[1] It connects the nation's capital, Zagreb, to the city of Varaždin and to Budapest, Hungary via the Goričan border crossing.

[2] The motorway represents a major north–south transportation corridor in Croatia and is a part of European routes E65 and E71.

The motorway's national significance is reflected in the positive economic impact on the cities and towns it connects, as well as its importance to tourism in Croatia.

[6][7][8] As the route traverses hilly terrain, it requires a substantial number of viaducts and tunnels, as well as two major bridges to span the Drava and Mura rivers.

The majority of the entire motorway was built between 1997 and 2003, leaving only a 1.6-kilometre (0.99 mi) section between the Goričan interchange and the Goričan–Letenye border crossing left to build.

[3] The motorway is of major importance to Croatia in terms of the development of its economy, notably tourism, as it represents the shortest and the most comfortable route between Budapest, Hungary and the Adriatic Sea.

Future development of the motorway will include additional rest areas and a possible expansion of interchanges.

There is a number of rest areas along the motorway, providing various types of services ranging from parking spaces and restrooms to filling stations and restaurants.

[9][18] As of October 2010, the motorway has 12 interchanges, providing access to numerous towns and cities and the Croatian state road network.

The A4 motorway is concurrent with the D3 state road between the Komin and Ivanja Reka interchanges, although the D3 is not signposted along that section.

The system consists of variable traffic signs used to communicate changing driving conditions, possible restrictions and other information to motorway users.

[27] The route was added to the network of Pan-European transport corridors in June 1997, during the third Pan-European Transport Conference in Helsinki,[28] and on August 7, 1997, the government of the Republic of Croatia decided to establish the Autocesta Rijeka–Zagreb–Goričan company and award it a 28-year concession to develop, operate and maintain the route as a six-lane motorway.

[29] Later that same year, on May 14, 1998, the government signed an agreement with Astaldi, regulating construction of the Zagreb Goričan motorway by 2000.

[30] On December 11, 1997, pursuant to the agreement, the government established the Autocesta Rijeka–Zagreb company to take the place of the Autocesta Rijeka–Zagreb–Goričan company, and awarded it the 28-year concession to develop, maintain and operate the Zagreb–Rijeka motorway, effectively excluding the Zagreb–Goričan motorway from the original concession.

(TEA) company was established by the government and awarded concession for development, operation and maintenance of the Zagreb–Goričan motorway.

[34][35] Ultimately, the government cancelled the contract and ceded the motorway to Croatian Roads Administration (ancestor of Hrvatske autoceste and Hrvatske ceste), leading Astaldi to turn to the commercial arbitration court in Vienna, which ruled in its favour.

AADT data for sections north of Varaždin show considerable drops in traffic volume.

Even though rest areas found along the A4 motorway generally follow this ranking system, there are considerable variations, as some of them offer extra services.