Three main corridors are used for road freight from Türkiye to Russia: the route entering Georgia via Sarp, Türkgözü or Aktaş and crossing into Russia at Upper Lars; the Dagestan route running through Georgia and Azerbaijan to the Samur–Yarag-Kazmalyar crossing; and the Gürbulak–Iran–Azerbaijan route. Black Sea Ro-Ro links add to these. Cargo is mostly carried under a TIR carnet; since Upper Lars frequently closes in winter, the route is chosen according to the season.
Why should more than one corridor be planned?
After 2022, when the road through Ukraine became unusable, traffic to Russia shifted to the Caucasus. A letter of the Ministry of Trade (Ticaret Bakanlığı) dated 7 April 2022 and circulated via the chambers recommended directing drivers to the Aktaş and Türkgözü crossings because of the long queues at Sarp. Since Upper Lars is the only open road crossing between Georgia and Russia, any disruption at this crossing affects the whole corridor. Route selection is therefore based on season, border congestion and document status rather than distance.
1. Georgia–Upper Lars route
The vehicle enters Georgia via Sarp, Türkgözü or Aktaş, climbs north of Tbilisi along the Georgian Military Road to Kazbegi and crosses into Vladikavkaz at the Upper Lars border crossing. It is the shortest option. Its weak point is that the Gudauri–Kobi section frequently closes in winter because of avalanche risk; in January 2026, too, a passage ban for all vehicles was applied on this section. Details are in the transit to Russia via Georgia entry.
2. Georgia–Azerbaijan–Dagestan route
From Georgia the vehicle crosses into Azerbaijan at the Red Bridge and enters Dagestan through the Samur (Azerbaijan) – Yarag-Kazmalyar (Russia) crossing. It is the main alternative when Lars is closed. Since a second transit country is added to the route, the number of transit permits and customs procedures increases; at peak times queues also build up at Kazmalyar.
3. Route via Iran
The vehicle enters Iran at Gürbulak–Bazargan, reaches Azerbaijan at Astara and from there the Samur crossing. Since it does not depend on the Caucasus mountain passes, it is preferred in the winter months. Iran-specific transit permits, road tolls and payment restrictions lengthen the planning; the process is explained in the transit TIR transport via Iran entry.
4. Ro-Ro combinations
The vehicle is loaded onto the ship together with the trailer or tractor unit, and road transport continues after crossing the Black Sea. According to an announcement by UND (International Transporters Association), regular sailings on the Samsun–Port Kavkaz line started on 1 April 2021; seasonal links between other Black Sea ports open and close as well. The Tuapse–Taşucu Ro-Ro line, which connects the Black Sea to the Mediterranean through the Turkish Straits, stands out for cargo coming from Russia to the Mersin region. Since the security risk in the Black Sea may be reflected in insurance terms, the war clauses of the policy should be checked.
| Corridor | Border crossings | Transit country | Main factor extending transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia–Lars | Sarp/Türkgözü/Aktaş, Upper Lars | Georgia | Winter closures, queues |
| Georgia–Azerbaijan | Sarp, Red Bridge, Samur–Yarag-Kazmalyar | Georgia, Azerbaijan | Additional border procedure, congestion |
| Iran–Azerbaijan | Gürbulak–Bazargan, Astara, Samur | Iran, Azerbaijan | Transit permits, payment restrictions |
| Ro-Ro | Samsun–Port Kavkaz, Tuapse–Taşucu | None (sea) | Sailing schedule, weather, insurance |
Giving a fixed transit time would be misleading. In 2022, industry organisations reported waits of several days at Lars and Kazmalyar, while in quiet periods the same crossings can be passed within hours.
Which customs document is used?
Russia is not a party to the Common Transit Convention; therefore a T1 declaration cannot be extended to Russia. Although Georgia has been a party to the convention since 1 February 2025, the chain breaks at the Russian border. Since Türkiye, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Iran and Russia are parties to the TIR Convention, cargo is usually carried end to end under a TIR carnet. In addition, a CMR consignment note, bilateral and transit permits and an electronic pre-arrival notification to Russian customs are required. When the route changes, the number of countries increases, so the number of vouchers in the carnet must be sufficient for the new route.
How does Voltim Global support this?
Since March 2024, Voltim Global has made more than 450 shipments from Russia to Akkuyu NPP. Most of these were carried via the Tuapse–Taşucu Ro-Ro line, and some by road via Upper Lars–Georgia and Iran. In planning international road transport and the Russia–Akkuyu supply line, the route is chosen according to season and border conditions.