Winter Sets In in Croatia: Snow, the Bora Wind, and Road Closures Paralyze Truck Traffic

A sudden and severe weather change on Friday, November 13, 2026, is causing significant disruptions on the main transportation routes from the Croatian interior toward the Adriatic coast. While snow falls intermittently in Gorski Kotar and the Dalmatian hinterland, and heavy rain across most of the country causes slippery roads, a danger of hydroplaning, and possible falling rocks, stormy Bora winds at the mountain passes leading to the coast will bring heavy and trailer traffic to a standstill. Anyone traveling to the coast via the A1, A6, or A7 highways will encounter not only the capricious weather but also numerous construction-related bottlenecks.

A6 Highway (Zagreb–Rijeka): Storm-related closure and a series of construction zones toward Kvarner

On the transit route through Gorski Kotar toward Rijeka and Istria, snow showers, rain, stormy winds, and a series of maintenance projects by the highway operator Hrvatske autoceste (HAC) are all occurring simultaneously:

• Open to passenger cars only (Delnice – Kikovica): Due to high winds, the section of the highway between the Delnice and Kikovica interchanges is open exclusively to passenger cars in both directions. All other vehicle types (trucks, buses, RVs, and delivery vans) must take the old DC3 state highway through Gorski Kotar from Delnice or Kikovica, respectively.
• Two-way traffic in the tunnel area: Between the Pod Vugleš and Javorova Kosa tunnels, traffic will continue to be routed through a single lane in both directions (one lane toward Rijeka and one toward Zagreb) until 11:00 p.m. on November 13, with a speed limit of 60 km/h.
• Four additional traffic bottlenecks in the direction of Rijeka:
  • Delnice – Vrata (km 45+500 to 46+550): Single-lane traffic and a 60 km/h speed limit due to maintenance work through November 15.
  • Vrata – Oštrovica (km 60+300 to 62+000): Three consecutive work zones; between km 60+300 and 60+800, only one lane is available with a speed limit of 60 km/h; after that, traffic flows in two lanes at 80 km/h.
  • Oštrovica – Kikovica (km 64+400 to 68+900): On the downhill stretch toward Rijeka, the speed limit is 60 km/h between km 64+400 and 65+300 due to roadwork; the speed limit is 80 km/h for the remainder of the stretch up to km 68+900.

A1 Highway (Zagreb – Zadar – Split – Dubrovnik): Bottleneck at Sveti Rok

Even on the main north-south route through the Lika region to Dalmatia, storms, road damage, and construction zones are severely hampering travel toward the coast:

• Storm Closure on Velebit (Sveti Rok – Rovanjska/Maslenica): Between the Sveti Rok and Rovanjska (Maslenica) interchanges, the A1 is open only to passenger cars due to a storm, and the speed limit has been reduced to 40 km/h.
• Detour via Gračac and Obrovac: All other vehicle classes heading to the coast must exit at the Sveti Rok interchange and take state highways D50 – D27 (Gračac) – D54 (Zaton Obrovački) – D8 (Adriatic Highway) to the Rovanjska interchange (and vice versa when traveling inland).
• Road Damage Heading South: Immediately after the Sveti Rok Tunnel and up to the Marune rest stop, the roadway heading toward Dubrovnik is damaged; traffic is restricted to two lanes there with a speed limit of 80 km/h.
• Accident scene in Lika (toward Zagreb): A traffic accident occurred on the opposite lane near the Zir rest area, so traffic there is restricted to a single lane with a maximum speed of 40 km/h.
• Detour at the Split Interchange (Dugopolje) and Nighttime Closures: Drivers continuing on the A1 past Split toward Makarska or Dubrovnik must exit the highway at the Split interchange (Dugopolje toll plaza), make a U-turn at the roundabout (DC1/ŽC6145), and re-enter the highway southbound through the Dugopolje toll plaza. In the opposite direction (Bisko–Split toward Zagreb), the A1 is completely closed due to construction until December 18 (detour via DC220 and ŽC6260). In addition, traffic will be completely halted for 15 minutes at a time during the nights of November 20 and 23 at both the Lučko (Zagreb) interchange and the Split interchange between 11:00 p.m. and 4:00 a.m.

