The Dereköy Border Gate in Kırklareli is the third land gate between Türkiye and Bulgaria; opposite it is Bulgaria's Malko Tarnovo gate. The gate has been closed to truck traffic since 1 March 1986. It serves passengers and passenger cars; since the beginning of August 2026, light commercial cargo vehicles with a maximum laden weight of up to 3.5 tonnes can also cross here.
Where is the gate and whom does it serve?
Dereköy is the only gate to Bulgaria outside Edirne: it is located in the north of Kırklareli, where the road through the Strandzha (Istranca) Mountains reaches the border. Its counterpart on the Bulgarian side is Malko Tarnovo (Malko Tırnova in Turkish). The gate is run by the Dereköy Customs Directorate, which reports to the Thrace Regional Directorate of Customs and Foreign Trade.
The gate was established in 1969 under the name "Aziziye Border Gate" and closed to truck traffic on 1 March 1986. Today it operates 24 hours a day, every day of the year. The site of about 17,000 m² has three passenger lanes for entry and two for exit; there are no truck lanes. The Ministry has decided to modernise the site, and the project is at the tender stage. In its current form, the gate remains small in scale compared with the two large gates in Edirne.
| Turkish gate (province) | Bulgarian gate | Role in commercial freight |
|---|---|---|
| Kapıkule (Edirne) | Kapitan Andreevo | Main exit for trucks bound for Europe |
| Hamzabeyli (Edirne) | Lesovo | Gate sharing Kapıkule's truck load |
| Dereköy (Kırklareli) | Malko Tarnovo | Passengers and cars; light commercial cargo vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes |
What changed in August 2026?
In an announcement on 31 July 2026, the Ministry of Trade, based on a notification from the Bulgarian Customs Agency dated 28 July 2026, announced a new arrangement: light commercial cargo vehicles with a gross weight of up to 3.5 tonnes (3.5 tonnes included) would be able to enter and exit via Dereköy–Malko Tarnovo. The announcement gave the start date as Monday 3 August 2026; a later letter from the Directorate General of Customs states that the gate opened as of 1 August. The planned capacity is 1,500 entries and 1,500 exits per week, a total of 3,000 commercial vehicles.
A letter from the Directorate General of Customs forwarded to exporters' associations in September 2026 went a step further: on exit, express cargo and light commercial vehicles of up to 3.5 tonnes are primarily directed to Dereköy, taking into account the capacity of Malko Tarnovo. Vehicles in this class using Kapıkule or Hamzabeyli are not given crossing priority except in previously defined cases; they join the same queue as other commercial vehicles in the truck parks.
The announcement lists three conditions:
- Transit procedure: The goods carried must be presented to the customs administration under the transit procedure. In practice, this means a transit declaration submitted via NCTS.
- Customs seal: The goods must be properly secured with customs seals.
- Licence and permits: The vehicle must hold a valid freight transport licence and the required international transport permits.
How do you plan a shipment with a light commercial vehicle?
- Verify the vehicle: The maximum laden weight in the registration must not exceed 3.5 tonnes. It is not enough for the cargo itself to weigh 3.5 tonnes; the limit is read as gross weight.
- Have the transit declaration opened: The declaration is prepared through the customs broker before departure and the vehicle is sealed.
- Complete the documents: The invoice, packing list, CMR and transport permits are carried in the vehicle.
- Prepare for EU entry: Bulgaria has been a full Schengen member since the beginning of 2025; Malko Tarnovo is an EU and Schengen external border. Drivers who are Turkish citizens are registered with fingerprints and a facial image in the EU Entry/Exit System (EES), which became fully operational in April 2026.
Why is it not an option for trucks?
The 2026 arrangement covers only vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes. Dereköy's status for trucks and heavy lorries has not changed. Trucks bound for Europe exit via Kapıkule and the Hamzabeyli Border Gate; for Greece and Italy, İpsala is used. The reasons for queues at Kapıkule are explained in the entry truck waiting at Kapıkule, and all land gates in the entry Türkiye's road border gates. How a European trip with a full truckload is planned is described on the international road freight page.
Common mistakes
- Thinking of Dereköy as a general alternative to Kapıkule and sending a truck to this gate.
- Confusing net cargo weight with gross vehicle weight; the 3.5-tonne limit is the total weight including the vehicle itself.
- Arriving at the gate without a transit declaration or customs seal.
- Not taking into account that the weekly capacity is a planning estimate; waiting can still occur at busy times.
- Sending a light commercial vehicle to Kapıkule out of habit; vehicles under 3.5 tonnes no longer have priority there and join the same queue as trucks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you cross at Dereköy by car or bus?
Which shipments is Dereköy suitable for?
Sources
- Ministry of Trade of Türkiye (T.C. Ticaret Bakanlığı) – Dereköy–Malko Tarnovo Customs Gate opens to light commercial cargo vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes (31.07.2026)
- Thrace Regional Directorate of Customs and Foreign Trade (Trakya Gümrük ve Dış Ticaret Bölge Müdürlüğü) – Dereköy Customs Directorate
- Ministry of Trade of Türkiye (T.C. Ticaret Bakanlığı) – Land Border Gates (list, 13.05.2026)
- Uludağ Exporters' Associations – Circular 514: Dereköy–Malko Tarnovo express cargo and light commercial vehicle arrangement (Directorate General of Customs letter, 03.09.2026)