May 11, 2023 - How is the Pelješac bridge affecting lives of local inhabitants? Some benefits for the stomach. 

I was one of the first people to cross the new Ston bypass, marking the completion of the Pelješac bridge and road project. It got me thinking about what the last nine months has looked like since the bridge opened.

There is still some debate around it. Some would have preferred Pelješac to remain the isolated gem it had always been, free from too much traffic and influence. However, I’d say that the majority of opinions are positive.

People also like to comment on the design of the bridge and that it has ruined a once untouched landscape. In my opinion, it is not pretty or ugly, it’s just a bridge. If I were a visitor I wouldn’t have much to say about it. It does what it is supposed to, and that of itself is a feat if you look at our history.

If you have lived in the more isolated parts of Dalmatia, you know that products and places where you can buy things are limited. If your diet is specific or you’re used to having a wider variety of options for food, it can be challenging. When you do find things sometimes the prices are astronomical.

I have seen a common thread when expats comment about food in Croatia. If they’re from North or Western Europe, the UK or the US they will praise quality, variety and freshness. But if you’re from Africa or the global South, chances are that you’re somewhat disappointed.

I don’t expect I’ll ever get the same variety of fresh produce here as in South Africa, although more items may become available. What is common produce there is exotic here. Mangos, papayas, star fruit and avocados simply don’t grow in Europe. They will likely always be imported.

I grew up in a house with a large avocado tree in the front yard. We had an overabundance of them. It was nothing to go pick a ripe avo, cut it up and smear it on your face as a face mask when you were over eating them.

I remember the first time I saw an avocado in a store here. It was some crazy price (I think 40kn a pop) but I bought it anyway. When I opened it I was crushed to find it brown and disgusting on the inside (although it wasn’t even that soft). I bought them a few times until I gave up. Now and again we do stumble on a good one when we dare to try.

The other day I saw a papaya for the first time at a Kaufland. At the beginning of the year it looked like the vegetarian produce section at Lidl had quadrupled in size. Are there suddenly more vegetarians or do we just have better connections now to get a bigger variety of products in? A friend told me she’d been a vegetarian in Italy for over a decade then upon starting to live on Pelješac and having very limited food options she reluctantly reverted back to a meat diet.

Affordable restaurants in Opuzen and Metkovic are now less than an hour’s drive away. Good food without crazy tourist prices. I’m reluctant to mention my favourite here as I’m afraid it’ll become too crowded now that the bridge has made it more accessible.

I know this goes against the grain of “eat local, you won’t be disappointed”, but at the end of the day I am an African city kid who grew up on high quality “tropical” foods. There are definitely some great local food options here. For example, Croats have perfected potatoes. It is hard to find bad local potatoes. You can eat a cooked potato with a bit of salt and it’s good. Nothing beats wild asparagus. Oregano, sage and rosemary can be foraged on a short stroll into nature in Dalmatia. You’ll find wild cherries in the spring and blackberries in bushes in the summer. But on those days that you crave a variety on a more global scale, it helps that you can now cross a bridge and after 35 minutes, there it is.

I can’t comment much on meat since I am not a meat eater. Had I been carnivorous, my view would likely be totally different.

I knew change had come at the end of last year when we could for the first time get freshly baked Danish at one of our local shops. Not just bread, burek and krafne, but Danish! I never dreamed I’d see the day.

April the 10th, 2023 - The Peljesac bridge story was over last summer after the huge structure of strategic importance finally opened after a long wait, but what about the Peljesac bridge-Dubrovnik road?

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, from its very opening until today, slightly more than one million and 420 thousand vehicles have crossed the Peljesac bridge, bypassing the need to enter into and then back out of neighbouring Bosnia and Herzegovina when travelling to/from the extreme south of Dalmatia. There are currently many local guests spending time on the Peljesac peninsula who were brought closer to very south of Croatia by this historic bridge.

The Easter weekend also naturally brings bigger crowds, and on Friday alone about 50 percent more vehicles were registered. Ston, with its imposing walls and famous oysters, is an unavoidable stop for most tourists.

