Which GPS Navigation device is best for Russia?

[TheOldMan]

I'm looking at buying a GPS Nav for the car and want one that I can get Russian maps for.  I want maps for Tver (most important), Moscow and Saint Petersburg regions.  Is there any particular brand that has better Russian maps?
Of course, it would also be beneficial if the maps weren't too expensive.  I suppose if I waited until I was over there then I could probably get bootleg copies really cheap but who knows.  I've never had one of these before so I really don't know much about how they work.

I'm thinking of getting a Garmin Nuvi 1300 but I'm not stuck on it at all.  Any helpful ideas/suggestions?

[Misha]

Did they change the Russian laws with regards to GPS? I remember a few years back it was against the law for a foreigner to bring in GPS equipment even though the same equipment was readily available inside Russia  Maybe they have rescinded the old law. However, best to check just to be safe.

[XMan]

Did they change the Russian laws with regards to GPS? I remember a few years back it was against the law for a foreigner to bring in GPS equipment even though the same equipment was readily available inside Russia  Maybe they have rescinded the old law. However, best to check just to be safe.

This was my understanding as well. 
I would check into it. 

[TheOldMan]

That's interesting.  I had no idea there was any sort of law like this.  If it was just about foreigners then could I have my wife take it with her (since she's a Russian citizen)?  Or is it that noone can "import" these devices regardless of who is doing it?

[Misha]

That's interesting.  I had no idea there was any sort of law like this.  If it was just about foreigners then could I have my wife take it with her (since she's a Russian citizen)?  Or is it that noone can "import" these devices regardless of who is doing it?

This is what the Canadian Consulate in Russia has to say: "The import and use of electronic equipment are strictly controlled. For example, foreigners have faced charges of espionage for possessing improperly certified GPS (Global Positioning System) devices, such as those used for geological mapping." (Source: http://www.voyage.gc.ca/countries_pays/report_rapport-eng.asp?id=249000). The info has been recently updated.

This is what the US Department of State writes: "The importation and use of Global Positioning Systems and other radio electronic devices are subject to special rules and regulations in Russia. In general, mapping and natural resource data collection activities associated with normal, commercial, and scientific collaboration may result in seizure of the equipment and/or arrest of the user. The penalty for using a GPS device in a manner which is determined to have compromised Russian national security can be a prison term of ten to twenty years. In December 1997, a U.S. citizen was imprisoned in Rostov-na-Donu for ten days on charges of espionage for using a GPS device to check the efficacy of newly-installed telecommunications equipment. He and his company believed the GPS had been legally imported and were not aware that Russian authorities considered nearby government installations secret." Source: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1758.html. This info, doesn't seem to have been updated since 1998.

[TheOldMan]

Hmm.  What you posted seems to imply that even buying a GPS Nav in Russia wouldn't necessarily be a safe bet.  I wouldn't be too worried but you never know.  I did get pulled over by the cops this past summer (it was my fault - I broke the law intentionally and got caught).  I can just imagine if they saw the GPS and then somehow found out I am in the US Army.  On the other hand, having a GPS would be sooooo handy in getting around places I am unfamiliar with.

Does everyone here just use maps or do you go ahead and use GPS?

[Chicagoguy]

For years I have just used paper maps. Remember them ?  A few times I have address with me and ask for help - usually just pointing because of language.

[Turboguy]

I can't say I ever had a desire to drive in Russia but I do think Garmin is a good choice in GPS.   Now that would make a really unique TR, I mean 10 years in a Russian Prison would be something few of us get to experience.   

[Gylden]

Not sure if it applies, but some mobile telephones have GPS built in. Are these illegal too?

[TheOldMan]

We used maps this last summer.  It worked ok but a lot of the roads aren't marked well.  While we were visiting my wife's cousin in Moscow we saw that he had a GPS and it worked very well.  It just seemed like such a natural solution to traveling there.

I can't say I ever had a desire to drive in Russia but I do think Garmin is a good choice in GPS.   Now that would make a really unique TR, I mean 10 years in a Russian Prison would be something few of us get to experience.   

I must say that is hilarious.  Driving there wasn't bad at all.  Even the police were quite nice.

I'm sure people there have GPS phones.  I guess that means maps are probably available for them too.  I already have a GPS phone - maybe I'll have to look into that.

[Misha]

Not sure if it applies, but some mobile telephones have GPS built in. Are these illegal too?

Well, if you are a foreigner, with GPS equipment, found around some kind of "secret object," even one that you have no idea is there, then if you happen to be stopped by a police officer, you might hear the word шпион being bandied about  

[RussianWind]

Well, if you are a foreigner, with GPS equipment, found around some kind of "secret object," even one that you have no idea is there,

Easy. Try to take pictures in railway stations. It's still illegal since 1946 or something like that. Be sure your GPS system is visible too. Put big head-phones on and speak foreign language loudly for better effect 

[TheOldMan]

We already kinda' pushed our luck in that regard.  It started out innocently.  One of my BIL's told us there is a helicopter museum at this base he was at when he did his mandatory service (many years ago).  We get to the town and ask someone where the museum is.  They said there's no museum, just a helicopter base.  Well, we had driven so far so we went to the base.  We asked the guard at the gate and he directed us into the little building.  Then we asked the Sergeant at the desk if we could look at the helicopters.  Mind you, I keep saying 'we', but my wife is doing all the talking and I'm standing there like a very quiet Russian guy.  The Sergeant directed us to a Lieutenant Colonel - he said they do give tours of the base but it has to be approved by the post commander and it's usually a group with some money involved.  At that point we just gave up and left because I had been hoping to just get some sort of pass to go look around the base.  I thought maybe we could do this because a few days earlier a friend of my wife's had been saying how security was so lax that they would just let 'anyone' go on the bases nowadays (he had gone to watch his son graduate basic training).  I suppose the Russian military guys might have been perturbed if they knew the whole story.  

[KenC]

In 1998 I was the typical naive American tourist and snapped numerous photos of the metro in Moscow.  No one bothered me, but later I found out that photos were not allowed in the metro due to national security.

Another American that was visiting at the same time was not so lucky.  He too was in Moscow and took some photos of a passing government motorcade.  He was arrested, held in jail for 2 days, camera confiscated and fined heavily.
KenC

[kievstar]

I have been in several taxis in Ukraine who have used GPS in past two months - but it was not Garmin or TomTom.  I will ask about the brand next time there.  Ukraine must be different than Russia on use of GPS.

[TwoBitBandit]

In 1997 a United States engineer working for Qualcomm was jailed for some time for bringing GPS equipment into Russia and using it.

http://telephonyonline.com/mag/telecom_qualcomm_engineer_held/

I'd just steer clear of it unless you're certain they've changed the laws.  You probably don't want to know what the inside of the Russian correctional system looks like.