Pick two cities on the map. It names the crossing, the customs system and the
realistic transit time on every lane DirectDrive runs.
The lanes DirectDrive runs
35 lanes on surveyed truck geometry, each cross-checked against a second
road engine. Pick one and the map flies to it.
Transit times are DirectDrive’s own operating figures, not published tariffs.
Lanes marked ask us have measured distance and driving time but no fixed transit
figure yet.
Iraq has two customs systems, not one
This is the single fact that decides how long your shipment takes, and it is
the reason the crossings on the map are drawn in two colours.
KRG customs
Four crossings and a border market clear through Kurdistan
Ibrahim Khalil, Parviz Khan, Bashmagh and Haji Omran clear under the Kurdistan
Region’s own customs authority, and so does the Sheikh Saleh border market. Tawilah
(Shoshmi) is on the map as well — an official crossing DirectDrive does not use.
Federal customs
Eleven clear federally
Al-Muntheriyah, Zurbatiyah, Mandali, Al-Shib, Al-Shalamcha, Safwan, Arar, Turaibil,
Al-Qaim, Rabia and Al-Waleed clear under the federal authority in Baghdad.
Crossing between them costs days
Cargo that enters at a KRG crossing and continues into federal Iraq pays the
federal tariff difference at one of four customs offices — Al-Sad,
Dareman, Chiman or Bawa Mahmoud — one to three extra days and more paperwork. Choosing the wrong entry point is what makes a quote slip.
Questions we get about these routes
Which crossing should my shipment use?
It depends on where the cargo clears, not only on distance. If the
final destination is Baghdad or the south, a federal crossing such as Al-Muntheriyah,
Zurbatiyah or Al-Shalamcha avoids settling a tariff difference inland. If it is Erbil, Duhok or
Sulaymaniyah, a KRG crossing is faster. Tell us the origin and the delivery city and we will
name the crossing.
How long does Mersin to Erbil take?
Five to seven days through Ibrahim Khalil, the Turkey–Iraq crossing
at Zakho. Turkish cargo to Iraq moves overwhelmingly by road: UN Comtrade records
USD 10.4 billion of Türkiye’s 13.0 billion in exports to Iraq travelling by road in 2024,
about 80 per cent.
Do you handle Syrian routes?
Yes, in both directions. Al-Qaim, Rabia and Al-Waleed connect to
Al-Bukamal, Al-Yaarubiyah and Al-Tanf on the Syrian side. Latakia and Tartus ports reach
Baghdad in three to five days inbound; outbound from Iraq to the Syrian coast is four to
five.
What happens during Arbaeen?
Several crossings see heavy disruption around the pilgrimage, and
the dates move each year with the lunar calendar. We re-route affected shipments through
alternative crossings in the same customs system. Ask us for this year’s dates before you
plan a shipment for that window.
Tell us the two cities
Origin and destination are enough for us to name the crossing, the customs system and the
realistic transit time.
