Romanian Motorways and Expressways Review - 2023

(c) 130km.ro / 30 December 2023

2023 was a good year for Romania's road network. This year saw the opening of four new motorway segments amounting to 48.74km: section Nusfalau - Suplacu de Barcau (13.55km) on A3 motorway in September; a partial route on section 2 of Bucharest North Ringroad, between DN1 (Corbeanca) and A3 (9.50km) in November; section Chetani - Campia Turzii (15.69km) on A3 motorway in December; and a partial route on section 2 of Bucharest South Ringroad, between DN5 and DN6 (8.70km), also in December. With these, Romania's motorway network passed one thousand kilometers and reached 1,002.42km according to our records.

Furthermore, in December we also saw the opening of section 3 of Craiova - Pitesti Expressway, between Slatina and Colonesti (31.75km). In total, Romania's motorway and expressway network reached 1,074.02km.

The map of motorways and expressways which are open or under construction at the end of 2023 is presented below (click to enlarge):


Total length of motorway and expressway routes opened yearly is presented in the chart below:


In 2023 works progressed nicely for many projects currently under construction (but not for all of them), new tender procedures were launched and new contracts were signed. The status and latest news in 2023 for each of open or under construction motorways and expressways are presented below.

A0 MOTORWAY (Bucharest Ringroad)

A partial route on section 2 of the motorway's southern section, between DN5 and DN6 (8,70km) was opened in December 2023. Works in progress for all three sections of the Southern part of the motorway, with a total ramaining length of 42.5km and opening dates in 2024 (delays recorded on section 3). On the Northern part of the motorway a partial route was opened in November 2023 on section 2, between DN1 (Corbeanca) and A3. There are contracts signed for all four sections, after the contract for section 1 was signed, finally, in September 2023 with opening date in 2026. The remaining route on section 2 is scheduled to open in 2024, section 3 is scheduled for 2025 and section 4 for 2024.

A1 MOTORWAY (Bucharest - Nadlac)

On A1 section Bucharest - Pitesti is opened to traffic (109.6km). On the following section, Pitesti - Sibiu, section I Sibiu - Boita (13.17km) is open. All other four sections have are being prepared or have works in progress: section 2 Boita - Cornetu (31.3km, opening date in 2027), section 3 (Cornetu - Tigveni, 37.4km, opening date in 2027), section 4 Tigveni - Curtea de Arges (9.9km, opening date in 2026) and section 5 Curtea de Arges - Pitesti with works proceeding nicely (30.4km, opening date in 2025, possibly in 2024).

Sibiu ringorad (17.6km) is opened to traffic, as are the following sections, Sibiu - Orastie (82.2km) and Orastie - Deva (32.5km). The following section, Lugoj - Deva, is open with the exception of 13.2km on segment 2 (Margina - Holdea) for which the contractor is getting ready to start working and the opening date is in 2026 (length of Lugoj - Deva segment which is open: 86.3km).

The other sections on A1, Lugoj - Timisoara (35.1km), Timisoara - Arad and Arad ringorad (41.0km) and Arad - Nadlac (38.9km) are also open to traffic.

A2 SUN MOTORWAY (Bucharest - Constanta)

Open to traffic (202.8km).

A3 TRANSYLVANIA MOTORWAY (Bucharest - Bors)

First section, Bucharest - Ploiesti (65.2km), is open to traffic. On the following section, Ploiesti - Brasov, the route Rasnov - Cristian (6.3km) is open.

Section Brasov - Targu Mures is dropped from official plans and was replaced with the A10 Sebes - Turda motorway. The entire route of the following section, Targu Mures - Gilau (103.5km) is open to traffic after section Chetani - Campia Turzii (15.7km) was opened earlier than scheduled, in December 2023.

On the last section, Gilau - Bors, status is as follows: Gilau - Nadaselu (9.5km) open; Nadaselu - Mihaiesti (16.8km) under construction with opening date in 2025, but requires a separate tender for viaducts; Mihaiesti - Zimbor (13.3km) under construction, opening date in 2025; Zimbor - Poarta Salajului (13.3km) under construction, opening date in 2024; Poarta Salajului - Zalau (15.1km) and Zalau - Nusfalau (25.8km) being tendered; Nusfalau - Suplacu de Barcau (13.6km) opened in 2023; Suplacu de Barcau - Chiribis (26.4km) - contract finally signed in November 2023; Chiribis - Biharia (28.9km) - contractor selected, procedure is challenged; Biharia - Bors (5.4km) open.

