Lorry traffic restrictions through "Topli dol" and "Praveshki Khanove" tunnels at weekends

In order to ease traffic during peak hours at the end of the working week and on weekends—Saturday and Sunday—when many people are traveling, the traffic of heavy goods vehicles weighing over 12 tonnes will be halted on a section of the "Hemus" motorway near the "Topli Dol" and "Praveshki Hanove" tunnels.

This measure aims to ensure that only cars and light commercial vehicles pass through the section, while heavy goods vehicles will be redirected to alternative routes. The goal is to enhance road safety and provide a more comfortable passage through the area with the two tunnels, where major repairs are ongoing.

On Friday, from 10:00 to 20:00, and on Saturday, from 08:00 to 16:00, lorries traveling toward Varna will be redirected via the "Vitiniska Reka" road junction, along road I-1 and II-17, continuing on the motorway at the "Botevgrad" road junction. After that, lorry traffic will be redirected at the "Pravets" road junction onto road I-3, with re-entry onto the motorway at the "Osikovska Lakavitsa" road junction.

On Sunday, from 12:00 to 20:00, lorries weighing over 12 tonnes traveling to Sofia will be redirected from the "Osikovska Lakavitsa" road junction via road I-3, re-entering the motorway at the "Pravets" road link. Afterwards, their movement will be diverted at the "Botevgrad" road junction, continuing on the motorway at the "Vitiniska Reka" road junction.

If necessary, depending on traffic intensity and at the discretion of the authorities of the Sofia Directorate of the Ministry of Interior, additional restrictions may be imposed to ensure safe passage through this section of the "Hemus" motorway.

The Road Infrastructure Agency apologises to motorists for any inconvenience caused, but the repair work is essential to ensure traffic safety on the facilities. Motorists are urged to drive carefully, follow traffic rules and speed limits, avoid risky overtaking that could endanger the safety of others, and refrain from using the emergency lanes on the motorways for faster movement during busy traffic. Using emergency lanes obstructs the passage of vehicles with special driving conditions in the event of an incident.