Austria’s Ö3 traffic newsroom cautioned motorists on 18 October 2026 that northbound return traffic from Slovenia, Croatia and Italy is expected to create significant backups at controlled border points over the weekend. Particular bottlenecks include the Karawanken Tunnel (Slovenia), Nickelsdorf (Hungary) and Kufstein/Kiefersfelden (Germany). Drivers heading towards Salzburg via the Tauernautobahn should anticipate stop-and-go traffic from Hallein to the Walserberg crossing, while long queues are also forecast for the Brenner Pass on the Italian side near Sterzing. The advisory highlights the continuing impact of Austria’s internal Schengen border checks re-authorised through March 2027. Although the measures are selective, weekend leisure and business traffic regularly exceeds processing capacity, prompting police to meter vehicles and conduct random ID inspections. The situation also affects cross-border coach services and corporate fleets returning rental cars from southern Europe. Ö3 recommends detours via secondary mountain passes such as Wurzen or Loibl to avoid multi-hour waits, though these routes may not be suitable for heavy goods vehicles or vehicles pulling trailers. Business travellers with tight connections at Vienna or Salzburg airports are urged to build in extra lead time. The forecast comes as Austrian customs prepares to roll out Smart Border Austria’s full digital cargo procedures on 1 October, signalling that manual document checks for freight will soon be phased out even as police identity controls remain in force.
Source: Ö3 (ORF)
