What drivers need to know before traveling on the M-12 Vostok highway
The M-12 toll highway has been operating for several years now—during this time, it has been used 52 million times. This is no surprise: the highway connects several popular destinations at once—Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, Kazan, Bashkortostan, and Yekaterinburg. What you need to know about the «Putin autobahn» before your trip is in this article.
Where the highway is located
The M-12 «Vostok» is a toll highway stretching 1,086 kilometers (675 miles). It starts in Moscow, at the Moscow Ring Road (at its intersection with the North-Eastern Chord). It passes through Moscow Oblast, Vladimir Oblast, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, Chuvashia, and Tatarstan, and since 2025—also through Bashkortostan, Perm Krai, and Sverdlovsk Oblast.
In the summer of 2025, the Isametovo–Dyurtyuli–Achit section was opened. In 2026, the highway is planned to be extended beyond Yekaterinburg to Tyumen.
As reported by Avtodor, the state-owned company that manages the highway, the travel time from Moscow to Kazan is about 6.5 hours (before the highway opened, it was about 12 hours). This is with a permitted speed of up to 110 km/h (68 mph).
However, from the toll road to Kazan itself, you still have to drive about 20 km (12 miles). Because of this, motorists alternate between the M-12 highway and the free M-7.
In December 2025, the Tatarstan section was supplemented with a bypass around Nizhnekamsk and Naberezhnye Chelny. This adds another 82 km (51 miles), passing through the Nizhnekamsky, Tukayevsky, and Yelabuzhsky districts.
How much does it cost to travel on M-12
Avtodor raises tolls on the M-12 highway annually. The company explains this as indexing due to inflation.
The cost for the longest segment—from Moscow to the village of Shali in Tatarstan—currently stands at 5,399 rubles (about $60) for passenger cars, 8,274 rubles (about $92) for SUVs and minivans, 10,334 rubles (about $115) for trucks, buses, and specialized vehicles over 2.6 meters (8.5 ft) in height, and 11,925 rubles (about $133) for oversized vehicles.
Toll prices for a passenger car on various segments in 2026:
Moscow–Vladimir—1,633 rubles;
Moscow–Murom—2,444 rubles;
Moscow–Arzamas—3,190 rubles;
Vladimir–Arzamas—1,557 rubles;
Murom–Arzamas—746 rubles;
Arzamas–Kazan—2,159 rubles.
Toll prices for a passenger car on segments within Tatarstan in 2026:
Kanash–Bolshiye Kaybitsy—182 rubles;
Bolshiye Kaybitsy–Innopolis—205 rubles;
Innopolis–Tetyushi—140 rubles;
Tetyushi–Kazan Aeroport (airport area)—252 rubles;
Kazan Aeroport–Kazan city—132 rubles;
Kazan city–Shali—50 rubles.
For owners of larger vehicles with a height exceeding two meters, a trip on the M-12 will be more expensive. See a separate table showing current tolls for all M-12 segments here.
How to pay the toll
There are no special terminals at the highway entrances where you can pay for the trip in advance. Payment must be made after arrival. You have 5 days to do so.
The highway uses a «Free Flow» system; in other words, there are gantries with sensors. They recognize the license plate, vehicle type, and the presence of a transponder—a small device for payment.
To pay online, you need to enter the vehicle«s license plate, country of registration, your phone number (you will receive an SMS for confirmation), and email. After that, the toll amount will appear on the screen. The amount cannot be paid in installments.
Where you can pay the toll:
on the website avtodor-tr.ru;
in the «Avtodor» mobile app;
via the USSD request *390#;
at Customer Support and Service Centers;
through «SberBank Online»;
at «Elexnet» and «MKB» ATMs;
in your personal account on the «Gosuslugi» portal (after a violation ruling is issued).
If you do not pay the toll within 5 days, expect a «fine notice» in the mail.
Owners of T-pass transponders are offered a 15% discount. Funds are automatically debited from them within 4 hours after passing the last gantry on the route. No data entry is required.
Where to find gas stations and rest areas
Stopping on the autobahn is prohibited—it is forbidden by traffic rules, and guardrails are installed along the entire road. Motorists are advised to study the map with gas stations and rest areas in advance.
You can take a break at specially designated locations—multifunctional zones (MFZs), rest areas. MFZs are equipped differently. Some have gas stations and cafes, others have a shop, shower, and electric charging station.
There are 136 MFZs operating on the M-12. Ahead of the holiday season, they were prepared to handle increased loads. Gas stations introduced payment via mobile terminals held by gas station staff at the pumps. Such staff are scheduled during peak hours.
How to act to avoid creating queues:
enter the toll road with a full tank;
choose a gas station for refueling in advance;
if you want to rest or eat, park your car in the MFZ parking lot (not at the gas pump).
A full list of gas stations, MFZs, rest areas, and hotels can be found on the Avtodor website.
What else drivers need to know
If something unforeseen happens during your trip on the M-12—your car breaks down, you run out of gas, you need a tow—emergency commissioners will come to your aid. This is free support 24/7. Emergency commissioners can be called by dialing *2323.
