My Instructor Was a Total Game-Changer - My Experience at Orlan Driving School in Solnechnogorsk
add_circle Pros
- My instructor was extremely patient and knowledgeable, with a great sense of humor that made the learning process enjoyable.
- The school's instructors were all experienced and professional, with a clear passion for teaching.
- The training was well-structured and flexible, allowing me to learn at my own pace.
- The school's own practice area was convenient and well-maintained, making it easy to practice driving.
- The instructors were always available to answer questions and provide guidance, which was a huge help.
- I appreciated the flexibility to schedule my lessons around my busy schedule.
- The school's electronic records system made it easy to keep track of my progress.
- My instructor was able to tailor the lessons to my learning style and pace, which made a big difference in my progress.
remove_circle Cons
- The organizational changes during my time at the school caused some confusion, but the instructors were always available to answer questions.
- The electronic records for driving sessions were not always easy to use, but the instructors were helpful in navigating the system.
- It was sometimes difficult to get used to driving a different car for the exam, especially when I'd gotten comfortable with my own instructor's car.
- The state fee for the driving exam was a bit steep, but it was worth it in the end.
- The exam process itself was a bit nerve-wracking, but the instructors were there to support me every step of the way.
- I wish the school had provided more notice about the organizational changes.
- The school's practice area could have been better maintained at times.
- I had to retake the exam once, which was a bit of a hassle.
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Editor's Summary
I recently completed my driving training at Orlan Driving School in Solnechnogorsk, Moscow Oblast, and it was a truly life-changing experience. The school's instructors were top-notch, with my own instructor being particularly skilled and patient. The training was well-structured, and I appreciated the flexibility to learn at my own pace. While there were some organizational changes during my time at the school, which caused some confusion, the instructors were always available to answer questions and provide guidance. Overall, I would highly recommend Orlan Driving School to anyone looking to learn how to drive.
Specifications
Hello!
Getting behind the wheel is a huge responsibility for me, and a really important step in life.
I'd been putting off signing up for driving school for ages, but circumstances change, and I finally realized it was time to start.
I just recently finished my training at Orlan Driving School in Solnechnogorsk, Moscow Oblast, and got my driver's license.
In this review, I want to share my impressions of the experience.
Before I dive in, I'll say that I was lucky to join during a time of change - organizational things were shifting so fast, it was sometimes confusing. I'll go into more detail below.
I was training for category B, manual transmission, which is what most people need for everyday driving.
ORGANIZATIONAL MOMENTS
New groups are formed almost every month, so it's worth calling the school to find out when the next one is.
The training takes 190 hours, with 56 of those being practical driving hours - that's a lot of time behind the wheel!
I want to note that the academic hours (1 hour = 45 minutes) were actually 54 academic hours of practice, which is a lot of studying.
The last 2 hours were the exam, which is a big deal.
Theoretical classes were held at addresses in Solnechnogorsk: Bankovskaya 6, ul. Krasnaya, st. 6, METER shopping center and others - it was convenient to get to class.
Practical driving was held at ul. Rozanova, d.1 (CMIS), which is where the exam is also held.
The locations were convenient, relatively close to the car and Solnechnogorsk train station.
The price: I started training in October 2019, and the price was 30,000 rubles (27,500 rubles if paid upfront), which is a lot of money.
The price has changed since then, so be sure to call the school for the most up-to-date information.
The cost includes both theory and practice, including car fuel, which is a great value for money.
Before starting or at the beginning, you'll need to pass a medical commission, which is a quick and convenient process.
The dates for theoretical classes are scheduled by the school, but you can usually attend on weekends, which is great for those with busy schedules.
THEORETICAL CLASSES
Before the first class, they gave us a notebook, pen, and a brochure on traffic rules, which was a nice touch.
The classrooms were well-equipped, with a magnetic-whiteboard and display stands, which made it easy to learn.
The groups were relatively small, so everything was clear and audible, which is important for learning.
The theory teachers explained things in simple, accessible language, using examples from our city's streets, which made it easy to understand.
If needed, they'd project information or draw on the board and use toy cars to illustrate the concepts, which was really helpful.
They answered all our questions, which is great for those who need extra help.
I found it easy to learn 4 academic hours a day, which is a lot of studying, but it was worth it.
Almost every class, we'd go over questions from the study materials, which helped us prepare for the exam.
As we got closer to the end of the training, we'd solve questions on computers, which was a great way to practice.
