Features of the queue reservation system at the Estonian border in 2021

A small Baltic country located between the Gulf of Riga and the Gulf of Finland shares a common border with Russia in the north. It is famous for its capital, Tallinn, where a large number of attractions are located in the Old Town area, which has preserved the medieval style of buildings.

Just 30 years ago it was part of the USSR, which made the countries united with very blurred borders. After the collapse of the USSR in 2004, Estonia joined the European Union, and already in 2011 - the Eurozone, that is, a Schengen visa is required to enter its territory from Russia.

At the same time, there is also a special procedure for crossing the Estonian border with reservation of a queue when leaving by passenger transport, which will be discussed in this article.

You can book a queue in 3 ways: by phone, registering using a coupon for a live queue directly at the border crossing, and registering for an electronic queue at a certain time.

The peculiarities of passing the queue and the place of crossing the border remain quite confusing and problematic, as they require careful analysis.

Why do you need to reserve a time to cross the Estonian border?

To simplify the crossing of two borders, the authorities of Russia and Estonia came up with a queue reservation

Crossing any border between two states has its own characteristics.

The Estonian-Russian route has similar rules, which, if the reservation is not respected, will force you to stand in a traffic jam for hours near the transshipment point.

When, in the winter of 2014, an agreement on the state border was concluded between Russia and Estonia, which helped to delimit maritime spaces in two gulfs at once: Finnish and Narva, crossing such a previously simple border became a much more complex action.

It has become especially difficult for owners of passenger vehicles, since otherwise, if the rules are not followed, you can simply get stuck in a traffic jam so huge that it will take several hours to cross the checkpoint.

It was to simplify the crossing of two borders that the authorities of Russia and Estonia came up with queue reservation, aimed at not having to stand in line, but to overcome it quickly enough.

Such a reservation does not mean that the queue should be completely ignored, it just exists separately from the real one in the virtual one, and therefore has little priority.

At the same time, to cross the border you must have the following package of documents with you:

1. A foreign passport, valid for another six months after a trip to Estonia.
2. Schengen visa, not only Estonian, but also multi-Schengen.
3. If there is a child, a birth certificate and a power of attorney for permission to transport the child abroad without the presence of one of the parents.
4. “Green Card” – vehicle insurance.
5. Medical insurance for at least 30 thousand euros.
6. International driving license.

Applying for a guest or business visa to Estonia

Until the opening of the borders with Estonia, people could enter the territory of the state only by invitation, and the issuance of tourist visas was suspended.

What is needed to obtain a business or visitor visa to Estonia:

• Availability of an invitation - a letter from the host party justifying the purpose of the visit. Only an Estonian citizen or a citizen who has a residence permit in this country can issue an invitation.
• Availability of a Schengen visa.

Data that must be indicated in the invitation for a business or guest trip:

• Last name, first name of the receiving party.
• The actual address of residence and place of registration of the receiving party in Estonia.
• Place of official employment of the receiving party or confirmation of the status of a citizen receiving benefits for any reason.
• Details of the foreigner wishing to obtain a visa, including passport details.
• Estimated length of stay in the country and purpose of travel.

The receiving party must indicate that it will bear the costs of maintaining the guest. The invitation is drawn up in free form and sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia.

Main crossing points

You can cross the Russian border with Estonia at 3 points, at each of them only a first-come, first-served basis is used, although until 2015 there was a reservation system at Kunichinaya Gora.

However, reservations can be made from Estonia, which reduces the time spent at the border to an hour, rather than the standard 3-4.

Checkpoint "Ivangorod-Narva"

Control on the Estonian side is more complete, with inspection of vehicles and presentation of all documents

Designed for travelers from the north-west of the country, it is the busiest of all routes, as it allows you to get to Tallinn in the fastest way.

The border itself runs along the Friendship Bridge.

To cross the border you will need to present the following documents:

1. A valid foreign passport with a Schengen visa.
2. Registration certificate for the car.
3. One document from those listed as required.

Control on the Estonian side is more complete, with inspection of vehicles and presentation of all documents. After receiving a stamp in your passport, you can immediately get to Narva.

