In brief
Bulgaria’s Road Infrastructure Agency announced that trucks above 12 tonnes will be barred from portions of the Hemus Motorway on 13, 15 and 16 November while the Topli Dol Tunnel is repaired. Alternative routes via the Petrohan Mountain Pass and road II‑16 are available. The tunnel will reopen around 18 December, with further partial restrictions until April 2027. A related section of the Trakia Motorway will also see temporary changes.
In the Sofia region of Bulgaria, heavy trucks will find the Hemus Motorway altered as authorities schedule major repairs to the Topli Dol Tunnel. The Road Infrastructure Agency (RIA) announced on 11 January 2027 that vehicles over 12 tonnes would face temporary restrictions on the stretch between the Sofia exit and the Botevgrad junction during a series of closures on 13, 15 and 16 November. The announcement, published on the agency’s website, outlined the timings, affected routes and alternative paths that will keep freight movement from coming to a stand‑still.
Temporary Restrictions on November 13–16
On Friday, 13 November, the RIA lifted restrictions for trucks heavier than 12 tonnes travelling from Sofia towards the north only between 3 pm and 9 pm. The closure applied to the entire segment from kilometre 0 to kilometre 47, which includes the Topli Dol tunnel tubes. Traffic police monitored freight flow to ensure compliance and promised to open the motorway to these trucks if traffic volumes fell below expectations before the scheduled time.
The next closure came on Sunday, 15 November, when trucks heading eastward towards Sofia were barred from the same 0‑47 kilometre corridor between 2 pm and 9 pm. This shift reflected the downturn of heavy traffic in that direction and allowed construction crews to work on necessary repairs. The RIA again highlighted that drivers could return to the motorway when conditions allowed.
Monday, 16 November, brought a shorter ban. Heavy goods vehicles were prohibited in both directions from 7 am to 9 am, with all other traffic types permitted to use the motorway normally during the rest of the day. RIA officials indicated that the limited window would give engineers a final opportunity to complete critical inspections before the holiday season.
During each of the three closures, the RIA offered alternative paths for trucks weighing more than 12 tonnes. Eligible vehicles could leave the motorway near the Sofia exit and travel northward via the Petrohan Mountain Pass or along the second‑class road II‑16, which links Sofia, Svoge and Rebrovo. The same detours were made available for trucks travelling toward Sofia on Sunday, weather permitting, and for north‑bound traffic on Friday, with enforcement by traffic police and signposted guidance on both sides of the motorway.
Construction Timeline and Partial Restrictions
Sources say traffic in both tunnels of the Topli Dol Tube should resume around 18 December, ahead of the Christmas and New Year holidays. Following the holiday period, the RIA scheduled a second, more extensive restriction for traffic heading towards Sofia on 11 January 2027. The agency has said that this measure will remain in place until final construction works are fully completed, with a projected deadline of the end of April 2027.
The RIA also indicated that, after the January restriction, additional partial reductions would continue until the tunnel project ends in April, allowing engineers to finish the final safety checks and surface carpentry. Freight operators are advised to plan for intermittent closures and to stay informed through official RIA traffic updates during the period.
Separately, the RIA announced that starting Friday and through 17 November, a two‑kilometre segment of the Trakia Motorway in the Sofia Region will undergo temporary traffic arrangement changes. This measure allows partial repairs to the road surface adjacent to the same area that houses the Topli Dol Tunnel, ensuring overall regional traffic flow while maintenance activities take place.
