Sources from Business FM report severe problems at the Russia-Georgia border, particularly at the Upper Lars checkpoint. Truck drivers are encountering sluggish inspections on the Russian side, the alleged issuance of “VIP passes” for local Georgian drivers, and rampant violations where drivers bypass the general queue. According to one businessman, trucks carrying non-perishable cargo can expect to wait up to seven days.
Travel through Upper Lars is consistently unpredictable. In winter, the Cross Pass road is frequently covered in snow, while in summer, checkpoints become overwhelmed by an influx of tourists. Recently, the Georgian Military Highway was temporarily closed due to a mudslide, leading to a queue of thousands of trucks, as reported by local media.
Insights from Industry Professionals
Vitaly Danilin, Operations Director and founder of “Agrocargo” company, shared his experience:
“The cargo I transport through Lars – live animals for export from Russia to Georgia and Armenia – usually passes without queues in that direction, though passenger cars might face 5-6 hour jams, but they have a separate corridor. However, for non-urgent cargo like construction materials, the wait when returning from Georgia can extend up to seven days. My biggest concern is the return journey from Georgia. The situation for Russian and other trucks, excluding Georgian ones, is extremely difficult, with queues lasting a minimum of seven days. Georgian vehicles receive VIP passes and bypass queues. My trucks stand empty for seven days, costing us around 40,000 rubles daily. Georgia changed these border crossing procedures about a month ago.”
Tourist Woes
For tourists in passenger cars, the situation is somewhat better but can still significantly disrupt a vacation. According to posts in relevant social media groups, border crossing can take between 5 and 15 hours. Margarita, a Russian tourist, described her ordeal:
“We arrived at the jam at 1 AM, still about 1.5 kilometers from Nizhny Lars. We moved forward only a little bit every 20 minutes. There were piles of garbage, no toilets, it was very hot, and we were desperate for water. We didn`t expect to arrive overnight. My husband has a heart condition, and I was worried about him; he was sitting in the shade, pouring water on himself. I don`t know how his heart will handle it. We weren`t prepared for such heat. Yesterday, two ambulances passed by – one an emergency vehicle – apparently, someone felt unwell. My husband and I vowed never to visit Georgia again. It`s simply torture, and many tourists are now reconsidering their trips.”
Operational Challenges at the Checkpoint
Beyond the recent mudslide`s aftermath, Business FM`s sources highlight the disorganization of queues as a major reason for delays. Some drivers claim police struggle to manage opportunists bypassing the queue on the shoulders. Criticism is directed not only at Georgia`s new regulations but also at the slow pace of Russian border guards. Driver Vladimir stated:
“It took 17 and a half hours. The Georgian border works very quickly; it`s our side that`s extremely slow. We moved forward by one or two cars roughly every 40 minutes. Inspections are unhurried, nobody rushes. Many also try to cut in from the shoulders, but the police are working to deter them. There are many such violators.”
Upper Lars remains the sole land border crossing between Russia and Georgia. The Georgian Military Highway serves trucks from Turkey and other regional countries, as well as a large volume of tourists. Air tickets for August from Moscow to Tbilisi and back typically cost between 30,000 and 40,000 rubles.
Rupert Blackwood 
Clement Ashworth