Bulgaria Introduces Temporary Truck Bans Due to Heatwave

Due to the extreme heat currently affecting Bulgaria, the country’s road authorities have decided to impose temporary traffic restrictions for trucks exceeding 20 tons in weight.

The restrictions will be in effect from Tuesday, June 24 to Friday, June 27, 2025, during afternoon hours, on selected road sections in the northern part of the country. The decision follows a long-standing Bulgarian practice of imposing such bans when air temperatures exceed 35°C. The aim is to protect the road surface from deformation and rutting, which could compromise road safety.

Bans will be enforced:

❌ From Tuesday, June 24 to Friday, June 27
❌ Between 13:00 and 21:00

Affected regions:

The traffic ban applies to nine northern regions of Bulgaria:
Ruse, Silistra, Razgrad, Targovishte, Shumen, Veliko Tarnovo, Pleven, Lovech, and Gabrovo.

List of restricted roads:

❌ Hemus Motorway: from km 310 to 375 (Shumen and Targovishte regions)
❌ Road I-2 (Ruse–Varna): sections in Ruse, Razgrad, and Shumen regions (km 12–146)
❌ Road I-3: from km 7 to 170 (Pleven, Lovech, Veliko Tarnovo regions)
❌ Road I-4 (Koritna–Shumen): passing through Lovech, Gabrovo, Veliko Tarnovo, Targovishte, and Shumen
❌ Road I-5 (Ruse–Gabrovo): km 6–115 (Ruse and Veliko Tarnovo regions)
❌ Road I-7 (Silistra–Shumen): within both regions
❌ Road II-55 (Debelets–Misyurkov Khan): in Veliko Tarnovo region

Exemptions from the ban:

The restriction does not apply to vehicles transporting:
✅ Perishable goods
✅ Special (tempered) cargo
✅ Live animals
✅ Dangerous goods