Traffic at Jdeidet Yabous, the border crossing in western rural Damascus opposite Lebanon’s Al-Masnaa, has eased following new measures implemented on Tuesday by Syria’s General Authority for Land and Sea Border Crossings. These include extending working hours and increasing staff numbers.
Taxi drivers operating between Syria and Lebanon welcomed the improvements but called for further measures.
During a visit to the crossing, Asharq Al-Awsat observed a steady flow of vehicles heading toward Lebanon. While traffic remained heavy, the entry process was smoother, with staff handling travelers efficiently and courteously.
A border official told Asharq Al-Awsat that there had been significant congestion in recent weeks, but the situation had improved with the new measures. He explained that operating hours had been extended by two hours, allowing taxis to enter starting at 6 am instead of 8 am. The official, speaking anonymously as he was not authorized to comment publicly, also noted that the number of staff and processing counters had increased, which helped reduce wait times for travelers and drivers.
Since the General Authority for Land and Sea Border Crossings took over management of Syria’s borders following the ousting of Bashar al-Assad on December 8, bribery at the crossing has been fully eliminated.
Passengers can now pass through Jdeidet Yabous and reach Al-Masnaa without paying any extra fees. The official stated that even the entry fee had been temporarily suspended. While he did not provide exact figures, he estimated that hundreds of vehicles cross into Lebanon daily.
Taxi driver Shaat Kabbab, who operates on the Damascus-Beirut route, confirmed that Tuesday marked the first day of extended hours. He explained that previously, Syrian taxis could only enter at 8 am and had to return by 4 pm.
Meanwhile, Murshid Al-Hafi, another driver waiting for passengers near the crossing, said the situation had improved significantly. He noted that bribery had disappeared and that the staff were professional, but he hoped authorities would extend working hours to 7 or 8 pm and allow multiple trips per day.
Anas Baraka, traveling to Lebanon to pick up a relative, expressed optimism about the recent changes. He stated that the new Syrian administration had transformed not just the border process but also people’s lives.
While he acknowledged that there were still some issues, likely due to the inexperience of newly appointed staff, he emphasized that travelers were now treated with respect.
According to Syrian taxi drivers, the crossing had experienced heavy traffic in recent days, with around 300 vehicles traveling to Lebanon daily and a similar number returning. They attributed the congestion to limited operating hours, the large number of Syrians arriving via Beirut International Airport, and empty vehicles crossing into Lebanon to smuggle fuel on their way back. The closure of other border crossings with Lebanon has also contributed to the bottleneck.
On January 31, the General Authority for Land and Sea Border Crossings announced that Jdeidet Yabous would now be open daily from 6 am to midnight, starting February 1.
Additionally, new entry regulations for Lebanese nationals were outlined on January 23. Regarding vehicle entry, the authority specified that private car drivers must either own the vehicle or have a notarized authorization. Taxis and buses are limited to one trip per day between 8 am and 4 pm, with at least one passenger, and are granted a 48-hour entry permit.
