Turkey’s Land Border Customs Gates: An Overview

Turkey sits between Europe, the Caucasus, and the Middle East. By land it borders eight countries: Greece, Bulgaria, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan (through the Nakhchivan exclave), Iran, Iraq, and Syria. Most road freight leaving or entering Turkey passes through one of roughly 30 land border gates (kara hudut kapıları).

This article gives a simple overview of those gates: where they are, which ones matter most for freight, and what you need to prepare.

Who runs the border gates?

Several authorities work side by side at each gate:

• Customs: The Ministry of Trade (Ticaret Bakanlığı) runs customs. It works through 18 Customs and Foreign Trade Regional Directorates across the country. Each gate has its own customs directorate (gümrük müdürlüğü).
• Passport control: The police (Emniyet Genel Müdürlüğü) check passports and drivers.
• Other checks: Depending on the cargo, other agencies may also inspect it. For example, food and agriculture inspectors check food, plants, and animals.

The main gates by neighbouring country

The table lists the main land gates. "Opposite gate" is the name of the crossing on the other side.

Neighbour	Turkish gate	Province (district)	Opposite gate	Notes
Bulgaria	Kapıkule	Edirne	Kapitan Andreevo	Busiest gate to the EU; road and rail
Bulgaria	Hamzabeyli	Edirne (Lalapaşa)	Lesovo	Major truck alternative to Kapıkule
Bulgaria	Dereköy	Kırklareli	Malko Tarnovo	Open to light commercial vehicles (up to 3.5 t) since August 2026
Greece	İpsala	Edirne (İpsala)	Kipoi	Main road freight gate to Greece
Greece	Pazarkule	Edirne	Kastanies	Mainly passengers
Georgia	Sarp	Artvin (Kemalpaşa)	Sarpi	Main gate to Georgia, on the Black Sea coast
Georgia	Türkgözü	Ardahan (Posof)	Vale	Inland mountain gate
Georgia	Aktaş	Ardahan (Çıldır)	Kartsakhi	Inland mountain gate
Azerbaijan (Nakhchivan)	Dilucu	Iğdır	Sadarak	Only gate to Nakhchivan
Iran	Gürbulak	Ağrı (Doğubayazıt)	Bazargan	Main road freight gate to Iran
Iran	Kapıköy	Van (Saray)	Razi	Road gate; freight trains also run Van–Iran
Iran	Esendere	Hakkâri (Yüksekova)	Serow	Modernised gate opened in 2017
Iraq	Habur	Şırnak (Silopi)	Ibrahim Khalil	Carries almost all road trade with Iraq
Iraq	Üzümlü	Hakkâri (Çukurca)	—	Mainly passengers
Iraq	Derecik	Hakkâri (Şemdinli)	—	Smaller gate
Armenia	Alican, Akyaka	Iğdır, Kars	Margara, Gyumri area	Closed to regular traffic
Syria	Cilvegözü, Yayladağı, Öncüpınar, Karkamış, Akçakale and others	Hatay, Kilis, Gaziantep, Şanlıurfa	—	Status changes often; check before planning

A few notes:

• Armenia: The land border has been closed to regular traffic for many years. Cargo for Armenia usually travels through Georgia.
• Syria: Gates on this border have opened, closed, and changed use many times since 2011. Some are used mostly for humanitarian cargo. Always check the current status first.
• Iraq: In July 2026 Turkey and Iraq signed an agreement on a new road and rail crossing at Ovaköy, linked to Iraq’s "Development Road" project. It is not yet in regular use.

Documents and systems you will meet

Customs declarations. Turkish customs declarations are made electronically in the BİLGE system. This is usually done by a licensed customs broker (gümrük müşaviri).

Transit. Cargo that only passes through Turkey, or crosses several borders before clearance, usually travels under one of two systems:

• TIR: the international TIR carnet system, used widely toward the Middle East, the Caucasus, and Central Asia.
• NCTS / Common Transit: Turkey has been part of the Common Transit Convention since 2012. This lets T1/T2 transit declarations run between Turkey and the EU, as well as the other convention countries.

Safety and security data. Trucks entering the EU, for example at Kapıkule, need advance cargo information (an entry summary declaration) lodged before they arrive.

Commercial papers. Have the commercial invoice, packing list, CMR consignment note, and certificate of origin ready. Add any permits or certificates your goods need.

Practical tips

1. Choose the gate as well as the route. Busy gates such as Kapıkule, Sarp, Gürbulak, and Habur can have long truck queues. The queues are worst before holidays, at weekends, and in winter.
2. Check the status before you load. Working hours, vehicle limits, and openings can change at short notice. This is especially true on the eastern and south-eastern borders.
3. Prepare documents before the truck leaves. Most delays at the border start with a missing or wrong document.
4. Screen goods and parties. Some neighbouring countries are subject to international sanctions. Check your goods, buyers, and payment routes against the rules that apply to you before you ship.

At AntEX we plan the gate, prepare the transit papers, and follow each truck with continuous tracking. We work within the rules of international trade, and we do not handle sanctioned goods.