Traffic began to build up on Friday morning at the border crossing from Lithuania to Poland along the route from Kalvarija to Budzisko, prompting authorities to redirect some passenger vehicles to alternative roads.
According to the State Border Guard Service (VSAT), the delays may be due to customs and border checks on the Polish side, as well as increased traffic heading into Poland ahead of the weekend.
Poland reinstated border controls with Lithuania on July 7, with vehicle inspections carried out selectively at 13 designated checkpoints.
By 16:00, VSAT reported that the queue on the Lithuanian side extended approximately 12 kilometres from the border, though there were many gaps in the line. Officers from the Kalvarija Border Guard Station have been helping drivers move more efficiently towards Poland.
Near Kalvarija, police have been diverting some passenger cars onto the Lazdijai–Aradninkai road.
Earlier, at midday, border guards said the queue to leave Lithuania for Poland measured around 7 kilometres, mostly consisting of lorries.
Lithuanian police and border guards continue to manage the situation on-site, with VSAT confirming no significant queues on other routes leading to Poland.
Additional controls remain in place at three Lithuania–Poland border points: Budzisko–Kalvarija, Lazdijai–Ogrodniki road, and the Mockava–Trakiszki railway station.
Interior Minister Vladislavas Kondratovičius has said the controls would be reinstated for one month, until August 5, but Poland’s Interior Minister Tomasz Siemoniak later indicated the measures could be extended.
Under the Schengen Borders Code, border controls may be extended if necessary in increments of up to 30 days, with a total maximum duration of six months.
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