The İpsala Border Gate is the truck and passenger gate between Türkiye and Greece in the İpsala district of Edirne; opposite it is Greece's Kipoi gate. Trucks complete exit formalities on the Turkish side, cross the bridge over the Evros (Meriç) River and undergo EU customs and Schengen checks at Kipoi. The gate is open 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
Location and infrastructure of the gate
İpsala is located south of Edirne, where the Evros (Meriç) River approaches the Aegean; its counterpart on the Greek side is Kipoi. The gate was established by a Council of Ministers decision of 10 July 1961, and modernisation of the site was completed in 2021. According to the Thrace Regional Directorate of Customs and Foreign Trade, the customs area covers 198,000 m². There are five entry and five exit lanes for trucks and four entry and four exit lanes for passengers; both kinds of traffic are processed 24 hours a day. As a class A customs office, it is authorised for both truck and passenger formalities. Specialised controls such as veterinary checks, plant quarantine and scrap metal imports can also be carried out at this gate.
The other land gate on the Greek border, Pazarkule–Kastanies, mainly serves passenger traffic. İpsala is the main gate for truck traffic to Greece.
Where does the road lead after Kipoi?
On the Greek side the A2 Egnatia Motorway begins. The 670 km motorway runs from Kipoi via Alexandroupoli, Komotini, Xanthi, Kavala, Thessaloniki and Ioannina to the port of Igoumenitsa on the Adriatic coast.
| Destination | Typical route |
|---|---|
| Northern Greece, Thessaloniki | İpsala – Egnatia (A2) – Thessaloniki |
| Athens and southern Greece | Motorway connection south from Thessaloniki |
| North Macedonia, Serbia, Albania | Balkan connections via Thessaloniki or Ioannina |
| Italy | Egnatia to the port of Igoumenitsa, then ferry to Italy |
A comparison of the Balkan routes is in the entry truck routes from Türkiye to the Balkans. For Italy, direct Ro-Ro lines from Turkish ports are also an option; the decision depends on the destination and cost.
How does a truck cross at İpsala?
- Declaration: The export declaration is submitted at the place of loading. If the cargo is going on to another country within the EU, a transit declaration is opened. In this case the T1 transit document covers the cargo up to the office of destination.
- Pre-arrival declaration: The entry summary declaration is sent electronically before entry into the EU. How the system works is explained in the entry ICS2.
- Turkish side: The driver's passport, the vehicle and the documents are checked, and the transit declaration or export exit is confirmed in the system.
- Bridge and Kipoi: The vehicle crosses the Evros. On the Greek side, customs, ENS matching and, if necessary, physical checks take place.
- Driver registration: Non-EU drivers are registered in the EES with fingerprints and a facial image. The system was introduced gradually on 12 October 2025 and became fully operational on 10 April 2026.
What determines the waiting time?
- Processing speed on the Greek side: Queues mostly form at EU entry; customs and border police checks take place at Kipoi.
- Document consistency: Inconsistencies between the ENS, transit declaration and invoice get the vehicle pulled aside.
- Season: Passenger traffic increases during summer holidays and religious holidays; although the lanes are separate, the approach roads are shared.
- Holiday restrictions: Heavy vehicle bans apply on certain holidays in Greece and other countries along the route. Details are in the entry truck driving bans in Europe.
- Specialised controls: Veterinary or phytosanitary checks on food, plant and animal products mean additional time.
The customs side of transit routes is described on the bonded and transit transport page, and the general planning of European trips on the international road freight page.