In a couple of weeks I’m driving from UK to Istanbul - I’m going trough France, Germany, Austria, Italy … by boat to Greece, across N. Greece to the Turkish boarder.
I could do most of the journey with my eyes shut but Greece & Turkey are a different story.
Does anyone know if there’s any driving restrictions in Greece or Turkey - Any public holidays coming up??
Also does anyone know what the Greek / Turkish boarder is like??..I’m carrying exhibition goods and will have a carnet but any knowledge on how long it will take to cross or how much money I have to bribe my way through with!!
I’ve only been through the Ipsala border once, but it was really quiet and fast compared to Kapikule. No bribes needed either, I do believe those days are far gone. No driving bans in either country afaik
I do believe the border shuts at night ! Perhaps somebody else will know the time. I have 6 pm knocking around in my head but that’s probably 10 yrs out of date.
Couple of years since I last went through, and it was closed at night. Seem to recall being told it opens at 06.00, but
not sure what time it closes. Certainly quicker than Kapikule.
A colleague of mine went Ipsala late last year & it took him around 3 hours to get through on a ATA Carnet so much better than the last time i went through! That took 5 days!
we went through earlier this year and it was a night mare the way in was fast enough on both sides but coming out was a night mare. First of all the greeks close the border at night also they arnt allowed import a european ata carnet at that border as hey have lost their licence but will happily do an american one. i managed to get through in a 15hr spread but some of out lorrys were there for a good 20 odd or more
I went through Ipsala last year with an ATA carnet, no problem on the Greek side going out. Had on Cable for a golf tournament and needed a letter of invite from the organisers, which needless to say I didn’t have. This led to it taking 6 hours at the Turkish side waiting for a fax.
Coming back the same way it took 90 minutes to complete both borders even with a big queue of Turk,Bulgars and other eastern vehicles in front. I seemed to get preferential treatment and took no time at all, a quick chat with a Greek customs bloke and he let me through the coach lane much to my amusement and anger by the others in the queue.
We just crossed into Turkey from Bulgaria 11 trucks and it took 9 HOURS!!!
1 trhck you should be ok, and YES you need a visa.
Certain restrictions
morning and evenings on the Istanbul ring.
yeah, you definitely have to watch the time you drive to the border. I usually arrived in kapitan andreevo in the afternoon, parked in the willy betz compound, had a good meal and a shower and drove to the queue at about 4-5am. then it was just a couple of hours to cross, if you time it right.
