Pre-holiday rush at the Ukrainian border: queue lengths and busiest checkpoints

The pre-holiday excitement continues at the Ukrainian border. Find out the record number of people who crossed the border in a day, the average length of queues, and the current situation at the border as of December 22

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During the Christmas and New Year holidays, a sharp increase in passenger traffic is traditionally recorded at the state border of Ukraine. The most difficult situation is currently observed in the western direction, in particular at the checkpoints of the Lviv region, which operate under increased load.

We will tell you about how the checkpoints on the Ukrainian border worked on weekends and what the situation is there as of today in this article.

Who can leave Ukraine in 2025 and what documents are checked at the border read here.

The list of products that can be exported abroad is in this article.

Are you going abroad by car? Don't forget about your Green Card! At Visit Ukraine, you can choose from offers from various insurers and apply for insurance in 5 minutes.

What was the situation at the checkpoints on December 20 and 21?

In just 24 hours, on December 20, almost 67 thousand people crossed the state border within the Lviv region. At the same time, entry into Ukraine prevails - the difference between the number of those who entered and left is more than 3.5 thousand people.

A buildup of vehicles was recorded in all directions. The most tense situation remained at the Krakivets and Shehyny checkpoints, where significant queues of both cars and buses formed.

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How long are the queues at the border?

Before Christmas, Ukrainians are traveling abroad en masse - for holiday trips, vacations, and shopping. According to border guards and local media, during peak hours, people can stand in queues for up to 20 hours, and the situation on the border with Poland is already being called a real collapse.

In particular, hundreds of cars and dozens of buses have accumulated in front of the checkpoints in the Lviv region, where traffic remains the slowest. At the same time, the situation at other crossings is somewhat more stable.

Current queue status (December 22, 2025, 09:00)

As of December 22, 09:00, the queue status at border crossing points with neighboring countries, for exit from Ukraine is as follows:

Republic of Poland

“Yagodyn” – 35 buses (pedestrians are not allowed; cars are temporarily not allowed);

“Ustylug” – 135 buses, 10 buses (pedestrians are not allowed);

“Uhryniv” – 50 buses, 13 buses (pedestrians are not allowed);

“Rava-Ruska” – 100 buses, 0 buses (pedestrians are not allowed);

“Hrushiv” – 30 buses, 18 buses (pedestrians are not allowed);

“Krakivets” – 55 buses, 15 buses (pedestrians are not allowed);

“Shehyny” – 115 l/a, 10 buses, 0 pedestrians (after the PC) (pedestrians are allowed in both directions);

“Smilnytsia” – 45 l/a, 0 buses (pedestrians are not allowed);

“Nyžankovyčy” – 30 l/a, 2 buses (pedestrians are not allowed);

Slovak Republic

“Maly Berezny” – 20 l/a, 0 buses, 0 pedestrians (pedestrians are allowed in both directions);

“Uzhgorod” – 10 l/a, 0 buses (pedestrians are not allowed);

“Maly Selmentsy” – 0 pedestrians (operates from 09:00 to 21:00).

Hungary

“Tisa” – 25 l/a, 0 buses (pedestrians are not allowed);

“Dzvinkove” – 30 l/a, 0 pedestrians (operates from 08:00 to 19:00);

“Kosino” – 50 l/a, 0 pedestrians (operates from 08:00 to 20:00);

“Luzhanka” – 30 l/a, 0 buses, 0 pedestrians;

“Vylok” – 30 l/a, 0 pedestrians;

“Velyka Palad” – 0 l/a, 0 pedestrians (operates from 08:00 to 19:00).

Romania

“Dyakove” – 0 l/a, 0 buses (pedestrians are not allowed to pass);

“Solotvyno” – 0 l/a, 0 pedestrians;

“Porubne” – 20 l/a, 1 bus, 0 pedestrians;

“Krasnoilsk” – 0 cars, 0 buses, 0 pedestrians;

“Dyakivtsi” – 10 cars, 0 pedestrians.

Republic of Moldova

“Mamalyga” – 0 cars, 0 buses, 0 pedestrians;

“Kelmentsi” – 0 cars, 0 buses, 0 pedestrians;

“Rososhany” – 0 cars, 0 buses, 0 pedestrians;

“Sokyryany” – 0 cars, 0 buses, 0 pedestrians.

How to check the queues at the border – search here.

Which checkpoints are the least busy?

According to current data from the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, the least busy checkpoints are currently recorded at the “Velyka Palad” and “Mali Selmentsi” checkpoints, as well as at a number of border crossings with Romania and Moldova, where queues are absent or minimal. Among the Slovak direction, “Uzhgorod” and “Mali Berezny” remain the least busy.

On the Polish direction, relatively less busy checkpoints are observed at the “Nyzhankavychi”, “Hrushiv” and “Smilnytsia” checkpoints, where the number of cars and buses is lower compared to “Shegyny”, “Rava-Ruska” and “Ustyluh”, which remain more busy.

Border guards predict that in the pre-holiday days, passenger traffic may increase by approximately 25%, after which a short-term decrease in the number of travelers is expected directly on the holidays. According to preliminary estimates, a steady decrease in traffic will begin after the end of the first week of January.

What measures are border guards taking to speed up border control?

To speed up border control procedures at Lviv region border checkpoints:

- the number of border patrols has been increased;

- additional automated workplaces have been opened;

- constant coordination with the Polish side is being carried out.

The electronic system eQueue continues to operate for bus transportation, however, the slotting system has not yet been implemented at the Shehyni and Krakivets border checkpoints, which creates additional workload.

Recommendations for travelers

To simplify border control on holidays, we advise you to:

- If possible, choose less busy border checkpoints;

- Plan to cross the border in the morning, night or late evening;

- Clarify the route and conditions of the crossing with the carrier in advance.

The pre-holiday rush at the border will last at least until the end of December, so travelers should prepare for possible delays and plan their trips taking into account the current situation.

The Green Card is a mandatory international civil liability insurance policy for drivers traveling abroad in their own car. During the pre-holiday rush, the presence of a valid Green Card is checked especially carefully when passing through control, because without it, crossing the border with Poland and other EU countries is impossible.

The policy is valid in 42 countries in Europe, Asia and Africa and guarantees compensation for damages to third parties in the event of a road accident abroad. The absence or overdue Green Card may lead to a refusal of entry, fines or the need to apply for insurance at the border at a higher price.

Apply for a Green Card on the Visit Ukraine portal in advance to avoid unnecessary delays and cross the border safely even during peak traffic!

Recall! From October 12, 2025, Europe launched a new border control system - EES, according to which the usual stamp in the passport was replaced by biometric registration, and the entry process became completely digital. We have already told you what surprises the EES system is preparing and how to avoid unpleasant surprises when traveling to Europe.

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