Shorter travel between Budapest and Croatia: Final section of motorway is finally opening!
After a long wait, the last section of Hungary’s M6 motorway, near the border with Croatia, will officially open on 6 October, creating a direct link between Hungary’s M6 and Croatia’s A5 motorway. The ceremonial inauguration will take place on Monday at 1:30 PM, attended by high-ranking state officials, Pécs Aktuál reported.
Everything ready on the Croatian side
The nearly EUR 46 million Croatian section was built by Osijek-Koteks, following a contract signed with Croatian Highways (Hrvatske Autoceste) on 31 August 2023, according to Pécs Aktuál. The project was fully financed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The five-kilometre stretch includes eight major structures: the Karašica viaduct, the Gajić and Rašće overpasses, the Karašica 2, Travnik 1, and Travnik 2 bridges, as well as two bridges over canals. The longest of these, the 318-meter Karašica viaduct, is one of the region’s most significant engineering achievements.
According to Croatian media reports, the technical handover has already been completed, making the motorway ready for use. Hungarian MP János Hargitai previously told BAMA: “The Hungarian section has been ready for a year; now the ball is on the Croatian side.”
Faster travel between Budapest and Osijek
With the connection between the M6 and A5, travel time between Budapest and Osijek will be reduced to under two hours, significantly improving transport links between the East Slavonian city and Hungary’s capital. The development will not only speed up cross-border travel but also enhance connections to Bosnia and Herzegovina, as Croatia’s A5 motorway runs through Beli Manastir, Osijek, and Sarajevo, all the way to the Adriatic Sea.
Hungary’s section of the M6 motorway is already complete along its entire length, so opening the last stretch from the Lippó exit to the border depended solely on the Croatian side. With the current inauguration, the long-awaited motorway is finally fully operational, opening a new chapter in regional transportation.