South of the current bridge, a new road corridor and later a railway corridor are planned. At the moment, variants, an environmental assessment and a location permit are commissioned, not construction.
The most important sentence first: this is not a construction phase yet
Hrvatske autoceste (HAC) has awarded a concrete planning contract for a second connection to Krk. Signed on 3 June 2024 with a Croatian-Slovenian design consortium, the contract covers studies and project documentation through to the Croatian location permit. This is a serious step, but it is not yet a construction contract, a groundbreaking date or a guaranteed opening.
The contract runs for three years. During that time, alternatives are to be compared, traffic and economic viability examined, environmental impacts assessed, wind data collected and the preliminary design developed far enough for a location-permit application. Further design, approvals, financing, tendering and construction come only afterwards. Claims that the new bridge will simply ‘arrive in 2030’ skip several decisions that remain open.
Seven kilometres of infrastructure, not just 850 metres of bridge
The official task defines about seven kilometres of corridor from the A7 to Omišalj: new approach and the Šmrika 2 node, a roughly 850-metre bridge, and a 900-metre island viaduct.
It is followed by a route to Aerodrom Rijeka, a 740-metre tunnel, and the upgrade to Omišalj-north, so the name second bridge hides a full transport system.
South of the current route, and not via Sveti Marko
Current statements indicate the new line runs south of the current crossing and does not run over Sveti Marko, but towards Maltempo from Črišnjeva Bay.
Exact alignment remains part of planning, and route changes are still possible depending on analyses.
Road and railway: planned, but not automatically together
The bridge and viaduct are planned for road use and structurally can support future rail preparation.
The same opening with both road and rail is not guaranteed. Road infrastructure can move ahead first, while rail development may follow with separate permits and financing.
Why the final appearance is still undecided
At least a suspension bridge and a cable-stayed bridge option must be compared. At least three cross-sections for road-rail operation are also required.
Any rendered picture is therefore a conceptual reference, not a final engineering drawing.
Environment and bora wind are part of the core project
A full environmental impact assessment, including Natura 2000 checks, is required for the corridor.
Wind monitoring, including bora conditions, is central because bridge geometry and later traffic rules must suit local wind and not generic averages.
What happened to the 2030 target year
The early public narrative in 2024 mentioned 2030, but that was part of political messaging, not a legal opening milestone.
As of now, no binding date for construction and opening is documented. Costs, structural type and construction phases remain open until permits and financing are complete.
Impact on coming vacation seasons
For 2026 and the next seasons, traffic planning and daily travel remain on the existing bridge and current routes.
A second corridor could improve long-term traffic distribution, but practical effects will only become clear after the location permit, financing and construction decisions. For travel planning today, rely on official traffic updates, holiday changeover dates and the existing route.
Evidence
Sources & date
Sources support the facts. Planning notes and recommendations are Golden Beach editorial assessments.
- Project task J307: New Krk bridge corridor up to location permitHrvatske autoceste (HAC) · Tender set and reviewed 18 August 2026Corridor length, planned nodes, variants, road/rail scope and environmental requirements
- Public tender J307/23Hrvatske autoceste (HAC) · 2024 tender publication, reviewed 18 August 2026Official assignment for documentation up to location permit
- Planing contract signing for the second Krk bridgeNovi list · 6 June 2024Contract date, consortium, three-year duration
- Early 2030 discussion as opening targetHRT · 8 February 2024Political/media target references, not a binding commitment
