The Republic of Belarus (Belarus) is a modern European state with a population of almost nine and a half million people (at the beginning of 2016). By the area of its own territories, the country takes 84th place in the world (207 600 km 2 ) and is divided into six regions. The capital of the state, the city of Minsk, is formally the seventh region and has the special status of a city under republican subordination. By form of government, Belarus is a presidential republic. Alexander Lukashenko, the current president of the republic, has held the post of head of state for more than 20 years (since July 20, 1994).
Borders
Belarus is the largest European state that does not have its own access to the sea. In the east, the republic borders with the Russian Federation, and in the west with Poland. In the southern territories, the state borders with Ukraine, and in the northern - with the Baltic states: both Lithuanian and Latvian border crossings are open for tourists. Belarus also has several border checkpoints operating according to a simplified scheme (for residents of border areas).
Warsaw bridge
In Belarus, there are several paid express roads. One of them, the M1 highway, is part of the European route E30, stretching from the Irish city of Cork to the Russian city of Omsk. It also passes through the UK, the Netherlands, Germany, Poland and through the Schengen border crossings Belarus-Poland, and leaves the territory of the European Union. The main one is the Warsaw Bridge international checkpoint (Brest-Terespol), through which the E30 route passes.
International status imposes some features on its mode of operation. It is open around the clock (like most border crossings), but crossing the border here is forbidden for any freight transport, as well as for cars with trailers that have more than one wheelset (axle). This also applies to all caravans and carriages. Moreover, at this point the most careful entry control. Cars stream sent to a special box for a full inspection with the involvement of police dogs trained to find drugs.
Bypassing Brest
However, there are other Belarus-Poland border crossings. All freight vehicles cross the border at the Kozlovichi sub-station, located just north of Brest. The point works round the clock, passenger cars, including with any trailers, are not skipped. Everyone who wants to save time is offered the opportunity to go down 40 kilometers south of Brest and cross the border through the Domachevo-Slavatyche sub-station. Any traffic, including freight traffic, is allowed here at any time of the day or night. And the search is not as serious as at an international point. Although in the past two years, in connection with the aggravated economic and political situation in the world, inspections have become more thorough, which increases the time of passage through border crossings. Belarus has seriously strengthened control in this area.
To Poland
You can also get to Poland through the passenger sub-station Peschatka-Polovtsy, the sub-station Berestovitsa-Bobrovniki and the sub-station Bruzgi-Kuznitsa Bialystok. Each of them works around the clock and misses any type of road transport with any type of trailer. The first two are located north of Brest, and the last in Grodno. Due to the lack of nearby large international routes, there are practically no queues, and the sub-stations operate with amazing throughput. The border can be crossed in 15-20 minutes, unlike the Warsaw Bridge, where you can lose up to 10-12 hours, especially on holidays.
Pedestrian border crossings also open the road to Schengen. Belarus allows its citizens living in border areas to cross this very border according to a simplified scheme. Unlike other p / p, you can get to Europe here not only by car, but also on foot. Such a border crossing lies almost exactly in the middle between Peschatka and Berestovitsa: Pererov-Bialowieza settlement.
To Lithuania
The Lithuania-Belarus border crossings are also open at any time of the day for everyone who wants to get to the Baltic states. There are only four of them, and each of them is international. The busiest of them - p / p "Stone Log-Myadinenkai", which is located in the Grodno region. And this is not surprising, because there is a route connecting the Baltic countries with Minsk and Ukraine. For those who want to reduce the travel time even at the cost of extra kilometers, it is offered the opportunity to try this through the Beniakoni-Šalčininkai sub-station and the Kotlovka-Lavorishkes sub-station. Although the Lithuania-Belarus border crossings have always been famous for being too slow and long, especially from the Baltic states, who like to let their cars out of the main stream. The situation is similar at the Privalka-Raigardas station. Although the traffic here is minimal, you can lose several hours on its passage.
To Latvia and Russia
The path to Latvia runs through the Vitebsk region. It is there that round-the-clock international border crossings are located. Belarus can be left through the Urbani-Silene checkpoint or the Grigorovshchina-Paternieki checkpoint. The republic has a friendly customs union agreement with Russia, so the border with the Russian Federation can be freely crossed as many times as necessary in any direction to every resident from the territory of this very union. Foreign citizens now require a visa to enter the Russian Federation. This rule is carefully monitored by Russian border guards. The Belarus-Russia border crossings can be found on the routes P46, P132, E95, P112, P21, M1 (E30), M73, P43, P75 and others.
To Ukraine
However, Belarus has most of its checkpoints with its southern neighbor. The Belarus-Ukraine border crossings are scattered across almost every highway connecting both countries. You can get to Ukraine through the villages of Veselovka, Novaya Guta, Komarin, Aleksandrovka, Novaya Rudnya, Glushkevichi, Verkhny Terebezhov, Nevel, Dolsk, Mokrany, Altush and Tomashovka. All of them work around the clock and miss all types of vehicles.
It should also be taken into account that now all Belarus-Ukraine border crossings operate with an extended transit time interval due to a more thorough examination of goods and personal items from both the Belarusian and Ukrainian sides.