Caucasus corridor: common border checks

The Caucasus corridor is a critical segment of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (Middle Corridor). After crossing the Caspian Sea from Kazakhstan, trucks enter Azerbaijan at the port of Alat, then cross into Georgia at the Red Bridge (Tsiteli Khidi) border, and finally enter Turkey at the Sarpi/Vale crossing. Each border has its own inspection protocols and document requirements. The total distance from Baku to Istanbul is approximately 2,100 km with 2 border crossings. This corridor has seen major infrastructure investment, with modernized customs facilities at each crossing reducing processing times significantly since 2020.

At the Azerbaijan–Georgia border (Red Bridge): customs officers verify CMR waybills, check seals on the cargo, and may inspect goods physically. Georgian customs is known for its efficiency — processing typically takes 2–4 hours. At the Georgia–Turkey border (Sarpi): Turkish customs conducts a more thorough inspection. Expect X-ray scanning of the entire vehicle, document verification, and potential physical inspection of 10–15% of shipments. Turkish authorities pay special attention to goods valuation and HS code accuracy. Transit through Georgia is straightforward with minimal checks if your TIR Carnet is in order.

The biggest challenge in multi-border corridors is document consistency. Every border crossing officer will compare your CMR, invoice, and packing list — any discrepancy flagged at one border will cause problems at the next. Use one standardized set of documents prepared before departure. Key tips: ensure weights match across all documents (even minor rounding differences cause flags), use consistent product descriptions in the same language on every document, and keep HS codes identical on invoices and customs declarations. If any document needs to be amended at one border, ensure the amendment is reflected in all copies before proceeding to the next border.

Use TIR Carnet whenever possible — it simplifies customs procedures at each border by providing a single guarantee for the entire journey. Hire a regional customs broker who has relationships at all three borders rather than separate brokers at each crossing. Plan border arrivals for early morning (8:00–9:00) to maximize processing time within one working day. Keep the driver's documents (visa, passport, driving license) in perfect order — driver document issues cause more delays than cargo issues in this corridor. Consider using bonded transit through Georgia, which avoids full customs inspection in exchange for a transit guarantee deposit.