The European Commission announced on 13 February 2026 the completion of a €3 million upgrade to the Agios Dhometios/Metehan checkpoint—the busiest vehicle crossing along Nicosia’s UN-patrolled Green Line. Funded through the Commission’s Aid Programme for the Turkish Cypriot community and implemented by UNDP, the works add a third traffic lane in each direction and introduce a dedicated pedestrian walkway.
The crossing handles thousands of vehicles daily, including shuttle coaches used by cross-border workers and delivery vans serving bi-communal trade. Chronic congestion has often left motorists queuing for up to an hour at peak times; authorities expect average wait times to halve once the new lanes are fully operational.
For businesses, the improvement should smooth just-in-time logistics between north and south, benefiting retailers that source goods across the divide and expatriates who commute to offices in central Nicosia. Taxi associations have already revised fare estimates on the route, citing fuel savings and faster turnaround.
![EU-Funded Upgrade Expands Agios Dhometios / Metehan Green-Line Crossing]()
Whether you’re planning a quick shopping run, a business trip, or a longer stay on either side of the Green Line, VisaHQ can help you verify entry requirements and obtain any necessary travel documents before you set off. Their dedicated Cyprus page (https://www.visahq.com/cyprus/) offers streamlined visa processing and up-to-date guidance, making the most of the newly reduced wait times at the crossing.
The project also carries symbolic weight: it is one of the largest confidence-building infrastructure schemes since the opening of the Ledra Street pedestrian crossing in 2008. EU officials hope the completed works will encourage greater people-to-people contact ahead of a renewed round of reunification talks expected later in the year.
Travellers should note that during the first two weeks of operation random traffic-flow tests may cause short delays as systems are calibrated and border police adapt to the new layout. Signage is bilingual, and a new LED information board will display real-time queue lengths in Greek, Turkish and English.
The crossing handles thousands of vehicles daily, including shuttle coaches used by cross-border workers and delivery vans serving bi-communal trade. Chronic congestion has often left motorists queuing for up to an hour at peak times; authorities expect average wait times to halve once the new lanes are fully operational.
For businesses, the improvement should smooth just-in-time logistics between north and south, benefiting retailers that source goods across the divide and expatriates who commute to offices in central Nicosia. Taxi associations have already revised fare estimates on the route, citing fuel savings and faster turnaround.
Whether you’re planning a quick shopping run, a business trip, or a longer stay on either side of the Green Line, VisaHQ can help you verify entry requirements and obtain any necessary travel documents before you set off. Their dedicated Cyprus page (https://www.visahq.com/cyprus/) offers streamlined visa processing and up-to-date guidance, making the most of the newly reduced wait times at the crossing.
The project also carries symbolic weight: it is one of the largest confidence-building infrastructure schemes since the opening of the Ledra Street pedestrian crossing in 2008. EU officials hope the completed works will encourage greater people-to-people contact ahead of a renewed round of reunification talks expected later in the year.
Travellers should note that during the first two weeks of operation random traffic-flow tests may cause short delays as systems are calibrated and border police adapt to the new layout. Signage is bilingual, and a new LED information board will display real-time queue lengths in Greek, Turkish and English.
