In brief
For three days in November, heavy goods vehicles weighing more than 12 tonnes will be blocked from the Sofia‑to‑Botevgrad stretch of the Hemus Motorway as the Topli Dol Tunnel undergoes major repairs. The Road Infrastructure Agency (RIA) announced curfews on 13, 15 and 16 November, offering alternate routes when weather permits and promising full traffic restoration around December 18, followed by further restrictions that will last until the project’s completion in April 2027.
Heavy goods vehicles weighing more than 12 tonnes will be barred from a 47‑kilometre section of the Hemus Motorway between the Sofia exit and the Botevgrad road junction on Friday, Sunday, and Monday in November, as Bulgaria’s Road Infrastructure Agency (RIA) announced major repairs to the Topli Dol Tunnel.
On Friday, 13 November, the restriction will apply to trucks travelling outward from Sofia between 3 a.m. and 9 p.m. The RIA said that if weather conditions allow, vehicles destined for Vratsa, Montana and Vidin may use alternative routes via the Petrohan Mountain Pass and the second‑class road II‑16 that connects Sofia, Svoge and Rebrovo.
On Sunday, 15 November, the ban shifts to heavy goods vehicles heading toward Sofia. The curfew will run from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. The RIA stated that, weather permitting, similar alternate routes will remain available for trucks traveling toward the capital.
The Monday, 16 November restriction covers both directions of the motorway from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and will be effective for a 47‑kilometre stretch beginning at kilometre 0 and ending at the Botevgrad junction. Traffic police are prepared to lift the restriction early if volumes fall below the scheduled thresholds.
The RIA said it may introduce additional traffic‑management measures or road‑safety improvements as it evaluates conditions. Traffic through the Topli Dol Tunnel’s dual tubes is expected to resume around 18 December, ahead of the Christmas‑New Year holiday period. After the holiday, the RIA projected that a second wave of restrictions would begin on 11 January 2027 and last until the completion of the repair works in April of the same year, when full traffic flow would resume.
In parallel, a temporary change of traffic arrangements will apply to a two‑kilometre segment of the Trakia Motorway in the Sofia Region. These alterations will begin on the following Friday and last until 17 November, allowing partial road‑surface repairs at that location.
All affected operators are urged to consult updated traffic notifications, and the RIA will continue to monitor the situation closely, signalling that mandatory checks and the possibility of early lifts remain in place until full restoration. The traffic management plan and any further amendments will be released through official RIA channels as the repair schedule progresses.
