The planned completion of the northern section of the Corridor Vc motorway through Bosnia and Herzegovina by the end of 2026 could significantly improve road connections between Croatia, central Bosnia and the southern Adriatic, with potential long-term benefits for tourism and trade in southern Dalmatia, including the Dubrovnik region.
The motorway forms part of a major European transport corridor linking Budapest with the Adriatic port of Ploče. According to Motorways of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, all northern sections currently under construction are expected to be completed by the end of 2026, enabling uninterrupted motorway travel from the Sava River at Svilaj to Bradina, south of Sarajevo.
For travellers from Croatia, this would mean a continuous motorway route from Zagreb to Sarajevo, using the existing motorway from Gradiška to Doboj, which will connect directly to Corridor Vc. Improved accessibility is expected to encourage more short breaks, city-to-city travel and weekend tourism between Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
However, the full tourism impact for southern Dalmatia and the Dubrovnik area will depend on completion of the southern section of Corridor Vc, which runs from Mostar towards the Croatian border and the Adriatic coast. This section includes challenging mountainous terrain and the planned Prenj Tunnel, a project expected to significantly reduce travel time between Sarajevo and Mostar once completed.
The Prenj Tunnel, which would be just over ten kilometres long, has an estimated construction time of six years, but work has not yet begun. Until that section is completed, road access to southern Dalmatia, including Dubrovnik and the Neretva Valley, will continue to rely on existing regional roads.
Despite delays and past controversies surrounding the project — including investigations by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office — officials say the phased completion of Corridor Vc represents an important step towards better regional integration. For Croatia’s tourism industry, particularly in Dubrovnik-Neretva County, improved north–south road links could strengthen year-round travel flows, boost off-season visits and enhance cross-border connectivity with central Europe in the years ahead.