The history of the highway M4 - Don. Trip report on the M4 highway - travel by sea M4 settlements

And Krasnodar. In general, today the condition of the M4 Don highway is good. Over the past ten years, it has changed significantly, and many of the problems that motorists complained about have been resolved. The situation on the M-4 highway is now generally favorable. The only downside is its long length.

Features and characteristics of the M-4 highway

The route stretches in the meridional direction from Moscow to Dzhubga (Black Sea coast), and the last section - Dzhubga - Novorossiysk - goes along the sea already in the north-west direction. The total length of the route is 1540 kilometers.

The intensity of traffic on the M-4 is growing every year. In 2016, 68.7 million vehicles passed through it. A year earlier, they were 30 percent less. The increase in the congestion of this highway can be explained by the increasing popularity of the Black Sea resorts in recent years. Other (additional) reasons may be: the growing motorization in the country and the rise in price of tickets for passenger trains.

According to the European classification, the M-4 "Don" highway belongs to different sections. The section from Moscow to Krasnodar is listed as E 115. The section from Krasnodar to Dzhubga is marked with the code number E 592, and from Dzhubga to Novorossiysk - the number E 97. From Novoshakhtinsk to Pavlovskaya there is a section of the route E 50.

In and in some places in the south, the route is listed as a motorway, and in the rest of the territory as a highway.

Track history

Previously, the M-4 route was called route No. 5 and connected Moscow and Rostov-on-Don. It was built in 1959-1967 as a third category road. It had a width of 7 meters and 2 traffic lanes. Part of the road line already existed from the 2nd half of the 19th century.

Introduced immediately after the collapse of the USSR. Then she was given the name M-4 "Don". Now this route is a kind of continuation of the Lipetskaya street in Moscow. Previously, it passed along the Old Kashirskoye highway, but now this highway does not belong to the Don highway and is used for regional transportation.

Active completion of the M-4 highway has been carried out over the past 15 years. Now it has divided traffic lanes and difficult intersections with other highways, as well as detours of many cities. Part of the path is now tolled. There are such sites in the Tula, Lipetsk and Moscow regions.

Reconstruction of individual sections of the road was carried out in recent years. At present, the condition of the M4 "Don" highway is good.

Features of the movement on the track

"Don" is one of the most exploited in Russia. This is due to its geographical significance. A large number of both automobile and freight transport moves along the highway. In the summer, the flow of cars is especially dense. Vacationers go to the resorts of southern Russia and the Crimea, and trucks transport agricultural products from the south. Traffic jams often form in the south of the Voronezh region, as well as near toll booths in places where the highway is tolled. This is especially true for the Moscow region.

Sometimes traffic becomes the weather. This often happens on the passes. Krasnodar Territory, where in winter time heavy snowfalls and ice are typical. Less often, such problems occur in other areas. Sometimes vehicles are idle for several days. This was noted at the end of 2009 in the Rostov region - due to snowfall.

Another reason for traffic jams is the narrowing of the highway from four lanes to two.

The state of the M4 "Don" highway today

The route passes through several areas. The highway starts in the Moscow region. Here the road is paid. The quality of the canvas is good. From Moscow itself, it has 8 lanes, and after Vidnoye - 6. After 71 km - from 4 to 6 lanes and a very good quality of the roadway.

The next on the way of the motorist is the Lipetsk region. The route is also mostly paid, there are 4 lanes, the quality of the road is excellent.

Next comes the Voronezh region. There are mainly 4 lanes here, but there are two of them on the section 632-700 km, and traffic jams are not uncommon in this area. The quality of the canvas varies from poor to excellent. There are 6 lanes on the bypass of Voronezh. This and another section of the route are paid.

The next region is Rostov. The M-4 highway here has 4 lanes. The quality of the canvas to Kamensk-Shakhtinsky is good, although there are some coating defects on the right side. To the south of Kamensk and to Bataysk the condition of the road is not very good. This also applies to bridges and overpasses. 2 sites are unfavorable: near Kamensk and near Bataysk. To the south of Bataysk, the quality of the road is good, but there is 1 unfavorable section (from the Open market).

