The Belarusian news agency BelTA reported massive congestion at the Kozlovichi–Kukuryki checkpoint on 10 November, with roughly 3,000 cars—mainly returning Polish tourists and labour migrants—waiting to enter Poland. The bottleneck followed a three-day All Saints/Independence Day bridge weekend that saw record cross-border travel.
Causes: Polish border guards redeployed staff to manage anticipated demonstrations in Warsaw, leaving only seven of 12 processing booths open. Simultaneously, Belarus’ customs system faced a three-hour IT outage. Lorry flows remained normal thanks to the EU’s “green lanes,” but passenger traffic ground to a halt, with wait times exceeding 18 hours.
![3,000 Vehicles Queue at Belarus–Poland Border After Holiday Weekend]()
Business impact: The jam delayed just-in-time deliveries for Polish automotive suppliers in Białystok and Łódź, forcing some factories to shift to air-freight alternatives. Logistics providers estimate additional haulage costs of €400 per truck due to idling and driver overtime.
Relief measures: Poland’s Interior Ministry authorised temporary redirection of tourist cars to the smaller Terespol crossing, while Belarusian authorities are bussing waiting passengers to heated shelters as overnight temperatures drop below freezing. Officials say normal flow should resume by mid-week once post-holiday volumes subside.
Recommendations: Companies moving goods through this corridor should build a 24-hour buffer into delivery schedules and monitor real-time updates from the Polish Border Guard’s #granica feed. Travellers should carry snacks, water and full fuel tanks, and consider the Brest rail shuttle as an alternative.
Causes: Polish border guards redeployed staff to manage anticipated demonstrations in Warsaw, leaving only seven of 12 processing booths open. Simultaneously, Belarus’ customs system faced a three-hour IT outage. Lorry flows remained normal thanks to the EU’s “green lanes,” but passenger traffic ground to a halt, with wait times exceeding 18 hours.
Business impact: The jam delayed just-in-time deliveries for Polish automotive suppliers in Białystok and Łódź, forcing some factories to shift to air-freight alternatives. Logistics providers estimate additional haulage costs of €400 per truck due to idling and driver overtime.
Relief measures: Poland’s Interior Ministry authorised temporary redirection of tourist cars to the smaller Terespol crossing, while Belarusian authorities are bussing waiting passengers to heated shelters as overnight temperatures drop below freezing. Officials say normal flow should resume by mid-week once post-holiday volumes subside.
Recommendations: Companies moving goods through this corridor should build a 24-hour buffer into delivery schedules and monitor real-time updates from the Polish Border Guard’s #granica feed. Travellers should carry snacks, water and full fuel tanks, and consider the Brest rail shuttle as an alternative.
