Veliko Tarnovo–Ruse motorway

{{Short description|A future motorway in Bulgaria designated A8}}

{{Expand Bulgarian|topic=transp}}

{{Infobox road

|country=BGR

|type=A

|route=8

|length_km=118

|length_notes=(planned length)

|e-road={{jct|country=EUR|E|85}}

|terminus_a=Veliko Tarnovo

|terminus_b=Ruse 15px; {{Flagicon|Romania|size=20px}}

|cities=

|map=VT-Ruse.svg

|map_notes = Veliko Tarnovo–Ruse motorway highlighted in red

|}}

The Veliko Tarnovo–Ruse motorway ({{Langx|bg|Автомагистрала „Велико Търново–Русе“}}, {{lang|bg-latn|Avtomagistrala "Veliko Tarnovo–Ruse"}}) is a planned motorway in Northern Bulgaria, that will link Veliko Tarnovo and Ruse, at the Danube border crossing to Romania.{{cite news|title=Bulgaria Plans Construction of Ruse-Veliko Tarnovo Motorway|url=http://www.novinite.com/articles/166520/Bulgaria+Plans+Construction+of+Ruse-Veliko+Tarnovo+Motorway|publisher=novinite.com|date=13 February 2015}} Planned to be designated A8, it will span for approximately {{convert|118|km|}}, superseding the existing major road 5. Along with the Hemus motorway (A2), the Veliko Tarnovo–Ruse motorway aims to provide motorway connection between Sofia and Bucharest, the capitals of Bulgaria and Romania. Also, it follows the route of European route E85 and Pan-European Corridor IX. In March 2015, a tender for conceptual design was announced.{{cite web|title=Tender for conceptual design|url=http://www.aop.bg/case2.php?newver=2&mode=show_doc&doc_id=657761|publisher=RIA|language=Bulgarian|date=27 March 2015}}

On 7 December 2020, Bulgaria's Road Infrastructure Agency announced the tender for the first 75,6 km of the motorway, being divided into two lots: Ruse - Byala and the Byala bypass.{{Cite web |title=Пътната агенция търси строители на първите 75 км от магистралата Русе - Велико Търново |trans-title=The Road Agency is looking for builders of the first 75 km of the Highway Ruse - Veliko Tarnovo |url=https://www.dnevnik.bg/skorost/2020/12/07/4148641_putnata_agenciia_tursi_stroiteli_na_purvite_75_km_ot/ |access-date=2021-04-07 |website=Dnevnik.bg |language=bg}}