Snow fell on the "Petrohan" pass in the early hours of the holiday morning, FOCUS reported.
The snow cover is significant, and the snowfall is heavy, drivers report.
"Be careful. It has been raining very hard since 5:30 in the morning," they appeal.
Drivers need to drive with increased caution, at a reasonable speed and to drive in cars prepared for winter conditions, warned the Agency “Road Infrastructure“, quoted by BTA.
The meteorologists' forecasts are for a decrease in temperatures, and on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in Northwestern and Northern Bulgaria the rain may turn into snow. The synoptic analyses are constantly monitored by the road departments and road maintenance companies and actions are taken to treat the road surfaces against slipperiness and icing in the event of a decrease in temperatures and expected precipitation. The goal is for preventive and then snow removal activities to begin as quickly as possible in order to ensure the passability of the roads, the Agency indicates. Priority is given to motorways, the busiest routes on the first-class and second-class road network and the passages providing connections between Northern and Southern Bulgaria.
Drivers must drive with increased caution and at a reasonable speed, keeping a distance, not making sudden maneuvers and not overtaking specialized machines that process the pavements. Blocking traffic by vehicles that are not prepared for winter conditions makes it difficult for all other drivers to travel and the work of snow removal equipment, the road agency reminds.
On December 30, the movement of heavy trucks will be suspended between 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., and the restriction will apply to vehicles leaving Sofia. On the last day off of the new year – January 4, 2026, the ban on the movement of vehicles over 12 tons will be between 12:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. and will be for vehicles traveling to Sofia.
The restriction does not apply to vehicles performing public passenger transport.
On the „Hemus“ and „Struma“ highways, the ban does not cover vehicles over 12 tons carrying dangerous goods (ADR), live animals, perishable food products and temperature-controlled cargo and specialized carcass trucks.
On the „Trakia“ highway in the section from the „Ihtiman“ (at 34 km) to the „Vakarel“ (at km 23) in the direction of Sofia, the ban will not apply to vehicles over 12 tons carrying dangerous goods (ADR).
In the Blagoevgrad region today, between 10:00 and 20:00, reverse traffic will be introduced on the section of the I-1/E-79 Sofia - Kulata road, at the junction of the first-class road with the “Struma“ highway and the “Simitli“ road junction. The aim is to facilitate travel on weekends in the expected heavy traffic. Two lanes will be provided in the direction of Kulata and one lane in the direction of Sofia. In case of heavy traffic and at the discretion of the “Traffic Police“ Other changes in traffic organization may be introduced to facilitate travel and ensure safety.
Drivers can use other republican roads as alternative detour routes, while respecting the permanent traffic organization in force for them.
About 100,000 vehicles are expected to leave Sofia for the upcoming Christmas holidays, the Road Infrastructure Agency (API) announced. The largest number of vehicles is expected to be on the Trakia highway - about 35,000, about 20,000 - on the Hemus highway, 20,000 - on the Struma highway, and 10,000 - on the Europe highway.