# D3 motorway (Czech Republic)

The D3 motorway (Czech: Dálnice D3) is a motorway in the Czech Republic. Once completed, the 172-kilometre-long (107 mi) motorway will connect Prague with the Austrian Mühlviertel Expressway (S10) to Linz. As of December 2024, only the middle section (97.4 km (60.5 mi)) of the motorway is in operation; namely a section from Mezno to Kaplice-nádraží. A further 15.5 km (9.6 mi) from Kaplice-nádraží to Czech Republic–Austria border is currently under construction. The D3 motorway is part of the European route E55.
The D3 motorway in the South Bohemian Region towards the Austrian border should be completed by 2026. Completion of D3 in the Central Bohemian Region is planned by 2028, however its designed course through the Lower Sázava landscape is still objected and opposed by environmental and citizens associations.
A nationwide trial of variable speeds of up to 150 km/h will begin on the D3 between Tábor and České Budějovice in summer of 2025, with factors such as weather conditions and traffic density influencing the maximum speed allowed.

## Chronology

The construction of the motorway has been planned since 1987. In 1988, the D3 was started with the construction of the Tábor bypass, which, however, was not designated as a motorway. By Government Resolution No. 741 of July 1999, it was included in the motorway network.
In October 2004, the first 8.3-kilometre-long (5.2 mi) long section Chotoviny–Čekanice was put into operation. The Mezno–Chotoviny section was under construction since 2005 and was put into operation on 17 December 2007.
In 2008, the construction of the 25.0-kilometre-long (15.5 mi) long section Tábor–Veselí nad Lužnicí was started, which was put into operation on 28 June 2013. At the same time, sections from the 1980s and 1990s between Stoklasná Lhota and Měšice were reconstructed. The Tábor bypass was then redesignated as a motorway, leaving a short 400 metre section undesignated until 2024.
A 24.0-kilometre-long (14.9 mi) section from Dolní Třebonín to the border with Austria on the other side of the future S10 expressway was initially planned to be built as an expressway (Czech: rychlostní silnice) as well, however on 31 December 2015, the category of expressways (R) was abolished in the Czech Republic, so since then, it is now counted as part of the D3 motorway.
On 7 April 2017, the 5.22-kilometre-long (3.24 mi) section on the Veselí nad Lužnicí–Bošilec section was opened, which was completed from a half profile to a full motorway profile. The cost of this construction was CZK 635 million (excluding VAT). The opening ceremonies of these two sections cost the Regional Directorate of Transport a total of CZK 420,000, for which it was criticised.
A 3.16-kilometre-long (1.96 mi) section near České Budějovice was opened on 27 September 2017. The construction of this section cost CZK 720 million (excluding VAT) with cost mounting for construction of the grade-separated ring intersection.
In June 2024, ŘSD managed to start the completion of about 400 metres of the right-hand lane of the D3 motorway on the Tábor bypass, after obtaining a valid construction permit. Traffic there had been restricted due to a quarter-century-long dispute with the access to the motorway. The section became fully operational in August 2024.
On 21 December 2024, České Budějovice bypass (from Úsilný to Kaplice-Nádraží) was put into operation, marking the first time 111 kilometres (69 mi) of motorway opened in the Czech Republic in one calendar year.

### Future development

The 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) long section Kaplice-nádraží – Nažidla is under construction since June 2024, and is planned to open in 2026. The 3.5 kilometres (2.2 mi) section between Nažidla and the state border with Austria is in construction since January 2024, and planned for opening in 2026.
The northern segments between Prague and Mezno; at a total length of around 58 kilometres (36 mi) are planned to start construction in 2027, and planned to be put into operation by 2031.

## Route description

| Country | Region | Location | km | mi | Exit | Name | Destinations | Notes |
| Czech Republic | Central Bohemian Region | Central Bohemian Region | | | — | Mezno | I/3 | Kilometrage starting point the previous sections are in preparation, without an approved planning decision yet Start of the toll section |
| Czech Republic | Central Bohemian Region | Central Bohemian Region | | | Rest area | Odpočívka Mezno | | |
| Czech Republic | South Bohemian Region | South Bohemian Region | 70 | 43 | — | Chotoviny | | |
| Czech Republic | South Bohemian Region | South Bohemian Region | 76 | 47 | — | Čekanice | | |
| Czech Republic | South Bohemian Region | South Bohemian Region | 79 | 49 | — | Měšice | | |
| Czech Republic | South Bohemian Region | South Bohemian Region | 84 | 52 | — | Planá nad Lužnicí | | |
| Czech Republic | South Bohemian Region | South Bohemian Region | 95 | 59 | — | Soběslav | | |
| Czech Republic | South Bohemian Region | South Bohemian Region | 100 | 62 | — | Dráchov | | |
| Czech Republic | South Bohemian Region | South Bohemian Region | 104 | 65 | — | Veselí nad Lužnicí-sever | | |
| Czech Republic | South Bohemian Region | South Bohemian Region | 107 | 66 | — | Veselí nad Lužnicí-jih | I/24 | |
| Czech Republic | South Bohemian Region | South Bohemian Region | 118 | 73 | — | Ševětín | | |
| Czech Republic | South Bohemian Region | South Bohemian Region | | | Rest area | Odpočívka Chotýčany | | |
| Czech Republic | South Bohemian Region | South Bohemian Region | 125 | 78 | — | Lhotice | | |
| Czech Republic | South Bohemian Region | South Bohemian Region | 130 | 81 | — | Úsilné | I/34 E49 E551 | |
| Czech Republic | South Bohemian Region | South Bohemian Region | 136 | 85 | — | Pohůrka | | |
| Czech Republic | South Bohemian Region | South Bohemian Region | 141 | 88 | — | Roudne | | |
| Czech Republic | South Bohemian Region | South Bohemian Region | 147 | 91 | — | Krasejovka | | |
| Czech Republic | South Bohemian Region | South Bohemian Region | 150 | 93 | — | Dolní Třebonín | I/39 | |
| Czech Republic | South Bohemian Region | South Bohemian Region | 159 | 99 | — | Kaplice-Nádraží | | |
| Czech Republic | South Bohemian Region | South Bohemian Region | 165 | 103 | — | Kaplice | | |
| Czech Republic | South Bohemian Region | South Bohemian Region | | | Rest area | Odpočívka Suchdol | | |
| Czech Republic | South Bohemian Region | South Bohemian Region | 174 | 108 | — | Dolní Dvořiště | | |
| Czech Republic | South Bohemian Region | South Bohemian Region | 175 | 109 | — | Dolní Dvořiště/Wullowitz border crossing | S 10 E55 | Kilometrage end point Border with Austria; road continues as the Austrian S10. |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi Route transition Unopened |||||||||

## Gallery

* D3 motorway near Planá nad Lužnicí