Slovakia: Sitina Tunnel (D2) near Bratislava closed on several weekends (September to November 2026)

The Sitina motorway tunnel on the D2 near Bratislava, the busiest tunnel in Slovakia, will be closed overnight on a total of nine weekends between 11 September and 16 November 2026. The state motorway company NDS began the closures on 11 September 2026 at 9:30 p.m. as part of a comprehensive technical modernisation of the tunnel.

According to NDS figures, around 72,000 vehicles pass through the two roughly 1.4-kilometre-long tunnel tubes under the Little Carpathians every day, more than through any other tunnel in the country. The D2 is part of Pan-European Corridor IV and connects the Czech border at Brodské via Bratislava with the Hungarian border at Čunovo; via the D2/D4 junction at Jarovce, the Kittsee border crossing between Vienna and Bratislava is also connected. Travellers heading between Austria, Czechia and Slovakia can hardly avoid this tunnel.

What work is being done on the Sitina Tunnel?

The tunnel has been in operation since 2007 and is therefore almost two decades old. According to NDS, the comprehensive renovation now underway is overhauling the tunnel's technical equipment from the ground up, including lighting, ventilation, fire-fighting water lines and safety systems.

Similar autumn programmes are also taking place at other Slovak motorway tunnels in 2026, for example at the Višňové Tunnel on the D1, where the state motorway company is likewise carrying out a several-week overnight closure programme.

The key dates at a glance

The first closure started on Friday, 11 September 2026, at 9:30 p.m., and ran until shortly before the Saturday morning rush hour. The second closure followed from Saturday evening at 9 p.m. until Sunday morning, before the tunnel was closed again from Sunday evening until early Monday morning. From Monday to Friday, the tunnel remains open without restriction. The closure pattern repeats on the weekends of 18 to 21 September, 25 to 28 September, as well as on three October weekends (2, 9 and 16 October). From 23 October, NDS continues the closure programme; there will be no closure on the All Saints' Day weekend. The final closure weekends are 6 to 9 and 13 to 16 November 2026.

During the overnight closures, traffic in both directions is diverted via Bratislava's urban road network, including via the Patrónka junction. NDS deliberately opted for closures limited to weekends and nights so that the tunnel remains available without restriction on weekdays.

Tolls in Slovakia

Good to know: the Sitina Tunnel lies on the D2 section between Stupava and Bratislava-Jarovce, which has been vignette-free since 1 August 2024. By contrast, a vignette is required on the D2 from Stupava towards Czechia and on the border approaches from Austria (D4 from Jarovce) and Hungary (D2 from Čunovo). In general, the vignette requirement applies to cars and motorhomes registered as cars (class M1) regardless of weight, as well as to vehicles and combinations up to 3.5 t gross vehicle weight; for combinations over 3.5 t, the trailer additionally needs its own vignette. Motorcycles are exempt from the vignette requirement. For other vehicles over 3.5 t gross vehicle weight, the distance-based toll applies instead, via the electronic eMYTO system using an on-board unit. On 1 January 2027, Slovakia will switch the distance-based toll to a new system: anyone currently using an on-board unit from the operator SkyToll will need to re-register their vehicle (with the national provider CzechToll from 1 December 2026) and will receive a new on-board unit. Rates and the tolled road network remain unchanged. There is no special toll in Slovakia.

Anyone travelling through other countries besides Slovakia on their route can often save money with the Vignette Flat Rate: for 12.80 euros* per month, vignettes for all supported countries are included.

The Europamaut team wishes you a pleasant journey!

You can find more information on our overview page about the Slovakia vignette as well as on the page Tolls in Slovakia. Anyone who would also like to find out about other roadworks in the country can find all the details in our articles on the maintenance of the Višňové Tunnel and the new traffic rules in Slovakia. If you have any questions, you can reach us at any time by email.