Route 217. Route M29: a road with local flavor. A wide range of roadside hotels for every taste

Federal highway M-29 "Caucasus" (number valid until December 31, 2017), new number of the route R-217 "Caucasus". The road runs through the territories of the Krasnodar and Stavropol Territories, Kabardino-Balkaria, North Ossetia, Ingushetia, Chechnya, Dagestan. The public highway M-29 joins the federal highway M-4 and starts from the village of Pavlovskaya Krasnodar Territory and ends in Magaramkent of Dagestan, on the border with Azerbaijan.

The total length of the M-29 highway is 1118 kilometers. The Pavlovskaya-Makhachkala section of the road is part of the European route E 50. The section of the Makhachkala-Azerbaijani border highway is part of the European route E 119 and the Asian route AH8.
At the 229th kilometer of the highway, near the village of Kochubeevsky, the A-155 road leaves for Cherkessk, the capital of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic. At the 233rd kilometer of the Kavkaz highway there is a turn onto the A-154 road, which goes to Stavropol. At the 559th kilometer near the city of Beslan, the third largest city in North Ossetia, there is a turn onto the A-301 highway in the direction of Vladikavkaz. The route has entrances to the cities of Armavir, Grozny, as well as bypasses of the cities of Pyatigorsk and Makhachkala. The federal highway M-29 ends at the state border Russian Federation and Azerbaijan. Last locality here is the village of Gaptsakh, which is located 6 km north of the district center - the village of Magaramkent.

The road, with a carriageway width of 8 meters, runs in mountainous terrain, and has an asphalt concrete coating along its entire length. There are sections on the road that require special care from drivers, this is indicated on the signs. At km 1164, the road enters a 1.8 km long tunnel.
The route crosses several rivers, significant of them are: near the city of Kropotkin, the Kuban River; the Terek river near the village of Elkhotovo; the Argun River near the city of the same name. Load capacity of bridges from 60 tons.
M-29 "Kavkaz" is the main highway of the North Caucasus.

A beautiful and exciting track leading to the southern borders of our country, replete with descents and ascents and numerous turns.

In addition, along the way you will meet a variety of roadside motels, hotels and other places to stay, which are located along the highway in Krasnodar Territory, Stavropol, as well as the Republic of Ingushetia, Chechnya and North Ossetia.

M29 (P217) "Caucasus" - highway of federal significance "the village of Pavlovskaya of the Krasnodar Territory - the village of Yarag-Kazmalyar" (the border of Dagestan with Azerbaijan). Until December 31, 2017, inclusive, the account number M29 "Kavkaz" can also be used (Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of November 17, 2010 N 928).

The length of the motorway is 1,118 kilometers. Docks with M-4. The road section from Pavlovskaya to Makhachkala is an integral part of the European route E50. The section from Makhachkala to the border with Azerbaijan is included in the European route E119 and the Asian route AH8. The section from Mineralnye Vody to Beslan is also part of route E 117

There is nothing more exciting than a long journey in your own car across our vast country. This is a long but exciting adventure that is sure to leave some impressions. The M29 highway is one of the most picturesque Russian roads, because it passes through wonderful places. Unfortunately, many drivers are biased towards the Caucasus region and spread false information about the quality federal highway and safety while driving.

Track features

The whole of Russia is entwined with a network of automotive significance, but nowhere are there such features as on the M29 highway. Since the road runs through the Caucasus region, which for a long time famous for wayward local population, then it will not work very quickly to go along it.

First of all, because there you can meet a huge number of tuned cars and understated Prior, whose drivers perceive any overtaking as a challenge and an invitation to the race. However, racing is still not worth it. Especially if you take into account the different quality of the roadway on different sections of the route. Oddly enough, the most comfortable section of the road runs through Chechnya. Besides, in summer time The highway can't handle traffic. This is mainly facilitated by fruit carriers and cars of travelers who go to the sea.

