In a bid to unclog freight traffic, Poland’s Ministry of Infrastructure and its Ukrainian counterpart agreed on 13 December to open a dedicated channel at the Uhryniv–Dołhobyczów crossing for empty heavy vehicles exiting Ukraine. The pilot lane can process around 100 trucks per day without prior e-queue registration, and tankers are explicitly eligible.
The measure is the first tangible outcome of joint Warsaw–Kyiv–European Commission talks held after Polish carrier protests paralysed several crossings in November. By removing empty rigs from congested checkpoints, authorities hope to cut queue lengths for loaded trucks by up to 15 % within a week.
Although the initiative focuses on cargo flows, transport managers should not overlook the human factor: drivers still need valid travel documents when shuttling between Ukraine and the EU. VisaHQ’s Poland platform (https://www.visahq.com/poland/) simplifies the process of obtaining Polish and other Schengen visas, work permits and passport services, providing doorstep courier pickup and real-time status updates—saving haulage firms valuable administrative time.
![Poland and Ukraine Open Uhryniv–Dołhobyczów Lane Exclusively for Empty Trucks to Ease Border Crunch]()
Logistics operators welcomed the move but warned its impact will be limited unless mirrored on the inbound side and at larger crossings like Medyka-Shehyni. Polish border guards will provide escorts inside the terminal precinct, while Ukraine’s Transport Safety Service handles traffic discipline on the approach roads.
Businesses running shuttle loops—Polish retail chains uplifting Ukrainian produce, for instance—should revise route plans to exploit the new lane: an empty return through Uhryniv may now beat circulating via Slovakia. Drivers are advised to carry weight-certificate print-outs, as vehicles above 7.5 tonnes laden weight but empty cargo holds qualify.
The pilot will be reviewed after 30 days; officials hinted that, if successful, a mirror facility for EU-bound empties could open at Hrebenne–Rava Ruska in January.
The measure is the first tangible outcome of joint Warsaw–Kyiv–European Commission talks held after Polish carrier protests paralysed several crossings in November. By removing empty rigs from congested checkpoints, authorities hope to cut queue lengths for loaded trucks by up to 15 % within a week.
Although the initiative focuses on cargo flows, transport managers should not overlook the human factor: drivers still need valid travel documents when shuttling between Ukraine and the EU. VisaHQ’s Poland platform (https://www.visahq.com/poland/) simplifies the process of obtaining Polish and other Schengen visas, work permits and passport services, providing doorstep courier pickup and real-time status updates—saving haulage firms valuable administrative time.
Logistics operators welcomed the move but warned its impact will be limited unless mirrored on the inbound side and at larger crossings like Medyka-Shehyni. Polish border guards will provide escorts inside the terminal precinct, while Ukraine’s Transport Safety Service handles traffic discipline on the approach roads.
Businesses running shuttle loops—Polish retail chains uplifting Ukrainian produce, for instance—should revise route plans to exploit the new lane: an empty return through Uhryniv may now beat circulating via Slovakia. Drivers are advised to carry weight-certificate print-outs, as vehicles above 7.5 tonnes laden weight but empty cargo holds qualify.
The pilot will be reviewed after 30 days; officials hinted that, if successful, a mirror facility for EU-bound empties could open at Hrebenne–Rava Ruska in January.
