Gradina – Kalotina border queue today
As of 12:59 (Warsaw time) on November 5, 2026, the queue at the “Gradina – Kalotina” border crossing is 25 min towards Bulgaria and 45 min towards Serbia. Based on the last 60 days, the queue here is usually shortest on Monday, 00:00–02:00.
Typically at this time (Thursday, → Bulgaria): 25 min — median of the last 60 days.
Sources: traveller reports · nakordoni.eu · How we calculate waiting time
- Cars
- 25 min
- Buses
- —
- On foot
- —
- Cars
- 45 min
- Buses
- —
- On foot
- —
Data updated
Key facts: Gradina – Kalotina
| Name on the Serbia side | Gradina |
|---|---|
| Name on the Bulgaria side | Kalotina |
| Crossing type | Road, international |
| Open for | Cars |
| Opening hours | 24/7 |
| Coordinates | 42.99932° N, 22.82942° E |
| Queue towards Bulgaria now | 25 min |
| Queue towards Serbia now | 45 min |
About Gradina – Kalotina
Kalotina is the main gateway from Serbia into Bulgaria on the E80. The last town on the Serbian side is Dimitrovgrad, and on the Bulgarian side the road leads to Sofia, a few dozen kilometres away. Gradina – Kalotina is the crossing for Poles who reach Bulgaria, its coast or Turkey by driving through Serbia and Niš. Cars are processed in both directions.
Leaving Serbia for Bulgaria takes about 1 h 45 min on average, but the spread between days is wide. On Tuesdays and Wednesdays it is usually under an hour, on Sundays about 2.5 hours and on Saturdays around 3.5, with peaks on Saturday between 11 am and 3 pm. At night and in the evening the wait is roughly an hour, in the afternoon about 2.5. The Bulgaria-to-Serbia direction is longer on average, around 2.5 hours: shortest on Mondays and Sundays (about two hours), longest on Fridays (over three), with peaks on Friday and Saturday mornings. Night brings it to about an hour and a half here, afternoons to more than three.
Heading south, try to reach Kalotina midweek or after dark, and avoid Saturday at all costs. On the way back, a night crossing or a Monday pays off, while Friday is the worst choice. The alternatives are the crossings near Zaječar – Vrška Čuka (about 25 minutes into Bulgaria) and Rgotina (about half an hour both ways) – but they lie far north of the E80 and make sense mainly if you are heading for north-western Bulgaria or Kalotina is facing a queue of several hours.
Are you in the queue right now?
Tell us how long you have been waiting — the next drivers will see it in the data.
When is the queue at Gradina – Kalotina shortest?
Based on observed data
A typical week: medians over 60 days (2467 measurements), not a forecast for today.
Statistics for direction: → Bulgaria · Cars
| Calmest day | Friday |
|---|---|
| Busiest day | Monday |
| Best time to set off | Monday, 00:00–02:00 (~25 min) |
| Time to avoid | Sunday, 14:00–16:00 (~35 min) |
Typical queue by day of week
| Day | Typical wait |
|---|---|
| Monday | 30 min |
| Tuesday | 28 min |
| Wednesday | 30 min |
| Thursday | 28 min |
| Friday | 26 min |
| Saturday | 28 min |
| Sunday | 29 min |
What the last 60 days of data show: Gradina – Kalotina
Weekdays and weekends look alike at Gradina – Kalotina: typically around 28 min.
It is rarely empty: only 0% of hours without a queue, around 35 min at the worst typical moment.
The wait is longer towards Serbia – typically 36 min; towards Bulgaria around 28 min.
Among the crossings on this stretch it ranks 2 from the fastest out of 4 (Serbia–Bulgaria border, Cars).
Measured over the last 60 days.
Border webcams: Gradina – Kalotina
Checkpoint cameras — live
Parking and rest areas near Gradina – Kalotina
Places to stop within 50 km of the crossing — 67 in our database.
Closest places to stop
- 1Гранични прелаз ГрадинаRest area · toilet0,0 kmGoogle MapsApple Maps
- 2ТИРRest area0,8 kmGoogle MapsApple Maps
- 3Motorway servicestoilet0,8 kmGoogle MapsApple Maps
- 4Motorway services0,8 kmGoogle MapsApple Maps
- 5TIRCar park0,8 kmGoogle MapsApple Maps
With a toilet
- 1ГКПП КалотинаMotorway services · toilet0,9 kmGoogle MapsApple Maps
- 2Rest areatoilet · free25,9 kmGoogle MapsApple Maps
- 3Rest areatoilet · free26,0 kmGoogle MapsApple Maps
Sources: OpenStreetMap (ODbL)
What it costs to drive to Gradina – Kalotina
Fuel, time and charges for the drive to Gradina – Kalotina from the 5 nearest cities. Distance and time follow the real road, not a straight line.
| City | Distance | Driving time | Fuel | Charges | Total | Road |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sofia capital | 60,6 km | 44 min | 30 PLN | 18 PLN | 48 PLN | easy |
| Niš | 110 km | 1h 23min | — | 58 PLN incl. barrier tolls | — | moderate |
| Plovdiv | 205 km | 1h 52min | 103 PLN | 18 PLN | 121 PLN | easy |
| Belgrade capital | 337 km | 3h 9min | — | 58 PLN incl. barrier tolls | — | easy |
| Novi Sad | 429 km | 3h 55min | — | 58 PLN incl. barrier tolls | — | easy |
Calculated for a car at 7,0 L/100 km, petrol 95 at the country average on the day of calculation. Substitute your own consumption — the whole formula is here.
Vignettes required: 🇧🇬 Bulgaria — 1-Day E-Vignette 4,09 EUR
A road charge is counted only where the route actually uses a toll road. A vignette is always counted, because in many countries it is required on ordinary roads too.
Where a drive uses a toll motorway, the barrier toll for that section is included in the figure, at the price the road operator publishes for it. A vignette is a flat national price.
Routes calculated 01.11.2026
Alternatives close by
Nearby crossings
Zheravino – Strezimirovtsi
Ribarci – Oltomantsi
Vrška Čuka – Vrashka Chuka
Mokranje – Bregovo
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about border queues
When is the queue at Gradina – Kalotina shortest?
Over the last 60 days the calmest day at this crossing has been Friday and the busiest Monday. The queue is usually shortest on Monday, 00:00–02:00 and longest on Sunday, 14:00–16:00.
Is there a webcam at Gradina – Kalotina?
Live cameras, load charts and the forecast for Gradina – Kalotina are available on that crossing's page on nakordoni.eu — the link is in the Webcams section above.