"Regardless of the fact that it isn't yet the tourist season, there are about 10 buses a day that come specifically to Ston for the sake of history, culture and gastronomy," said the head of the Ston Municipality to Dnevnik Nova TV.

For restaurateur Sveti Pejic, the Peljesac bridge opening increased his income: "In Ston, traffic in restaurants increased by 120 to 150 percent. When the Peljesac bridge-Dubrovnik road finally opens, traffic there will lessen, but Ston will continue to gain more and more importance."

At this moment, all traffic from the Peljesac bridge goes through Ston, which creates congestion and pressure during the summer, but that should be over soon. The opening of the Ston bypass was announced for before Easter, but that didn't happen. Nevertheless, HC hopes that everything will be ready for April the 20th this year.

"Works are currently underway to eliminate the observed irregularities, we expect that it should be finished during the next week. The testing out of the safety systems in the tunnels is also now underway. After that, we'll start the procedure for issuing a use permit,'' Ivica Tutman from Hrvatske ceste/Croatian roads told Nova TV.

The opening of the Ston bypass will also mean the end of the road connection project with southern Dalmatia, and the south of Croatia should be ready to welcome the tourist season with more people managing to arrive by other means than plane alone.

For more, check out our news section.

November 27, 2022 - Five months after the Pelješac Bridge opening, and after we've last asked the same question, today we have some more answers regarding the Ston Bypass.

A key segment of the road which will connect Dubrovnik area with the rest of Croatia (and hopefully, the rest of the Schengen area) over the Pelješac Bridge is the so-called Ston Bypass. It has not been finished yet, although the bridge itself has been fully operational for quite a while now. The bridge itself has proven to be a success, but the opening of the bypass will make it even more popular, as currently the trucks and buses are still not allowed to go over the bridge on their way to Dubrovnik. The reason for that is that the heavy vehicles would currently need to go through Ston itself, which is a problem that gets solved once the bypass is open.

Ahmet Kalajdžić reports today for Slobodna Dalmacija that 90 per cent of the work has been completed. At the construction site where, at first glance, only a few workers can be seen, he spoke with Ivica Tutman from Hrvatske ceste. Construction works will be completed by the end of this year, but he emphasized that the equipping of the Ston bypass includes operations that are not of a constructive nature. We expect that this will also be completed by the end of February, followed by a technical inspection and the obtaining of permits and soon the bypass will be put into circulation. He points out the quality of the work performed so far. The Zaton Doli junction will be completed by mid-December, when the traffic lights will be removed and traffic on the state road D8 will follow without light regulation. The junction is already largely asphalted, but there is still some work to be done that depends on possible extreme weather conditions. On that part of the Jadranska magistrala, the complete normalization of traffic will follow by Christmas at the latest, and after the completion of the entire Ston bypass in February, technical acceptance is expected, which is a prerequisite for obtaining a use permit and putting that section into traffic.

There are currently more than 220 workers on the construction site, most of whom are inside the tunnel, and the people in charge highlight that the only factor that can slow them down currently is the weather. The design solution of the Ston bridge does not include the installation of a windbreaker, as the intensity of the wind here is not very low, but the wind probably does not have an intensity that can significantly endanger traffic. The predicted speed in the tunnels and on the bridge is limited to 80 kilometers per hour. 

Despite some scepticism by the locals in Ston, caused by worries of a significant increase in summer traffic, the tourist season has successfully ended. The Ston municipality head, Vedran Antunica, says that they estimate that 70 per cent of the approximately one million vehicles that crossed the Pelješac Bridge passed through the centre of our municipality. This is a lot for our Ston, but I can say that everything went smoothly and without any delays. We are completely satisfied with the work done by the Traffic Police. We know that the huge crowds that we had through Ston will no appear next year, with the completion of the construction of the Ston bypass and that in the future only those who want to visit the cultural and historical sights of Ston will come to us. We can already see the positive effects because the opening of two larger restaurants is already being prepared, but we still lack quality accommodation. However, there is a strong interest in the construction of these capacities in Prapratno and the Marčuleti bay, and along with the removal of the soil piled under the Ston Bridge, the road to Kobaš will finally be improved, Antunica announces.

