Longest queue of vehicles spotted on Crimean bridge
The Crimean Bridge, a crucial link between mainland Russia and the Crimean Peninsula, has once again experienced significant traffic congestion, with record figures reported on August 4, 2025.
According to observations shared in a Telegram channel, the waiting time on the Taman side exceeded six hours, while 1,218 vehicles were in the manual inspection queue on the Kerch side. This marks a new high for the bridge, surpassing previous records of over 1,000 vehicles in queues and waiting times of up to several hours.
These congestion issues are not new to the Crimean Bridge. In the past, operational measures have been implemented to manage peak usage. For instance, on July 13, 2025, a traffic jam of approximately 1,110 vehicles formed on the bridge, resulting in waiting times exceeding three hours for vehicles coming from Taman and about one hour from Kerch.
Traffic management strategies include restricting the crossing of freight vehicles to manage congestion and redirecting them through alternative routes such as the Kerch ferry or other regional paths in Crimea. Regular traffic consists mainly of passenger cars, minibuses, and buses.
Recent events have shown that geopolitical and security factors can also impact traffic flow and bridge accessibility. On August 7, 2025, security concerns due to air alerts and explosions in occupied Crimea led to a temporary stoppage of trains and the creation of traffic jams at the entrance to the Crimean Bridge.
In an attempt to mitigate these congestion issues, measures have been taken. In 2024, the number of staff at inspection points was increased, and the number of inspection points was expanded to prevent traffic jams during the peak vacation season. However, the increasing number of vehicles passing through the bridge continues to pose challenges.
By 4:00 PM on August 4, a total of 3,447 vehicles had passed through the Crimean Bridge, with 2,620 on the Taman side and 827 on the Kerch side. The highest concentration of vehicles on the Taman side was observed in the morning on Monday and Tuesday of the last full week of July 2025. On the Kerch side, peak congestion occurred during the daytime on Thursday and Friday.
Despite these efforts, the record-breaking traffic congestion on the Crimean Bridge highlights the ongoing need for effective traffic management strategies to ensure the smooth flow of vehicles and maintain the accessibility of the bridge for thousands of commuters and travellers.
[1] Source: Telegram Channel on Crimean Bridge Traffic [2] Source: Crimean Bridge News, August 8, 2025
- The record traffic congestion on August 4, 2025, on the Crimean Bridge, which surpassed previous records, is a topic of ongoing concern for general-news sources, fueling discussions about potential political implications for the region.
- On August 8, 2025, some political analysts on the Telegram channel discussed the political ramifications of the Crimean Bridge's consistent traffic congestion issues, suggesting that the situation could be a point of contention between Russia and Ukraine.
