Romania and Ukraine will open new Tisza bridge border crossing on 8 October
The 268-metre road bridge between Sighetu Marmației and Bila Țerkva will begin passenger vehicle operations on 8 October 2026 following a 50-million-euro construction project.
Opening schedule and border operations
Traffic across the new road bridge over the Tisza River will open on Thursday, 8 October 2026, officially launching the Sighetu Marmației II border crossing point between northern Romania and western Ukraine. The National Company for Road Infrastructure Administration (CNAIR) announced that vehicular movement will begin at 12:30, following customs preparations starting from 12:20. The project comprises a newly built road bridge, international customs inspection offices, dedicated control halls, and technical equipment required for full border control operations. Romanian road administrators confirmed that the complex will be fully operational upon opening rather than conducting a symbolic ceremony.
Maramureș County Council President Gabriel Valer Zetea emphasized that the checkpoint will enter immediate functional service for travellers.
On Thursday, 8 October, we will effectively open the new Bridge over the Tisza and the Sighetu Marmației - Bila Țerkva International Border Crossing Point to traffic. It will not just be a ceremony, we will not cut a ribbon only to wait to see when the first cars will be able to pass. On Thursday, when we say the border point is open, it will be functional, and people will be able to travel.
Engineering specifications and European funding
The entire border infrastructure project required a financial investment exceeding 50 million euros, funded through European Union resources. The bridge itself spans 268 metres across the Tisza River, establishing a direct physical link between the Romanian municipality of Sighetu Marmației and the Ukrainian town of Bila Țerkva. Engineering data released by the Maramureș County Council indicates that the bridge structure was constructed to a standard designed to last for at least 100 years. Contract works covered not only the bridge deck and support piers over the riverbed, but also access roads, administrative buildings, customs gates, and specialized inspection facilities on the Romanian side.
Three-stage rollout plan
Border authorities will manage the commissioning of the Sighetu Marmației II border crossing through three scheduled stages based on available infrastructure. Stage I begins on 8 October 2026, allowing passage exclusively for passenger vehicles with a maximum authorized mass of up to 3.5 tonnes. Stage II will expand operational access to heavy transport vehicles exceeding 3.5 tonnes as well as passenger buses, though CNAIR has not yet set a calendar date for this heavy transport phase. Stage III is planned for December 2027, when the border crossing will open for pedestrian traffic.
- Stage I opens the border crossing for passenger vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes
- Access expands to heavy vehicles over 3.5 tonnes and passenger buses
- Stage III opens the border crossing to pedestrian traffic
Regional connectivity and future transit
The bridge provides a new cross-border road connection between Romania and Ukraine, aimed at supporting transport links and passenger transit along the northern frontier. Maramureș County officials stated that the route is intended to turn the border zone into a transit hub for trade and cross-border movement.
Voivodal Maramureș must not be the end of the country. It must be a gate. A gate for people, for carriers, for tourists, for investments and for development.
Following the initial launch for lightweight passenger vehicles, border agencies will monitor traffic flows across the Tisza River before expanding operations to heavy cargo carriers in Stage II.
