Vacation with a car turns chaotic: Emergency advisory issued by ADAC
Heavy Traffic Expected on German Highways During Summer Travel Season
Travelers heading to their vacation destinations in Germany this summer should be prepared for potential delays and congestion on the highways, as over 1250 construction sites are currently active across the autobahn network. The Automobile Club of Europe (ADAC) has issued an urgent warning about the potential for stop-and-go traffic and jams, especially on major highways leading to and from the North and Baltic Seas, as well as several key autobahns such as the A2, A3, A4, A6, A8, A9, A24, A31, and A45.
According to the ADAC, these routes are heavily affected by the influx of summer travelers and approximately 1000 to 1200 construction sites across the autobahn network, which are a major cause of delays. The most congested routes during the summer travel season include the A2 between Berlin and Hanover, the A3 especially between Würzburg and Nuremberg, the A4 between Chemnitz and Dresden, the A6, the A8 near Stuttgart to Karlsruhe, the A9 near Nuremberg to Halle/Leipzig, the A24, the A31, and the A45 near Lüdenscheid due to the closure of the Rahmede viaduct.
The ADAC advises travelers to avoid travel on Fridays from the afternoon, Saturdays (especially morning), and Sundays (especially afternoon) to minimize traffic jams. The peak congestion typically occurs starting Friday afternoon, with the worst traffic on Saturday morning and Sunday afternoon, as many travelers begin or end their holiday trips during these periods. The first weekends of summer holidays, particularly from July 25 to July 27, are traditionally the busiest, worsened when multiple German states start holidays simultaneously. Travelers who have flexibility are advised to travel on weekdays rather than weekends to avoid peak congestion.
In addition, a truck ban on Saturdays for vehicles over 7.5 tons is enforced from 7 AM to 8 PM during July and August on these busy routes to alleviate congestion. However, the ADAC expects congestion on several routes, but no specific routes were mentioned in the provided information.
This summer, many Germans are choosing to spend their holiday at home, leading to expected traffic jams and chaos on highways. The A60, towards Bingen and Mainz, has a closure in both directions between the Mainz interchange and Mainz-Finthen/Saarstraße (daily from 21:00 to 05:00, until Tuesday, September 2, 05:00). This weekend, the A46 towards Düsseldorf will be closed between Wuppertal-Sonnborn and Haan-Ost (Friday, July 25, 21:00 to Monday, July 28, 05:00), and the A46 towards Wuppertal will be closed between Wuppertal-Cronenberg and Wuppertal-Sonnborn during the same period.
Travelers planning an international trip by car are also advised to inform themselves about the traffic situation there. However, there is a warning for vacation in Greece and Turkey regarding a shortage of toilet paper, but no further details were provided in the paragraph.
Despite the heavy traffic expected on German highways during the summer travel season, some travelers may choose to explore the country's diverse lifestyle and scenic travel destinations in a car. However, the Automobile Club of Europe (ADAC) recommends planning trips during weekdays to avoid the peak congestion, particularly on the A2, A3, A4, A6, A8, A9, A24, A31, and A45.
