In brief
The Bulgarian Road Infrastructure Agency announced that heavy goods vehicles over 12 tonnes will face time‑specific restrictions on the Hemus Motorway while major repairs progress in the Topli Dol Tunnel. Restrictions vary by date and direction and include alternative routes via the Petrohan Mountain Pass and road II‑16. Traffic through both tunnel tubes is expected to return around mid‑December, with a secondary restriction starting in January 2027 until the tunnel’s activities are completed in April 2027.
Heavy goods vehicles exceeding 12 tonnes are set to encounter a series of temporary traffic restrictions on Bulgaria’s Hemus Motorway, the Bulgarian Road Infrastructure Agency (RIA) announced on 13 November 2026 as it began extensive repairs to the Topli Dol Tunnel.
The Hemus Motorway, the major north‑south artery that links Sofia to the north‑western provinces, includes the Topli Dol Tunnel situated between the Sofia exit and the Botevgrad‑road junction at kilometre 47. The current repair work targets the tunnel’s structural integrity and safety systems—referred to in the industry as “major repairs”—which are essential for maintaining uninterrupted commercial transport across the country’s trade corridor.
Timeline of Restrictions
According to the RIA, the restrictions will take place on three consecutive market‑day weekends. On Friday, 13 November, trucks travelling out of Sofia will be barred from the motorway segment between 3:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. The same dome‑shaped restriction applies on Sunday, 15 November, but for trucks heading toward Sofia, with the time window shifted to 2:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. On Monday, 16 November, the ban extends to both directions between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. These staggered timetables are designed to allow the most critical repair activities to proceed while balancing freight demand.
During the Friday restriction, weather permitting, vehicles weighing more than 12 tonnes traveling towards Vratsa, Montana and Vidin will be permitted to divert via the Petrohan Mountain Pass and the second‑class road II‑16, which connects Sofia, Svoge and Rebrovo. This alternate corridor, while longer, is expected to accommodate the volume of goods traffic without compromising the repair work’s safety margins. The same diversions will remain available on Sunday for vehicles heading toward Sofia provided there is no precipitation that would hinder safe passage.
If traffic volumes on the diverted routes decrease, the RIA noted that the Traffic Police may open the main road earlier than the scheduled end of the restrictions. In addition, “the authorities may introduce additional measures to improve traffic management and road safety, depending on their assessment,” the agency said.
Recovery and Further Restrictions
The RIA projects that traffic through both tubes of the Topli Dol Tunnel will be restored around 18 December, a few days before the Christmas and New Year holidays. After this brief resumption, the agency will impose a second round of restrictions starting about 11 January 2027. This time, the restriction will apply only to the tunnel tube leading toward Sofia, lasting until all construction activities are ultimately finished in April 2027.
Separately, traffic arrangements along a two‑kilometre stretch of the Trakia Motorway in the Sofia Region will change temporarily from Friday until 17 November. The adjustment is to facilitate partial repairs to the road surface, ensuring continuous maintenance under safe conditions.
These measures reflect a coordinated effort between the RIA, local Traffic Police, and logistical stakeholders to maintain regional supply chains while preserving the structural health of one of Bulgaria’s busiest transport crossings. For freight operators, the RIA recommends monitoring the RIA’s updates, as timetables and routes may shift in response to weather conditions or traffic flows during the repair window.
With the timeline set, Bulgarian traffic authorities aim to balance the imperative for infrastructure resilience with the economy’s reliance on heavy goods transport, a delicate balance that underscores the critical role of road maintenance in national logistics networks.
