A1 motorway (Serbia)

The A1 motorway is a motorway in Serbia and at it is the longest motorway in Serbia. It crosses the country from north to south, starting at the Horgoš border crossing with Hungary and ending at the Preševo border crossing with North Macedonia. As a part of the European route E75 and Pan-European corridor X, connecting 4 of 5 largest Serbian cities, it is the most vital part of the Serbian road network.

Route

Northern section

The northern section is 172 km long and was built between 1971 and 2013.
The first subsection of this section to be opened is the Belgrade – Novi Sad stretch. It was built between 1971 and 1975, but only a single carriageway was constructed at the time. It is 56.3 km long, and it includes the Beška Bridge on the Danube river, which is the longest bridge on the Serbian road network. The next to open was the section between Novi Sad and Feketić, in 1986, 44.7 km long. Again, only one carriageway was constructed. Due to the breakup of Yugoslavia and the UN sanctions, motorway construction temporarily came to a halt. The next section to open was Feketić – Horgoš, 71 km long. It was opened in 1997, and once again only the one carriageway was constructed. After the right carriageway of the highway was complete, the construction of the left carriageway could start. The left carriageway between Batajnica and Beška was completed in 2004, and at this stage there was 32.2 km of a full-profile motorway. Construction continued, and the 19.1 km section from Beška to Novi Sad was completed in 2006. The next two sections were Novi Sad – Sirig and Žednik – Bikovo, both of them 10 km long; they opened in 2009. The first 5.5 km of the Novi Sad bypass were completed in 2010. In 2011 most of the motorway was upgraded to full-profile, with the completion of the 93 km sections Bikovo – Horgoš, Sirig – Žednik and the twin Beška bridge. Finally, the remaining 2.5 km of the Novi Sad bypass were completed, which marked the end of construction of the northern section of the A1 motorway.
The motorway enters Serbia in Bačka and passes by Subotica, Bačka Topola, Vrbas, Novi Sad, crosses the Danube and enters Srem, passes by Inđija and Stara Pazova and arrives to Batajnica, a suburb of Belgrade, where the Belgrade bypass begins. This part of the A1 motorway passes through Vojvodina, which is part of the Pannonian Basin. This is very flat terrain and the motorway is surrounded by fields. In the Novi Sad area, the motorway features local-express lanes, in order to avoid congestion in both directions.

Belgrade bypass

Part of A1 motorway is Belgrade bypass, from Batajnica to Bubanj Potok, and it is 47.3 km long. Part from Batajnica to tunnel "Straževica" is completed and it is a full-profile motorway. Part from tunnel "Straževica" to Bubanj Potok interchange is 9.6 km long. It was opened to traffic in June 2023.

Central section

Central section is 210 km-long and is completed in 1985.
The first section of this part of A1 motorway was opened in 1977, and it was 28.1 km long section Beograd – Umčari, which was opened with another 12.5 kilometres of motorway through Belgrade from Mostar interchange to Bubanj Potok. Next year, 79.3 kilometres from Umčari to Batočina were opened. Motorway was simultaneously constructed from Belgrade and from Niš, so in 1980 21.2 kilometres between Pojate and Deligrad were opened. In 1982 sections Batočina – Ćuprija and Deligrad – Niš were opened, and there was in total 189 kilometers between Belgrade and Niš. The last section was opened in 1985, and it was last 21 km between Ćuprija and Pojate.
The motorway goes through hilly terrain southern of Belgrade and then, near Smederevo enters the valley of Great Morava and later South Morava, passes by Jagodina, Ćuprija, Paraćin and Aleksinac and enters a basin near of Niš. Few km southwards Trupale interchange with A4 motorway which goes north of Niš, then passes Pirot, and goes to border with Bulgaria, while A1 motorway goes south by Južna Morava river.

Southern section

Southern section is 154 km long. Construction of southern section started in 1992 and has only been completed and opened for traffic in 2019. First section of this part of A1 motorway was opened in 1992, and it was 13 km long section Niš – Batušinac. In 1997 year 23 kilometres from Batušinci to Pečenjevce were opened. Motorway construction continued in 2003 with the 23 km long subsection between Pečenjevce and Grabovnica which was completed in 2005. The next subsection to be opened to traffic was 21 km-long Levosoje – border with North Macedonia in 2013. New momentum came in 2014 when construction started on last remaining subsections and was in simultaneous construction from until 2019 when it was completed and this last remaining part of A1 motorway was opened to traffic.
Motorway passes through valley of South Morava, passes west of Niš, by Merošina and Leskovac, and through very difficult terrain of Grdelica Gorge. On this part of motorway through the Grdelica Gorge there are 33 bridges, of which Vrla bridge is the longest, and two tunnels: "Predejane" and "Manajle" which is the secondlongest tunnel in Serbia. Near Vladičin Han motorway leaves Grdelica gorge and passes by Vranje. Few kilometres south of Preševo motorway ends at Preševo border crossing with North Macedonia.

