See Photos from the Chaos of Europe’s New Refugee Trail

2 minute read

For weeks, Syrian, Iraqi and Afghan refugees had followed a familiar route in the hope of reaching Austria, Germany or Sweden: from Turkey and Greece to Macedonia, Serbia and Hungary, and thus into the European Union. But when Hungary sealed its border with Serbia last week, thousands of migrants were forced to find a new path towards asylum—the path through Croatia.

Visual journalist and photo editor Patrick Witty has spent the last four days following these refugees as they crossed the Serbian border into Croatia, where they hope to board one of the few trains dispatched to the eastern city of Tovarnik.

“The situation here has been chaotic and confusing,” Witty tells TIME. “Many refugees board trains and buses with no idea where they are headed. A couple of Afghan refugees asked me if we were in Hungary. I used Google Maps on my iPhone to show them that we were indeed in Croatia.”

Witty has been using a variety of social media platforms to document the situation for TIME – from Periscope, which allows him to broadcast live from the Croatia, to Twitter, Vine, Instagram and Facebook. “Because the situation is so fluid and ever changing, I really feel like documenting what’s happening through social media is most telling,” he says. “Hopefully it’s offered a small window into this enormously important story. Hopefully it’s offered a glimpse into what it feels like, not only looks like, to be on this epic journey.”

Follow Witty’s live reporting on TIME’s Periscope and the TIME LightBox Instagram feed.

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Thousands of refugees wait to enter Croatia from Serbia. Sept. 21, 2015.Patrick Witty for TIME
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Five Syrian families cross the Serbian border into Croatia. Sept. 18, 2015.Patrick Witty for TIME
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A man sleeps near the tracks at Tovarnik train station in Croatia. Sept. 18, 2015.Patrick Witty for TIME
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A Syrian refugee family arrives into Croatia from Serbia, hoping to board the train in Tovarnik. Sept. 20, 2015.Patrick Witty for TIME
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A Syrian refugee waits for a train in Tovarnik, Croatia, after crossing the Serbian border. Sept. 19, 2015.Patrick Witty for TIME
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A family camps near the train tracks in Tovarnik, Croatia. Sept. 19, 2015.Patrick Witty for TIME
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A refugee sleeps while waiting in line for a bus in Tovarnik, Croatia. Sept. 20, 2015.Patrick Witty for TIME
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Hundreds of refugees wait to board the train in Tovarnik, Croatia. Sept. 20, 2015.Patrick Witty for TIME
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Families camped out overnight in Tovarnik, Croatia, receive aid from Austrian volunteers (soap and baby wipes). Sept. 19, 2015.Patrick Witty for TIME
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A family struggles to board the train in Tovarnik, Croatia. The train left without them. Sept. 20, 2015.Patrick Witty for TIME
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An Iraqi family waits for the train in Tovarnik, Croatia. The baby was born 40 days ago in Baghdad. Sept. 20, 2015.Patrick Witty for TIME
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Hundreds of refugees are gathered at Tovarnik train station in Croatia.Patrick Witty for TIME
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Hundreds of refugees pour onto trains in Tovarnik, Croatia. Sept. 18, 2015.Patrick Witty for TIME
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Hundreds of refugees wait in line for buses in Tovarnik, Croatia. Sept. 19, 2015.Patrick Witty for TIME
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A family waits on board a train preparing to depart Tovarnik, Croatia. Sept. 20, 2015.Patrick Witty for TIME
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Families wait to board buses in Tovarnik, Croatia. Steady stream of buses arriving. Sept. 18, 2015.Patrick Witty for TIME
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Croatian police at the Tovarnik train station. Hundreds of refugees, who just walked across the Serbian border, are waiting for trains to arrive. Sept. 18, 2015.Patrick Witty for TIME

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