Grueling weekend travel conditions due to summer vacations in 14 German states, with ADAC predicting gridlock around Munich.
Heavy Traffic and Delays Expected on German Highways This Weekend
This coming weekend, travelers in Germany and on German highways can expect heavy traffic and delays due to the start of the summer holiday period. According to the ADAC forecast, the first weekend of the summer holiday period (July 25-27) typically sees the most congestion, as many travelers head to popular destinations such as the Alps and coastal areas.
The situation is worsened this year by multiple regions starting their holidays around the same time, increasing the volume on major routes. In particular, the Munich area and southern Germany will see heavy traffic, especially as Munich is a gateway to the Alps, a prime holiday destination during summer. While southern German holiday traffic usually starts in early August, this weekend will still be busy due to returning travelers from eastern German states like Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia.
In addition to holiday traffic, German highways may also face disruptions from ongoing repair works caused by recent extreme heat, which cracked concrete surfaces on some autobahn sections. These repairs will cause further delays on weekends including this one.
Travelers should plan for extra time, check traffic updates, and consider alternative routes where possible. The most congested highways include A1 Cologne - Hamburg, A2 Berlin - Hannover, A3 Cologne - Passau, A4 Kirchheimer Dreieck - Dresden, A5 Frankfurt - Heidelberg - Karlsruhe - Basel, A6 Mannheim - Heilbronn - Nuremberg, A7 Hamburg - Fuessen/Reutte, A8 Karlsruhe - Stuttgart - Munich - Salzburg, A9 Berlin - Halle/Leipzig - Nuremberg - Munich, A10 Berliner Ring, A11 Berlin - Dreieck Uckermark, A19 Dreieck Wittstock - Rostock, A24 Hamburg - Berlin, A61 Moenchengladbach - Koblenz - Ludwigshafen, A93 Inntaldreieck - Kufstein, A95/B2 Munich - Garmisch-Partenkirchen, A99 Munich bypass, and coastal roads in the north and east.
Cross-border routes near Germany, especially towards alpine countries, are likely to be similarly congested. Delays are expected at crossings to Poland, Czech Republic, France, and Switzerland. Travelers driving to Greece or Turkey should plan for lengthy border stops.
The most congested highways include the Tauern, Inntal, Rheintal, Pyhrn, Fernpass, Brenner, Karawanken, and Gotthard routes, as well as coastal roads in Italy, Croatia, and France.
Random border checks are expected at German borders, particularly affecting Austria. Summer holidays have begun in 14 federal states in Germany, and there are currently around 1,200 construction sites on German autobahns.
Travelers heading to Northern Europe can also expect traffic jams. The summer truck driving ban on major highways remains in effect from 7 am to 8 pm every Saturday from July 1 to August 31. However, no new summer truck driving ban information was mentioned in this paragraph.
In Munich, the Ludwigstraße becomes a festival ground this weekend with the "Zamanand Summer Village." The Zamanand and "Topless" Festival in Munich may cause restrictions on MVG this weekend. Poland is controlling entry from Germany, and the A4 Ludwigsdorf (Görlitz) crossing may experience backups.
For daily updates on important stories from Munich, travelers can subscribe to the Hallo Munich Newsletter and the Hallo Munich app. The ADAC warns travelers about traffic jams, particularly on the last weekend in July.
- Given the upcoming summer holiday period and the increased traffic, travelers may find their lifestyle disrupted as they navigate heavy traffic and delays on popular travel routes, such as those leading to the Alps and coastal areas, including German highways like A1, A4, A5, A6, A7, A8, A9, and A93.
- While travelers enjoy their vacations, they might also discover an unexpected element of their journey - a growing interest in various car models, as they encounter different makes and models during their holiday drives, especially on popular routes like the A1, A3, A6, A7, and A9, popular destinations that often feature car enthusiasts and artistic exhibitions.