November 22, 2022 - It is less than 4 months since Croatia became one contiguous country with the opening of the Peljesac Bridge, and vehicle number 1 million will close around lunchtime today. 

An historic milestone in the timeline of Croatia's signature infrastructure project, the Peljesac Bridge, will be marked between 12:00 and 13:00 today as the one-millionth vehicle will cross the Chinese-built bridge since its official opening on July 26 in a ceremony that reflected on the pride Croats felt at finally having their country connected. Prior to the bridge, road travellers had to pass through the so-called Neum Corridor in Bosnia and Hercegovina, which often led to significant delays at the border, especially in the peak tourist season. 

No longer. The bridge, funded largely by EU funds and built by the Chinese, has been a popular addition since its opening, not just for those wanting to go from Split to Dubrovnik without leaving the country, but also for its better access to the Peljesac Peninsula and the island of Korcula. As previously reported on TCN, a trip from Korcula Town to Split can now be done in under 3 hours. Read more in Korcula to Split via Peljesac Bridge: A Heavenly, Speedy Road Trip. 

A few weeks ago we did a story on how the traffic flow had changed since the opening, using data supplied by Croatian Roads. In the first 100 days, some 940,046 vehicles had crossed the bridge, an average of almost 10,000 a day, while traffic through Neum for the corresponding period in 2019 was down by a whopping 70%. That average of 10,000 a day is obviously much higher in the summer months, and the reduced traffic will have had a considerable effect on the Neum economy, while at the same time improving the Neum tourism experience. 

I asked Croatian Roads to inform me when the millionth vehicle would cross, and this morning, they informed me that the milestone was expected between 12:00 and 13:00.  

You can take a tour over the bridge as I did on the morning before it officially opened in the video above. 

For more on the Peljesac Bridge, check out the dedicated TCN section. 

November 3, 2022 - It is just over 3 months since the Peljesac Bridge opened, connecting the two parts of Croatia and bypassing the Neum Corridor. So how is traffic - Peljesac v Neum?

July 26, 2022 was an historic day in the history of Croatia, as the Chinese-made Peljesac Bridge (official name Peljeski Most, the Croatian translation) finally joined Dubrovnik and the south to the rest of Croatia without the need to pass through the so-called Neum Corridor in Bosnia and Hercegovina. It was a day of huge celebration and national pride, and images of Croatia's new showcase infrastructure project went all over the globe. On a personal level, it was a privilege to witness this significant part of Croatian history firsthand and to see how many proud Croats had made the journey to savour this historic moment, as Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic sat in the passenger seat as Mate Rimac drove him over the bridge in his Rimac Nevera, the first vehicle to pass over the bridge after its official opening.

I had been fortunate enough to grab a seat in a press car that crossed over the bridge several hours earlier - above, you can see that journey.  

The new bridge was obviously going to take a lot of traffic away from the Neum Corridor, and so it proved as I reported from the BiH border the following day - not a single car approaching the Neum border, but a steady stream of vehicles over the bridge.

And how many cars have passed over the bridge since that historic day, and how has traffic to Neum been affected? I reached out to the fabulously efficient Croatian Roads spokesperson, Tamara Pajic, this morning, and the answer was soon forthcoming. 

By 09:00 this morning, some 100 days since the opening of the bridge, some 940,406 vehicles had passed over the bridge, almost 10,000 a day. 

By contrast, traffic through Neum was down 70% for the equivalent period in 2019, the last normal traffic year before the pandemic. 

A very solid start. 

While for many, the joy of being able to now drive from Split to Dubrovnik and back without leaving the country is cause for celebration, the bigger benefit - at least in my opinion - is in the improved accessibility of the Peljesac Peninsula itself, as well as the magical island of Korcula.

To give you an idea of how accessibility to Korcula has changed, check out Korcula to Split via Peljesac Bridge: A Heavenly, Speedy Road Trip.

