The new Krk Bridge: all the facts about the mega-project!
The island of Krk will be connected to the mainland by another bridge. We’ve taken a look at the current schedule: when will the diggers arrive, what happens to the old bridge and from when will we be able to roll into our holidays without traffic jams?
850 metres of innovation: cars on top, trains below
The Croatian government’s plans are confirmed and probably the most exciting infrastructure project in the Kvarner Bay is taking shape. The new bridge will be just under 850 metres long and – as an absolute special feature – will run on two levels. While cars roll quickly towards holiday paradise on four lanes on the upper deck, the lower level is reserved exclusively for modern rail traffic.
The key facts at a glance:
- What happens to the old bridge? It won’t be demolished! The old Tito Bridge will remain fully in operation alongside the new bridge.
- Connection: The new bridge will have a direct, seamless connection to the A7 motorway.
- Location: It starts about one kilometre south-east of the existing bridge, at the eastern end of Črišnjeva bay, and leads to the Laterna peninsula near Omišalj.
- Additional structures: Alongside the bridge, a 900-metre viaduct and a tunnel of around 740 metres will be built on the island.
Thanks to the direct connection to the A7 motorway, getting to the island of Krk will be considerably faster in future. The days of kilometre-long queues at the toll booths in high summer should then finally be a thing of the past. In addition, the rail link paves the way for a huge new container terminal in Omišalj.
Current status & timetable: when will construction really begin?
People often ask why no diggers can be seen yet. The answer lies in the complexity of the mega-project: as early as January 2024 Croatian Motorways (HAC) launched the first major tender. However, this was not yet about the construction itself, but about awarding the essential environmental and feasibility studies.
This extremely complex preliminary and planning phase takes around three years. So we are currently on the home straight of these studies. Once this phase is completed, probably in the course of 2027, the starting signal will be given for the second, final tender – this time for the actual construction permit and the construction company.
I’m grateful that they have finally decided to take such a step so that the Golden Island also gets a Golden Gate Bridge. Traffic jams in summer can be 17 to 19 kilometres long at these peak times.
– Anton Robert Kraljić, Mayor of Malinska-DubašnicaThe pure construction time of this gigantic steel or concrete structure, almost a kilometre long, is estimated at a further 3 to 4 years. Counting from the expected start of construction (end of 2027/2028 at the earliest), completion of the new bridge can realistically be expected in 2031 or 2032. The wait will be worth it in any case, as the second bridge will massively increase the quality of holidays on Krk!
