site.btaOver 4 Mln Passengers Crossed Border Checkpoints near Edirne in Summer

A total of 4,960,911 passengers crossed in both directions through the Turkish border checkpoints with Bulgaria and Greece near Edirne between June 22 and the end of August, local governor Yunus Sezer said, quoted by TRT Haber on Tuesday.

The area near Edirne hosts the two largest checkpoints on the Bulgarian-Turkish border, Kapikule-Kapitan Andreevo and Hamzabeyli-Lesovo, as well as Pazarkule and Ipsala on the Greek-Turkish border.

In a statement after a meeting on public order with law enforcement representatives, regional governors, and institutional leaders, the governor noted that passenger traffic through the borders has eased in recent days.

Sezer noted that this week marks the final wave of Turkish citizens returning to European countries after the summer holidays, with a noticeable decrease in outbound traffic. Thanks to measures implemented with the support of the Ministries of Trade and Interior, particularly at customs checkpoints, the number of toll collection points was increased, passenger booths operated at full capacity during peak days, and close coordination with Bulgarian and Greek counterparts ensured smooth traffic flow. He added that the season was marked by minimal waiting times for travelers, both when entering Turkiye and when returning to their host countries.

Data showed that a total of 1,027,696 vehicles crossed Turkiye’s border checkpoints near Edirne during the period, averaging 14,475 vehicle crossings per day. A total of 4,096,911 passengers traveled in both directions, with peak-day waiting times reaching up to one hour and averaging 39 minutes on other days.