Checkpoint “Kunichina Gora – Koidula”

To travel from Pskov to Tallinn or South Estonia, you can approach from the toll and free roads. The procedure for crossing the border is exactly the same: checking the car and documents. This point is much less congested, so you can cross the border much faster.

Checkpoint "Shumilkino-Lukhamaa"

The second busiest checkpoint with 4 control posts. You should travel to it along the Pskov-Riga highway, the road is completely free.

When approaching the point, you need to stand in one of 2 queues, one of them is intended for cars with Russian license plates, the other for foreign ones.

Separately, you need to go through 2 pavilions, first passport control and then customs control. The procedure at this point is no different from the other two.

Crossing points

the state border between Russia and Estonia at three border points:

1. Ivangorod-Narva.
2. Kunichin Mountain-Koidula.
3. Shumilkino-Luhamaa.

All three points are considered cargo-passenger and serve all types of vehicles, operating around the clock, 365 days a year.
Duty Free shops operate at all border points and Tax Free returns are issued. At gas stations on the way to any of these border points you can buy a “green card”, which is necessary when checking documents at the border inspection.

Departure via Narva

Address: Leningrad region, Ivangorod, Kingiseppskoe highway, 8. Telephone: +7-813-759-74-21.

The distance from St. Petersburg to the border with Estonia is only 120 km - you can get there in a couple of hours along the Narva highway. This border checkpoint is considered the largest and busiest between Russia and Estonia - its throughput capacity is about 7,000 people per day. The waiting time before the border in Ivangorod can last up to five hours. You can sign up for the crossing through Narva from the Estonian side in advance.

Border checkpoint address on the Estonian side: Narva, Westervalli 3 (Tallinn-Narva Highway), 20307. Telephone: +372 6123000.

Also for pedestrians in this place there is an additional customs point Narva-2, through which only small bags, suitcases or backpacks that do not contain anything that must be declared are allowed.

Kunichina Mountain-Koidula

Address: Pskov region, Pechora district, village. Kunichina Mountain. Phone: +7-811-482-16-24.

Border checkpoint address from Estonia: Koidula, Värska vald (Karisilla-Pechorskoe highway) 64003. Telephone: +372 6123000.

Shumilkino-Luhamaa

Address: Pskov region, Pechora district, Panikovskaya Volost, village. Shumilkino. Phone: +7-811-489-33-21.

Border address on the Estonian side: Võru district, Lüta Misso vald (Riga-Pskov highway) 65011. Telephone: +372 6123000.

Booking methods

To make it much easier to leave Estonia back to Russia, you can use the booking process, which will dramatically reduce the waiting time.

There are several ways:

• The easiest way to get a reservation is to order online

  In the waiting areas you can get a queue reservation coupon. Such a wait can take quite a long time, so it is best to use it only for those who do not know the exact time of their arrival at the border. The service is paid, but purely symbolically - only 1.5 euros. Payment is made in cash or debit card. Valid only in the city of Narva.

• You can reserve a queue by calling +372 698 91 92 before the start of the trip so that you can take a seat. The cost of the call is paid by credit card and is 1.53 euros per 1 minute of conversation. The cost of the reservation is 1.5 euros.
• The easiest way to get a reservation is to order online on the GoSwift website . Here you can order a reservation by immediately identifying available time slots at least 90 days before the trip. If necessary, the conditions can be changed 3 times. An SMS alert is connected, which reminds about the time of crossing the border and a special equipped parking lot is offered, which allows you to calmly spend the time waiting in line. The cost of the reservation is fixed to 1.5 euros.

Online booking procedure

For electronic booking you need to use the GoSwift website. It operates at 2 different addresses: eestipiir.ee and estonianborder.eu. At their core, they are exactly the same site, it’s just that the first one is designed in Estonian, and the second one is in English.

The booking procedure is the same and requires the following steps:

1. To receive SMS notifications, it is advisable to provide your email address and phone number

   First of all, register on the site. You will need to provide your first name, last name, login and password. To receive SMS notifications, it is advisable to provide an email address and phone number, but only if desired.

