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Highways in Croatia are the main transport network inCroatia.The Croatian classification includes several categories of highways:[1]
Other than the motorway routes, the national road classification includes the following enumerated categories of routes in the national highway system, with decreasing order of priority:[2]
Road operators differ according to the classification system: The designated motorways are operated by three differentconcessionaires. The state roads are maintained almost exclusively byHrvatske ceste, while the county and local roads are managed by variouscounty authorities. The road maintenance agencies are governed by various laws issued by the Parliament as well as bylaws issued by the Ministry of Transport.[1][3]
The primary high-speedmotorways are calledautoceste (Croatian pronunciation:[ˈautot͡sesta] singular:autocesta), and they are defined as roads with at least three lanes in each direction (includinghard shoulder) and a speed limit of not less than 80 kilometres per hour (50 mph). They are marked with a special road sign, similar to the road sign depicting a motorway/autoroute/autobahn in other parts of Europe.[4] The Croatian motorway (autocesta) network is 1,360.5 kilometres (845.4 mi) long.[5]
Motorways in Croatia are defined by theMinistry of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Infrastructure.[3][6][7] The same applies to names of the motorway interchanges and rest areas.[8]
A major reason for the motorway construction "mania" of the 2000s is a previous political halt of the majorCroatian highway project, today's A1, in the 1970s and 1980s underformer Yugoslavia. When Croatiadeclared independence in 1991, the only true motorways in the country wereRijeka–Kikovica (the westernmost part of today'sA6),Zagreb–Karlovac (the northernmost part of today'sA1) and Zagreb–Slavonski Brod (the central part of today'sA3), the latter being part of theBrotherhood and Unity Highway. The dream to connect the two largest Croatian cities Zagreb andSplit with a motorway (autocesta) went back to the times of theCroatian Spring, but construction of this project was never realized in the Yugoslav period.
In 2005, the Zagreb–Split route was constructed. In addition, the A1 was extended towardsDubrovnik (currently atPloče), and the A3 was extended so it connects Zagreb to Croatian borders with bothSerbia (nearLipovac) andSlovenia (nearBregana). There is also a motorway from Zagreb to Rijeka, the A6, as well as theA4 motorway from Zagreb to the northeast (Hungarian border) as well as theA2 motorway from Zagreb to the northwest (Slovenian border). TheA9 betweenPula and the Slovenian border is also largely completed.
The construction of additional motorways has noticeably slowed in the 2010s, but it continues. As of 2021[update], theCerovlje–Rijeka section ofA8, the remaining part of theIstrian Y, is being upgraded fromsemi-highway status.[9] The other motorways are in various early stages of development, coming up to a total of 11 motorway routes. The A1 is considered unfinished as it is planned to be extended from Ploče to Dubrovnik.[10]
The network is managed by 3 operators, of which one is under full government control and other two are operated by joint ventures.[5]
| Operator | Ownership | Motorway | Length (in 2025)[5] | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BINA Istra | BINA Fincom (67%) Bouygues (16%) Hrvatske autoceste (14.8%) Istarska autocesta (2.2%) | A8,A9 | 141.0 km (87.6 mi) | Under concession until 2041. |
| Autocesta Zagreb – Macelj | Pyhrn Concession Holding GmbH (51%) Republic of Croatia (49%) | A2 | 60.0 km (37.3 mi) | Under concession until 2032. |
| Hrvatske autoceste | Republic of Croatia (100%) | A1,A3,A4,A5,A6,A7,A10,A11,Krk bridge | 1,159.5 km (720.5 mi) | A6 and A7 were operated byAutocesta Rijeka – Zagreb until 31 December 2020.[5] |