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What is it like to live in Croatia? An expat for 20 years, you can follow my series, 20 Ways Croatia Changed Me in 20 Years, starting at the beginning - Business and Dalmatia.

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August the 18th, 2022 - Well known Croatian architect Branko Siladjin (86) isn't particularly impressed with the structure we've all been raving about since long before its opening late last month - Peljesac bridge.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, throughout his long and prosperous career, famous urban planner and Croatian architect Branko Siladjin (86) was at the helm of a series of projects that realised the synthesis of both historical layers and new urban design. However, when it comes to the newly opened Peljesac bridge, he has several remarks.

"I've got no objection to the bridge whatsoever, and unfortunately there are a large number of people who read things I've written as if I've got a problem and react like I'm against it. All I'm doing is simply trying to bring down the ball of artificially politically created and nurtured national euphoria to the ground. To point out the, unfortunately, almost inevitable, permanent and certainly unfavourable consequences for this God-given piece of land, the almost unbelievable potential of the continuity of the quality of life here, in a possible and appropriate relationship between Man and Space", Croatian architect Branko Siladjin told Novi list.

He commented that an English journalist working for The Sunday Times saw and felt the beauty of the untouched nature of the Peljesac peninsula "which can only be reached by macadam roads, and which offers pleasures from long-forgotten times", while "we don't see an unnecessarily and permanently destroyed landscape, destroyed by the needs of redundant roads".

"These are roads which have been interestingly and carefully nurtured into a crucial national political issue and a problem of national unity, placing the issue of borders and the unity of the Croatian territory in the foreground has been persistently nurtured for years and has become a basic national goal, and if something is fictitious and changeable, then that's borders. In my lifetime, they've been changed here four times, and if I live to see January the 1st, 2023, I will experience a fifth change of the borders. If something is changeable on this planet, then borders are what that is," the famous Croatian urban planner emphasised.

"The new road down to Dubrovnik is now longer than it was, and even today, if someone is in a particular rush to get there, they'll make it there more quickly by going through Bosnia and Herzegovina's only piece of coastline, Neum. It's all about people, and unfortunately for individuals and interest groups. It should be remembered that the Germans found an interest and a solution to access Berlin in the most intense phase of the Cold War by creating a road corridor, which I also used to reach Berlin in 1961 without running into any problems," said Siladjin.

He also commented on the real estate boom that happened in the area of the ​​Peljesac peninsula and how everything was directed by interests and capital alone.

"Everyone knows that as soon as the construction of the bridge was ever mentioned, millions of square metres of land on the Peljesac peninsula were purchased for less than 1 DM, and today those prices have increased 40 times. We know and expect a real estate boom and mindless concreting and construction, not of or for living spaces, but for the creation of dead material investment value, of houses, buildings, apartments... Everyone knows it.'' concluded Croatian architect Branko Siladjin.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated lifestyle section.

July 29, 2022 - After the euphoria of the opening of the Peljesac Bridge subsides, an intriguing look at the quickest way from Split to Dubrovnik.

It has been quite a week with the opening of the Peljesac Bridge, and it was a true privilege to have attended the event. So much pride at Croatia finally being connected, so much pride in an excellent construction project that was reported around the world - I personally received messages about the opening from California to Malaysia. 

The bridge will certainly have an impact in a number of ways, including much-improved access to the islands of Korcula and Mljet, for example (check out my trip from Korcula to Split on the first day of the bridge being open), but how much time will it save for those wanting to make that most popular of journeys, from Split to Dubrovnik?

The answer might surprise you.

Before we delve in, there is one huge variable in the equation - the time it takes to cross the Neum Corridor in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Out of season, I generally wait under 2 minutes at either crossing, but in season, that can be 2 hours each. And on those occasions, the bridge is a true lifesaver. 

But if traffic is quite normal, how does the picture look? I checked with Google Maps a little earlier - three different routes - Neum Corridor, Peljesac Bridge, and an inland route which is my preferred route in peak season. With little traffic causing delays, this is what I found.  

