Major infrastructure projects to transform connections with Istria

(Photo: Fr0nt/CC BY-SA 3.0)

MATULJI/PULA, 18 July 2026 — Major road, railway and maritime infrastructure projects are advancing across Istria and the wider northern Adriatic region, with investments expected to improve connectivity, traffic flow and transport safety.

Croatia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure Oleg Butković inspected a number of projects on Friday, including the expansion of the Matulji interchange, the reconstruction of a railway line and state roads, and the reconstruction of Pula’s breakwater.

One of the key projects is the expansion of the Matulji interchange on the Istrian Y motorway, which will connect the A7 and A8 motorways in full profile. Construction began in May 2025, with completion expected in the first quarter of 2027. The contracted value of the works is €17.7 million.

The project is expected to remove a major traffic bottleneck in the Matulji and Opatija area and complete the full-profile motorway connection between Zagreb and Pula.

Butković said the project was among Croatia’s most significant road infrastructure investments, while further road development is also planned.

The Government is preparing the Istarski X project, which is planned to bring a motorway to eastern Istria along a route of approximately 40 kilometres. At the same time, motorway construction is continuing in the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County area, with work on the Križišće–Jadranovo section expected to begin in the autumn. A contract for the Jadranovo–Selce section is also expected to be signed shortly.

Sections of the Istrian Y ahead of schedule

Bina Istra Director General Dario Silić said a 4.5-kilometre section between Učka and Veprinac was expected to open within ten days, approximately six months ahead of schedule.

The company is also preparing to complete the Limska Draga viaduct, while the remaining six kilometres of the route are planned for completion in February next year. The 1.2-kilometre Mirna viaduct is also expected to be completed within the same timeframe.

Once the projects are completed, the full-profile motorway network will provide a direct connection between Istria and Croatia’s wider motorway system. The journey between Pula and Zagreb is expected to take approximately two and a half hours.

The Matulji interchange project also includes infrastructure intended to improve access to Matulji and Opatija. Local authorities said a replacement road had been particularly important during the construction works, including the removal of Janković Bridge.

Railway line to be upgraded

The visit continued in Lupoglav, where officials inspected the reconstruction of the R101 railway line between the state border, Buzet, Pazin and Pula.

The €55 million project, financed through a European Investment Bank loan with Government support, covers the section between the state border, Buzet and Sveti Petar u Šumi. Completion is planned for 2028.

(Photo: MMPI / HŽI)

Works include the reconstruction of tracks and points, the rehabilitation of level crossings, landslide remediation and improvements to drainage infrastructure. Signalling, safety and traffic management systems will also be modernised.

Once the project is completed, the designed speed on the upgraded section will increase from the current 50–60 kilometres per hour to 80 kilometres per hour.

Croatian Roads is also investing €23 million in the reconstruction of state roads in Istria, including works on the DC44 road between Ponte Porton and Buzet.

Pula breakwater reconstruction advances

The final stop was the reconstruction of the breakwater in the Port of Pula, one of the most significant maritime infrastructure projects currently under way in the region.

The project is supported by the Connecting Europe Facility, with additional funding from the state budget and the budget of Istria County.

As part of the reconstruction, a previously unfinished 150-metre section near the end of the breakwater will be completed, allowing the structure to be fully connected and reconstructed.

(Photo: MMPI / HŽI)

The breakwater is intended to strengthen protection for Pula against waves and the sea while improving the maritime capabilities of Pula Bay.

The project is expected to be completed by next summer.

The visit formed part of a broader infrastructure investment cycle across Istria and Croatia’s northern Adriatic region, covering motorway, railway, road and port infrastructure.