Caspian sea ferry updates & questions

[dinozzaver]

There is the bus going to Alat for sure. I went last year. Than you just need the taxi for last few kilometers (5 manat or so) to get to the port, unless you want to walk for an hour

[rideunbound]

In Baku. Was able to buy ticket for me and my motorcycle for 180 Dollar (to Aktau) in Alat yesterday. Met some georgian motorcyclists who are waiting for 6 days to cross because of wind condition. I was told to go there daily to check on boat.

[Apfelsaft]

I crossed last week and found a comfortable option for going from Baku to Alat: They habe Uber in Baku. A Uber to Alat costs 30 Manat.

[Crazydre]

Hi Crazydre. I was able to get into Azerbaijan without visa sticker. I recommend you have a printed copy. They wanted the printed copy because they needed to stamp the visa paper. I asked them if they could stamp my passport instead. After some discussion among themselves I was able to enter by just showing the pdf visa on my smartphone.

They're actually supposed to stamp both, so you are required to have a printout

[belliope]

Hi yes. Re query on 16 May ish. The new ferry is in operation. Only bloody mayhem here with yesterday's Azeri ferry being delayed and the new ferry arriving the same time this morning. This means I have been at the port for 24 hours and counting.

My visa has expired but no one seems to care very much. I am 18 hours illegal with two carpets with no documentations. I am just left in the waiting room to somewhat wither away. I was invited for dinner with the bosses and offered a bunk bed in the soldiers' rooms. I am a girl. Didn't take up that offer. But I did get the key to the staff private toilet.

They promised (like yesterday night) that the ferry leaves tonight. Must be true as suddenly the room fills up with people. Somewhat annoyed as I have a private driver from a tour company that is meant to take care of this timing thingy. But he was so nice, coming back to give me food as water.

Thing is. Ferry leaves tonight. I think.

[Zevla]

May 2017 - Alat to Aktau (no vehicle)
We were waiting one day. On Monday, 15 May we went to ask to the ticket office in Baku. There was a blond lady with a decent English. The answer was "tomorrow, maybe". We were told it wasn't possible to buy the tickets in Alat and it was necessary to board the ship in Alat, though. We were told to come again at 11 AM the next day. So we came and there was a boat that was supposed to leave around midnight. The tickets in Baku were 80 Dollars per person. We came to the Alat port at 10 PM and not even the trucks were boarding yet (trucks went first, travelers after them). There was a free shower and option to charge electronic devices for free. Also payed wifi. There also was a dozen other travelers (with motorbikes, bicycles, cars and also roller-skates), so waiting was fun. Some of them had been camping there for 3 days already. There also was a guy (without a vehicle) who bought the ticket in Alat for 70 Dollars, so it was actually NOT true that it wasn't possible to buy it there. We only started boarding at 5 AM and the boat was waiting in the port for couple more hours. The ship's name was Mercuri 1 and there were fancy cabins with beds (and sometimes showers) and 3 meals per day included in the ticket price. No wifi on board.
We arrived to Aktau next day after breakfast, so it took even less than 30 hours.

[Sanne]

We went by ferry two weeks ago. There are all in all five ferries going from Alat to Aktau, most frequently starts the Mercury 1. A schedule does not exist, usually it leaves every night, may be two nights ... We had to wait 30 hours. You can buy the tickets at the harbour in Alat, you don´t have to go to Baku. Bring food and water for the waiting time with you, there ist a small shop, but the opening times are "various". Toilet for men is there, for women also, but closed. You even may take a free - even sometimes hot - shower at the harbour, it is placed near the toilet container, access from behind.
The actual prices:
Person 80$ - Motorbike 110 $ - personal car 100$/m - Bus/Transporter private 80$/m - Motorbike with sidecar 140$
Inkluded: 2x breakfast, 1x lunch, 1x dinner, cabine. Meals were ok.
We had to pay a "bridge using fee", I think, they meant the bridge going to the ship : 2,50$ per meter of motorbike/car.

[reexyyl]

I took the ferry from Aktau to Baku. Really recommend the use of marinetraffic.com, as you can easily see when a passenger ship is on the way from Baku to Aktau. I spent 2 days waiting for a boat.

8 (7292) 44 50 18 is the number of the ferry complex in Aktau. It can be useful in case you arrive in the week end and the office at 5-29 is closed. Also, I bought the ticket at the port so I am not so sure of the usefulness of the office except calling you when there is a boat.

Sea conditions and weather were good, it took only 23 hours to reach Alat aboard Akademik Hesen Eliyev.

[Clodo]

We are at the port in Alat now. Called the number we found here on caravanistan to check if there is a boat. +994504200905 worked, on the others no one replied (only tried one morning). The lady spoke only Russian and Azerbaijani and told us that it is necessary to go to Baku to buy a ticket. Since we heard else from others we directly headed to Alat. There is a ticket office here (with a blue kassa sign). They know if there is a boat leaving the same day at about 9am and they sell tickets only that day. 70$ for a cabin with 4 persons, 80$ for a cabin for two, bicycles are free. They told us that we will wait at max for 3 days, but we heard of a guy who waited for 6 days about two weeks ago. Staff here is very helpful. They advice you to camp on the parking because snakes around the port seem to be a problem. There is free WiFi, just ask for the password. Key for the ladies bathroom is available in the shop, key for the ladies toilet is available in the container between the shop and the post bank.

[Kasrkin]

Hi,
It's impossible to book a boat in advance for this "line"
You have to wait in Baku (or Alat) and ask everyday if there is a boat leaving on the same day.
The most common answer from the lady will be "maybe tomorrow"