On the territory of the Krasnodar Territory, the highway has from 4 to 6 lanes with good and excellent coverage. One section of the route is under reconstruction. To the south of Goryachiy Klyuch and to Novorossiysk, the road has a large number of dangerous sections. Basically, it's two-way. The situation on the M-4 highway in this section is highly dependent on weather conditions.

Conclusion

Thus, we come to the conclusion that today the condition of the M4 "Don" highway is good.

The old road junctions will be removed. Here will appear:

• exit from the outer side of the Moscow Ring Road to the M-4 Don highway towards the Moscow region;
• a tunnel from the outer side of the Moscow Ring Road to Lipetskaya Street towards the center;
• an overpass from the inside of the Moscow Ring Road to the M-4 Don highway towards the Moscow Region;
• an overpass from Lipetskaya Street to the inner side of the Moscow Ring Road;
• exit from the inner side of the Moscow Ring Road to Lipetskaya street;
• exit from the M-4 "Don" highway to Staro-Nagornaya street;
• exit from Lipetskaya street to the side passage towards the region;
• U-turn exit from Lipetskaya Street to a side passage along Lipetskaya Street.

On Lipetskaya Street, when driving towards the Moscow Region, platforms for the inspection of vehicles will be equipped. The Zagorye settling and turning area will be rebuilt.

The section of the Moscow Ring Road from Kashirskoye to Varshavskoye Highway is being reconstructed. Its length is 7.2 km. Here, transitional-high-speed lanes will be equipped, side passages will be built from the inner and outer sides of the Moscow Ring Road.

From the outer side of the Moscow Ring Road there will be a congress to the village. Near Prudishchi, Leninsky district, Moscow region.

Five new pedestrian crossings will be built. Four of them through the Moscow Ring Road:

• close to bus stop land transport near the Krasnogvardeyskaya metro station;
• near Vostryakovsky passage;
• near the street Podolsky Cadets;
• near the 26th km of the Moscow Ring Road.

Another crossing will be erected across Lipetskaya Street.

Noise barriers will be installed along the inner side of the Moscow Ring Road and Lipetskaya Street (near houses 50, 52 and 54/21).

In houses 17, k. 1, 50, 52 and 54/21 on Lipetskaya Street and in houses in Vostryakovsky Proezd, soundproof double-glazed windows will be installed.

At the intersection of the Moscow Ring Road with Lipetskaya Street, engineering communications and a contact network of trolleybuses will be rebuilt, the routes of which lie in the construction zone.

Each time, returning from travels to the sea, I write about what the road was like, what condition the track is in this moment time that has changed since the last time. I pay attention to gas stations, places of rest and snacks, and hotels for overnight stays. I will not change this tradition even now. Before proceeding to the story about the rest, I will show how we drove along the M4 "Don" highway to the sea, I will briefly talk about the most important thing.
Our trip south by car took place in June 2016. All the way, I collected checks from gas stations, toll booths in paid sections, cafes and more. How much does it cost, the time of payment ... Such things are quickly forgotten. You will not have time to reach your destination, you have already forgotten everything. After all, the main thing in a trip is not numbers, but emotions.
In this article I will show you M4 highway, I will do accents on paid sections (number, fare, location), I will tell you where we refueled, where we ate, where we spent the night. I get asked about this all the time. So it's relevant.

I will finish the article with a story about hotels on the Don highway, where you can stay for the night on the way south. It is based on the statistics of the most popular hotels among travelers, which I have as a partner of Booking.
Here is such a plan. So let's go!
First I will show our way in photos. So I will introduce you to the track and its condition. You will know what to expect. :)

Moscow. MKAD

The M4 highway appears on the signs

Repositioning and turning

M4 is not a road, but a runway :)

In the Tula region, M4 is somewhat ornate ...

Tula gingerbread is sold along the road in the Tula region

Toll roads are good because they have emergency commissioners, assistants to motorists.

On paid sites there are electronic scoreboards for announcements (including with the phone of the emergency commissioner, information about speed and air temperature).

Highway M4 in the Lipetsk region

Stele "Lipetsk region"

We are entering the Voronezh region

The weather turned bad, it started to rain...

and then it poured like a bucket ...

Toll collection point near Voronezh

We drive around Voronezh

M4 is not finished yet. Parts are being refurbished...