A7 Highway (Rupa – Rijeka – Šmrika) and DC8 Coastal Road

Anyone arriving on the coast from Gorski Kotar or via Slovenia (Rupa border crossing) should expect additional roadblocks in the Rijeka area, on the way to Istria, and along the Jadranska Magistrala:

• Storm-related closure between Rijeka istok and Šmrika (A7): On the access road toward Krk and Crikvenica, the section between the Rijeka istok and Šmrika interchanges is closed to Vehicle Groups I and II (motorcycles, sidecars, double-decker buses, delivery vans, and vehicles with enclosed cargo compartments) due to a storm.
• Risk of traffic congestion toward Opatija and Istria (A7/A8): On the Rijeka bypass, between Rijeka West and Učka (km 18+100 to 16+800) in the direction of Opatija/Istria/Rupa, only one lane is available due to construction work, which causes traffic backups during heavy traffic. At the subsequent Matulji–Opatija interchange (where the A8 connects to the DC8/DC66 Kuk), narrowed lanes are causing additional delays.
• Overnight Full Closures at Rupa and Jurdani (A7): On the night from Saturday to Sunday (November 14 to 15), the A7 will be completely closed in both directions—first between Rupa and Jurdani (11:00 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.) and then between Jurdani and Trinajstići (12:45 a.m. to 2:00 a.m.) in both directions.
• Adriatic Highway (DC8) and Ferry Service: Below the Velebit Mountains, the DC8 coastal highway between Karlobag and Sveta Marija Magdalena is open exclusively to passenger cars due to a storm. In the south, the DC8 is also completely blocked near Majkovi (Dubrovnik area) following a traffic accident. At sea, several ferry, catamaran, and ship routes have been suspended due to the Bora.

Overview: All restrictions on routes heading toward the coast

Transportation Corridor	Affected Section	Current restriction (as of November 13, 2026)	Detour / Special Note
A6 Zagreb – Rijeka	Delnice – Kikovica	Open only to passenger cars due to a storm	Alternative route for trucks, buses, and trailers via State Road DC3
A6 Zagreb – Rijeka	Delnice – Oštrovica – Kikovica (toward the coast)	Several single-lane construction zones due to maintenance work	Speed limit 60 km/h to 80 km/h on wet or slippery roads
A1 Zagreb – Split	Sveti Rok – Rovanjska (Maslenica)	Open only to passenger cars due to a storm (speed limit 40 km/h)	Detour via D50 – D27 (Gračac) – D54 (Zaton Obrovački) – D8
A1 Zagreb – Split	Sveti Rok Tunnel – Marune Rest Area (southbound)	Damaged roadway in the direction of Dubrovnik	Two-lane traffic with a reduced speed limit of 80 km/h
A7 Rupa – Šmrika	Rijeka East – Šmrika	Closed to vehicle groups I and II due to a storm	Between Rijeka West and Učka, there is also a single-lane bottleneck heading toward Istria
Adriatic Highway DC8	Karlobag – Sveta Marija Magdalena	Open only to passenger cars due to a storm	Near Majkovi (Southern Dalmatia), the DC8 is completely closed due to an accident

Notice Regarding Mandatory Winter Equipment Starting November 15

The current onset of winter is catching travelers just before the official deadline: From November 15 through April 15, winter equipment is required by law on designated winter routes on Croatian highways and inland state roads—regardless of the weather conditions. For vehicles weighing up to 3.5 metric tons, either four winter tires (M+S, M.S., M&S, or 3PMSF) with a minimum tread depth of 4 mm, or four summer tires (minimum 4 mm tread depth) along with type-approved snow chains readily available for the drive wheels. If winter road conditions prevail—as is currently the case with snowfall in Gorski Kotar—even before the effective date, the driving ban for vehicles without winter equipment, as well as for trucks with trailers, takes effect immediately.