The invention refers to a heat exchanger plate (11), a pair of heat exchanger plates, and a plate package for a plate heat exchanger. Each heat exchanger plate includes a heat transfer area (33) and a distribution area (34) which adjoins the heat transfer area along a borderline (35). The distribution area has projections and depressions abutting depressions and projections, respectively, on a distribution area of adjacent heat exchanger plates. The heat transfer area has projections (51) and depressions (52) abutting depressions and projections, respectively on a heat transfer area of adjacent heat exchanger plates for forming first contact surfaces positioned at a first distance from each other along a direction substantially parallel with the borderline. The heat transfer area includes a transition area (58), which adjoins the distribution area along the borderline and has projections and depressions abutting depressions and projections, respectively, of a heat transfer area of adjacent heat exchanger plates for forming second contact surfaces at a second distance from each other along the first direction. The second distance is significantly shorter than the first distance.