Another area under renovation

Cretaceous mountains of the Voronezh region

820th kilometer of the Don highway

One of the hotels on the M4 highway - "Bike" in Kamensk-Shakhtinsky

Hotel "Pharaoh" at 937 km.

We pass the hotel "Meridian-South" in Krasny Kolos (1040 km. M4)

Motel "Eurasia" in Aksai

Rostov-on-Don

Entrance to the Krasnodar Territory

Hospitable Kuban greeted us with rain and dullness

Chapel, monument, museum in honor of the Kushchevskaya attack (events of August 2, 1942)

At this turn, we turned off the "Don" highway and "through the villages" went to Anapa.

Toll road sections on the M4 highway

I heard on TV that in August 2016 the next, eighth in a row, paid section of the M4 highway was opened. Judging by our experience, as of June 2016 there were already nine. In my "piggy bank" 7 checks + 1 check we forgot to take + 1 section we drove on a free road.
Yes, Kostya decided to be a researcher and find out what kind of free bypass roads are. Alternative, as they are called. I was categorically against it - there are a thousand kilometers ahead, I have no time for experiments. As a result, we drove around only the first paid section from Moscow. The bypass is pretty good. Even though it's a double stripe, the fabric is fine.

The quality of the road on this bypass section is normal.

The next time we left the road at the sign "free travel", we immediately returned back - the normal road ended ... Kostya did not want to experiment anymore, fortunately ...

Exit to the free road around Efremov

M4 toll sections

Moscow region.
1/ The first paid section we drove around: 21 - 93 km. Cost: 50 rubles. at night (on the way back)

Pointer to the free detour of the paid section

2/ 93 - 211 km. Put into action later than we were driving. We passed it without paying.

Toll booths before they open

Tula region.
4/ M4 "Don" detour of the city of Bogoroditsk. 225.6 - 260 km. Toll plaza at km 228. We left at 8:56. Fare: 60 rubles.

5/ M4 bypass of the city of Efremov. 287.8 - 323.3 km. Collection point at 322 km. We left at 10:29. Cost: 60 rubles.

Lipetsk region.
6/ M4 bypass of the city of Yelets. 330.8 - 414.7 km. Collection point at 339 km. We left at 10:43. Cost: 120 rubles.

7/ M4 bypass of the city of Zadonsk and with. Khlevnoe. 414 - 464 km. The toll collection point at km 416 was passed at 11.40. Cost: 80 rubles.

Voronezh region.
8/ M4 detour of Voronezh. 492.7 - 517 km. Toll booth at km 515. We left at 12:54. Cost: 35 rubles.

9/ M4 PVP-545 km. 544 - 588.7 km. 545 km passed at 13.18. Cost: 70 rubles.

10/ M4 PVP-620 km. 588.7 - 633 km. 620 km. We left at 14.12. Cost: 60 rubles.

Total: at the moment there are 10 paid sections on the M4. We got through eight. Paid about 550 rubles.

Gas station on M4

Back in Moscow We refueled at a Shell gas station (41 liters for 1,680 rubles). Gasoline was bad. The car was constantly stalling. There was one more time in the whole 3.5 week trip when we refueled on the Shell, and the problem was the same. Here's your favorite gas station...
The rest of the time on the way south we refueled at Lukoil, and everything was fine:

• Gas station "Lukoil" at 720 km. in the Voronezh region 38 y.o. - 1,437 rubles.
• Gas station "Lukoil" in Art. Kushchevskaya 28 l. - 1,119 rubles.

The new complex "Lukoil" in Kushchevskaya (1145 km, on the right) consists of a hotel, shopping center, restaurant, service station and gas station.

In total, on the way to the south, we refueled for 4,240 rubles. (round up). This gasoline was enough for us to get from Moscow to Anapa, drive there for a week and then get to Gelendzhik.
In Gelendzhik, they refueled again at Lukoil (43 liters for 1,705 rubles). And the next time was already in Sochi in a week ...

Toilets on M4

Along the route, brick toilets of the "hole in the floor" type are often found - and free-standing, most often near bus stops public transport and large recreation areas.

