Thousands of Serbian holidaymakers heading to Greece faced hours-long delays at the Evzoni border crossing on Saturday as the first major wave of summer tourists overwhelmed border infrastructure at the Greece-North Macedonia border.
Long queues of vehicles and buses formed from early morning, with travellers reporting waits of several hours before entering Greece, one of the most popular summer destinations for Serbian tourists.
According to travellers posting updates from the scene, more than 20 buses were lined up at the Evzoni crossing before dawn, while queues of passenger vehicles stretched for kilometres along the approach road.
Traffic moved slowly despite multiple border control booths being operational, with the heaviest congestion reported on the route connecting North Macedonia with northern Greece.
The delays coincided with the start of school holidays in Serbia and the beginning of the peak summer vacation season, traditionally one of the busiest periods for travel towards Greek seaside resorts.
Most vehicles in the queues carried Serbian registration plates, reflecting the strong demand for holidays in Greece, which remains the preferred foreign destination for many Serbian families.
Families travelling with children were among those most affected by the delays, with temperatures rising throughout the day and little certainty about waiting times.
Authorities and travellers’ associations advised motorists to carry sufficient water, food, fuel, and medication, warning that congestion could persist throughout the weekend.
Some travellers attempted to avoid the bottlenecks by using alternative crossings such as Dojran, but reports indicated increased traffic volumes there as well, limiting the effectiveness of alternative routes.
The congestion is expected to intensify later in the day as additional holidaymakers depart for Greece during one of the busiest travel weekends of the year.
Transport experts recommend avoiding peak departure periods, particularly Friday afternoons and Saturday mornings, when border crossings towards Greece typically experience their highest traffic volumes.
The Evzoni crossing is the main gateway for road traffic travelling from Serbia and North Macedonia to popular Greek destinations, including Halkidiki, Thessaloniki, and the Aegean coast.