Significant speed-up at Chopin Airport: 28 ABC gates

The Vistula Border Guard Regional Unit announced the completion of an important investment at Chopin Airport. Passengers now have at their disposal significantly more modern ABC (Automated Border Control) gates, which are used for self-service passport control.

28 gates for a faster journey

As part of the just-completed project, co-financed by the Masovian Voivode, additional devices were installed. In total, there are now 28 of them functioning at the Warsaw airport. The arrangement of the new gates was planned to streamline traffic in both directions:

• Departures: In the Departures Hall (Non-Schengen zone), passengers can use 19 gates.
• Arrivals: In the Arrivals Hall, 9 devices are waiting for travelers.

The main advantage of the ABC system is a drastic reduction in the time required for control. It is estimated that standard automated check-in takes only about 15 seconds. This is a huge time saver compared to traditional control performed by an officer at a counter.

Who can use the automated gate?

The system is enjoying growing popularity. Border Guard statistics show that since the beginning of this year, over 1.6 million travelers have been checked at Chopin Airport, of which about 35% chose the fast track through e-gates.

To use automated check-in, several simple conditions must be met:

1. Citizenship: The system is intended for citizens of the European Union, the European Economic Area (EEA), and Switzerland.
2. Age: The traveler must be at least 12 years old. (Persons aged 12 to 18 must pass through the gate independently but in the presence of a guardian.)
3. Document: It is necessary to have a biometric document — a biometric passport or a biometric identity card (for Polish citizens).

How does it work?

The procedure is intuitive and fast. The traveler approaches the gate and scans the data page of their document. Then they enter inside, where a special face scanner verifies their image, comparing it with the photo saved digitally in the document's chip. If the verification is successful, the gate opens and the process is completed.

The expansion of the system is another step in the modernization of the Warsaw airport, aimed at increasing capacity and passenger comfort, while maintaining high security standards.