The toilets are mostly dirty. In order not to drag all this into the car later, I recommend choosing gas stations for sanitary stops. In any case, the toilets there are much cleaner, and you can wash your hands and drink coffee in a cafe.
Coming from Moscow, stop somewhere at a large gas station in the Moscow region ("Shell", "Gazpromneft", etc.). In the Tula region, gas stations with toilets are a huge problem, in the Lipetsk region, in general, too. Spill the Moscow region, then wait for the Voronezh. By the way, the same goes for the return trip. Do not count on the Tula and Lipetsk regions! On the woods too. This is not that track.

Where to eat on M4

We have a tradition - we always stop at the new generation Lukoil gas station in the Voronezh region at 720 km. (There are gas stations on both sides of the road!). These are not just gas stations - these are modern complexes with cafes, toilets, a shop, children's playgrounds (both indoors and outdoors) and so on.

Hotels on the M4 highway

There are enough hotels on the M4 highway. These are simple motels for truckers, and more or less decent hotels. What can you advise to those who have not taken care of where to spend the night on the way to the sea? It is best to avoid cheap motels right on the road. Choose hotels at least a little away from the highway and have a closed area. An example of such a hotel remote from the territory is the "Wind Rose" (practically on the border of the Voronezh and Rostov regions).

If you are not an extreme person by nature, book a hotel room in advance. Don't know the time when you will arrive at the hotel? It doesn't matter at all. You know the day. Check-in - at any time of the day.

Analyzed booking statistics by city and hotel. Most often, the following cities and towns are chosen for a night stop on the way south (M4 highway):

• Voronezh,
• Millerovo,
• Mines,
• red ear,
• Kovalevka,
• Aksay,
• Rostov-on-Don,
• Mayakovsky,
• Kushchevskaya.

The choice depends on where people started from. It is more convenient for Muscovites to stay in Rostov and in its neighborhood. Petersburgers - in Voronezh. Tulyakam - in Krasnodar Territory. There are, of course, personal preferences, but everything is individual.
Now the most popular hotels in May, June and July 2016. The list is very different from what I would recommend to you. I suspect that the main part of the hotels is popular due to economic preferences (the same "Alfa" in Rostov) and the smaller one - due to comfort and coziness (for example, the "Rodina" hotel in Mayakovsky). What you choose - decide for yourself.

We always stop for the night. We don't risk, we don't stress. Riding without rest is not about us. It’s not about us to go into the unknown, look for where to stay for the night along the way. We spend the night in pre-booked and checked hotels, where a quiet rest and good food are guaranteed.
We never force ourselves. We get up at a comfortable time, we go at a calm speed. And we get pleasure from the process of driving. Yes, it's a long way. About 1,600 kilometers. But on a highway like the M4, it's not scary at all. Great track, God forbid that there are more of these!

The M4 Don Federal Highway is a federal highway.

Moscow - Vidnoye - Efremov - Voronezh - Rostov-on-Don - Krasnodar - Novorossiysk. The main part of the route from Moscow to Krasnodar is an integral part of the European route E 115.
The section from Krasnodar to Dzhubga forms route E 592. From Dzhubga to Novorossiysk is part of E 97. On the M4 road, a section of the European route E 50 passes from the intersection with the M19 at Novoshakhtinsk to the M29 branch at the village of Pavlovskaya.

In the Moscow region, the road has a motorway mode, in other sections it has a regular road mode.

The length of the road is ~ 1544 km.
Number of lanes: from 2 to 6.

Passes through the territory of the Moscow, Tula, Lipetsk, Voronezh and Rostov regions, the Krasnodar Territory and the territory of the Republic of Adygea.

There are bypass roads around the cities of Voronezh and Rostov-on-Don along the route.

The road has access to: Yelets (12 km), Lipetsk (65 km), Novocherkassk (5 km)

A toll section in the Lipetsk region has road signs limiting the speed to 110 km/h, although this section is not a motorway.

A number of sections of the road are dangerous for traffic and require special attention from the driver:
- with steep descents and ascents (60 km, 98 km, 109 km, 116 km, 298 km, 347 km, 356 km, 386 km);
- with sharp turns and areas with limited visibility (26 km, 49 km, 95 km, 364 km).

The road crosses significant rivers: the Oka (near the town of Kashira), the Beautiful Mecha (near the town of Efremov), the Pine (near the town of Yelets), the Don (near the town of Zadonsk), the Voronezh reservoir, the Seversky Donets (near the town of Kamensk-Shakhtinsky ).
Bridges with a length of more than 50 m have a carrying capacity of 60-80 tons.