The other and most significant feature is reinforced traffic police posts and real paramilitary checkpoints. It will not be possible to drive through these sections quickly, since the flow of cars is divided into 2: those who want to drive in the usual way and those who are in a hurry. In any case, the queue is formed, so it is unlikely that it will be possible to bypass it.

Entry into Chechnya is possible with any numbers, the presence of Chechen license plates is not required. However, Moscow numbers are really rare there for obvious reasons.

Toning - no!

If there is a need to visit the city of Grozny or drive along the Chechen section of the M29 highway, you must follow the main rule, namely, remove the tint. The region is not famous for calmness, and tinting is an excellent reason for the traffic police patrol to stop the car. Also, tinting can cause a lot of questions for local residents. Which of these is better and which is worse, no one will say.

Be careful with refills!

In general, the M29 highway is calm and fairly well-maintained. However, in some of its sections there is a problem with car refueling. Most of all, this concerns Kabardino-Balkaria, Ingushetia, North Ossetia and Dagestan. There are gas stations there, but the quality of the fuel is very low. When driving around Chechnya or simply visiting any of the above regions, it is undesirable to refuel at local gas stations. It is recommended that you always have a supply of high-quality fuel and a spare fuel filter with you if you still need to refuel in the region. It's best to have enough fuel and two filters, just in case. If there is a need for practical advice, it is best to ask truckers and drivers tourist buses, they have nasty stories of breakdowns due to local fuel. Their advice will be very useful, because they can recommend good car services and more or less reliable gas stations.

Road surface quality

Roads in Russia are not famous for their excellent quality, but quite the contrary, they are famous for constant pits. Nevertheless, the M29 has a satisfactory asphalt surface. This is especially true of the entrances to the highway, its beginning and exits from it. The first 100 km of the route pass along the road, which drivers in the slang call "killed". However, the further the path, the better road.

striped menace

When driving along the M29 "Kavkaz" highway, you need to be as attentive as possible to oncoming traffic. Drivers of oncoming vehicles constantly warn about the so-called "striped threat". Traffic police officers or fixation cameras are everywhere. On the territory of the Stavropol Territory, the situation with traffic police is improving. Their concentration decreases, and stops occur only when an offense is recorded. However, drivers become less polite and often forget to warn of "danger".

Driving Rules

The M29 highway today is an amazing place. Normal rules apply for the first half of the road traffic. However, in Kabardino-Balkaria, Ingushetia, North Ossetia or Dagestan, the rules are slightly different. Drivers often completely ignore road markings and signs. There you should go either as slowly as possible, or greatly exceed the speed limit. No less significant will be the habit of looking in mirrors. Local drivers overtake anywhere and anyhow, often do not use turn signals and make maneuvers at the most last moment, and to all this you can safely add a significant excess of the permissible speed limit.

The federal highway P217 "Caucasus" is the hottest highway in our country. It is picturesque and not easy. Frequent descents and ascents, giant serpentines and crossing the boundaries of various areas require the constant attention of drivers.

The P217 is part of various European and Asian routes. The segment from the village of Pavlovskaya to Makhachkala is part of the long, European route E-50. It stretches from the shores of the Bay of Biscay to the Caspian Sea, and is approximately 6,000 km long. Another European route E-117 includes the road from Beslan to Mineralnye Vody, while the Asian route AN-8 and the interesting European route E-119 include a short section of the road from Makhachkala to Magaramkent (border with Azerbaijan). In addition, the P217 "Kavkaz" highway joins the M4 "Don" highway near the village of Pavlovskaya.

The total length of the M29 highway is approximately 1118 km.

The temperature regime is even, favorable. Hot summers and mild winters with little snow.

On the way, the P217 highway crosses the rivers: Kuban, Argun and Terek.

Since the M29 runs in a mountainous area, there are many dangerous sections on it. Drivers should pay special attention to the following: 179, 216, 372, 488, 539, 558, 579, 797, 857, 861, 882, 937, 939, 970, 991 km.

In general, the P217 "Kavkaz" route leaves a good impression. Happy with the road surface. The downside is the width of the roadway. Mainly two-lane throughout the entire length of the M-29 highway does not leave much room for overtaking.