| Motorway | Route[5] | Length (in 2025) | Description | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 A1 | Zagreb -Split -Dubrovnik | 484.1 km (300.8 mi) | The A1 starts inLučko interchange, a part ofZagreb bypass where theA3 motorway junction is located. The motorway proceeds south fromZagreb toKarlovac and further on toBosiljevo 2 interchange where theA6 motorway branches off towardsRijeka. The route continues south toGospić,Zadar,Šibenik,Split. The southernmost sector of the motorway proceeds from Split toPloče andMetković.[maps 1] | Section betweenPloče andDubrovnik is planned |
 A2 | Zagreb -Macelj | 62.3 km (38.7 mi) | The A2 starts on the border withSlovenia nearMacelj. The motorway passes west ofKrapina and proceeds south towardsZagreb. The southernmost section of the motorway forms a part ofZagreb bypass and it terminates atJankomir interchange with theA3 motorway.[maps 2] | |
 A3 | Bregana -Zagreb -Lipovac | 305.5 km (189.8 mi) | The A3 starts on the border ofSlovenia nearBregana. The motorway passes north ofSamobor and proceeds west towardsZagreb, passing to the south of the city and forming a part ofZagreb bypass, where the route contains junctions with theA2,A1 andA4 motorways. It continues east toKutina,Slavonski Brod,Sredanci interchange with theA5 motorway and further east toŽupanja and terminating on the border ofSerbia nearLipovac.[maps 3] | |
 A4 | Zagreb -Goričan | 97.7 km (60.7 mi) | The A4 starts on the border ofHungary nearGoričan. The motorway passes nearČakovec andVaraždin south towardsZagreb and the southernmost part of the route is a part ofZagreb bypass, where the motorway terminates inIvanja Reka interchange, where the traffic defaults to the westboundA3 motorway.[maps 4] | |
 A5 | Beli Manastir -Osijek -Bosnian border | 88.2 km (54.8 mi) | The A5 starts on the border of Hungary nearBeli Manastir and proceeds south bypassingOsijek andĐakovo, meets theA3 motorway at Zoljani interchange and proceeds south to Svilaj border bridge where it connects on BosnianA1 motorway.[maps 5] | |
 A6 | Rijeka -Bosiljevo 2 | 81.5 km (50.6 mi) | The A6 starts inBosiljevo 2 interchange, branching off from theA1 motorway and proceeds west bypassingDelnice toRijeka and theOrehovica interchange with theA7 motorway.[maps 6] | |
 A7 | Rupa -Matulji -Diračje -Orehovica -Šmrika | 49 km (30 mi) | The A7 starts at the border ofSlovenia and heads south toRijeka, passes the city asRijeka bypass. The Rijeka bypass section comprises an interchange with theA6 motorway and proceeds east terminating nearŠmrika where the traffic defaults to theD8 state road.[maps 7] | Section east of Rijeka is under construction. |
 A8 | Kanfanar -Matulji | 65.8 km (40.9 mi) | The A8 spans betweenKanfanar and Matulji, i.e. the A9 and A7 motorways. As of September 2024, the Kanfanar–Vranja section is brought to the motorway standards, with new tube ofUčka tunnel opened and the rest is a limited access two-lane route.[maps 8] | |
 A9 | Umag -Pula | 76.8 km (47.7 mi) | The A9 starts nearUmag and theSlovenian border, meets theA8 motorway atKanfanar interchange, and proceeds south toPula, forming the western arm ofIstrian Y.[maps 9] | |
 A10 | Bosnian border -Ploče interchange | 8.6 km (5.3 mi) | The A10 starts at Bosnian border, where it connects toA1 motorway in Bosnia and runs to thePloče interchange, where it connects to A1 motorway.[maps 10] | |
 A11 | Zagreb -Sisak | 41 km (25 mi) | The A11 starts atJakuševec interchange and runs south to Sisak interchange. It was connected to A3 in November 2015 and it is opened to Sisak in October 2024.[maps 11] |
| Motorway | County | Length | Section | Description | Scheduled completion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 A7 | Primorje-Gorski Kotar | 6.5 km (4.0 mi) | Novi Vinodolski bypass | Construction began in September 2021 and will consist of two lane expressway that will match the left lane of the future motorway.[11] | March 2027[12] |