Route

The M4 road starts at the intersection of the Moscow Ring Road and Lipetskaya Street (direction to Lipetsk), then passes through the territory of the Moscow Region in a southerly direction in the form of a modern highway with interchanges and dividing lanes, goes west of the city Prominent, east of the city Domodedovo (between the city and the airport), runs west of the cities of Kashira and Stupin, approximately in the same place, the M6 ​​highway branches off from it, leaving to the southeast.

Then the road follows the territory of the Voronezh region, to Voronezh, bypasses Voronezh along the bypass road passing along the northeastern outskirts, passes the cities of Pavlovsk and Boguchar, through the villages of Losevo and Upper Mamon.

Further, the road goes through the territory of the Rostov region, crossing the highway E 40 Volgograd - Chisinau in the city of Kamensk-Shakhtinsky, leaving the cities of Millerovo (to the west), Krasny Sulin (to the west), Shakhty (to the east), approaches the city of Rostov-on-Don . Further, after the bypass road around Rostov-on-Don and the bridge over the Don River, it follows south through Bataysk and Samarskoye.

On the territory of the Krasnodar Territory, the road passes the villages of Kushchevskaya, Pavlovskaya (the beginning of the M29 "Kavkaz" highway), the city of Korenovsk and reaches Krasnodar. Here the direct road to Novorossiysk A146 E 115 departs, and the M4 continues south to the resort village of Dzhubga. From here, the M27 road leaves to the east, and the M4 follows along the Black Sea coast to the west, passes Gelendzhik and ends in the city of Novorossiysk. At the same time, for movement towards Novorossiysk, Anapa and Gelendzhik, there is a shorter and more convenient road through Timashevsk and Slavyansk-on-Kuban.

The most dangerous section for traffic is the section from the entrance stele to the Rostov region from the Voronezh region to the entrance to the city of Kamensk-Shakhtinsky (~ 140 km). Here, the road with heavy traffic has 1 lane in each direction with large elevation changes. Massive road works are underway and this is the cause of frequent accidents.

Start
(100 km)
Kashira
(209 km)
Novomoskovsk
(390 km)
Dace
(420 km)
Zadonsk
(470 km)
Horse Well.
(Voronezh)
(680 km)
Pavlovsk
(873 km)
Millerovo
(1020 km)
May
(1079 km)
Aksai.
(Rostov-on-Don)
(1160 km)
Kushchevskaya
(1280 km)
Korenovsk
(1340 km)
Krasnodar
(1352 km)
Adygeysk
(1392 km)
Hot key
(1432 km)
Dzhubga
(1487 km)
Mikhailovsky
pass
(1514 km)
Gelendzhik
(1544 km)
Novorossiysk

The M4 Don highway consists of toll sections with different cost travel. All tariffs with prices are collected in this article and are relevant for today. The last reduced price for travel on the toll sections of the Don highway occurred on 10/01/2018, in the future the data will be kept up to date and change in time.

In addition to the current tariffs, visual maps of the road segments to which they apply are also located below. The information provided allows you to accurately determine the costs that will have to be included in the total cost of a trip to the south if you plan to go on vacation by car to Georgia, the Crimea or to the resorts of the Krasnodar Territory, such as Sochi, Anapa and Gelendzhik.

The fare for toll sections of the Don highway

The above table allows you to understand what price you have to pay to drive a particular section of the road on a motorcycle, car or truck at different times of the day.

M4 DON: paid sections on the highway

Below are detailed maps toll sections of the M4 "Don" highway ( orange color) with detour schemes for nearby freeways (green and grey).

Moscow region (21-93 km)

Good road surface, full night lighting, lots of lanes and gas stations in both directions. The maximum speed limit is 130 km/h from km 51 to 71 and from km 76 to 94, and 110 km/h from km 21 to 51 and from km 71 to 76.

An alternative free section starts from the Moscow Ring Road and follows the Kashirskoye Highway to the interchange at km 117, its length is 106 km - a 10 km detour.

Moscow and Tula regions (93-211 km)

Alternative free route: Stupino - Kokino - Shemetevo - Gremyacheye - Krasnye Ozera, hook 45 km.

