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[SITUATION] · [ACTIVE] · [INTERNATIONAL]

4 clusters · 15 sources · 18 days · First seen · Last updated

Seasonal Turkish diaspora return migration

Overview

Turkish migrant workers and expatriates living in Europe have continued their seasonal return journeys following summer vacations in Turkey. This movement has caused significant traffic congestion at several key border crossings, including Kapıkule, Hamzabeyli, Pazarkule, and İpsala.

Kapıkule remains a primary transit point for those traveling toward Bulgaria, with queues stretching for meters as travelers complete customs and passport procedures. While officials previously implemented measures to reduce average customs waiting times to approximately 29 minutes, the surge in traffic has prompted warnings regarding border operations and road safety.

Recent reports indicate a surge in traffic at the Kapitan Andreevo border crossing between Bulgaria and Turkey, where over 5,300 passenger cars entered Bulgaria in a single 24-hour period. Border police report that waiting times have fluctuated, with some estimates suggesting delays of three to five hours at the Kapitan Andreevo and Kapıkule checkpoints. To manage the influx, authorities have deployed additional personnel and organized staff to direct traffic based on passenger categories, such as EU versus third-country nationals.

While passenger vehicle lanes are operating at full capacity, heavy goods vehicle (HGV) traffic is experiencing significant delays. A 2-3 kilometer queue of trucks has been reported on the Maritsa motorway due to ongoing renovations at the border point. These repairs are intended to increase the crossing's overall capacity by 25%, though current work on heavy vehicle lanes has temporarily limited throughput.

Travelers heading toward destinations such as Germany, France, Austria, the Netherlands, and Belgium have expressed a mix of emotions. Many reported satisfaction with reconnecting with family and visiting hometowns, but described the departure as an emotional process. One traveler, Neriman Sezer, noted, “We were very happy when we arrived, but now we are very sad on the way back. A very difficult journey has begun again.”

Entities

Kapıkule border crossing · Turkey · Pazarkule border crossing · Edirne · Kapitan Andreevo Border Gate

Timeline

  1. 4 days ago

    [INTERNATIONAL] 2 sources
    Kapitan Andreevo border crossing sees record traffic from Turkey

    The Kapitan Andreevo border crossing has seen record traffic, with over 5,300 cars entering Bulgaria from Turkey in one day as seasonal workers return to Western Europe.

  2. 6 days ago

    [INTERNATIONAL] 7 sources
    Turkish citizens face border congestion during return to Europe

    Turkish citizens living in Europe are facing heavy traffic and long queues at border crossings, including Kapıkule, as they return from summer holidays in Turkey.

  3. 13 days ago

    [INTERNATIONAL] 2 sources
    Kapıkule Border Crossing sees heavy traffic from returning expatriates

    Turkish expatriates returning to Europe from summer holidays are causing heavy traffic at the Kapıkule Border Crossing, with over 1.3 million travelers using the gate recently.

  4. 22 days ago

    [CULTURE] 6 sources
    Turkish workers begin return trips through Kapıkule border

    Turkish migrant workers are returning to Europe via Kapıkule and Kapitan Andreevo borders, causing heavy queues and emotional farewells after summer holidays.

Sources

aksiyon.com.tr · bursahakimiyet.com.tr · f5haber.com · gazetepencere.com · haber1.com · haber7.com · haskovo.info · hudutgazetesi.com · istanbulgazetesi.com.tr · mersinhaber.com · ortadogugazetesi.com · ota.fi · pik.bg · sonhaber.nl · viaggioneltempo.com

This summary has been updated 2 times: see revision history