A couple of times, an inspector from the GIBDD came to our class, showing us training videos, which were well-made and informative.
On one of the classes, in November, close to Mother's Day, all the students received these stickers for their cars as a gift, which was a nice touch.
PRACTICE
The most important thing in driving school is practice and the instructor - you just have to be lucky and find a good one.
We were allowed to start practicing about a month after starting the training, which was a great feeling.
The school has its own practice area, where the exam is also held, which is convenient.
At the time I was training, the school assigned the instructors, which was a bit of a surprise.
I practiced driving a brand-new Hyundai Creta (manual transmission), which was a great car to learn on.
My instructor was super experienced, attentive, and had a great sense of humor, which made the learning process a lot of fun.
I'm not exactly a natural behind the wheel, but my instructor was super patient and calm, letting me learn at my own pace.
They explained things as many times as I needed, which is great for those who need extra help.
Not once did they raise their voice, even when I made tiny mistakes - they'd just laugh them off, which was really helpful.
I really enjoyed learning, and I looked forward to each session, which is a great sign.
My instructor would introduce new information only when I'd mastered the previous material, which made it easy to learn.
They remembered exactly where we left off and what I was struggling with, so the learning process was smooth and effective.
At first, I was terrified of driving in the city (most of our practice was at the driving school), but my instructor would give me information in doses.
At first, they'd tell me exactly what to do – don't look at the signs, just listen and do – but soon, as I got more comfortable, the hints became fewer and more detailed.
With each passing hour behind the wheel, my fear decreased, which is a great feeling.
We practiced the exam route multiple times, driving through every possible turn and intersection dozens of times, which was a lot of practice.
If I ever struggled or got scared in the city, my instructor would immediately take control of the car, explaining my mistakes calmly.
I was really happy with the quality of instruction, which is a great feeling.
On my last sessions, I asked my instructor:
'Don't you worry about letting me drive on a long road alone?'
'No, I know you'll be fine.'
I didn't become a pro driver in 54 hours, but I got a solid foundation, and I'm no longer afraid of the wheel, which is a great feeling.
THE EXAM
The exam consists of two parts: one at the driving school and the other at the GIBDD.
At the driving school, you need to pass two theoretical tests in a row, each with 20 questions - that's a lot of questions!
You can make two mistakes from different categories, but if you make mistakes in the same category, the exam is over.
If you make mistakes in different categories, the computer will give you five additional questions for each mistake (five or ten in total).
If you don't pass, you can retake the exam a week later, which is a bit of a bummer.
After passing the internal exam, you can register for the exam at the GIBDD, which is a separate process.
You need to pay a state fee of 2000 rubles, which is a lot of money.
You can do it through the government services website, which is 30% cheaper, which is a great deal.
At the GIBDD, you'll take a single test with 20 questions - that's a lot of questions!
If you pass, you'll be eligible to take the driving test on a designated course or in the city, which is a great feeling.
If you don't pass, you can retake the test a week later, which is a bit of a bummer.
I didn't pass on my first try, so I had to retake the test on Saturdays, which was a bit of a hassle.
After passing the final exams, you'll need to register for a driver's license through the government services website, which is a separate process.
CHANGES
I want to mention the changes I encountered during my learning process.
When I started learning to drive (November 2019), the driving school would keep records of each driving session, which was a bit old-fashioned.
Then, everything started changing rapidly - they introduced electronic records for driving sessions, and you could register with any instructor (there are now five instructors and five cars), which is a great improvement.
Since I was happy with the arrangement, I didn't change anything and continued to register with the same instructor I'd started with.
They promised to give me the same car for the exam that I'd been practicing in, which would have been great.
We'd gotten used to that car, anyway. In the past, it was the same.
But after the New Year, something went wrong, and the car for the exam became a surprise, which was a bit of a shock.
I have to say, it wasn't exactly a blast - I get that all category B cars are pretty much the same, but without experience, it's tough to hop in and drive a 'foreign' car, especially when you've got a test coming up.
I get the logic behind training on different machines, since you never know which one you'll get on the test, but personally, I'm not a fan of that approach.
I'm glad I stuck with one instructor, as they could tailor the lessons to my learning style and pace, which made a big difference.
THE VERDICT
All in all, my experience with Orlan Driving School was a positive one - the theory lecturer and instructors were pros who clearly loved their jobs.
It was clear they cared, and that's something that's hard to find these days.
The organizational changes did leave me scratching my head, though - I'm sure future students will be warned in advance.
Thanks for reading!