The highway is named after the Lyulin Mountain through which it passes. The largest neighborhood of Sofia from which the highway starts is also named Lyulin, there is also a village of Lyulin around Pernik.
The Lyulin motorway was launched on 15 May 2011 and became the first fully operating highway in the country. Its length is around 19 km and runs through mountainous terrain with many tunnels and viaducts in order to avoid ecological, environmental and terrain issues.
The future Struma Highway, connecting Sofia to the border with Greece starts at the Daskalovo road junction to the west of Sofia, where it will be connected with the Lyulin Highway. Struma Highway is planned to connect near Kulata with the Greek A25 Highway (Serres – Lagkadas – Egnatia Odos). The route is part of the Pan-European Corridor IV.
Dupnitsa-Kyustendil expressway branching off from Struma motorway is planned to connect with the Republic of Macedonia.