Border Crossings of Armenia: A Complete Guide

Armenia is landlocked, with four neighbors: Georgia to the north, Azerbaijan to the east and again to the southwest (around the Nakhchivan exclave), Iran to the south, and Turkey to the west. For ordinary travelers the practical picture is simple but easy to get wrong: the border with Georgia is the everyday overland route, the border with Iran is open at a single crossing, and the borders with Turkey and Azerbaijan are not available for normal tourist crossings. This guide sets out what each border means for a trip.

This guide was reviewed in October 2026. Border rules and operating conditions can change at short notice; check the relevant authority before you travel. Entry requirements depend on nationality and are covered in our Armenia visa and entry requirements guide.

Which Armenian border crossings can you use?

Two land borders serve travelers today. Georgia has several crossings and is the route most overland visitors use. Iran has one crossing, at Agarak / Norduz in the far south. The Turkish border is closed to ordinary travel, and no crossing is open to travelers on the Azerbaijani border. If you want to reach Armenia from Turkey or Azerbaijan, plan on flying or on traveling via Georgia. This guide describes the normal rules; it cannot tell you whether a crossing is passable today, so check same-day status before setting out.

Armenia–Georgia border

Armenia and Georgia share four border crossing points that the two governments treat as joint customs points: three on the road and one on the railway. For the Georgian side of the same border, including Georgian entry rules, see our Georgia Border Crossings guide.

Bagratashen / Sadakhlo is the crossing most commonly used on the Yerevan–Tbilisi route. It lies in Armenia's Lori province, with the Georgian side at Sadakhlo in Kvemo Kartli, and handles both passenger and freight traffic. Buses, shared taxis and private cars between the two capitals normally use it.

Bavra / Ninotsminda is the road crossing for the western route, in Armenia's Shirak province. It is the natural choice for travelers between Gyumri and southern Georgia (Akhaltsikhe, Vardzia, the Javakheti lakes) and a quieter alternative to Bagratashen for that route.

Gogavan / Guguti, in Lori province, is a smaller road crossing between northern Armenia and the Marneuli area of Georgia. It suits travelers whose route runs through northern Armenia rather than via Yerevan, such as a journey from Vanadzor or Dilijan toward Tbilisi.

Ayrum / Sadakhlo is the railway crossing, used by the Yerevan–Tbilisi train rather than by cars. Border checks on that service are carried out while the train is stopped. The Georgia–Armenia railway runs on a timetable that changes with the season and does not necessarily operate every day, so confirm dates and book through the Armenian Railways website before you build a plan around it.

Operating hours are published by the border authorities and can be changed temporarily. Check the current hours with the Armenian State Revenue Committee before travel rather than relying on a remembered "open 24 hours".

Armenia–Iran border

The only road crossing between Armenia and Iran is Agarak / Norduz, in the Meghri district of Syunik province, on the Araks River in the far south of Armenia. It is the route for travelers going between southern Armenia and northern Iran and carries a large share of freight, so expect heavy lorry traffic. From Yerevan it is a long journey through Syunik by road, roughly 375 kilometers.

Iran's entry conditions, including visa rules and any requirement to travel with a licensed guide or operator, depend on nationality and are set by Iran. Check them with Iranian official sources and your own government's travel advice before you go. In 2026 the regional security situation has at times disrupted travel to and through Iran, so treat this crossing as one to verify close to departure rather than to assume.

Armenia–Turkey border

The land border between Armenia and Turkey is closed to ordinary travel. The crossing point on the Armenian side is Margara, opposite Alican in Turkey, and its infrastructure has been renovated. In 2022 the two countries agreed in principle to allow third-country nationals and holders of diplomatic passports to cross, but that agreement had not been put into operation as of the Armenian government's most recent statements in late August 2026, which described the checkpoint as ready and the decision as pending. The crossing has been opened only temporarily for humanitarian aid shipments.

Announcements and plans are not the same as an open border. Until Armenian and Turkish authorities confirm that ordinary passenger crossings have actually begun, travelers between the two countries should fly or go through Georgia, where the Sarpi, Vale and Kartsakhi crossings connect with Turkey.

Armenia–Azerbaijan border

There is no border crossing between Armenia and Azerbaijan that travelers can use. The two countries have been negotiating a peace agreement and the delimitation of their border, and transit routes have been discussed, but none of this has opened a passenger crossing. The same applies around the Nakhchivan exclave. Do not approach the frontier areas: parts of them are sensitive military zones. Anyone who needs to travel between the two countries should use air travel, with a third country if necessary. For Azerbaijan's side of this border, see our Azerbaijan Border Crossings guide.

Rail

The only international passenger railway from Armenia runs to Georgia, over the Ayrum / Sadakhlo crossing, with onward connections in Tbilisi. There are no passenger rail links across the Turkish, Iranian or Azerbaijani borders. Timetables are seasonal and subject to change, so check the current schedule and book through the operator.

Airports

Zvartnots International Airport, near Yerevan, is Armenia's main international gateway and the arrival point for most visitors. Shirak International Airport, near Gyumri in the north-west, has a smaller and more variable range of services; check what is currently flying before planning around it. Because the Turkish and Azerbaijani land borders are not available, air travel is the standard way to reach Armenia from those countries.

Practical notes

This guide covers where and how you can cross; who may enter and with what documents is covered in the Armenia visa and entry requirements guide. If you plan to continue into Georgia, note that tourists entering Georgia must hold health and accident insurance for the whole stay, as explained in our Georgia Border Crossings guide.

If you arrive in your own foreign-registered vehicle, a passenger customs declaration is required, and vehicles registered abroad can generally be temporarily imported for personal use for up to one year under the State Revenue Committee's rules. Compulsory third-party liability motor insurance is also required to drive in Armenia and has to come from an Armenian-licensed insurer. Confirm the current conditions with the State Revenue Committee before you drive in.

For every crossing, bring your passport and any documents your nationality requires, allow extra time in summer and around public holidays, and check current hours and conditions with the border authority. If a crossing is closed or restricted, use an alternative legal route.