Distances to Sochi

I like this interactive map of distances to Sochi from other cities in the Black Sea Region.  It illustrates distance very well and shows cities such as Yevpatoria, Ukraine are not far from Sochi.  There is ferry service to Sochi from Trabzon, Turkey and other cities including Tuapse, Russia and Gagar, Abkhazia.  It is assumed that by 2014 there will be more ferry service offered from Black Sea cities to Sochi.

What the map does not show is how overland distances translates into travel time.  For instance, the city of Svetlograd is about 195 miles.  Svetlograd is some distance past the more well-known southern Russian city (and original home of MIkhail Gorbachev) of Stavropol.  Stavropol is about 150 miles directly from Sochi. To a North American, it would seem that a trip to Stavropol would take about 2 hours.  However, on the train it is about 10 hours.  The bus trip is about 12.  A car trip would probably around 10 hours due to circuitous roads and traffic.  The map does not show that there is only one road (and one railroad) leading to Sochi from the rest of Russia.  The Caucasus Mountains come very close to the sea at Sochi and the road was constructed along the seacoast and so avoided the difficulties and expense of mountain construction.  

For this reason, security for the Olympics, Paralympics, World Cup and Formula 1 are not the issues that are assumed by many that are unfamiliar with the region.  It could take 24 hours or more to reach Sochi from the restive regions of Russia's North Caucasus.  And since there is only one road, the checkpoints and potential checkpoints make infiltration by those with destructive power very difficult.  And with a mountain range in between the two, it would very difficult to make an overland journey.

There is no place immune from security risks, but because of Sochi's location it is no more of a risk than any other high profile destination.