Paso del Norte Border Wait Time
El Paso, TX · Mexico → US (Northbound entry)
Also known as Santa Fe Bridge
Current wait
Passenger vehicles
- Standard5 min
- SENTRI1 min
- Ready Lane3 min
Commercial vehicles
- StandardN/A
- FASTN/A
Hours: 24 hrs/day
Latest snapshot: 10/29/2026, 6:50:09 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
- Tue 1am–2am1 min avg
- Tue 2am–3am1 min avg
- Wed 1am–2am1 min avg
Busiest
- Sun 3pm–4pm83 min avg
- Sun 4pm–5pm80 min avg
- Sun 2pm–3pm79 min avg
Nearby crossings
Guides for this crossing
About this crossing
El Paso, TX (Paso Del Norte (PDN)) 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 Paso del Norte
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 (23,705 readings), the standard passenger-vehicle lane at Paso del Norte averaged 43 min. Weekdays averaged 40 min and weekends 51 min.
Sundays were the busiest day on average (52 min) and Wednesdays the quietest (33 min).
The busiest stretch was Saturdays 3pm–6pm, averaging 75 min. The quietest was Wednesdays 12am–3am, averaging 2 min. Times are local to the crossing.
Waits reached 30 minutes or more in 74% of readings and 60 minutes or more in 32%.
The SENTRI lane averaged 2 min against 43 min in the standard lane over the same hours, about 41 minutes less.
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?
At this crossing over the last 90 days, the SENTRI lane averaged 2 min versus 43 min for standard. 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 Wednesdays 12am–3am (about 2 min on average) and the busiest was Saturdays 3pm–6pm (about 75 min). Times are local; today's live wait can differ.