Bridge of the Americas Border Wait Time
El Paso, TX · Mexico → US (Northbound entry)
Also known as the Free Bridge
Current wait
Passenger vehicles
- Standard5 min
- SENTRIN/A
- Ready Lane4 min
Commercial vehicles
- StandardLanes Closed
- FASTLanes Closed
Hours: 24 hrs/day
Latest snapshot: 10/29/2026, 8:05:09 AM UTC
Best & worst times to cross
Typical wait times by day of week + hour, averaged from the last four weeks of data. Times are approximate local at the crossing.
Quietest
- Wed 2am–3am4 min avg
- Tue 2am–3am5 min avg
- Tue 3am–4am5 min avg
Busiest
- Sat 10pm–11pm83 min avg
- Sun 5pm–6pm82 min avg
- Sun 7pm–8pm82 min avg
Nearby crossings
Guides for this crossing
About this crossing
El Paso, TX (Bridge of the Americas (BOTA)) is a US Customs and Border Protection port of entry on the Mexican border. Wait times shown are for travelers entering the United States. Numbers come directly from CBP and update roughly every hour while the port is staffed.
Don't Wait is an independent app. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or acting for CBP, CBSA or any other government agency.
Typical waits at Bridge of the Americas
Computed from the waits we recorded at this crossing (standard passenger lane, whenever a wait was reported). Past patterns are not a prediction.
Over the last 90 days (24,393 readings), the standard passenger-vehicle lane at Bridge of the Americas averaged 48 min. Weekdays averaged 45 min and weekends 55 min.
Sundays were the busiest day on average (56 min) and Wednesdays the quietest (38 min).
The busiest stretch was Sundays 4pm–7pm, averaging 75 min. The quietest was Thursdays 1am–4am, averaging 6 min. Times are local to the crossing.
Waits reached 30 minutes or more in 75% of readings and 60 minutes or more in 43%.
CBP publishes passenger-vehicle wait times here for standard, SENTRI and Ready Lane lanes.
Commercial-truck waits are published for standard and FAST lanes.
Posted hours: 24 hrs/day.
Frequently asked
Do I need a passport to cross at El Paso, TX?
Yes. US citizens need a passport, passport card, enhanced driver's license, or SENTRI card. Non-US citizens need a valid passport plus any required visa.
Are SENTRI lanes always faster?
SENTRI lanes are typically much faster than standard lanes, especially at peak times, but they can still see delays when traffic is heavy or when a few lanes are open. SENTRI provides expedited US entry for pre-approved low-risk travelers from Mexico. Apply at ttp.cbp.dhs.gov.
What hours is the El Paso crossing open?
24 hrs/day. Hours are set by CBP and may change for holidays or staffing.
How often is this wait time updated?
CBP officers at each port update their reported wait time roughly every hour while the port is staffed. We re-poll the CBP feed every five minutes and cache the result for both speed and to be kind to the upstream feed.
Why is the wait time blank or "no data"?
CBP doesn't publish a number for that lane right now — usually because the port hasn't reported in over an hour, the lane is closed, or the port is idle. We show whatever CBP publishes without modification.
When is the best time to cross at El Paso, TX?
In our last 90 days of recorded waits, the quietest stretch for standard passenger vehicles was Thursdays 1am–4am (about 6 min on average) and the busiest was Sundays 4pm–7pm (about 75 min). Times are local; today's live wait can differ.