Poland is preparing to re-establish regular traffic through two key checkpoints on its eastern frontier after more than six weeks of near-total closure. Speaking at a regional business forum in Białystok on 28 October, Prime Minister Donald Tusk confirmed that the road crossings at Bobrowniki and Kuźnica would be re-opened on a “pilot basis” in November, once technical coordination is concluded with neighbouring Lithuania. Warsaw closed all Belarus crossings on 12 September, citing Russia–Belarus ‘Zapad-25’ military exercises and a swarm of 21 Russian drones that briefly violated Polish airspace two days earlier. Freight and passenger traffic was rerouted hundreds of kilometres north and south, creating bottlenecks for Polish hauliers and Belarus-bound supply chains.
The government partially eased the shutdown on 23 September by restoring one road and several rail crossings, but the economic damage for small traders, logistics operators and cross-border commuters remained acute. According to the Polish Association of International Road Carriers, detours added up to €1 000 in fuel and wage costs per round trip, while perishables had to be redirected through Lithuania. Re-opening Bobrowniki (the second-busiest truck gate) and Kuźnica (vital for passenger cars and light commercial vehicles) should restore roughly 60 % of pre-closure capacity.
Tusk stressed that the decision is conditional: “If renewed tension or hostile activity re-appear, I will not hesitate to close the crossings again within hours.” Warsaw is also working with Vilnius to synchronise any measures after Lithuania repeatedly closed its own Belarus crossings this month because of suspected spy balloons. Minsk, for its part, has accused the West of “hybrid warfare,” but local businesses on both sides of the border have lobbied for a quick reopening in the run-up to the Christmas peak season.
For mobility managers, the move eliminates lengthy detours for trucks heading to Belarus, Russia and the Baltic states via Poland, and restores a practical route for Belarusian staff who hold Polish or Schengen visas. However, companies should expect phased implementation, possible vehicle-type restrictions at Kuźnica (the road surface is still under repair), and heightened customs and security screening. Firms should monitor official communiqués from Poland’s Ministry of the Interior and the Border Guard for the exact launch date and permissible loads. Travel policies for employees transiting Belarus should continue to incorporate contingency plans given the potential for snap closures.
The government partially eased the shutdown on 23 September by restoring one road and several rail crossings, but the economic damage for small traders, logistics operators and cross-border commuters remained acute. According to the Polish Association of International Road Carriers, detours added up to €1 000 in fuel and wage costs per round trip, while perishables had to be redirected through Lithuania. Re-opening Bobrowniki (the second-busiest truck gate) and Kuźnica (vital for passenger cars and light commercial vehicles) should restore roughly 60 % of pre-closure capacity.
Tusk stressed that the decision is conditional: “If renewed tension or hostile activity re-appear, I will not hesitate to close the crossings again within hours.” Warsaw is also working with Vilnius to synchronise any measures after Lithuania repeatedly closed its own Belarus crossings this month because of suspected spy balloons. Minsk, for its part, has accused the West of “hybrid warfare,” but local businesses on both sides of the border have lobbied for a quick reopening in the run-up to the Christmas peak season.
For mobility managers, the move eliminates lengthy detours for trucks heading to Belarus, Russia and the Baltic states via Poland, and restores a practical route for Belarusian staff who hold Polish or Schengen visas. However, companies should expect phased implementation, possible vehicle-type restrictions at Kuźnica (the road surface is still under repair), and heightened customs and security screening. Firms should monitor official communiqués from Poland’s Ministry of the Interior and the Border Guard for the exact launch date and permissible loads. Travel policies for employees transiting Belarus should continue to incorporate contingency plans given the potential for snap closures.
