Back

Bulgaria

Truck driving restrictions

Basic information


On 12 September 2021, driving ban applies to trucks, trucks with trailers and tractor units with semi-trailers over 12t on the following sections of the national road network, as follows:

  • Trakia Motorway from 16:00 to 20:00 in the section Plovdiv (from Plovdiv - North, at 126-281) to Sofia in the direction of Sofia;
  • Hemus Motorway from 16:00 to 20:00 in the section of the roundabout with road I-4 (km 87 + 800) to Sofia in the direction of Sofia;
  • Road I-1 from 16:00 to 20:00 in the section from the stage connection of Lot 2 of the Struma Motorway near Blagoevgrad to Kresna connection with the Struma Motorway in both directions;

Exceptions:

  • Vehicles carrying dangerous goods (ADR)
  • transport of live animals
  • perishable foodstuffs
  • temperature loads

Within the specified time range, vehicles should wait outside the roadway at appropriate places without interfering with other road users.



There is no nationwide ban on Sundays or public holidays for international transport. There are, however, some local bans.

Detailed information


Vehicles concerned all goods vehicles over 15t

Prohibition permanent till the end of the maintenance works

Road concerned road I-1 between km 276+162 and km 282+485


Vehicles concerned all goods vehicles of over 12t total laden weight

Prohibition permanent till the end of the maintenance works

Road concerned road I-3 between km 193+345 (intersection with the road to Pravetz junction) and km 204+200 (intersection with I-1)


Vehicles concerned all goods vehicles of over 15t total laden weight

Prohibition permanent

Road concerned road I-5, section Tchernootchene – Kardjali

  • direction Haskovo – Kardjali: road I-5 – road III-505 – Manastir – road III-507 – Voyvodino – Most – Tchiflik – Kardjali
  • direction Assenovgrad – Kardjali: road II-58 – road I-5, direction Haskovo – road III-505 – Manastir – road III-507 – Voyvodino – Most – Tchiflik – Kardjali
  • direction Mineralni Bani – Kardjali: road III-506 – road III-806 – road I-5 – road III-505 – Manastir – road III-507 – Voyvodino – Most – Tchiflik – Kardjali

Vehicles concerned all goods motor vehicles of over 12t total laden weight (N3) and the towing of trailers and semi trailers with MPW over 10t (O4)

Prohibition permanent

Road concerned I–5 between km 155+250 and km 184 +000 (Shipka Pass) The vehicles concerned should use the route Radnevo – road II-57 – Pet mogili – Novoselez – road II-55 – Mlekarevo – Radevo – Nova Zagora –– road I-6 – Gurkovo – Prohod na Republikata – Veliko Tarnovo.


Vehicles concerned all goods vehicles of over 3.5t total laden weight

Prohibition permanent till the end of the maintenance works

Road concerned road I-5, section Kirkovo – Makasa


Vehicles concernedall vehicles

Prohibition permanent till the end of the maintenance works

Road concerned I-7, section Varbishki Pass The vehicles concerned should use the Kotlenski Pass (I-4 road), the Rijki Pass (II-73 road) or the Prohod na Republikata Pass (road II-55).


Vehicles concernedall goods motor vehicles of over 12t total laden weight (N3) (incl. trailers and semi trailers) with more than 2 axles

Prohibition permanent

Road concerned II-81, section Petrohan-Sofia


Vehicles concerned all goods vehicles of over 10t total laden weight

Prohibition permanent

Road concerned II-82, section Kostenez (km 0+000) – Samokov (km 39+176)

Vehicles concerned all vehicles exceeding the maximum authorised weights and dimensions Prohibition throughout the year:

  • if visibility is less than 50m due to mist, heavy rain or snow;
  • in icy conditions;
  • during hours of darkness and at rush hours, except in cases of emergency or natural catastrophe.

Vehicles concerned all goods vehicles of over 12t total laden weigh

Prohibition permanent during public holidays – in case of more than one consecutive non working days including at least one public holiday:

on the last working day on the eve of the series of non working days: from 16h00 to 20h00 (see the list below)

on the last day of the series of non working days: from 14h00 to 20h00 (see the list below)

  • 1 January 2019 from 14h00 to 20h00
  • 1 March from 16h00 to 20h00
  • 4 March from 14h00 to 20h00
  • 25 April from 16h00 to 20h00
  • 29 April from 14h00 to 20h00
  • 3 May from 16h00 to 20h00
  • 6 May from 14h00 to 20h00
  • 23 May from 14h00 to 20h00
  • 24 May from 9h00 to 12h00
  • 26 May from 12h00 to 20h00
  • 5 September from 16h00 to 20h00
  • 8 September from 14h00 to 20h00
  • 20 September from 16h00 to 20h00
  • 23 September from 14h00 to 20h00
  • 23 December from 16h00 to 20h00
  • 26 December from 14h00 to 20h00

Roads concerned all motorway

Roads class 1

  • road I-1 section Rebarkovo – Botevgrad, the vehicles concerned should use the road II-16 Rebarkovo – Svoge – Sofia
  • road I-1 Blagoevgrad – border crossing point “Kulata” (with Greece)
  • road I-4 Koritna junction – Veliko Tarnovo – Shumen
  • road I-5 Ruse – Veliko Tarnovo
  • road I-8 border crossing point “Kalotina” (with Serbia) – Sofia
  • road I-9 Varna – Burgas