 A8 | 11 km (6.8 mi) | Učka Tunnel–Matulji | Construction of additional two lanes started in September 2023.[13] | End of 2026[14] | |
 A9 | Istria | 2.5 km (1.6 mi) | Mirna Bridge andLim Bay Viaduct | Construction of bridge and viaduct for upgrading motorway on four lanes in total, the construction started in February 2024.[15] | End of 2026[14] |
| Motorway | County | Length | Section | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 A1 | City of Zagreb,Zagreb andKarlovac | 38.6 km (24.0 mi) | Zagreb–Karlovac | Upgrade to six lanes, the start of the works is planned for 2026.[16] |
| Karlovac | 28.2 km (17.5 mi) | Karlovac–Bosiljevo 2 | Upgrade to six lanes. Start of works after completion of the Zagreb-Karlovac section.[16] | |
| Dubrovnik-Neretva | 18.4 km (11.4 mi) | Metković–Pelješac | The construction is planned to begin in 2026. | |
| 29.5 km (18.3 mi) | Rudine–Osojnik (Dubrovnik) | The construction was planned to begin in the spring of 2024 and construction in 2025. | ||
| 4.2 km (2.6 mi) | Osojnik–Nova Mokošica border crossing | Planning started. | ||
| A2 | Krapina-Zagorje | 3.7 km (2.3 mi) | Đurmanec–Macelj | The construction of tunnels Sveta Tri Kralja and Brezovica so the section is upgraded to four lane motorway was expected to begin in the fall of 2022.[17] |
| A3 | Zagreb andCity of Zagreb | 25 km (16 mi) | Jankomir–Ivanja Reka | The plan is to build an extra lane in each direction. First phase is expected to start in 2026 with the subsectionJankomir–Lučko.[18] |
| A7 | Primorje-Gorski Kotar | 18.1 km (11.2 mi) | Križišće–Novi Vinodolski | Design started in 2020[19] and competition for construction begun in January 2024.[20] Construction will begin in mid-2026.[21] |
| 6.5 km (4.0 mi) | Novi Vinodolski bypass | Design started in 2023 and competition for construction will start on the end 2026 completing remaining two lanes that will match the right lane of the motorway.[21] | ||
| Primorje-Gorski Kotar andLika-Senj | 21 km (13 mi) | Novi Vinodolski–Senj | A conceptual design has been developed and the coordination of spatial plans is underway. In parallel, an Environmental Impact Study is being prepared and field research is ongoing.[21] | |
| Lika-Senj | 10.8 km (6.7 mi) | Senj–Žuta Lokva | The preparation of project documentation up to the location permit has been contracted, a conceptual design has been developed, and the Environmental Impact Study is being prepared, and field research is underway.[21] |
In 2022, the network had a traffic of 80,172,262 vehicles, including 70,344,584 light vehicles and 9,827,678 heavy vehicles (difference by axle height).[5]
The travel cost is 9.00 euros per 100 km for light vehicles in closed system and 6.00 euros in open toll system, while for heavy ones are 39.00 euros per 100 km in closed system and 21.00 in open system.[5]
Those costs generate a revenue of 426.5 millions of euros (without VAT) in 2022.[5]
Two third of motorway fatalities (67%) occurred in the third of the year between July and October.[22][23]
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There is a wide variety of types of expressways in Croatia, in terms of number of lanes, accessibility and types of intersections comprised. They range from four lane expressways with grade-separated intersections and limited access - distinguished from the motorways by lack of emergency lanes only - to four or six lane urban expressways with numerous at-grade intersections and traffic lights or two lane limited access roads with grade separated intersections. The expressways include both incomplete motorways, built in stages,[8] and some state roads (with either limited access, more than two traffic lanes, grade-separated intersections or any combination thereof). There are even some instances of county roads which may be regarded expressways such asJadranska Avenue (Ž1040).
