At the «Verkhny Lars» checkpoint on the border between Russia and Georgia, businesses and travelers are experiencing severe delays. Reports from entrepreneurs indicate that around 3,000 trucks are currently queued when traveling from Russia to Georgia. However, the situation is even more critical in the opposite direction, with trucks enduring waits of up to seven days. Drivers of passenger vehicles also face significant delays, often waiting for 13 hours or more.
Vitaly Danilin, Operations Director and Founder of «Agrocargo» company, highlighted the stark contrast in wait times for cargo. He explained that goods like live animals and exports from Russia to Georgia and Armenia generally pass without delays in that specific direction. Passenger cars might face five to six-hour queues in this direction, but a separate corridor is created for them, keeping them out of the truck queue. However, for non-urgent freight from Russia, such as construction materials, the wait can extend to seven days.
Vitaly Danilin, Operations Director, Founder of Agrocargo:
«My primary concern is the return journey from Georgia. The truck situation for our vehicles, and those from other countries besides Georgia, is extremely difficult, with queues lasting a minimum of seven days. Georgian trucks possess VIP passes for exit, allowing them to bypass queues. All other trucks, including mine, stand empty for seven days, leading to daily losses of approximately 40,000 rubles due to downtime. Georgians, meanwhile, exit without delays because they altered the rules about a month ago, issuing VIP parking passes that allow them to cross the border in just one day.»
For passenger vehicles, the waiting period can be as long as 13 to 15 hours, with the most severe congestion occurring on the route from Russia to Georgia via the Verkhny Lars checkpoint. Conversely, car owners report that the journey in the opposite direction is considerably smoother, taking only about two hours. Several factors are believed to contribute to these difficulties: the slow operational pace of the border post, a recent mudslide, and the high volume of traffic characteristic of the holiday season. Alexander, who is preparing to travel through Verkhny Lars, shared insights from online driver chats:
«A month ago, the queue was also substantial, around six hours, which was manageable. But now, it`s reaching 15 hours, my wife told me today, and I personally saw 13 hours yesterday. We`re bracing for the worst, as last August, people reported waiting nearly a full day. This is attributed to slow processing on our side, coupled with some drivers cutting into the queue, which often escalates into conflicts. Although there was a recent mudslide, reports indicate no such delays on the Georgian side; the queue extends further, yet there are no complications, and the neutral zone is cleared quickly.»
Another driver, Vladimir, informed a radio station that his border crossing took a staggering 17.5 hours.
Radio Host: Why so long?
Vladimir: The Georgian border processes very quickly; the issue is entirely with our side, it`s incredibly slow. We moved forward by only one or two cars roughly every 40 minutes.
Radio Host: Is this due to prolonged inspections or document checks?
Vladimir: Yes, it`s the inspections; it seems no one is in a hurry at all. Additionally, many drivers try to bypass the queue by driving on the shoulder and forcing their way in, but the police are working to deter them.
Radio Host: So, police are pushing back those trying to cut the line?
Vladimir: Yes, there are many such instances, and they become more frequent the closer you get.
Those waiting to cross the border complain about the exhausting heat, reaching up to +35 degrees Celsius during the day, and a complete lack of organization. They report no basic amenities or traffic management. Margarita, who spent the entire night in the queue, shared her ordeal with Business FM:
Margarita: «We joined the traffic jam at one in the morning. We haven`t even reached Nizhny Lars yet, still about a kilometer and a half away. We`ve been moving forward in tiny increments – twenty minutes, a small crawl, another twenty minutes, another small crawl. There are piles of garbage everywhere, no one collects it, there are no toilets, so we have to go into the forest. It`s incredibly hot, and we`re desperate for water. We had expected to arrive overnight.»
«My husband has a heart condition, and I`m very worried about him. He`s already sitting in the shade, pouring water on himself. I don`t know how his heart will handle this. I`ve bought insurance and will call an ambulance if needed; what else can I do? We didn`t anticipate such heat. Yesterday, two ambulances passed by – one resuscitation, one regular, likely for someone who fell ill. Now, I see in the chat that many people are refusing to travel; it`s just pure torment.»
Radio Host: Were there reports in chats about people brazenly cutting the queue?
Margarita: «Yes, today there was a situation where a man in a jeep blocked the road, saying, `Brother, sorry, I won`t let you pass` – almost leading to a fight. I told the traffic police, `Go on, there will be literally a knife fight because they`re driving so brazenly.` And they responded, `What can we do?`»
There are no alternative routes for traveling from Russia to Georgia by car. Round-trip flights from Moscow to Tbilisi currently start from 37,000 rubles per person. Georgia also serves as a transit country for those driving from Russia to Armenia, Turkey, or Bulgaria. The situation is somewhat less challenging in the reverse direction. Yana, who traveled from Tbilisi to Russia yesterday, shared her experience:
«We departed from Tbilisi at 7 AM and reached the Georgian border by midday, which we passed surprisingly quickly. We had been monitoring the situation and reading group discussions, so we were prepared for extensive traffic jams, but we cleared it quite fast. Our cars passed in literally two minutes, and we, as passengers, in about 30 minutes. Joyfully, we sped towards the next border, only to hit a traffic jam a minute later. Crossing the neutral zone took us approximately 4 hours and 20 minutes. Of course, traversing it during the day helped because of the beautiful surrounding views, allowing us to step out and walk a bit. However, the scenery was somewhat marred by trash and dilapidated bio-toilets that were too dreadful to even look at, let alone use. I can`t imagine how parents with children managed, as the conditions were terrible. On our left, there were many abandoned cars obstructing oncoming traffic, making it difficult for vehicles to pass. Ultimately, crossing both borders took us five hours.»