Detour of the city of Bogoroditsk (225-260 km)

A section with excellent road surface due to the fact that many trucks go around it, trying to save money. The maximum speed is 120 km/h.

When at the entrance to the checkpoint you will be given a check - save it, because at the end, when leaving, it will be necessary to present it to the controller.

Alternative route without payment: Krutoy Verkh - Bogoroditsk - Kuzovka, there is no difference in mileage.

Detour of the city of Efremov (287-321 km)

An alternative route runs through the settlements of Chernyatino and Pushkari, there is no difference in mileage.

The maximum permitted speed is 120 km/h.

Bypassing the city of Yelets and the village of Yarkino (330-414 km)

You should go around the Don highway through Babarykino - Yarkino - the village of Stanovoe - the city of Yelets - Ekaterinovka - the village of Timiryazev, there is no difference in distance.

The maximum speed is 120 km/h.

Bypass of the city of Zadonsk - the village of Khlevnoy (414-464 km)

Alternative route: Zadonsk - Khlevnoye - Kon-Kolodez.

Vehicles are allowed to move at a speed of 110 km/h.

Detour of Voronezh (492-517 km)

Those who want to save money will have to go through Voronezh.

In the Voronezh region, drivers should be especially careful, because. the largest number of video recording cameras is concentrated here and in some places the speed limit drops to 60, and the radar detector does not stop for 10 minutes. High-speed mode assumes the movement of cars at a speed of 110 km / h.

Bypassing the villages of Novaya Usman and Rogachevka (517-544 km)

The detour of the toll section of the M-4 Don road runs through the villages of Aleksandrovka and Rogachevka.

The maximum design speed is 130 km/h, 4 lanes, opened on 12/22/2016.

Voronezh region (544-633 km)

An alternative route passes through the settlements of Rogachevka - Brodovoye - Talovaya - Pavlovsk. Hook - 75 km.

Rostov region (1091-1119 km)

Bypass provided through:

1. Rostov-on-Don - exit to Samarskoye settlement - 1084th km M4 through Vostochnoye shosse, Zapadnoye shosse, along R-268, through Np Michurinets 3, Eremeevka, Samarskoye, with access to the highway "Don" at km 1103 .
2. Rostov-on-Don - Novobataysk - from the 1084th km of the M4 along the R-269 highway, through the settlements of Kagalnitskaya, Ivanovo-Shamshevo, Novobataysk, with the exit of the Don highway at the 1103rd km.

Put into operation on 05/19/2017 - 4 lanes, max. speed 110 km/h

Krasnodar region

At the moment, travel through the territory of the Krasnodar Territory is free, but in the future it is planned to introduce the collection of fares on the following sections:

1. 633-715 km - start of construction of a bypass with. Losevo and Pavlovsk - May 2017, end - beginning of the summer season 2020.
2. 777-847 km.
3. 877-892 km - detour of Tarasovsky settlement.
4. 948-1024 km.
5. 1024-1091 - the district line past Aksai began to be built on 02/27/2018.
6. 1119-1195 km - the deadline is 05/01/2019.
7. 1195-1319 km - put into operation on 09/27/2018, until May 1, 2019 they promise to start paying.

Bypass toll road

Toll sections of the M4 Don highway can be bypassed if you really want to - this will save a certain amount of cash in your pocket, but will significantly increase the time spent behind the wheel. The presented interactive map allows you to consider in detail the alternative roads and the settlements through which they pass, for this, simply click on the "plus" and "minus" on the left.

Map of all paid sections and their detours

The presented "paper" version has a high resolution with an increase and more up-to-date information.

Even if you're not intimidated by the current toll rates, detours can still come in handy. The fact is that in the summer, due to the ongoing repair of roads and their periodic narrowing, in some places there are traffic jams on the M4, stretching for tens of kilometers. In this case, there are 3 options:

1. Stand in a traffic jam for several hours and breathe in exhaust fumes.
2. Trying to go around the stream on the side of the road or by driving into a ditch in a neighboring field.
3. Turn off in advance and calmly drive along secondary roads.

Video

Two short videos about the M4 highway, telling about the organization of security and the nuances of the speed limit, as well as the principle of operation of payment points with illustrative examples of paying in cash, with a smart card and using a transponder.