A6 Europe Motorway
Approximately 63 km from the Serbian border at Kalotina to Sofia, on European route E80 and Pan-European Corridor X. It was called the Kalotina motorway until a government decision of 27 December 2018 renamed it and added the Sofia Northern Speed Tangent, opened in April 2016, as its eastern end. Dragoman–Slivnitsa was built by GBS-Infrastructure and opened in November 2020; Kalotina–Dragoman went to the Strabag BPA consortium under a contract signed in November 2018 and opened in October 2023. The last section, Slivnitsa – Sofia Ring Road, opened on 14 September 2025.
- Total length
- 65 km
- Open today
- 65 km
- Sections
- 4
- Cost on record
- €423.706M
- 4 of 4 sections carry a comparable figure
Restated into EUR at 2025 prices.
Sections
| Sections | Status | Length | Timeline | Cost | Funding | Contractors | Contract terms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kalotina – Dragoman Contract durations converted from days: 852 days total, 122 days design. The contract deadline was January 2022; the section opened to traffic in October 2023 with Act 16 still pending. The builder is the Strabag BPA consortium of Strabag EAD, Strabag Sp. z o.o. (Poland) and Bitumina GmbH-Bulgaria. | Opened | 15 km |
| – |
|
| 4 mo design · 28 mo total · Contract value лв137.492M |
| Dragoman – Slivnitsa Contract durations converted from days: 910 days total, 180 days design, 730 days works. The contract deadline was May 2021, per the road agency (API). | Opened | 17 km |
| – |
|
| 6 mo design · 24 mo execution · 30 mo total · Contract value лв97.8M |
| Slivnitsa – Sofia Agency extent km 32+447 to km 48+903, given by the ministry as 16.5 km. Bulgarian Wikipedia gives 16.16 km, to km 48+611.93 where the Northern Speed Tangent begins. Construction-only contract of 660 days with DZZD Evropa-2022 (GBS Infrastructure, Glavbolgarstroy International, Obonato Build). Works began on km 39+600 to 45+300, the only stretch with land acquired and a building permit. | Opened | 17 km |
| – |
|
| 22 mo total · Contract value лв222.466M |
| Sofia Northern Speed Tangent Agency length 16.54 km (km 0+000 to 16+540), repeated as 16.5 km at the full opening. Bulgarian Wikipedia gives 15.1 km, after the direct link to the eastern arc of the Ring Road was dropped. Part of the A6 since the government decision of 27 December 2018. The builder is the HPVS-SST consortium of Hidrostroy, Patni Stroezhi Veliko Tarnovo, Patinzhenerinzhstroy, Patstroy Burgas and Vodstroy 98. | Opened | 17 km |
| – |
|
| 18 mo total · Contract value лв150M |
Contractor roles are as recorded in the award. Only builders count toward the delivery rankings.
Funding
- European Union65 km4 sections
- Connecting Europe Facility
- Cohesion Fund through OP Transport and Transport Infrastructure 2014–2020, project BG16M1OP001-2.001-0005 (km 15+500 to 48+903). Added after construction began.
- Cohesion Fund through OP Transport and Transport Infrastructure 2014–2020, project BG16M1OP001-2.001-0005 (km 15+500 to 48+903). Moved to the Transport Connectivity 2021–2027 programme after delays.
- European Regional Development Fund through OP Regional Development 2007–2013, lot 70
- National budget65 km4 sections
- State budget, which paid for construction at signing (2018)
A section that lists two sources counts its full length under each: the data records which sources paid, not what share each one carried.
Related projects
- HighwaysA3 Struma MotorwaySame contractor: GBS Infrastructure Construction
- HighwaysD0 Prague Ring Road (Pražský okruh)Same contractor: Strabag
- HighwaysD1 motorway (Praha – Brno – Ostrava – Polish border)Same contractor: Strabag
- HighwaysD11 motorway (Praha – Hradec Králové – Jaroměř – Trutnov – Polish border)Same contractor: Strabag
- HighwaysD3 motorway (Praha – Tábor – České Budějovice – Dolní Dvořiště)Same contractor: Strabag
- HighwaysD35 motorway (Sedlice – Olomouc – Lipník nad Bečvou)Same contractor: Strabag
Corridors
The designations this project is recorded under. Both schemes are kept: the Pan-European corridors are how these projects were described when they were planned, and TEN-T is what EU money is allocated on today.
- Pan-European Corridor XPan-European
Sources
- Wikipedia: Europe motorway
- 24 часа: Подписаха договора за изграждането на път между „Калотина“ и Драгоман (2018-11-15)read Sep 25, 2026
- Mediapool.bg: Подписани са договорите за скоростния път до Калотина (2018-11-15)read Sep 25, 2026
- Mediapool.bg: "ГБС Инфраструктурно строителство" ще строи 17 км от новата магистрала "Европа" (2018-12-28)read Sep 25, 2026
- Mediapool.bg: Започна строежът на магистралния участък от ГКПП "Калотина" до Драгоман (2020-02-13)read Sep 25, 2026
- Mediapool.bg: Първите 17 км от магистрала "Европа" между Драгоман и Сливница са готови (2020-11-10)read Sep 25, 2026
- Mediapool.bg: Магистралата между Калотина и Драгоман най-после е готова (2023-10-11)read Sep 25, 2026
- gradat.bg: Отворена е за движение магистрала „Европа“ между Калотина и Драгоман (2023-10-16)read Sep 25, 2026
- TED 8911-2021 (Agentsiya Patna infrastruktura): Bulgaria-Sofia: Motorway construction works, modification of contract RD-33-17/21.12.2018, I-8 Kalotina – p.v. Hrabarsko km 15+500 – 32+447.20 (2021-01-11)read Oct 1, 2026
- Уикипедия: Европа (автомагистрала)read Oct 2, 2026
- МРРБ: На 12 май започва изграждането на последния участък от АМ „Европа“ между Сливница и София (2023-05-11)read Oct 2, 2026 · archived copy
- БТА: Цялата магистрала "Европа" ще бъде пусната в неделя, съобщи регионалният министър Иван Иванов в парламента (2025-09-10)read Oct 2, 2026
- Economic.bg: От София до Сърбия: Цялата магистрала „Европа“ вече е открита (2025-09-14)read Oct 2, 2026
- Уикипедия: Северна скоростна тангентаread Oct 2, 2026
- Строител: Започва проектирането и строителството на Северната скоростна тангента (2014-02-17)read Oct 2, 2026 · archived copy
- АПИ: Започва строителството на Северната скоростна тангента (2015-02-18)read Oct 2, 2026 · archived copy
- Infrastructure.bg: Пуснаха движението по 13-километров участък от Северната скоростна тангента (2015-12-30)read Oct 2, 2026 · archived copy
- АПИ: Изцяло е пусната за движение Северната скоростна тангента (2016-04-28)read Oct 2, 2026 · archived copy
- OpenStreetMap contributors (geometry, ODbL)