List of exits

Nr	km	Name	Route	Places	Note
1	4	Horgoš		Horgoš, Kanjiža, Novi Kneževac
2	17	Subotica north		Palić, Subotica
3	23	Subotica east		Subotica
4	27	Subotica south		Subotica, Kelebija, Hungary
5	38	Čantavir		Čantavir, Novi Žednik, Tornjoš	This is the first exit on the tolled part of A1 highway.
6	50	Bačka Topola		Bačka Topola, Senta
7	60	Mali Iđoš		Mali Iđoš	Construction of this exit is planned.
8	71	Feketić		Feketić, Mali Iđoš
9	81	Vrbas		Vrbas, Srbobran, Kula
10	94	Sirig		Sirig, Zmajevo, Temerin
11	110	Novi Sad north		Novi Sad
12	112	Novi Sad center		Novi Sad, Temerin, Bački Jarak
13	114	Novi Sad east		Novi Sad, Žabalj, Zrenjanin
14	119	Novi Sad south		Irig, Ruma, Šabac, Loznica, Bijeljina	Road 21 is a single carriageway road and does not have an exit on A1, but it is planned to be upgraded to a motorway with an interchange with A1.
15	130	Kovilj		Kovilj, Šajkaš, Titel
16	143	Beška		Beška, Krčedin, Sremski Karlovci
17	147	Maradik		Inđija, Sremski Karlovci	From this exit it is only possible to enter the motorway towards Belgrade and exit the motorway from Belgrade.
18	152	Inđija		Inđija, Ruma	This is the last exit on the tolled part of the A1 highway.
19	162	Stara Pazova		Stara Pazova, Stari Banovci,
20	165	Nova Pazova		Nova Pazova, Stari Banovci
21	169	Novi Banovci		Novi Banovci, Batajnica
22	175	Batajnica		Batajnica, Zemun, New Belgrade, Borča	It is not possible to access Batajnica directly from this exit until the construction of Batajnica boulevard is completed.
23	183	Dobanovci		Zagreb, Bijeljina, Šid, Sremska Mitrovica, Šabac, Loznica
24	187	Surčin		Surčin, Dobanovci, Jakovo, Novi Beograd
24.1	191	Surčin south		New Belgrade, Obrenovac, Valjevo, Čačak
25	197	Ostružnica		Ostružnica, Obrenovac, Čukarica
26	206	Orlovača		Čukarica, Lazarevac, Barajevo
27	212	Avala		Beli Potok, Voždovac, Sopot
28	217	Bubanj Potok		Belgrade, Pančevo, Vršac	This interchange is partially open.
29	219	Tranšped		Zuce
30	224	Vrčin		Vrčin, Grocka
31	238	Mali Požarevac		Sopot, Mladenovac	This is the first exit on the tolled part of A1.
32	245	Umčari		Umčari, Grocka
33	251	Vodanj		Vodanj, Smederevo, Mladenovac
34	257	Kolari		Kolari, Smederevo, Smederevska Palanka
35	263	Smederevo		Smederevo, Kovin, Pančevo
36	264	Požarevac		Požarevac, Kostolac, Veliko Gradište, Majdanpek
37	293	Velika Plana		Velika Plana, Smederevska Palanka, Mladenovac, Petrovac na Mlavi
38	305	Markovac		Markovac, Svilajnac, Rača, Topola
39	311	Lapovo		Lapovo
40	315	Batočina		Batočina, Kragujevac, Kraljevo
41	337	Jagodina		Jagodina
42	349	Ćuprija		Ćuprija, Resavica, Despotovac
43	360	Paraćin		Paraćin, Boljevac, Zaječar
44	372	Pojate		Kruševac, Trstenik, Vrnjačka Banja, Kraljevo, Čačak	-
45	385	Ražanj		Ražanj
46	405	Aleksinački Rudnici		Aleksinački Rudnik, Aleksinac
47	410	Aleksinac		Aleksinac, Sokobanja
48	432	Trupale		Niš, Niška Banja, Pirot, Dimitrovgrad, Sofia
49	435	Niš south		Niš
50	441	Merošina		Merošina, Prokuplje, Kuršumlija, Brus, Priština	It is planned for this exit to be upgraded to an interchange with the Niš – Priština motorway when it is constructed.
51	451	Doljevac		Doljevac, Prokuplje
52	457	Brestovac		Brestovac, Gadžin Han, Bojnik
53	465	Leskovac center		Leskovac
54	481	Leskovac south		Leskovac, Vlasotince, Pirot
55	492	Grdelica		Grdelica
56	502	Predejane		Predejane
57	516	Vladičin Han		Vladičin Han, Surdulica
58	539	Vranje		Vranje, Vranjska Banja
59	553	Bujanovac north		Bujanovac
60	556	Bujanovac south		Bujanovac, Ranilug, Gnjilane	This is the last exit on the tolled part of A1 motorway.
61	578	Preševo		Preševo, Gnjilane

Toll

The A1 is by and large a toll road, as are all motorways in Serbia. The toll is collected at entry and exit toll stations based on the distance travelled and the category of the vehicle. The toll sections are Subotica – Stara Pazova, Belgrade – Preševo, while the Belgrade bypass section and short stretches immediately adjoining it are toll-free.