilisi → Sarpi (Türkiye border) → Trabzon/Istanbul.
- Transit time: 7–10 days.
- Suitable for tilts, reefers, container chassis.
- Bottleneck — Verkhny Lars throughput in peak season.
Black Sea ferry
Alternative when Verkhny Lars is congested: Novorossiysk/Sochi → Karasu/Zonguldak.
- Time: 8–12 days.
- Suitable for FTL and containers.
- Storms in shoulder seasons can cause delays.
Transit via Belarus / Poland / Black Sea
Used for specific cargo, often reefers. 10–14 days, sometimes more economical.
Documents
- Russian export declaration.
- Certificate of origin form A or CT-1.
- Turkish import declaration (filed by consignee).
- TIR Carnet for transit through several countries.