Summer holidays, traffic jams and outbursts of anger? This is where it jams the most, but with these tips you will arrive relaxed!
Holiday time means traffic jam time - you can find out which routes are particularly at risk and how you can get to your holiday relaxed here!
At the end of July and beginning of August, respectively, Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria are the last federal states to start their summer holidays. For many other federal states, the last week of the summer holidays will then begin - traffic jams, delays and summer traffic jam chaos on the roads are imminent, because in the first week of August all federal states are on vacation together.
For the first weekend in August, the ADAC therefore predicts a particularly bad risk of congestion - in addition, there will be considerable restrictions to the south due to the bridge renovation on the Brenner Pass.
Traffic jam forecast: Where should it be worst?
The ADAC predicts a considerable risk of traffic jams on several important routes, especially from 1 August, when most federal states are slowly approaching the end of the holidays and Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg are starting their summer holidays. Long traffic jams and waiting times can also be problematic if you are traveling with a baby.
Here are the routes particularly affected by traffic jams - this applies to both directions of travel:
- All highways to and from the North Sea and Baltic Sea
- A1 Cologne – Dortmund and Bremen – Hamburg
- A3 Cologne – Frankfurt – Nuremberg – Passau
- A4 Kirchheimer Dreieck – Bad Hersfeld – Erfurt – Dresden
- A5 Frankfurt – Heidelberg – Karlsruhe – Basel
- A6 Mannheim – Heilbronn – Nuremberg
- A7 Hamburg – Flensburg
- A7 Hamburg – Hanover and Würzburg – Ulm – Füssen/Reutte
- A8 Karlsruhe – Stuttgart – Munich – Salzburg
- A9 Berlin – Halle/Leipzig – Nuremberg – Munich
- A10 Berliner Ring
- A11 Berlin – Junction Uckermark
- A19 Wittstock – Rostock junction
- A24 Hamburg – Berlin
- A61 Mönchengladbach – Koblenz – Ludwigshafen
- A81 Stuttgart – Singen
- A93 Inntaldreieck – Kufstein
- A95/B2 Munich – Garmisch-Partenkirchen
- A96 Munich – Lindau
- A99 Munich bypass
It is best not to drive at these times:
- Friday afternoon
- Saturday morning
- Afternoon
It looks better on weekdays Tuesday to Thursday, because rush hour traffic is much lower than usual. Nevertheless, you should not drive at the usual peak times in the morning and late afternoon, but - if possible - drive with a time delay.
Announced full closures on motorways
Because traffic jams alone are not enough, there are full closures on some sections of the route even during the first weekend in August. You have to avoid these motorway sections as far as possible:
- A1, Trier – Cologne/Koblenz in both directions between Kreuz Wittlich and Hasborn, Sunday, August 3, from 7 a.m. to 9.30 a.m.
- A28 Leer – Oldenburg in both directions between Bad Zwischenahn-West and Neuenkruge, Friday, 1 August, 6 p.m., to Monday, 4 August, 5 a.m.
- A46 Düsseldorf towards Wuppertal between Düsseldorf-Bilk and Düsseldorf-Eller, Tuesday, 29 July, 12 noon, to Monday, 4 August, 5 a.m.
- A46 Heinsberg towards Düsseldorf between Grevenbroich and Kapellen, Sunday, August 3, 7 p.m., to Wednesday, August 6, 5 a.m
- A46 Heinsberg – Wuppertal in both directions between Neuss-Uedesheim and Düsseldorf-Bilk, Friday, August 1, 10 p.m., to Monday, August 4, 5 a.m
- A52 Düsseldorf towards Essen between Essen-Rüttenscheid and Essen-Ost junction, Tuesday, 29 July, 9 p.m., to Monday, 4 August, 5 a.m.
How to avoid the traffic jam on your summer holiday – tips
The ADAC calls on motorists to plan intelligently and drive outside rush hours to avoid traffic jams. Here's how to make your trip as smooth as possible:
Preparing the car
- Check oil level, coolant
- Check tyre pressure
- Pack high-visibility vests, first aid kit, roadside assistance, etc.
- Have snacks, water, mobile phone chargers handy
If there is still enough time, you can book a summer check at a workshop and have everything necessary checked there.
Travelling with the family
Long trips with children don't have to feel like an endurance test. With these tips, everyone will arrive with a smile.
- Download movies on tablet in advance
- Prepare playlists, take books and travel games with you
- Take regular breaks
- If possible, driver change during breaks