Better to avoid:
Recommended times:
How long does it take to cross the border at Smilnytsia?
According to user reports, the full border crossing time is ≈ 1 436 min (~23 hours 56 minutes)
based on user experience
Last updated: Updated 2 days ago
How long is the wait in the border queue at Smilnytsia?
The queue wait time before the border ≈ 15 min (~15 minutes)
based on user experience
Last updated: Updated 21 hour 4 minutes ago
Does the EES system work at Smilnytsia border crossing?
EES Active
Yes, the Entry/Exit System (EES) is active at Smilnytsia border crossing. EES is an EU automated system for registering entry and exit of third-country nationals crossing the external borders of the Schengen Area.
The system records the date, time and place of border crossing, as well as biometric data (fingerprints and facial photo).
No cameras available at this checkpoint
Real-time traffic conditions on roads leading to the border crossing. Data is automatically updated from TomTom Traffic and Autobahn.de.
Border guard shift change on the Ukrainian side of Smilnytsia 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 of cars at Smilnytsia typically 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.
On the other side of the border (Poland), the local border service has its own shift schedule that is not publicly published. Total cross-border wait depends on both sides, but on outbound from Ukraine — especially on peak days — the Ukrainian 08:00/20:00 shift is typically the limiting factor.
During the period 14.06.2026 from 00:00 to 23:59 at the Smilnytsia - passenger car checkpoint, the following key moments were recorded:
Morning hours (06:00 - 12:00):
The number of vehicles during Morning hours (06:00 - 12:00). The lowest point was observed at 10:00 14.06.2026 — 7 cars. The highest point was recorded at 08:00 14.06.2026 — 9 cars.
Afternoon (12:00 - 18:00):
The number of vehicles during Afternoon (12:00 - 18:00). The lowest point was observed at 14:00 14.06.2026 — 1 car. The highest point was recorded at 14:00 14.06.2026 — 1 car.
Evening hours (18:00 - 24:00):
No data for Evening hours (18:00 - 24:00).
Night hours (00:00 - 06:00):
The number of vehicles during Night hours (00:00 - 06:00). The lowest point was observed at 05:00 14.06.2026 — 1 car. The highest point was recorded at 05:00 14.06.2026 — 1 car.
To avoid long queues at the Smilnytsia - passenger car checkpoint, it is recommended to plan your border crossing during the least busy hours. According to the data from the past day, the lowest number of vehicles was observed between 5:00 and 14:00 hours. This is the ideal time to cross the border, saving time and avoiding delays.
Plan your trips in advance using up-to-date border queue information at the Smilnytsia - passenger car checkpoint to make your crossing fast and convenient. Pay special attention to these hours to avoid peak times and reduce waiting times.
Best days:
Tuesday-Monday (10 cars,
~1-2 hrs).
Avoid:
Thursday (30 cars).
| Day | Cars | Load | Wait time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🟡 Mon | 20 | 67% | ~2-3 hrs |
| 🟢 Tue | 10 | 33% | ~1-2 hrs |
| 🟠 Wed | 24 | 80% | ~2.4-3.4 hrs |
| 🔴 Thu | 30 | 100% | ~3-4 hrs |
| 🟠 Fri | 25 | 83% | ~2.5-3.5 hrs |
| 🟠 Sat | 26 | 87% | ~2.6-3.6 hrs |
| 🟠 Sun | 25 | 83% | ~2.5-3.5 hrs |
Peak time: Monday 04:00 - 06:00 and 07:00 - 09:00.
Average wait time on Sunday: from 660 up to 660 min..
Based on the data, the best time to cross the border is Tuesday or Monday, when the queue is shortest.
Which day is best to cross Smilnytsia by car?
Tuesday or Monday — shortest queue (10 cars, ~1-2 hrs waiting).
When to avoid crossing at Smilnytsia?
Thursday — peak load (30 cars).
What is the average queue wait time?
Depends on the day: 1-2 hrs (Tue), 2-3 hrs (Mon), 2-4 hrs (Wed, Fri, Sat, Sun), 3-4 hrs (Thu).
Ukrainian men in this age group MUST HAVE one of these documents to cross the border:
One of these documents is MANDATORY:
| Military ID | Military commissariat (1-2 weeks) |
| VLK Certificate | Military commissariat (1-3 days) |
| Booking Certificate | TCC of your region (1-5 days) |
| Exit Permit from TCC | TCC of your region (2-7 days) |
Don't travel to the border without one of these documents. Better to spend a few days getting the document.
Green Card is mandatory vehicle insurance for all cars. Important to know:
This rule applies to all types of purchase:
What to do?
To ensure a quick inspection at the Krakovets-Korchova border crossing point in a passenger car, make sure you have the necessary set of documents.
ALLOWED (with limits)
Example: 0.5L vodka + 1L wine = within limits
Package must be sealed!
Meat from non-EU countries is PROHIBITED!
PROHIBITED
Transport Type: automobile
Total number of lanes: Ukraine:
Total number of lanes: Poland:
| Petrol Station Name | A 95+ | A 95 | A 92 | Diesel | LPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AMIC | 77.37 | 74.28 | - | 81.83 | 44.22 |
| Chipo | - | 75.07 | - | 81.93 | 43.70 |
| Prime | - | 52.95 | - | 51.95 | - |
| Rodnik | - | 71.99 | - | 85.90 | 43.99 |
| SOCAR | 80.76 | 77.90 | - | 85.76 | 45.61 |
| Shell | 62.99 | 58.99 | - | 58.99 | 37.49 |
| UPG | 76.90 | 74.90 | - | 80.90 | 43.90 |
| WOG | 81.90 | 78.90 | - | 85.90 | 45.90 |
| Avias | - | - | 53.99 | - | - |
| BRSM-Nafta | - | 71.63 | - | 78.33 | 43.01 |
| Market | - | 74.90 | - | 81.90 | 42.90 |
| OKKO | 81.90 | 78.90 | - | 85.90 | 45.90 |
| Ukr-Petrol | - | 56.74 | - | 56.52 | - |
| Ukrnafta | 71.99 | 68.99 | 65.99 | 73.99 | 41.99 |
Address: Ukraine, Lviv region, Starosambir district, village Stariava
Phone: +38 (044) 527-63-63
GPS Coordinates: 49.481089, 22.701431 Show on map
by car:
from Kyiv via the M06 highway to Zhytomyr, from Zhytomyr via the M06 highway to Rivne, from Rivne via the M06 highway to Lviv, from Lviv via the N13 highway to Sambir, from Sambir via the N13 highway to Staryi Sambir, from Staryi Sambir via the T1401 highway to Khyrov, from Khyrov via the T1401 highway to Staryava, from Staryava via the T1401 highway to the Smilnytsia checkpoint.