2. After registration, you need to go to the booking page. The first question will be the choice of vehicle - select the car you need, and then the checkpoint you want to cross.
3. Next, you select the preferred queue type: priority, reserve or live queue. If the queue is booked in advance, then choose a reserve. The page will display four columns with the date and time, although you can select any date within 3 months.
4. One hour per car is given to cross the border, with the checkpoint operating around the clock. The time taken will be grayed out and labeled Full. Look at the green columns with the times written and choose the one that suits you.
5. Now it's time to fill out the information. The driver comes first - first name, last name, Estonian ID code, and if he doesn’t have one, date of birth. Phone and email address optional. His travel document with the number and country of issue is indicated.
6. Fill in the car details: its license plate, country of registration.
7. Afterwards, you can order additional services , such as the right to use the waiting area for 3 euros, SMS notification in three messages 7 hours before the reservation is valid, 3 hours before and when calling at the border for 1 euro.
8. Confirm your reservation , agree to the terms of use and receive a confirmation that allows you to check out at a certain time.

Booking cost

To quickly cross the border you will have to spend a certain amount of money, since the queue booking service is paid, as is the waiting time for your queue:

Booking method	Booking cost	Waiting time for your turn
Ticket in place	1.5 euros, money accepted in cash or debit card	You need to wait for your turn using the ticket, which can take a couple of hours, since there is no exact time
Reservation by phone	1.5 euros per booking + 1.53 euros per 1 minute of telephone conversation	Waiting time is about an hour
Electronic reservation	1.5 euros + 1 euro for SMS notification + 3 euros for waiting area	A precise time is assigned within an hour, during which you must drive up and go through your turn. It is advisable to arrive an hour before the appointed time

In general, the cost of the reservation is fixed at 1.5 euros. The queue is another matter, since if you do not order via email, you can even wait a significant amount of time with a reservation due to the large number of the same drivers.

This is especially true on holidays, when the queue can reach hundreds of cars. It should be understood that traffic at the border is very slow and crossings are quite limited per day.

Crossing points

There are several different points at which it will be possible to cross the border between the Russian Federation and Estonia.

It is important to remember that if you pre-book the queue, the journey will take no more than 1 hour. Travel is carried out through a special checkpoint.

Main most significant points:

• Ivangorod - Narva;
• Kunichina Gora – Koidula;
• Shumilkino - Lumazaa.

Ivangorod – Narva

The easiest way to cross the border by car is at the Ivangorod-Narva contact point. The process of crossing the border in this case will be standard.

But it is important to note that crossing the border in this case has some important features. The basic ones will include the following:

When driving to Estonia, be sure to fill up with gasoline to the fullest.	Since the price of fuel in this country will be an order of magnitude higher than in the Russian Federation (1.1 euros per 1 liter of 92nd gasoline)
When crossing the border on the Russian side, you will need to provide a passport with a valid visa	As well as a technical passport for the car
The luggage compartment must be inspected	For the presence of contraband

Kunichina Gora – Koidula

The main advantage of this border crossing point is the ability to pre-book passage across the border.

When traveling from the Russian Federation to Estonia. It will be possible to make a reservation on a website specially developed for this purpose – at www.goswift.ru.

It will be possible to travel to this point not only by motorized vehicle, but also by bicycle. Or even on foot.

It is also important to remember that when leaving the road you will need to pay a certain amount of money. It will be exactly 150 rubles.

The approximate capacity of this place on the border is 2000 people. The procedure for crossing the border itself is standard and repeats the algorithm outlined above.

There are no difficulties if all the necessary documents are available in this case. It is only necessary to note that payment for traffic on the road is strictly required.

Shumilkino – Lumazaa

This border crossing point does not have any distinctive features and is located on a mountain. The main advantage of this place is the absence of long queues.

However, it is best to arrive at this point in advance. Only this way, traveling by car will still take a little longer.

The main reason is the need to verify all documents. In some cases, the car may be placed in a special area for inspection.

Do I need to make a reservation on my way back to Russia?

Reservations from Estonia to Russia exist and can quite sharply limit the amount of expected time

For a short time after 2012, there was a reservation when crossing the border from Russia to Estonia, but gradually it simply became a first-come, first-serve basis.

However, on the downside, it still exists and can quite sharply limit the amount of expected time.

