Troyan-Karnare pass closes to traffic on April 18 due to heavy snowfall

Snow in April closed Troyan Pass. There are temporary restrictions to traffic on April 18 due to heavy snowfall and snow removal.

Troyan Passis a mounntain pass in the Balkan Mountains (Stara Planina) in Bulgaria. It connects Troyan and Karnare on the Karlovo Plain.

The pass is in north-central Bulgaria 20 km from the town of Troyan.

It is on one of the main roads connecting northern and southern Bulgaria

Snow is falling on other high mountain passes in the country.

The snow cover on Petrohan pass is about 10 - 12 cm. Seven machines are clearing and sanding the road. There are no reports of stranded vehicles.

There are no restrictions to traffic through Predela pass. At the moment it is snowing there, there is no snow cover. Snowploughs are on standby. Due to the expected new snow cover in the mountains, the risk of avalanches remains high.

Yesterday an avalanche fell below the Vihren hut. No people were injured, several vehicles were stranded in the area and passengers evacuated. Currently the road to the hut remains blocked for vehicles. Passage is on foot only.

The Road Infrastructure Agency advises motorists who are due to travel through the high mountain passes to use vehicles that are suitable for travelling in bad weather conditions and drive at a reasonable speed.