Split to Dubrovnik is 236 km and takes 3 hours 13 minutes, with the very nice additional benefit of no border crossings. 

Split to Dubrovnik via the Neum Corridor is actually 7 km shorter and will get you there 12 minutes faster IF there is no traffic at the border. If it is packed, then you can add several hours to your journey - or choose the bridge. The big advantage travellers have these days is that technology can inform of delays and queues, and so you can decide which route as you get closer and assess the current situation.  

I travel from Split to Dubrovnik a lot, so which of the two would I choose? Next time, I would definitely go via the bridge (I LOVED the experience from Korcula) for the novelty factor, but I would probably choose Neum for a number of reasons (as will a number of Dubrovnik residents I chatted to on the subject). 

Firstly, the bridge will take away a lot of the traffic problems from the Neum Corridor, so waiting lines will inevitably be less. But Neum is also a good place to stop and break the journey. I almost always stop for a hearty lunch in my usual spot in Neum - the prices are ridiculous compared to their Dalmatian counterparts. Tour buses do the same, and I expect most of that trade to continue. 

But people also choose Neum for the shopping. Cigarettes, fuel, and pretty much everything else is cheaper there, so a chance to stock up on things.  

But if I was making the Split to Dubrovnik journey in peak season, I usually take a third route, which leaves the coast behind entirely and runs along a totally deserted road in Republika Srpska. It may be longer in distance and seem to take longer, but in peak season, it is the one which is the quickest and least stressful, with almost no traffic and some fantastic nature. 

Which is your preferred Split to Dubrovnik route, and why?

Have you been across the Peljesac Bridge yet? Here was my first drive on the opening day.

And how was traffic on the bridge and via Neum on the opening day - check out my video report above.

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What is it like to live in Croatia? An expat for 20 years, you can follow my series, 20 Ways Croatia Changed Me in 20 Years, starting at the beginning - Business and Dalmatia.

Follow Paul Bradbury on LinkedIn.

July 28, 2022 - While most of the Peljesac Bridge commentary has been focused on connecting Dubrovnik, access to the islands of Korcula and Mljet has just improved considerably. TCN road tests the new drive from Korcula to Split. 

One of the very few things I don't like about Korcula is its accessibility. Driving down from Zagreb is already a fairly long day, without having to either plan your trip around two ferries (Ploce to Trpanj, Orebic to Korcula) or two borders (the Neum Corridor) and then driving the length of the Peljesac Peninsula.

That all changed yesterday. 

And sitting in my favourite place in Dalmatia, the Michelin Star terrace of Lesic Dimitri Palace, thoughts of the onward journey were not as terrible as usual. Leaving such a divine spot is always a wrench, but at least this time, I would have the pleasure of trying out the new bridge and seeing just how much time I would save on my way to Split (Korcula to Split would normally take over 4 hours by car and ferry, and a painful 4 hours too - and this was assuming no border queues and the ferry schedule worked for you), starting from my favourite terrace on Korcula?

Actually I was starting from Venice, the delightful suite at Lesic Dimitri Palace, which is comprised of 9 outstanding 5-star suites in the town of Marco Polo's birthplace, under the theme Where the Silk Road Begins. Check out the latest addition, Sumatra. 

After bidding my reluctant farewells to the Lesic team, it was a 5-minute walk to the Brodica, the small passenger ferry that runs on the hour to Orebic, price 23 kuna. A wonderful service from the centre of Korcula Town, so no need to drive to the ferry at Domince. From landing in Orebic, a 7-minute walk to my favourite free parking in Orebic.

If I told you where it was, I would have to kill you. I don't want to publish details, but if you want to know, send me a private PM. 

And then the drive. Although the bridge is not yet appearing in my Google Maps, it does for others. According to Google, I had a 45-minute drive to the start of the bridge at Brijesta. I finally learned to drive on water... 