Quality rest is the key to safety on the road

This motorway is familiar to everyone who made car trips to the most picturesque region of Russia - the Caucasus. This region attracts tourists, because there is everything you need for the most varied recreation- mountains, sea, beautiful nature, wonderful climate. True, to get to these places, you need to cross a difficult highway, which is distinguished by a series of numerous descents and ascents, serpentine roads and the presence of dangerous sections. Of course, all these conditions require maximum attention from the driver and the ability to quickly navigate the situation.

But, making long journeys, each person, even with a long driving experience, is not immune from fatigue and overwork, which negatively affect the functions of perception. Only quality rest can help the traveler gain strength. Cozy motels on the M29 highway are designed to create the most comfortable accommodation conditions for every tourist, so that any tired traveler can the best way recover from a grueling journey.

A wide range of roadside hotels for every taste

If you are interested in motels on the M29 highway, where you can get the most warm welcome, and, of course, to have a hearty dinner, sleep peacefully, take a hot bath, then look at our online guide, which describes in detail the best options for roadside hotels located throughout the Kavkaz highway. By marking on the site the region in which you plan to make a rest stop, you will receive a list of motels on the M29 highway. Among them, you can quickly choose the best option that meets all your requirements.

We have motels on the M29 highway for every taste and budget. These are both small economical, but at the same time the most modern hotels offering comfortable accommodation conditions and a high level of service, as well as hotel and entertainment complexes, in the arsenal of which there is everything for spending active leisure - baths, saunas, tennis courts and GYM's. If you want to stay in a hotel that is notable for its exquisite interior, original cuisine, unique SPA center, then this is real, there are such luxurious hotels on the M29 highway. Book rooms in advance and relax in comfort.


I don’t think there is much to tell about the M4 Don - all community members will pass it with eyes closed with an average speed of 110 km/h. The problems are the same - the Voronezh rim and the Tarasovsky district, where a meat accident happened at the narrowing place in front of us.

On the territory of the Krasnodar Territory, the “Kavkaz” is an ordinary unpleasant Russian two-lane road, on every hill and turn of which traffic police officers graze. Interestingly, the quality continues to improve.

The Stavropol Territory is unremarkable. The road is good, there are a lot of cops, but they don’t slow down for no reason. On the outskirts of the region are the so-called resort towns Mineral water and Pyatigorsk. Essentuki - a little further. It is not worth staying in these cities, and there are practically no places in filthy hotels, and from what they have, they cost some incredible money.

Kabardino-Balkaria. A small traffic police post, a selective stop, we are passing. Suddenly, clear fourteenth and no less clear priors appear on the roads. Tinted, of course, in a circle. According to subjective impressions, black is preferred in the republic

Here they drive either slowly or boldly - they do not hesitate to go completely into the oncoming lane and thrash in the forehead to the last. Driving in the traffic lane is zapadlo.

And the road is getting better - already a permanent 4-lane road with a separator.

At the entrance to North Ossetia stands the most serious post on the way from Moscow to Tbilisi. They slow everyone down, including us. I previously, back in Essentuki, put me behind the wheel mexdrive to doubly divert the attention of gaytsov. The plan worked, but every next, even the smallest Ossetian post, was ours. No one looked at the documents - they only pretended.

Immediately after Vladikavkaz, the mountains begin.

In front of the Verkhny Lars checkpoint, they stood in line for 2 hours, including because of the assholes who consider it beneath their dignity to stand with everyone. The same thing happened on the reverse side. We skipped back without a queue.

Checkpoint passage. Everything seems to be serious. They didn’t dig into the convertible, but they took a symbolic 500 rubles from the Range without a total search.

They didn’t lie about the Georgian checkpoint “Kazbegi” - you open the window, hold out your passport, smile at the webcam and drive calmly.

What's in a nutshell

The M29 "Kavkaz" highway is a dick, no one extorts money and does not shoot in the head, at least in the section to Vladikavkaz. The most serious post is Kabardino-Balkaria - North Ossetia.

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