Germany’s motoring club ADAC is predicting one of the worst traffic weekends of the decade between 31 July and 2 August, issuing its highest “Dauerstau” warning for key north-south and east-west motorways. In a bulletin published 28 July, analysts cite the rare overlap of outbound holiday traffic from newly released Bavarian and Baden-Württemberg schools with the first wave of return traffic from northern states. Around 1,000 active construction sites and several full motorway closures, including the A1 near Hamburg and the A23 towards the North Sea, will add further pressure. Corporate mobility planners should note that congestion will peak Friday afternoon, Saturday morning and late Sunday; alternative routing or rail substitution is advised for time-critical trips. Heavy-goods vehicles over 7.5 t face the seasonal Saturday driving ban, potentially delaying just-in-time deliveries. International knock-ons are also expected: the Brenner, Tauern and Gotthard corridors will be saturated, and Austria’s Fernpass will be closed for a protest on 1 August, forcing detours for south-bound holidaymakers and freight alike. The club also reminds drivers that Germany’s internal border checks—extended for security reasons in 2025—continue to cause queues at Suben (A3), Walserberg (A8) and Kiefersfelden (A93), as well as at Frankfurt (Oder) on the A12 to Poland. Travellers should carry passports and factor at least 30 minutes for inspections. Companies operating shuttle buses or rental fleets are urged to brief employees on forming emergency lanes (Rettungsgasse) and to download ADAC’s live traffic app for real-time diversions. For international assignees unfamiliar with German road etiquette, the bulletin is a useful primer on weekend lorry bans and construction-zone speed limits that are aggressively enforced by camera.
Source: ADAC
