13°C
How long does it take to cross the border at Smilnytsia?
According to user reports, the full border crossing time is ≈ 210 min (~3 hours 30 minutes)
based on user experience
Last updated: Updated 39 days 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
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 buses 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 01.06.2026 from 00:00 to 23:59 at the Smilnytsia - bus 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 06:00 01.06.2026 — 0 buses. The highest point was recorded at 06:00 01.06.2026 — 0 buses.
Afternoon (12:00 - 18:00):
The number of vehicles during Afternoon (12:00 - 18:00). The lowest point was observed at 12:00 01.06.2026 — 0 buses. The highest point was recorded at 12:00 01.06.2026 — 0 buses.
Evening hours (18:00 - 24:00):
The number of vehicles during Evening hours (18:00 - 24:00). The lowest point was observed at 18:00 01.06.2026 — 0 buses. The highest point was recorded at 18:00 01.06.2026 — 0 buses.
Night hours (00:00 - 06:00):
The number of vehicles during Night hours (00:00 - 06:00). The lowest point was observed at 00:00 01.06.2026 — 0 buses. The highest point was recorded at 00:00 01.06.2026 — 0 buses.
To avoid long queues at the Smilnytsia - bus 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 :00 and 1:00 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 - bus checkpoint to make your crossing fast and convenient. Pay special attention to these hours to avoid peak times and reduce waiting times.
Our Data vs Official Source
Best days:
Monday-Thursday (3 buses,
~4-5 hrs).
Avoid:
Tuesday (258 buses).
| Day | Buses | Load | Wait time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🟢 Mon | 3 | 1% | ~4-5 hrs |
| 🔴 Tue | 258 | 100% | ~344-345 hrs |
| 🟢 Wed | 5 | 2% | ~6.7-7.7 hrs |
| 🟢 Thu | 4 | 2% | ~5.3-6.3 hrs |
| 🟢 Fri | 45 | 17% | ~60-61 hrs |
| 🟢 Sat | 23 | 9% | ~30.7-31.7 hrs |
| 🟢 Sun | 5 | 2% | ~6.7-7.7 hrs |
Peak time: Tuesday 06:00 - 08:00 and 01:00 - 03:00.
Average wait time on Sunday: from 2800 up to 137600 min..
Based on the data, the best time to cross the border is Monday or Thursday, when the queue is shortest.
Which day is best to cross Smilnytsia by bus?
Monday or Thursday — shortest queue (3 buses, ~4-5 hrs waiting).
When to avoid crossing at Smilnytsia?
Tuesday 06:00-08:00 and 01:00-03:00 — peak load (258 buses).
What is the average queue wait time?
Depends on the day: 4-5 hrs (Mon), 5-7 hrs (Thu), 6-8 hrs (Wed, Sun), 30-32 hrs (Sat), 60-61 hrs (Fri), 344-345 hrs (Tue).
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 cross the border at Krakovets-Korchova by passenger bus, prepare the following 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:
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.
