Türkiye's main road border crossings are Kapıkule, Hamzabeyli and Dereköy to Bulgaria; İpsala and Pazarkule to Greece; Sarp, Türkgözü and Aktaş to Georgia; Dilucu to Nakhchivan; Gürbulak, Kapıköy and Esendere to Iran; Habur to Iraq; and Cilvegözü and Öncüpınar to Syria. Commercial truck traffic is concentrated mostly at Kapıkule, Hamzabeyli, Sarp, Gürbulak and Habur.
Which countries do the crossings lead to?
| Neighbouring country | Crossing (province) | Opposite crossing | Role in commercial freight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bulgaria | Kapıkule (Edirne) | Kapitan Andreevo | Main truck exit to Europe |
| Bulgaria | Hamzabeyli (Edirne) | Lesovo | Truck crossing sharing Kapıkule's load |
| Bulgaria | Dereköy (Kırklareli) | Malko Tarnovo | Mainly passenger and light traffic |
| Greece | İpsala (Edirne) | Kipoi | Greece and the southern Balkans |
| Greece | Pazarkule (Edirne) | Kastanies | Mainly passengers |
| Georgia | Sarp (Artvin) | Sarpi | Main gateway to the Caucasus, Russia and Central Asia |
| Georgia | Türkgözü (Ardahan) | Vale | Alternative to Sarp |
| Georgia | Aktaş (Ardahan) | Kartsakhi | Regional link |
| Azerbaijan (Nakhchivan) | Dilucu (Iğdır) | Sederek | Nakhchivan and Azerbaijan |
| Iran | Gürbulak (Ağrı) | Bazargan | Main truck crossing to Iran, Central Asia and the Gulf |
| Iran | Kapıköy (Van) | Razi | Alternative to Gürbulak |
| Iran | Esendere (Hakkâri) | Serow | Regional |
| Iraq | Habur (Şırnak) | Towards Zakho | Hub of truck traffic to Iraq |
| Syria | Cilvegözü (Hatay) | Bab al-Hawa | North-western Syria |
| Syria | Öncüpınar (Kilis) | Towards Azaz | Northern Syria |
The Alican crossing on the Armenian border has been closed to regular commercial traffic for many years. At the Syrian crossings, opening status and conditions for commercial use change from time to time. The table lists road crossings only; rail crossings and ports are separate customs gates.
Which crossings stand out in the westbound direction?
Most trucks bound for Europe exit through Kapıkule and Hamzabeyli in Edirne. Since Bulgaria became a full Schengen member on 1 January 2025, Kapıkule and Hamzabeyli are now the external border of the Schengen area; EU customs and passport checks are carried out on the Bulgarian side. The reasons for queues at peak times are explained in the truck waiting at Kapıkule entry. İpsala is used for trips connected to Greece and Italy.
Which crossings are used eastbound and southbound?
- Sarp: The main exit for trucks heading to Russia via Georgia; the Georgia–Russia crossing is made at Upper Lars. Route options are compared in the road routes from Türkiye to Russia entry.
- Gürbulak: The main gateway for trips to Iran and via Iran to Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and other Central Asian countries; details are in the road transport to Central Asia entry.
- Habur: Carries the bulk of road exports to Iraq.
- Cilvegözü and Öncüpınar: Used for trade towards Syria; the current status should be checked before each trip.
What should be considered when choosing a crossing?
- Route and transit countries: The closest crossing is not always the fastest; waiting times and road conditions on the other side are also taken into account.
- Customs competence: Not every crossing is authorised for every type of goods; dangerous goods, live animals and some agricultural products may pass only through certain crossings.
- Transit documents: The customs office of exit is entered in advance in the T1 or TIR carnet; changing the crossing requires the declaration to be corrected.
- Season: Winter conditions on the passes of Eastern Anatolia and the Caucasus lengthen transit times.
- Peak calendar: Queues at the western crossings grow before public holidays, at year end and during the summer holidays; choosing the loading day according to this calendar shortens the time spent at the border.
How does Voltim Global support this?
For its shipments from Russia to Akkuyu, Voltim Global uses road routes via Upper Lars–Georgia and Iran in addition to the Tuapse–Taşucu Ro-Ro line. In bonded and transit transport, the entry crossing is chosen separately for each trip, together with the queue situation, the season and the customs office of exit in the transit document.