As a rule, the expressways are not tolled; however, major tunnels on the expressways are tolled.
| Number | Length | Control cities(or other appropriate route description) |
|---|---|---|
 D1 | 11.5 km (7.1 mi) | Karlovac interchange (A1) -Cerovac Vukmanićki[24](four lane dual carriageway/two lane single carriageway, withat-grade intersections) |
| 15 km (9.3 mi) | Dugopolje interchange (A1) -Split[25](four lane dual carriageway, withgrade separated intersections) | |
| 5.1 km (3.2 mi) | Udbina western bypass[26](two lane single carriageway, withgrade separated intersections) | |
 D2 | 13 km (8.1 mi) | Osijek southern bypass[27](four lane dual carriageway, withgrade separated intersections) |
 D8 | 11.4 km (7.1 mi) | sections through and nearSplit[28](four lane dual carriageway, withat-grade intersections) |
| 32.5 km (20.2 mi) | Duboka interchange –Zaton Doli(two lane single carriageway, withgrade separated intersections) | |
 D10 | 34.9 km (21.7 mi) | Sveta Helena interchange (A4) -Križevci[29](four lane dual carriageway, withgrade separated intersections) |
 D12 | 10.6 km (6.6 mi) | Vrbovec 2 interchange (D10) -Farkaševac[30](four lane dual carriageway, withgrade separated intersections) |
 D14 | 17.4 km (10.8 mi) | Zabok interchange (A2) –Zlatar Bistrica (D29)(two lane single carriageway, withgrade separated intersections) |
 D33 | 8 km (5.0 mi) | Šibenik interchange (A1) -Šibenik (Vidici interchange)[31](two lane single carriageway, withgrade separated intersections) |
 D76 | 7.5 km (4.7 mi) | Zagvozd (Biokovo toll booth) -Baška Voda (D8)(two/four lane single carriageway withgrade separated intersections) |
 D220 | 5.4 km (3.4 mi) | Bisko interchange (A1) -Čaporice (D60)(four lane dual carriageway/two lane single carriageway, withgrade separated intersections) |
 D404 | 4.3 km (2.7 mi) | Draga interchange (A7) -Rijeka (Brajdica interchange)(three/four lane single carriageway, withgrade separated intersections) |
 D424 | 17.6 km (10.9 mi) | Zadar 2 interchange (A1) -Zadar (Gaženica Port)[32](four lane dual carriageway, withgrade separated intersections) |
 D425 | 9.8 km (6.1 mi) | Karamatići toll station (A1) -Ploče (Čeveljuša interchange)(four lane dual carriageway/two lane single carriageway, withgrade separated intersections) |
 D522 | 13 km (8.1 mi) | Gornja Ploča interchange (A1) -Udbina[26](two lane single carriageway, withgrade separated intersections) |
| Number | Length | Section | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 D5 | 4.7 km (2.9 mi) | Novi Varoš -Stara Gradiška(four lane dual carriageway, withgrade separated intersections) | Construction finished in October 2025. |
| D12 | 5.1 km (3.2 mi) | Farkaševac -Breza(two lane dual carriageway, withgrade separated intersections) | Construction finished in Summer 2023. |
| Number | Length | Section | Scheduled completion |
|---|---|---|---|
| D5 | 3.7 km (2.3 mi) | Okučani interchange (A3) -Novi Varoš(four lane dual carriageway, withgrade separated intersections) | Mid-2026 |
| D8 | 2.6 km (1.6 mi) | Mravince interchange (D1) - TTTS(four lane dual carriageway, withgrade separated intersections) | Spring 2027 |
| D10 | 7.5 km (4.7 mi) | Križevci -Kloštar Vojakovački(two lane dual carriageway, withgrade separated intersections) | June 2026 |
| D12 | 11.8 km (7.3 mi) | Breza -Bjelovar(two lane dual carriageway, withgrade separated intersections) | Spring 2026 |
| 5.6 km (3.5 mi) | Špišić Bukovica -Virovitica interchange(two lane dual carriageway, withgrade separated intersections) | Autumn 2025 | |
 D35 | 7.5 km (4.7 mi) | Varaždin interchange (D2) -Cerje Tužno(two lane dual carriageway, withat-grade intersections) | April 2028 |
 D51 | 14.75 km (9.17 mi) | Brestovac Požeški -Godinjak(two lane dual carriageway, withat-grade intersections) | November 2029 |
| Number | Length | Section | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| D2 | 20 km (12 mi) | Koprivnice bypass(two lane dual carriageway and four lane dual carriageway, withgrade separated intersections) | |
| 33.1 km (20.6 mi) | Našice -Čepin(two lane dual carriageway and four lane dual carriageway, withgrade separated intersections) | ||
| D10 | 23.1 km (14.4 mi) | Kloštar Vojakovački -Koprivnice jug(two lane dual carriageway and four lane dual carriageway, withgrade separated intersections) | |
| 5.4 km (3.4 mi) | Koprivnice jug - Koprivnice(two lane dual carriageway and four lane dual carriageway, withgrade separated intersections) | ||
| D12 | 9.4 km (5.8 mi) | Bjelovar -Bulinac(two lane dual carriageway, withgrade separated intersections) | Construction began in End of 2025. |
| 11.2 km (7.0 mi) | Bulinac -Velika Pisanica(two lane dual carriageway, withgrade separated intersections) | Construction began in Mid-2026. | |
| 19 km (12 mi) | Velika Pisanica -Špišić Bukovica(two lane dual carriageway, withgrade separated intersections) | Construction began in 2027. |
State roads are defined by legislation[2] as important routes for road traffic between various parts of the country. Classification of a road as astate road does not describe actual conditions of the road itself.
