Border crossing point Isaccea → Orlivka
All available crossing modes for this direction are listed below. Pick the relevant mode to open a detailed page with queues, forecasts and cameras.
Live Queue Status
Current wait time, forecast and live camera
Weather at Isaccea — Orlivka checkpoint for 7 days
Hourly Forecast
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30%
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15%
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35%
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15%
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Weekly Forecast
26°
18°
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29°
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Distance to nearest cities
Supermarkets nearby
Isaccea → 
Orlivka
Modes: 2
Shift change at the Ukrainian–Romanian border: when and how long to wait
Border guard shift change on the Ukrainian side happens twice a day — at 08:00 and 20:00 local time. These are regular shifts that ensure continuous border control.
During shift change, processing of all crossing types often slows for 20–60 minutes. To minimize wait, plan to cross 30+ minutes before or 60+ minutes after the approximate shift change. Check the live queue above for current status.
The neighboring Romania checkpoint is in the same time zone as Ukraine (Kyiv time), so its shift change falls at roughly the same 08:00 and 20:00. Because both sides change at the same time, the slowdown is concentrated in narrow windows — about 08:00–08:30 in the morning and 20:00–20:30 in the evening (Kyiv time).
Isaccea — Orlivka Border Crossing
Status: An international crossing between Romania and Ukraine that operates around the clock. Unusually, it is not a land checkpoint but a ferry link across the Danube, carrying vehicles between the Romanian and Ukrainian banks.
Note: Romania is an EU member state while Ukraine is not, so full border and customs checks are carried out on both shores.
Transport: Cars, buses, motorcycles and freight vehicles are all handled here. Live queue figures are published for the run towards Ukraine at RO→UA and for the return crossing at UA→RO.
Basic information
- Crossing point: Isaccea (Romania) — Orlivka (Ukraine), a ferry link over the Danube
- Countries: Romania and Ukraine
- Opening hours: 24 hours a day, every day
- Time on the water: roughly 15–20 minutes
Queues and wait times
Typical waits run from about 15 to 45 minutes, although busy periods can stretch longer because throughput depends on the rotation of the ferries rather than a continuous road lane. During daytime two vessels shuttle in near-continuous rotation, leaving the Romanian bank roughly every 30–40 minutes; overnight a single ferry maintains hourly departures.
Historical patterns and the busiest hours can be reviewed on the statistics page before setting out.
Documents and tickets
EU citizens need a valid passport or national ID card, and travellers from outside the EU should carry a valid passport. For cars and buses a vehicle registration certificate, a driving licence and a valid Green Card insurance document are required. Ferry tickets are bought at the Isaccea terminal, where passenger fares are around €1 (children under 12 travel free) and a standard car costs about €25.
Boarding and arrival advice
Romanian customs and passport control take place before boarding at the Isaccea terminal, so it is worth allowing extra time to clear the formalities. Departures are not on a strict timetable: vehicles board continuously and a ferry sets off once it is full or its rotating counterpart arrives.
- Cars and motorcycles: arrive at least 1 hour before the intended sailing.
- Buses and heavy goods vehicles (TIR): arrive at least 1.5 hours ahead to complete freight paperwork.