There is a queue at the border crossing between Estonian Narva and Russian Ivangorod. The situation may worsen in the coming weeks due to reduced hours of operation at the checkpoint.
At the checkpoint from the Estonian city of Narva, there is a queue for crossing the border towards the Russian town of Ivangorod. As of 21:00, dozens of people are waiting to cross the border, according to surveillance camera data.
The footage shows that a crowd of people has formed directly on the Estonian side. About 50 vehicles are parked near the checkpoint, with many waiting in line with luggage.
Earlier, the Estonian government decided to close night traffic through the Luhaamaa and Koidula road border crossings for three months starting February 24, 2026. Authorities explained this move by the decrease in the number of border crossings and the need to redistribute resources.
Additionally, starting June 15, the operating hours of the pedestrian crossing "Narva-1" will be reduced. According to the new schedule, the checkpoint will be open from 7:00 to 19:00. Currently, the crossing operates until 23:00. This new regime is set to be in place for two months.
The Koidula and Luhaamaa checkpoints have already been operating from 7:00 to 19:00 since February. This regime has been extended until the end of August.
Estonian Minister of the Interior Igor Taro stated that the previously imposed restrictions have proven effective. According to him, there are no grounds for easing the regime, and Estonia is, on the contrary, forced to tighten control at the border.
Against the backdrop of reduced operating hours for border checkpoints, the load at the Narva crossing may increase. Passengers planning trips between Estonia and Russia are advised to account for possible delays and to allow extra time for crossing the border.