Roads class 2

  • road II-18 Sofia ringroad
  • road II-99 Burgas – Tsarevo

Prohibition Summer restriction from 1 June to 15 September

  • on Friday: from 17h00 to 20h00
  • on Sunday: from 14h00 to 20h00

Roads concerned

Motorways

  • Hemus motorway (A2) section between km 0+000 and km 78+554

Roads class 1

  • road I-1 section Rebarkovo – Botevgrad, the vehicles concerned should use the road II-16 Rebarkovo – Svoge – Sofia
  • road I-1 section Blagoevgrad – border crossing point “Kulata” (with Greece)
  • road I-5 section Ruse – Veliko Tarnovo
  • road I-9 section Varna – Burgas

Roads class 2

  • road II-99 section Burgas – Tsarevo

The restriction does not apply to motor vehicles transporting perishable foodstuffs and goods under temperature regime, livestock and dangerous goods (ADR)


Vehicles concerned all goods vehicles of over 12t total laden weight

Prohibition Summer restriction from 1 June to 15 September

Roads concerned

Trakia motorway

  • direction Sofia – Plovdiv on Friday from 18h00 to 20h00
  • direction Burgas – Sofia on Sunday from 16h00 to 20h00

Struma motorway

  • direction junction Daskalovo – border crossing point Kulata on Saturday from 10h00 to 14h00

Maritsa motorway

  • direction Svilengrad – Trakia motorway on Sunday from 16h00 to 20h00. The restriction does not apply to motor vehicles transporting perishable foodstuffs and goods under temperature regime, livestock and dangerous goods (ADR)

MAIN RESTRICTIONS IN SOFIA

Vehicles concerned trucks and combined vehicles of 4t MPW and above

Prohibition every day, from 7h00 to 21h00

Area concerned Sofia City centre

The limits of the zone affected by these restrictions are as follows: Opalchenska str. – Slivnitza bld. – Gen. Danail Nikolaev bld. – Evlogui Gueorguiev bld. – Bulgaria bld. – Pencho Slaveikov bld. – Gen. Totleben bld. – Gen. Skobelev bld. – Opalcheska str. (N.B.: the restrictions do not apply to the streets mentioned above, but only to the area bordered by these streets)


Vehicles concerned trucks and combined vehicles of 15t MPW and above

Prohibition every day in Zone 1

Area concerned Sofia City – Zone 1

The limits of the zone affected by these restrictions are as follows:

Konstantin Velichkov bld. – Gabrovo str. – Skopie str. – Nadejda crossroad – 202 str. – Kamenodelska str. – Malashevska str. – Parva balgarska armia str. – Rezbarska str. – Vassil Kanchev str. – Reka Veleka str. – Alexander Ekzarh str. – Madrid bld. – Sitniakovo bld. – Peio Iavorov bld. – Nikola Vaptzarov bld. – Cherni vrah bld. – Srebarna str. – Gotze Delchev bld. – Jitnitza str. – Nikola Mushanov bld. – Vazkresenie bld. – Konstantin Velichkov bld

(N.B.: the restrictions do not apply to the streets mentioned above, but only to the area bordered by these streets).

The following streets and boulevards are not affected by the restriction:

Slivnica bld., Vladajska reka str., Zidarska str., Gradinarska str., Rezbarska str., Gen. Danail Nikolaev bld., Konstantin Stoilov bld., Kamenodelska str., Gen. Vladimir Vazov bld., Chavdar Bridge and Zletovo str.

Holidays


Public holidays 2026


  • 1st January - New Year's Day
  • 3rd March - Liberation Day
  • 18th April - Good Friday
  • 19th April - Holy Saturday
  • 20th April - Easter Sunday
  • 21st April - Easter Monday
  • 1st May - Labor Day
  • 6th May - St. George's Day
  • 24th May - Culture and Literacy Day
  • 26th May - Day off for Culture and Literacy Day
  • 6th September - Unification Day
  • 8th September - Day off for Unification Day
  • 22nd September - Independence Day
  • 24th December - Christmas Eve
  • 25th December - Christmas Day
  • 26th December - Second day of Christmas

Good to know


Dipped headlights: The usage of the lights is obligatory for 24 hours, all year round


The maximum blood-alcohol content – 0,5 ‰

  • Driving with the blood-alcohol content more than 0,5 to 1,2 ‰ – BGN 300 – 600 and a driving disqualification for 2 – 12 months (the second offence – BGN 1000 – 2000 and a driving disqualification for 1 – 3 years)
  • Carrying dangerous goods without a proper ADR job qualification certificate – BGN 200 – 300 or a driving disqualification for 6 months (the second offence – BGN 300 – 400 and a driving disqualification for 3 months – 1 year)

IMPORTANT TELEPHONE NUMBERS:

Assistance breakdown service is provided by Bulgarian automobilclub (UAB): Sofia – +359 2 980 3308 (also via mobile phones all country - +359 2 91 146)

the police – 166

the emergency ambulance service – 150

the fire brigade – 160


or the unified number – 112


Emergency columns placed by the motorways at every 2 km are connected directly with the police, the ambulance service and the road assistance.