Makaza – Nymfaia — no border checks

Name: Border crossing Makaza – Nymfaia
Address: BG

Quick answer

There are no border checks at the “Makaza – Nymfaia” crossing. Bulgaria and Greece are both in the Schengen area and neither has reintroduced checks here, so you cross without stopping — which is why we give no waiting time.

Sources: traveller reports · nakordoni.eu · How we calculate waiting time

There are no border checks at this crossing

We deliberately show no number here. There is no queue to measure, so a calculated waiting time would be invented. Checks at internal Schengen borders are sometimes reintroduced temporarily — when that happens, waiting times will return to this page. Last verified: 2026-08-18.

Key facts: Makaza – Nymfaia

Key facts: Makaza – Nymfaia
Name on the Bulgaria side	Makaza
Name on the Greece side	Nymfaia
Crossing type	Road, international
Open for	Cars
Opening hours	24/7
Coordinates	41.3172° N, 25.3848° E

About Makaza – Nymfaia

Makaza is a pass in the eastern Rhodopes, in Kardzhali province, carrying the crossing to the Greek village of Nymfaia in the Rhodope regional unit. On the Greek side the road descends towards Komotini, capital of the Eastern Macedonia and Thrace region; on the Bulgarian side it heads towards Kardzhali and on to Plovdiv or Haskovo. The crossing is open to cars in both directions and is the shortest link between central-eastern Bulgaria and Thrace, including the Aegean coast around Alexandroupoli.

Since 1 January 2025 Bulgaria has been a full Schengen member at its land borders too, so crossing at Makaza involves no systematic document checks. Keep in mind that the authorities can temporarily reintroduce controls – check the current announcements before setting off and keep an ID card or passport with you. Bulgaria requires an electronic vignette, and motorways in Greece are tolled.

On the pass, weather and season matter most: winter conditions can be difficult, and in summer, especially at weekends, holiday traffic builds towards the Greek beaches and back to Bulgaria. Outside the peak season the crossing is usually quiet. Nearby alternatives are Zlatograd–Thermes to the west and Ivaylovgrad–Kyprinos and Kapitan Petko Voyvoda–Ormenio to the east, closer to the Maritsa valley. Compare them on the live board.

Border webcams: Makaza – Nymfaia

Cameras, charts and forecast on nakordoni.eu →

Fuel near Makaza – Nymfaia

Petrol stations within 50 km of the crossing — 170 in our database.

Which side is cheaper?

Bulgaria	1,890 € 8,32 zł	European Commission — Weekly Oil Bulletin
Greece	2,127 € 9,37 zł	European Commission — Weekly Oil Bulletin

converted at the ECB rate

Cheaper in Bulgaria — on a 60-litre tank you save about 62,40 zł.

Closest stations

1ПетролКирково3,3 kmGoogle Maps Apple Maps
2Petrol station3,7 kmGoogle Maps Apple Maps
3Диамант4,2 kmGoogle Maps Apple Maps
4Petrol station5,4 kmGoogle Maps Apple Maps
5Петрол8,7 kmGoogle Maps Apple Maps

Cheapest diesel

1ΑΙΓΑΙΟ (AEGEAN)1ο ΧΛΜ ΚΟΜΟΤΗΝΗΣ-ΑΣΩΜΑΤΩΝ20,8 km2,059 €price at the pumpGoogle Maps Apple Maps
2ΑΝΕΞΑΡΤΗΤΟ ΠΡΑΤΗΡΙΟΜΑΡΩΝΕΙΑ ΡΟΔΟΠΗΣ47,2 km2,064 €price at the pumpGoogle Maps Apple Maps
3AVIN4ο ΧΛΜ ΕΘΝΙΚΗΣ ΟΔΟΥ ΚΟΜΟΤΗΝΗΣ-ΞΑΝΘΗΣ (ΔΕΞΙΑ)23,3 km2,065 €price at the pumpGoogle Maps Apple Maps
4ΕΛΙΝΟΙΛ4ο ΧΛΜ ΞΑΝΘΗΣ - ΚΟΜΟΤΗΝΗΣ45,0 km2,065 €price at the pumpGoogle Maps Apple Maps
5AVIN3οΧΛΜ ΚΟΜΟΤΗΝΗΣ - ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥΠΟΛΗΣ - ΡΟΔΟΠΗ24,7 km2,069 €price at the pumpGoogle Maps Apple Maps

Best value: price including the detour

The ranking adds the fuel burned driving there and back (about 8 l/100 km) to a 50-litre fill.

1ΑΙΓΑΙΟ (AEGEAN)1ο ΧΛΜ ΚΟΜΟΤΗΝΗΣ-ΑΣΩΜΑΤΩΝ20,8 km2,059 €price at the pumpGoogle Maps Apple Maps
2SHELL1 ΧΛΜ ΜΙΣΧΟΥ ΚΟΜΟΤΗΝΗΣ19,7 km2,080 €price at the pumpGoogle Maps Apple Maps
3AVIN4ο ΧΛΜ ΕΘΝΙΚΗΣ ΟΔΟΥ ΚΟΜΟΤΗΝΗΣ-ΞΑΝΘΗΣ (ΔΕΞΙΑ)23,3 km2,065 €price at the pumpGoogle Maps Apple Maps
4SHELL2o χλμ Κομοτηνής-Ξάνθης, ΚΟΜΟΤΗΝΗ22,6 km2,075 €price at the pumpGoogle Maps Apple Maps
5SHELLΠΑΡΑΠΛΕΥΡΗΣ ΟΔΟΥ ΤΗΣ Ε.Ο. ΚΟΜΟΤΗΝΗΣ ? ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥΠΟΛΗΣ (στη ΧΘ 0+475 Ε.Ο Νο.2 δεξιά από Κομοτηνή προς Αλεξανδρούπολη)23,4 km2,075 €price at the pumpGoogle Maps Apple Maps

Sources: OpenStreetMap (ODbL)

Fuel prices at every border →

Parking and rest areas near Makaza – Nymfaia

Places to stop within 50 km of the crossing — 33 in our database.

Closest places to stop

1Rest area0,4 kmGoogle Maps Apple Maps
2Rest area19,2 kmGoogle Maps Apple Maps
3Rest area19,2 kmGoogle Maps Apple Maps
4Χώρος στάθμευσης Βαρέων Οχημάτων ΤελωνείουCar park22,7 kmGoogle Maps Apple Maps
5Rest area23,7 kmGoogle Maps Apple Maps

With a toilet

1ΑμάρανταRest area · toilet35,0 kmGoogle Maps Apple Maps
2ΑμάρανταRest area · toilet35,1 kmGoogle Maps Apple Maps

Sources: OpenStreetMap (ODbL)

What it costs to drive to Makaza – Nymfaia

Fuel, time and charges for the drive to Makaza – Nymfaia from the 6 nearest cities. Distance and time follow the real road, not a straight line.

Route Plovdiv → Makaza – Nymfaia · 136 km · 2h 5min · 87 PLN

City	Distance	Driving time	Fuel	Charges	Total	Road
Plovdiv	136 km	2h 5min	69 PLN	18 PLN	87 PLN	moderate
Thessaloniki	278 km	2h 43min	184 PLN	69 PLN incl. barrier tolls	253 PLN	moderate
Burgas	305 km	3h 11min	153 PLN	18 PLN	171 PLN	easy
Sofia capital	320 km	3h 2min	160 PLN	18 PLN	178 PLN	easy
Varna	448 km	4h 47min	225 PLN	18 PLN	243 PLN	easy
Athens capital	779 km	7h 20min	515 PLN	226 PLN incl. barrier tolls	741 PLN	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

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