According to data from the Slovenian Infrastructure Agency, a test period for the operation of a barrier system regulating access to the Vršič Pass area between Kranjska Gora and Trenta will take place from 13 to 27 October 2025.
The aim of introducing the system is to improve traffic and parking management in this heavily frequented tourist and transit area.
The barriers are installed at both entry points to the Vršič road. On the Kranjska Gora side, they are located beyond Lake Jasna, while on the Trenta side, they are placed before the turnoff towards the source of the Soča River.
Drivers are advised to pay attention to the traffic signs: the left lane will serve as a transit route over the Vršič Pass, while the right lane will be for visitors wanting to park their vehicles at the top of the pass along a roughly 700-metre section of road where parking spaces will be arranged.
Drivers entering the right lane with the intention of parking at the top of the pass will need to collect a parking ticket at the barrier and place it in a visible spot inside their vehicle upon arrival. When leaving the area, the barrier will open automatically using number plate recognition. If the system fails to recognise the number plate, exit will still be possible by inserting the parking ticket into the exit terminal of the parking system. As parking will be free of charge during the test period, there will be no need to use the parking meters.
The left lane will be reserved for all other users who do not intend to park at the top of the pass. This includes transit traffic, motorcyclists, cyclists and visitors wanting to park elsewhere along the Vršič road, for example at the mountain huts, the source of the Soča River, the Russian Chapel or on private properties. The barrier system on the left lane will also recognise number plates and open automatically.
Vehicles whose number plates cannot be read or detected by the system (such as motorcycles, tractors or sports cars) will receive a ticket at the barrier indicating that they are in transit. For transit vehicles successfully identified by number plate recognition, the barrier will open automatically when leaving the area. In the case of transit vehicles that have received a ticket, the ticket must be inserted into the exit terminal of the parking system when leaving.
A turning area will be provided in the widened section of the road in the left lane. This will be available to drivers who intended to park at the top of the pass but, upon reaching the barrier system, find that all the parking spaces at the top are occupied or that a queue of waiting vehicles has already formed in the right lane. The turning area will allow drivers to turn back safely and quickly without entering the barrier zone.
It is important to note that if the right lane is full up to the point where the road widens, vehicles must not stop in the left transit lane, as this would block traffic. In such cases, the driver must either use the turning area or continue along the left lane without access to parking at the top.
To ensure the proper functioning of the system and correct driver behaviour, stewards will be present at the barrier areas and at the top of the pass to provide assistance and oversee the test period.
During the test period in October 2025, only 39 of the planned 92 parking spaces will be temporarily available at the top of the pass, as construction work in the area is still ongoing. Parking will remain free of charge until the end of the test period.
The Slovenian Infrastructure Agency urges all road users to be patient, to strictly observe the traffic signs, and to follow the instructions of the stewards, as this is the only way to effectively test the system, which will contribute to better traffic safety and spatial management in the Vršič Pass area in the long term.
Source: Slovenian Infrastructure Agency