From June 15, the opening hours at the Narva border have been reduced to 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. due to repeated border violations from Russia.

With flights from the EU to Russia suspended after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and the closure of the Finnish border, many people chose to cross the border in Narva. Long queues form every summer.

On Monday, at 4.30 p.m., approximately 100 people were queuing at the border hoping to cross before the evening 7 p.m. closure. Compared to the weekend, there were around 75 percent fewer travelers.

However, people standing at the end of the queue were pessimistic about their chances.

"Hope dies last, but I hope. If I don't get across, then I have to join the queue at three o'clock, at three in the morning. I'm 70 years old and I'll have to stand," Olga, who lives in Norway, told ERR's evening news show "Aktuaalne kaamera."

Twelve-year-old Aljona said she hoped to be in St. Petersburg on Tuesday for her birthday.

"It seems to me that we won't get across," said the girl, who lives in Spain. "If we don't manage to get across, we plan to go to a hotel and come back on Tuesday."

Jevgeni, who lives in Finland, stood in the border queue for seven hours on Monday and said Estonia is "bad." He added that he does not have to wait on the other side of the border.

Around 100 people did not cross the border on Monday evening when the border closed at 7 p.m. The shortened hours will be in place until September.

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