Holiday traffic on the Poland–Ukraine frontier ground to a halt on Christmas night, with more than 3,000 lorries waiting at three key crossings—Rava-Ruska, Krakivets and Yahodyn—according to figures released by Ukraine’s State Border Guard Service at 20:43 on 25 December. The logjam is the latest fallout from a blockade launched on 6 November by Polish haulage unions protesting the suspension of permit quotas for Ukrainian carriers.
Although the Medyka–Shehyni crossing was re-opened earlier in the week, union pickets remain in place at the other transit points, allowing only a trickle of humanitarian and perishable cargo. Average wait times for outbound trucks exceed 80 hours, forcing drivers to spend the festive period in makeshift roadside camps without adequate sanitation.
For logistics firms and truckers who suddenly need to reroute through alternative EU borders, VisaHQ can fast-track the transit or business visas required to keep consignments on schedule. Our Poland page (https://www.visahq.com/poland/) lets you submit applications online, track their status in real time, and tap dedicated support—so paperwork won’t become another bottleneck while the blockade persists.
![Queues Top 3,000 Trucks as Blockade Continues on Poland–Ukraine Border]()
The queues are disrupting just-in-time supply chains serving automotive plants in Silesia and food processors in Lesser Poland that rely on Ukrainian agri-products. Polish retailers report sporadic shortages of sunflower oil and frozen vegetables, while Ukrainian exporters warn that delayed shipments could undermine seasonal contracts in the EU.
Warsaw has invited union leaders and Kyiv officials to talks on 4 January to discuss reinstating a modified permit regime, but organisers have threatened to widen the blockade if no deal is reached. Multinational manufacturers are rerouting some freight via the Slovak and Hungarian borders, adding up to 300 km per trip and 25 % to transport costs. Companies with time-sensitive cargo are advised to activate contingency plans, including increased inventory buffers and dual sourcing.
Until negotiations progress, logistics planners should monitor queuing dashboards published by the Polish Border Guard and schedule driver rest periods accordingly to avoid infringement fines under EU tachograph rules.
Although the Medyka–Shehyni crossing was re-opened earlier in the week, union pickets remain in place at the other transit points, allowing only a trickle of humanitarian and perishable cargo. Average wait times for outbound trucks exceed 80 hours, forcing drivers to spend the festive period in makeshift roadside camps without adequate sanitation.
For logistics firms and truckers who suddenly need to reroute through alternative EU borders, VisaHQ can fast-track the transit or business visas required to keep consignments on schedule. Our Poland page (https://www.visahq.com/poland/) lets you submit applications online, track their status in real time, and tap dedicated support—so paperwork won’t become another bottleneck while the blockade persists.
The queues are disrupting just-in-time supply chains serving automotive plants in Silesia and food processors in Lesser Poland that rely on Ukrainian agri-products. Polish retailers report sporadic shortages of sunflower oil and frozen vegetables, while Ukrainian exporters warn that delayed shipments could undermine seasonal contracts in the EU.
Warsaw has invited union leaders and Kyiv officials to talks on 4 January to discuss reinstating a modified permit regime, but organisers have threatened to widen the blockade if no deal is reached. Multinational manufacturers are rerouting some freight via the Slovak and Hungarian borders, adding up to 300 km per trip and 25 % to transport costs. Companies with time-sensitive cargo are advised to activate contingency plans, including increased inventory buffers and dual sourcing.
Until negotiations progress, logistics planners should monitor queuing dashboards published by the Polish Border Guard and schedule driver rest periods accordingly to avoid infringement fines under EU tachograph rules.