In addition, the order of the first-time queue is quite small, there is very little time and quotas allocated for cars without reservation, and the average time standing in line can take more than 12 hours.

When receiving a reservation in the waiting area, the order of crossing the return border will occur in the following order:

• arrival at the border one hour before the appointed time;
• stopping at a special parking lot with an electronic display;
• after the car number is displayed on the display, you need to get a coupon for
• customs post;
• After receiving the ticket, you must join the queue of registered drivers and
• move towards the barrier;
• near the barrier you must present a ticket and go through passport control, after which crossing the border can be considered completed.

Queues at the border with Estonia

Only passenger buses are allowed to cross the Estonian border without queuing. Private cars must wait their turn. They come in 3 types:

• with advance seat reservation,
• alive,
• priority.

Important! You can only reserve a queue to cross the border from the Estonian side, i.e. when leaving Estonia for Russia.

It is very convenient to reserve a place in the queue at the border in advance. This will save significant time. This is especially true on holidays and in the last week of summer, when a huge number of cars accumulate at the checkpoint.

If a place in the queue has not been reserved in advance, the driver must join the live queue. Before this, you will have to register in the waiting area. You can do this yourself at self-service kiosks or ask an employee for help. After this, in the open parking lot you have to wait until the car number appears on the information board. This is a sign that you can cross the cordon. However, this method cannot be called convenient. Cars that have been pre-booked will have priority and pass first, so the wait may last for several hours.

Only those who enjoy privileges when crossing the Estonian border can get into the priority queue.

Features of customs clearance

Customs control operates on both sides of the border, so it is imperative to know what you can take with you and what is better to leave at home.

What is allowed to be brought into Estonia:

• You can export jewelry and souvenirs made of precious metals and stones from Estonia

  You can bring personal items worth up to 300 euros duty free; Imported tobacco must not exceed 40 cigarettes or 50 cigars. In general, there should be no more than 50 g of tobacco.

• Alcoholic drinks: no more than 16 liters of beer, 4 liters of various wines, up to 2 liters of liquor, up to 1 liter of cognac and vodka.
• Gasoline is the standard fuel tank for a car.
• The quantity of imported meat and plants is limited: fruits up to 5 kilograms, indoor flowers up to 5 pieces, meat up to 2 kilograms, and fish and seafood up to 20 kg.

You cannot import:

• any weapon: firearms, explosives, bladed weapons, as well as stun guns;
• drugs and psychotropic substances;
• any counterfeit goods;
• pirated copies of video and audio;
• meat and milk in sealed packages up to 2 kilograms, except for baby and diet food;
• wild plants and animals that may affect the ecosystem;
• pornographic materials involving minors.

It is possible to export from Estonia:

• During the month, you can export no more than 1 liter of strong alcohol and 2 liters of beer outside Estonia. The maximum amount of tobacco is 3 packs.
• You can export no more than 10 liters of gasoline outside of Estonia, in addition to what is in the tank, so as not to speculate on the difference in gasoline prices.
• Souvenirs made from animal biomaterials, which are classified as protected species, except for caviar, umbrellas made from cactus plants and haberdashery made from crocodile skin, are restricted for export and require a permit.
• Jewelry and souvenirs made of precious metals and stones.

The following cannot be exported outside Estonia:

• Any historical and cultural values.
• Precious metals and stones in their purest form.
• Currency over 10,000 euros.
• Animals without documents and vaccinations.

Crossing the border according to the queue

Crossing state borders can be roughly divided into several stages. The driver is required to go through preliminary control at the first barrier, go to customs inspection, and go to the neutral zone. The procedure ends when you pass the Estonian checkpoint.

Only the driver of the vehicle can communicate with border guards and customs officers. He picks up the foreign passports of all passengers and the technical passport of the car. It is important to stop in front of the corresponding sign - this is done to record the vehicle number on the CCTV cameras. If necessary, a declaration must be handed over to customs officers. The next step is to inspect the car. The event is carried out as follows:

1. The driver opens the doors to the cabin, trunk and glove compartment.
2. If everything is fine and there are no problems, then the customs officers release the car to the next window.
3. If questions arise regarding luggage, the car is driven to a special area for a more thorough inspection.

