What is the Sarp border gate and how is it used on the Russia–Iran route?

Where is the Sarp border gate?

The Sarp border gate is the Turkey–Georgia land crossing on the Black Sea coast, located in the village of Sarp in the Kemalpaşa district of Artvin province. Its counterpart on the Georgian side is the Sarpi checkpoint in the Adjara region, south of Batumi. The village was divided in two by the border demarcation of 1921; the border follows a stream that runs through the village. According to Hürriyet Daily News, the gate opened in 1988.

How important is the gate for trade?

According to an Anadolu Agency report based on figures from the Artvin Governorate, 792,001 vehicle entries and exits were recorded at Sarp in 2024. While car and bus crossings fell, crossings by trucks and lorries rose by 4.5%. In the same year, USD 1.7 billion of exports and USD 106 million of imports passed through the gate, a total trade volume of about USD 1.83 billion. Alongside freight, the gate carries heavy passenger traffic: more than 5.5 million passengers crossed in 2024.

In its letter on border trade dated 12 March 2024, the Turkish Directorate General of Customs also lists the Sarp Customs Directorate among the customs offices authorised for border trade transactions (according to a summary by KPMG Vergi). Besides Sarp, the Türkgözü and Aktaş gates in Ardahan are also used for crossings into Georgia; the full list of gates is in Turkey's road border crossings.

How is Sarp used on the Russia–Iran route?

A truck travelling from Russia to Iran through the Caucasus enters Georgia at the Verkhniy Lars (Upper Lars) crossing, transits Georgia and reaches Turkey via Sarpi–Sarp. From Sarp onwards the flow is as follows:

1. Exit from Georgia (Sarpi): The Georgian exit voucher of the TIR carnet is processed, and passports and the vehicle are checked.
2. Entry into Turkey (Sarp): Turkish customs accepts the carnet, checks the seal and sets a route time for the transit.
3. Transit through Turkey: According to the Turkish Ministry of Trade, customs allows a maximum route time for the longest distance of 120 hours from April to September and 168 hours from October to March. Overruns other than documented accidents, breakdowns or road closures lead to a fine and a physical inspection of the vehicle.
4. Exit from Turkey (Gürbulak): The exit voucher of the carnet is processed and the truck enters Iran at Bazargan.

The gate works the same way in the opposite direction: for cargo going from Turkey to Russia, Sarp is the exit point. That direction is covered in transit to Russia via Georgia, and the whole lane from Russia to Iran in trucking from Russia to Iran via Georgia.

Which documents should a transit truck crossing Sarp carry?

• TIR carnet: opened in Russia, with the Georgian entry and exit vouchers already processed.
• CMR, commercial invoice and packing list: the number of packages and the gross weight must match the carnet.
• Driver and vehicle documents: passport, any required visas, vehicle registration certificate and international insurance documents.
• Transit permit: for a Turkish-registered truck whose cargo is loaded and unloaded outside Turkey, the third-country permit issued by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure.

What affects waiting times at Sarp?

• Developments at Lars: closures and reopenings of the Caucasus pass make the flow of trucks from Georgia to Sarp uneven.
• Shared use by passengers and freight: when passenger traffic rises during holidays and festivals, the capacity of the site comes under strain.
• Document consistency: if the number of packages, weight and description of goods on the carnet, CMR and invoice do not match, the truck is held at the gate.
• Route time: the time limit set at Sarp runs until Gürbulak; long waits along the way create a risk of exceeding it.

How freight is handled on the lane from Russia through Turkey to Iran is described on the Russia–Turkey–Iran road freight page.

Published: 20.10.2026 · Voltim Global