A4 MOTORWAY (Constanta Ringroad)

Open to traffic (21.8km).

A6 SOUTH MOTORWAY (Lugoj - Calafat)

The only section open to traffic is Balint - Lugoj ringroad (10.5km); no plans in place for additional routes on this motorway.

A7 MOTORWAY (Ploiesti - Pascani)

Bacau ringroad is opened on a route of 16.3km. For section Ploiesti - Buzau (63.3km) works are in progress on segment 1 Dumbrava - Mizil (21.0km, opening in 2024) and segment 2 Mizil - Pietroasele (28.4km, opening in 2024); the contract for segment 3 Pietroasele - Buzau (13.90km) was signed in November 2023.

For section Buzau - Focsani works are in progress for all four segments: 1 Buzau - Vadu Pasii (4.60km, opening in 2024), 2 Vadu Pasii - Ramnicu Sarat (30.80km, opening date in 2025), 3 Ramnicu Sarat - Mandresti Munteni (36.10km, opening date in 2025) and 4 Mandresti Munteni - Focsani Nord (10.94km, opening in 2024).

On section Focsani - Bacau works are in progress for all three segments: Focsani - Domnesti Targ (35.60km), Domnesti Targ - Racaciuni (38.78km) and Racaciuni - Bacau (21.52km). Opening dates for all three are in 2025. For section Bacau - Pascani contracts are signed on all three segments: 1 Saucesti - Trifesti Targ (30.30km, opening date in 2025), 2 Trifesti - Gheraiesti (18.99km, opening date in 2025) and 3 Mircesti - Pascani (28.09km, opening date in 2025). Tender procedures for sections Pascani - Suceava and Suceava - Siret are planned and they will be built as a motorway for part of their length and as an expressway for the remainder.

A8 UNITY MOTORWAY (Tg. Mures - Ungheni)

Tender in progress for section I Targu Mures - Miercurea Nirajului (24.40km). Tender is planned for section II Miercurea Nirajului - Leghin. Contract signed in September 2023 for section III Leghin - Targu Neamt (29.91km) with opening date in 2026. No significant news for the remainder of this route.

A10 MOTORWAY (Sebes - Turda)

Motorway opened to traffic on its entire length.

A11/DEx11 MOTORWAY/EXPRESSWAY (Arad - Oradea)

On A11 works are in progress for the connection between Oradea and A3 Motorway at Bors (18.96 km in length, out of which 13km will be an expressway and the remainder a national road); estimated opening date is in 2024. The tender procedure for the entire route between Arad and Oradea could be launched in early 2024. A 3.5km stretch between Oradea and A3 motorway in the Arad area is open.

A13 MOTORWAY (Sibiu - Bacau)

For route Sibiu - Fagaras the status is follows: section I Boita - Avrig/Marsa (14.25km) - contract signed in November 2023, opening date in 2027; section II Avrig/Marsa - Arpasu de Jos (19.92km) - contract signed in November 2023, opening date in 2027; section III Arpasu de Jos - Sambata de Sus (17.61km) - contract signed in August 2023, opening date in 2027; section IV Sambata de Sus - Fagaras (16.26km) - contract signed in September 2023, opening date in 2027. Tender in progress for design of the remaining route.

DEx4 EXPRESWAY (TURDA - DEJ)

Works in progress on section A3 - DN1 (Tureni), 4.96km, opening date in 2025.

DEx6 EXPRESWAY (BRAILA - GALATI) AND BRAILA BRIDGE

Works in progress for DEx6 expressway (12.3km). Opening date is estimated for the first half of 2024. The route connects to a bridge over the Danube between Braila and Smardan in Tulcea County which was opened in July 2023 (the bridge is not part of the Braila - Galati expressway). The bridge is scheduled for opening on 6 July 2023.

DEx12 EXPRESWAY (Craiova - Pitesti)

Section II Robanesti - Slatina (39.9km) is open and section III Slatina - Colonesti (31.8km) was opened in December 2023. Works in progress for section I Craiova - Robanesti (17.7km) with opening date in 2025. Section IV Colonesti - Pitesti (31.9km) is under construction and planned to be opened in 2024.

Notice: 130km.ro only covers motorways and expressways which are open, are currently under construction or for which tender for construction are in progress. We do not cover sections that are proposed, planned or currently under design. The motorway map published by 130km.ro is updated quarterly or when new routes are opened to traffic.

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