Učka Tunnel
Učka Tunnel western approach to the Istrian portal, prior to the opening of the westbound tube in 2024 (A8) | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Official name | Tunel Učka |
| Location | Istria County, Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, Croatia |
| Coordinates | 45°18′48″N 14°12′51″E / 45.31333°N 14.21417°E |
| Crosses | Učka |
| Operation | |
| Opened |
|
| Owner | BINA Istra |
| Toll | 4,50 euros |
| Technical | |
| Length |
|
| No. of lanes | 2 per tube |
| Operating speed | 80 km/h (50 mph) |
| Width | 9.1 m (30 ft) |
| Route map | |
The Učka Tunnel (Croatian: Tunel Učka) is a toll tunnel on the A8 motorway in Croatia, under the Učka mountain range, as part of the Istrian Y network in Istria owned and operated by BINA Istra (owning the highway in a concession from 1995 to 2041).
The tunnel consists of two traffic tubes carrying two lanes each. The original tunnel tube, which opened for traffic on the 27 September 1981, is 9.1 meters (30 ft) wide and 5,062 m (16,608 ft) long. The second tunnel tube, opened for traffic on the 13 September 2024 is 5,634 m (18,484 ft) long. It is the third longest in Croatia after the Mala Kapela and Sveti Rok tunnels. Construction on the original tunnel tube began in 1978, and at the time of opening it was the longest road tunnel in Yugoslavia.
The toll is part of the rest of the closed toll collection system in use on the Istrian Y. The shortest possible journey through it costs EUR 4,50 for a class I vehicle.
It is rated Class D/E under the ADR treaty for hazardous materials transportation, and vehicles transporting restricted goods must be pre-arranged and escorted. It is the only suitable road between Istria and the rest of Croatia for vehicles over 5 tonnes.
In 2022 more than 1.94 million vehicles passed through with AADT of 5,326 and ASDT of 7,361.