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Route Kaliningrad Area

The first part of the R1 Route in Russia passes through the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.

But please always bear in mind when entering Russia:

You need to have a visa!

If you have questions about cycling through the Kaliningrad region please contact Mr. Oleg Alferov in advance

Mr Oleg Alferov from the Kaliningrad Oblast

E-mail: oalferov@mail.ru

He speaks English and Russian.

Before contacting Mr. Alferov please read this pdf file. It contains information on travelling through Kaliningrad region.

From here you can proceed in the wonderful fresh air on the newly surfaced routes in a north-easterly direction along the Kalinigradskiy Zaliv(Vistula Lagoon) into Kaliningrad,formerly Königsberg.

Unless otherwise stated, roads and cycle routes are surfaced with asphalt. According to the government representative, Kaliningrad itself is safe for cyclists, even though there are no cycle routes.

From the Polish border crossing at Gronowo, the route continues along the former main highway, with a good quality road surface, not many heavy goods vehicles and a 70 km/h (45 mph) speed limit, and we soon arrive at Mamonovo (Heiligenbeil). After 24.5 km we then reach Laduskin (Ludwigsort) and shortly afterwards Usakovo with the ruins of the Brandenburg Palace. Taking the direct route it is another 20.3 km ts.

o the city limits of Kaliningrad (Königsberg). As in Poland, the landscape was formed by the last Ice Age, with moraines and other interesting features. The road itself is one of the best in the Kaliningrad region. It is planned to construct a new road soon and there will then be less motorised traffic on the old road.

On the SUVOROVA Road we now travel 3 km straight ahead into Kaliningrad and then turn left at the major road crossing, shortly afterwards left again to the end of PORTOVAYA Road and the bridge with its two towers (6.4 km from the city limits). We cross over the bridge and turn right along the river to the very interesting Ocean World Museum. From here we can already see the cathedral with the tomb of the philosopher Immanuel Kant, which is our next destination (2.25 km from the bridge). On the other side of the road we pass a supermarket.

A diversion, to the east of the cathedral on the MOSKOVSKY PROSPEKT leads to the Baltica Hotel after 7.1 km, which has the only camping site in the city:

Baltica Hotel, Contact: Olga, baltica-hotel@gazinter.net Tel: +7 4012 - 333511 /-333507.

Further on the R1 Route from the cathedral on the Kniephof Island to the north, the road rises slightly, and we see on the right-hand side the Hotel Kaliningrad, and follow the LENINSKY PROSPECT. After 2.04 km we arrive at the very attractive Central Square with fountains and the Orthodox cathedral.

Crossing the square we continue on the SOVETSKY PROSPECT. This leads us out of the city in the direction of Svetlogorskand the Baltic Sea. We follow this road to the city limits.

After the filling station on the left, we cross over the SOVETSKY PROSPECT and use the cycle path on the left side. Close to the city limits, the cycle path ends and we have to go back onto the main road again. After cycling 5.65 km from the Central Square we see under the Kaliningrad Ring Bridge that there is another intersection. The highway to Svetlogorsk runs straight ahead. After about 300m at the next crossing we turn left and then soon after turn right again and after 1.2 km from the underpass we are on our way to Svetlogorsk.

After a total of 18 km through Kaliningrad,there is now a quiet road, mostly free from cars to Chkalovsk in the north-west and further west through fields and countryside for 16 km to Lyublino. The woods and lakes we pass on the way offer good opportunities for a break, but note that swimming and camping are NOT allowed. This is the water conservation area which provides Kaliningrad’s water supply, and it is under police control.

It is a further 15 km through Cherepanovo and north through Logvino until the road between Kumacevo and Kruglovo.

After about 1 km westwards on the road, we turn right and proceed another 10.5 km to Shatrovo and Shatrovo lake in the north. Here there are woods and water, and no cars.

After Otradnoye in the north and further east for 10 km we reach Svetlogorsk, the prime holiday resort in the Kaliningrad oblast, with a promenade, an observation tower with lift, restaurants, and hotels which are usually booked out in the summer season.

A short section of poorer quality road through Rybnoye brings us to the easterly Pionersky, a small harbour town with an attractive beach and little traffic. Until the new road is completed, this route is preferable to the longer, very busy A 192 highway from Kaliningrad.

The 24.3 km section from Svetlogorsk toPionersky- Zaostrovye – Kulikovo (the route between the last two is unfortunately still not paved) to Kovrovo is shortened by about 5 km.

From Kovrovo it is a further 9.6 km to Zelenogradsk (Cranz), the gateway to the Curonian Spit - a famous holiday resort before the Second World War which still retains some of its old charm.

From here we then continue on the Curonian Spit, the last desert in Europe. It is 10.5 km to Lesnoe and a further 22.5 km to Rybachij. From there we reach the border to Lithuania after 16.2 km.

We have now covered some 200 km in the Kaliningrad region and this is certainly an experience you will treasure, even if some sections still need constructional improvements, and there is a lack of signposting for the “R1” route.

Be inspired by the prospect of cycling along the Curonian Spit, to the left the Baltic Sea and to the right the tranquil Curonian Lagoon, towards Lithuanian territory.

If you want to find out more about the Kaliningradskya oblast you will find the following eleven maps useful which Mr Marquardt has received for publication.

A first overview is offered by these maps, which also include some comments.