Croatia’s new motorway to Hungary set to open

A5 motorway (Photo: Divna Jaksic/Public domain)

The long-awaited completion of the Croatian section of Corridor Vc is set for June, nearly two decades after the first stretch of the motorway, Slavonika, was opened, Večernji list reports.

Corridor Vc is a major European transport artery, connecting Budapest to the Port of Ploče in Croatia via Osijek and Sarajevo.

The Croatian section, the A5 Beli Manastir – Osijek – Svilaj motorway, is part of the EU’s comprehensive TEN-T network.

With the completion of the final five-kilometre stretch between Beli Manastir and the Hungarian border, the entire 88.6-kilometre Croatian route will be fully operational.

Key European Transport Link

This international transport route will significantly improve the movement of goods and people between Southeast Europe and the Adriatic Sea.

So far, 83.6 kilometres of the A5 motorway have been constructed and opened in phases. The first section, Đakovo – Sredanci, was completed in 2007, followed by Osijek – Đakovo in 2009.

The segment from Sredanci to the Bosnia and Herzegovina border, excluding the Sava River bridge, was finished in 2015. In late 2022, the 24-kilometre section from Beli Manastir to Osijek was also completed.

In August 2023, a contract was signed with Osijek Koteks d.d. for the final section, valued at €46 million. The project is funded by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

This stretch includes several structures, with the 318-metre-long Karašica viaduct being the most prominent. Once construction is completed in June, technical inspections will follow before it officially opens to traffic.

Travel Time and Economic Impact

With Hungary having completed its section last year, driving from Osijek to Budapest will take under two hours.

This makes the Hungarian capital more accessible to Osijek residents than even Zagreb.

One of the standout structures on Corridor Vc is the Drava Bridge near Petrijevci. Completed in 2016, the 2,507-metre bridge, the longest cable-stayed bridge in Croatia, initially led nowhere but now connects to the motorway towards Baranja.

While Croatia is completing its part of the corridor, the full benefits of the motorway will only be realised once Bosnia and Herzegovina finishes its remaining 187 kilometres.

Out of the total 325 kilometres running through Bosnia, 138 kilometres are complete. The most challenging part is the construction of the 10.45-kilometre Prenj Tunnel, set to be one of Europe’s longest road tunnels. Bosnia aims to complete its section by 2030.

A Game-Changer for Slavonia

Once fully operational, Corridor Vc will boost connectivity between northern, central, and southern Europe. For Slavonia and eastern Croatia, it will mean improved north-south connections, increased economic potential, and a tourism boost.