Eyewitnesses report slow and thorough vehicle inspections are causing significant delays on the Crimean Bridge. Traffic jams persisted through the night, with drivers facing wait times of four to eight hours. The passage from the Taman side, however, remains clear.
An estimated 1,500 vehicles are currently queued on the Crimean Bridge approaching from Kerch, as tourists rush to return home during the final days of summer. Drivers are experiencing waits of four to eight hours.
Drivers in local chat groups report that inspections are being conducted slowly and meticulously. In contrast, the route from the Taman side is free of congestion. Traffic delays were also observed on the bridge overnight.
Alexander Gorny, a Crimean journalist and blogger, shares insights on the situation at the Crimean Bridge and the expected waiting times:
Alexander GornyCrimean journalist and blogger“The situation on the Crimean Bridge is quite tense. From the Kerch side, there’s a traffic jam of up to 1,500-2,000 cars, which means people will be waiting for inspections for an average of four to seven hours, depending on how quickly the inspection personnel work. Of course, there’s a human factor—people get tired. Immense attention is paid to security issues, and currently, everyone is trying to leave in these last few days. I expect we`ll see this traffic jam tomorrow and possibly on Sunday as people leave en masse. Although, if you look at the roads and beaches of Crimea now, I don`t see a large number of tourists. Many have, of course, already left. But an interesting question arises: why didn`t many tourists use the overland corridor? According to those who have traveled it, the road is quite comfortable, but the traffic is tense, and inspections there can be quicker. People undoubtedly choose the paid M-4 `Don` highway due to safety concerns and travel speed. So, the traffic jam from the Kerch side leading to the Crimean Bridge stretches for tens of kilometers. My friend arrived from Moscow last night by car and said there was virtually no traffic from the Taman side, but the queue from Kerch was visibly very long. The Crimean Bridge authorities issue models predicting waiting times and suggesting optimal travel hours, but these models are currently not effective. There`s a certain randomness; many people make spontaneous decisions on when to depart, opting for morning instead of evening, and as a result, the traffic jam persists.”
On Friday evening, Alexandra informed Business FM that she and her family spent two hours in a queue from the peninsula`s side but did not even reach the inspection point:
“We are driving from Crimea and got stuck in traffic. The situation is complicated by the fact that cars are illegally, brazenly, and with impunity overtaking us on the right, violating a sign that indicates only the left lane is for bridge traffic. We are barely moving. Traffic police posts are working, but they just explain that it`s not allowed. The drivers nod. Sometimes the police send them to other settlements, but in fact, nothing changes. Many still cut in, many drive in a second lane. Most likely, we will stand for another three or four hours to pass the manual inspection. We are in a passenger car.”
Tourist Elena recounts waiting in traffic for an hour and a half in Kerch:
— We were leaving Crimea. From the Kerch side, there was already a traffic jam at one in the morning. We approached, and the congestion started about 20 kilometers before Kerch, and then, accordingly, another 10 kilometers from Kerch to the bridge – approximately that distance. At one in the morning, there was already a big jam. We waited for about an hour and a half. And we had the opportunity to exit the highway and return towards Feodosia to travel through the new territories via Dzhankoy. That decision was made because the prospects were bleak; it was a very long queue. So, we did that and returned via the new territories. When we reached Taganrog, I saw in the news that people were waiting for about eight hours in the queue, with temperatures around 30 degrees Celsius – not very comfortable conditions. We lost about four hours on the road because we had to go back almost to Feodosia, then turn off towards Dzhankoy, and drive through the new territories.
— Did you notice any toilets or places to get drinks around there?
— Since the traffic jam started long before the city of Kerch, where we first encountered it, there were no toilets, and it was night. The traffic police were on duty, just organizing everyone into a queue to prevent disorder; no water, no toilets until the city of Kerch. But upon approaching the bridge, from previous experience, there are bio-toilets and water available in the heat.
— How was your drive through the new territories? What was the road like? Were there many cars?
— In some places, from Dzhankoy to Chongar, the sections were not very good. There are some not-so-good roads. Then, after the Chongar crossing, the road is good in terms of surface quality, but there are many trucks, the route is busy, everyone is trying to rush and overtake each other, especially these long trucks. There are several border posts where documents are checked, so you need to slow down and follow certain procedures.
— When you were waiting in line for the bridge, were there any overtakes or people trying to cut the queue?
— Yes, there are always such people. That`s precisely why a couple of traffic police cars are on duty there, to prevent general disorder.
Multi-kilometer traffic jams have been a consistent issue on the Crimean Bridge throughout the week. According to Sergey Aksyonov, Head of the Republic of Crimea, enhanced security measures prevent authorities from meeting the target inspection time of one hour. Approximately 600 vehicles can be processed per hour.
Rupert Blackwood 
Clement Ashworth