State roads in Croatia are assigned one, two or three digit numbers which generally comply with the following pattern[33] (although there are some exceptions to the rules):
At the moment the state roads in Croatia have a combined length of 6,867.7 kilometres (4,267.4 mi).
| Number | Control cities(or other appropriate route description)[2] | Length |
|---|---|---|
 D100 | Porozina (ferry port) - Cres - Mali Lošinj (Ž5159) | 80.5 km |
 D101 | D100 - Merag (ferry port) | 10.9 km |
 D102 | Šmrika (D8) - Krk - Baška | 48.3 km |
 D103 | D102 -Rijeka Airport | 1.7 km |
 D104 | D102- Valbiska (ferry port) | 10.1 km |
 D105 | Lopar (ferry port) - Rab - Mišnjak (ferry port) | 22.7 km |
 D106 | Žigljen (ferry port) - Novalja - Pag - Ražanac - Posedarje (D8) | 73.8 km |
 D109 | Veli Rat - Savar - Sali | 41.9 km |
 D110 | Muline (ferry port) - Ugljan - Tkon (ferry port) | 41.6 km |
 D111 | Maslinica - Grohote - Stomorska | 17.8 km |
 D112 | Rogač (ferry port) -D111 | 1.9 km |
 D113 | Supetar - Nerežišće - Sumartin (ferry port) | 39.4 km |
 D114 | Milna - Sutivan - Supetar (D113) | 18.8 km |
 D115 | Gornji Humac (D113) - Bol | 11.4 km |
 D116 | Hvar - Milna - Starigrad (ferry port) - Sućuraj | 77.8 km |
 D117 | Komiža - Podhum - Vis | 19.9 km |
 D118 | Vela Luka - Kapja - Dubovo - Korčula | 43.5 km |
 D119 | Ubli - Lastovo | 9.5 km |
 D120 | Pomena - Polače - Sobra - Saplunara | 42.9 km |
 D121 | Murter - Tisno -D8 | 14.0 km |
 D123 | Sobra (ferry port) -D120 | 1.1 km |
 D124 | Brbinj (ferry port) - Brbinj -D109 | 1.7 km |
 D125 | Zaglav (ferry port) -D109 | 1.1 km |
 D126 | Trogir (D315) - Arbanija - Slatine | 8.3 km |
 D128 | Uvala Mikavica - Žirje (ferry port) | 3.8 km |
In the Republic of Croatia, primarily aclosed toll system is applied to the entire motorway network tolls with multiple entrances and exits. The use of motorways is charged by mileage and vehicle category. At the entrance on the motorway, the user picks up the entrance card (or a record recorded on theENC device) and the payment is made on exit toll stations according to the length of the trip. Theopen system is in use at toll stations Bregana(A3) and Rupa(A7).[5]
Croatia had 70 road deaths per million inhabitants estimated in 2022.[5]
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