
Kazakhstan - Azerbaijan through the Caspian sea
My first comment its an easy border crossing but a test of patience so be prepared and you need 2 to 3 full days for this. Its going to be a long day so have some snacks and water. The port name is Kuryk (Aktau).
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​Note: The first thing you have to understand is currently as per 2025 the rules to enter Azerbaijan over land/sea is not allowed for persons but vehicles can enter through transportation service land/sea and people can only enter through air travel. But you can exit over land to Georgia or to Iran.​
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Documents needed :- These are for Indians so kindly check if you are an international traveler.
1) Passport
2) Original Rc card only owners vehicles allowed​
3) The temporary import document which would have been given to you at the entry to Kazakh.
4) No need for Carnet
Azerbaijan Visa​
- Its e-visa free for 30 days but consider you have only 15 days after 15 days you have to register for long stay and you can apply the visa all by yourself its pretty easy, just a form you need to fill, the urgent visa you will get in 3 hrs and the normal time is 3-5 days. ​
Kuryk Port :- ​
- Ok the first thing to understand is for the ferry there is no specific timeline for arrival and departure so don't even look for to book tickets online or timeline. this is due to the changing conditions or the Caspian sea and expect delays. But if the ferry departs and the conditions are good then the time taken is 16-18 hrs consider 24hrs due to loading and unloading delays.
- Next you need to reach the Kuryk port, register you vehicle for the ferry, here they will charge you 8000 INR including the port fee and the line up fee. The fee for the ferry you will pay in Azerbaijan that's going to be under 15000 including the service fee and custom fee.
- Once register they will let you know when the expected date of ferry arrival is and time.
- Now the have a built hotel which charge 800 INR per person for the stay and they have cafe and in this hotel itself. the rooms are good, free slow WIFI is available, and all you do now is wait for there intimation to start the process.
- Once they call you to start the process, only the vehicle and the rider will be allowed into the port area, take all your documents with the vehicle - load all your bags on to it so that you don't pay extra in flight.
- Then you will go into the port area , park you vehicle on the left hand side checking area and wait for an officer to show up and ask you to come for immigration into the immigrations office on the right hand side.
- You go in they will ask you to give your passport, vehicle RC card and the import paper, they will cross check the papers and give you a new paper with some stamps on it, this paper has the billing details for the port fee.
- you will be asked to pay the port fee, which is included in the 8K mentioned above. after this you go back to the vehicle and wait for an officer to show up for checking.
- One of the Officer will come ask for documents , check your stuff and vehicle, put some stamps on the paper and ask you to wait for the ferry to come in the parking lot.
- Now all you have to do now is sit in the parking lot make some trucker friends ( they have some good stories to tell) and also ask them to inform you when the ferry would come.
- Once the ferry come an officer might come and tell you to move towards the loading area or you just figure out when the trucks from the parking lot start moving towards the loading area. ( Basically you can see a big ferry come and dock so this will be your clue to prepare for loading)
- Next you drive towards the ferry , the ferry guys will ask you for the papers , that were give to you in the immigration office ( take a photo of this before handing over to them) and your original RC card.
- Then they will show you the place to park ( remember to put your bike on center stand, if you don't have one ALL the Best).
- Then you take photos and hand over the keys to the ferry guys and say bye to your vehicle.
- Walk back to the hotel take rest ( you will know you need it).
- After this is when you book your flight from Aktau to Baku or once your immigration is done you can book a flight for the day after to save some money.
- Now before leaving the port area confirm if your ferry has departed for Baku or not, take a taxi from the port to Baku airport take your flight and reach Baku ( you have only night flights or early morning flights so plan accordingly)​
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Baku airport:-
-This is going to be very simple,
- As soon as you land you will end up in front of immigrations office, give your passport.
- If your visa is valid and has all the right details, they will stamp you in and you will get taxi out side the airport to your place.
- The airports have free Wifi, so install the Bolt app for taxi and some help in maps, book a taxi using the app or be prepared to pay 5 times the cost if you take a taxi available at the airport.
- Welcome to Azerbaijan.
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Currency and Sim:-
- All visa cards work here so you can directly withdraw cash from ATM ( the ATMs have English language so don't worry)
- Sim you have multiple options they cost about 40 Manatt ( 2000 INR). I did not buy I used offline maps which works.
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Baku Port:- Alat
- By this time if the weather was clear your vehicle would have reached the port.​
- Reach to the Alat port, at the gate an officer will great you and ask for the documents, give them the passport ( owner only). they will confirm your names and vehicle, give you a receipt, and ask you to pay the port fee, ferry fee which is mentioned above.
- Next they will take you into a room to show the rules and regulations of going around the port, and then they will let you in. Remember to hold on to the papers given to you here.
- Then they will let you in - its a long walk inside - first is to find a cafe on the right hand side once you enter the port area, opposite to this cafe you will see a railways crossing bridge , go over this bridge.
- On the opposite side of the bridge is the immigration office or building number 5, go in hand over your passport, they will cross check and get you RC card and the papers that you had submitted to the ferry guys.
- Now here they will enter your vehicle details and give you a new papers - a small paper that they will give saying a token is very important and that's the paper which will allow you to exit Azerbaijan so don't even think of loosing it.
- Next you cross the rail way bridge and go back ask soon as you get down you will see a customs office basically a container made office with a guy sitting inside, give him that token and other papers he will check and stamp on it and ask you to make towards the vehicle.
- Now if you are traveling with a camper or a car, you need to go back again to the immigrations office on the other side of the rail ways crossing and pay 1600 INR and then they will give you the stamp on the token and you need to come back to this point.
- Now what you will see here is basically a toll with army and police officers ( don't worry they are friendly)
, at the side of starting of the railway crossing stairs next to this toll you will see a room with checking.
- Go into that room , they will check you papers, and bags if you have got any with you and let you in.
- Now this is where you ask at which point is your vehicle parked at, bikes will mostly be parked near the docking area customs office.
- By this time a person might show up to you and hand over your keys to you or you walk to where your vehicle is parked. go into the office show your papers, they will check your bags and welcome you to Baku again.
- Then check your bag and vehicle properly before leaving.
- Congratulations you have entered Baku with your vehicle successfully, enjoy your ride.
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