It was a stunning drive through hills offering ridiculous views of the Adriatic, combined with the temptations of some of Croatia's finest vineyards. For this is Plavac Mali country. There IS a bridge at the back of this photo, I promise. My legendary photo skills come to the fore again.

And, as we get closer to the bridge, new signage shows the new reality. 

And a big surprise. a tunnel as long as the bridge itself - some 2.4 km) underneath (presumably) those gorgeous vines. 

And as we edged closer to Croatia's new star connection, a smile. Just 145 kilometres to Split, and most of that motorway. Heaven. 

And then the bridge finally came into view. And what a beauty she is. I am more into Dalmatian benches than bridges, but I have to admit that this one is a beauty. 

The 2,404 metres that will change the lives of many - for the better. 

On the other side, new signs take you to Neum if you want to go, but the main direction is Split. 

A short drive to Ploce and then joining up to the motorway to Split, toll price 50 kuna. 

And after some time in what was honestly one of the most pleasant and stress-free peak season drives during my time in Croatia, the journey from Korcula to Split ended with a cold one on the riva, with clouds and a merciful gust of wind and threats of a storm. 

Total travel time from Korcula to Split, including the boat - 2 hours 50 minutes.

My favourite place in Dalmatia just got a little closer. 

So how was traffic on the bridge and also at the Neum Corridor on the first day of the new reality? Check out the TCN video report below.

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What is it like to live in Croatia? An expat for 20 years, you can follow my series, 20 Ways Croatia Changed Me in 20 Years, starting at the beginning - Business and Dalmatia.

Follow Paul Bradbury on LinkedIn.

ZAGREB, 27 July 2022 - President Zoran Milanović said on Wednesday that Pelješac Bridge was a project whereby China entered European space but he noted that that space would remained closed to China for some time again considering the current geopolitical relations. 

"This is not their project, this is European, our money. A Chinese company won the job in a transparent tender but I'm afraid this is the last time they have won a project considering the situation in global relations and geopolitics," Milanović said.

Pelješac Bridge was built by the China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) which competed for the project against Austria's Strabag and an Italian-Turkish consortium of bidders.

"I assume the project was an opportunity for the Chinese to enter European space which has now been closed to them for some time, regardless of the fact that they have done a good job. They, too, will have to open up to European companies a little more," Milanović told reporters.

He added that he was surprised that Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang addressed the Pelješac Bridge inauguration ceremony on Tuesday evening via video link, and that he could not say when the message was recorded.

"Had someone told me three weeks ago that we would be addressed by the prime minister of China, a country supporting Russia in its invasion of Ukraine (...), I would have said 'Let's see'. Now that I have seen it, thumbs up, but a little skewed," he said.

"What happened yesterday is interesting (...) China is not a problem to us the way it is to the USA and some other countries. The fact that we are in NATO does not mean that we blindly follow NATO members' policy. We won't rock the boat or bridge too much, but we do have our own interests," said Milanović.

For more news about Croatia, click here.

ZAGREB, 27 July 2022 - According to information from the HC road operator, 2,700 cars used Pelješac Bridge in the first ten hours since its inauguration, while the local border police in Metković reported that since the opening of the bridge, traffic across the Klek border crossing has dwindled.

Slaviša Babić of the HC company told Hina on Wednesday that 8,000-12,000 vehicles are likely to cross the bridge in the first 24 hours since its inauguration.

The HC expects a rush in traffic over the bridge in the coming summer weeks.

The bridge is open to personal cars and cargo cars of up to 7.5 tonnes, while heavier cars are not permitted to use the bridge and access roads if they are in transit.

The head of the Metković border police, Jurica Volarević, told the N1 commercial broadcaster that since the opening of the bridge, traffic at the Klek border crossing has been cut by 50%.

Pelješac Bridge bypasses Bosnia and Herzegovina's access to the sea at Neum.

As Bosnia is not in the EU and Croatia is, anyone trying to go north from Dubrovnik or cross from the peninsula of Pelješac to the mainland had to go through two border checks. The bridge enables such passengers to drive straight along Croatia's Adriatic coast.

For more news about Croatia, click here.