It is not recommended to joke when answering a question about the transportation of prohibited goods or items. At checkpoints entering any EU country, this approach to dialogue is not valued. Additional unpleasant problems may arise.

In the neutral zone there is a duty free shop, as in all airports. There is no such outlet on the way from Estonia to Russia. After the neutral strip there is an Estonian customs point. The interaction algorithm is the same as on the Russian side. Additionally, you may be asked to show a document containing information about the VIN number assigned to the vehicle. The final procedure involves affixing entry stamps.

The nuances of transporting pets

When transporting pets non-commercially across the Estonian border, it is recommended to transport no more than 5 pets per person.

Each animal must have:

• A tattoo or microchip that helps identify the pet.
• A veterinary certificate from countries that do not belong to the EU must comply with the model. A passport can be considered an accompanying document, but only for animals originating from EU countries.
• Document confirming rabies vaccination.

In general, there are quite a lot of rules for transporting pets, but in practice, both on the Russian and on the Estonian border, they are practically not observed.

Crossing the border with privileges

To travel through the border crossing, it is advisable to reserve a queue at the Estonian border. In exceptional situations, it is allowed to pass through the checkpoint in an expedited manner. The following categories of persons have the right to a privileged queue at the border with Estonia:

• representatives of the diplomatic mission of the Russian Federation;
• participants in international forums;
• representatives of consulates of other countries;
• drivers involved in the transportation of perishable goods.

Those citizens who have health problems and travel to Estonia for treatment also have a similar right. It is important for them to provide a valid hospital discharge certificate. Additionally, the opportunity is provided to persons traveling to a neighboring country for the funeral of a close relative.

Holidays in Estonia are a great opportunity to get acquainted with Baltic history and culture. Thanks to electronic registration, you can significantly reduce the queue and cross the border without problems. After a quick inspection, nothing can stop a traveler from entering the country.

Is it possible to cross the border individually?

Since 2012, it has become possible to cross the border with Estonia in a privileged manner when registering and ordering a seat via the Internet.

Such border crossing is possible only in the following cases:

• Carrying perishable goods in the car can speed up the queue

  Carrying a diplomat or international delegate in transport.

• Presence of perishable goods in the car.
• If the driver has an international agreement.
• People who have demonstrated the need to quickly cross the border, such as the need to appear at a funeral, can also help you cross the border on an individual basis.
• A letter or telegram can provide a basis for passing the border in a privileged manner.
• The fact that there is a disabled person or a seriously ill child under 18 years of age can also affect the speed of crossing.
• To cross the border individually at a fast pace, you must have all the documents with you and provide them to the checkpoint officers at the first request.

PCR testing after the opening of borders with Estonia

With the opening of the borders with the republic in 2021, the requirements for conducting a PCR test for coronavirus are being updated.

What requests do the authorities have for travelers:

• The PCR test is taken at least 72 hours before crossing the Estonian border or immediately upon arrival in the country.
• A certificate of a negative PCR test is provided in English, Estonian or Russian.
• The certificate indicates the time and place of the test, patient data, and a note about a negative coronavirus test.
• The test is not taken by citizens who have a certificate of the presence of antibodies, that is, who have been ill within six months before arrival.
• Persons who have been vaccinated do not have to take the test; it is enough to present a vaccination certificate.

Covid testing upon entry into the country is not required for children under 12 years of age.

Checkpoint contacts

Checkpoint addresses and telephone numbers:

1. Ivangorod – Narva checkpoint. Address: Narva city, Tallinn-Narvat highway, Westervalli 3, 20307. Telephone: +3726123000. The MAPP operates around the clock. There is a duty free shop. After crossing the border you can immediately get to Narva.
2. International checkpoint Kunichina Gora - Koidula. Address: Koidula, Karisilla-Pechorskoe highway, Varska Vald 64003. Phone: +811489327. 24/7 service. There is a CAPO Duty-Free store. There is a cafe, as well as a building with toilets and showers.
3. Shumilkino – Luhamaa checkpoint. Address: Võru district, Riga-Pskov highway 65011. Telephone: +8114893323. Open around the clock with a break from 13.00 to 14.00. There is duty free, after the checkpoint there is a cafe on the left side of the parking lot.