Starting July 31, the Ministry for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine will start testing an electronic queue service for buses crossing the border at the Yahodyn-Dorohusk checkpoint. Starting August 1, drivers or logisticians will have to register a bus in the eCherha system and arrive at the border at the time specified in the itinerary.

"The launch of eCherha for buses is part of the reform of international passenger transportation to ensure passenger comfort. At the same time, we are verifying international routes - canceling non-working ones, negotiating with neighboring countries on the speed of customs and border services so that passengers do not spend hours in queues at the border and the process is predictable. During the test period, the waiting time for crossing the border will not change, as it is only a matter of setting up the new service. After all the processes are adjusted, the queues of passenger buses in front of the checkpoints should disappear, and bus transportation will be carried out only according to the eCherha," said Deputy Minister for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development Serhii Derkach.

For now, the service will apply only to regular buses.

Unlike the online queue for trucks, the service for buses will not offer a time of arrival at the checkpoint during the test period. That is, drivers will only need to register in the system and arrive at the checkpoint within the time specified in the bus schedule.

Each international route includes the time of departure, border crossing and arrival at the final destination.

"We will use the service testing period to work out all the technical nuances of the new service for passenger carriers and subsequently scale it to all checkpoints. In addition to registration, drivers now have the opportunity to postpone or cancel their queue, as well as to replace the driver and vehicle. In addition, the team will also develop the possibility of slotting and choosing a specific time of arrival at the checkpoint to make the service convenient for those who cross the border by irregular routes," said Anatolii Komirnyy, Deputy Minister for Digital Development, Digital Transformation and Digitalization.

Registration in the eCherha for buses will be possible only on the website echerha.gov.ua starting July 31. To reserve a place in the queue, you should click "Join the queue" and select "Bus", fill in all the necessary fields and confirm your entry.

The Electronic Border Crossing Queue project is implemented by the Ministry for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine in cooperation with the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, Ukrtransbezpeka, the State Agency for the Restoration and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine, the State Customs Service of Ukraine and the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine with the support of the USAID/UK aid Transparency and Accountability in Public Administration and Services/ TAPAS project.