Now they are here, the weekends, when there are long traffic jams on the German autobahns. This year the summer holidays are likely to be even worse than 2022.
Update: First interim balance of the traffic jam summer
Particularly heavy traffic on July and August weekends
Summer holiday weekends 2022: 38,351 traffic jams
The most congested routes: A1, A3, A7, A8 and A9
Germany is in the middle of the summer holidays: Many car travelers are now getting into long traffic jams on their way to vacation or on their way home. ADAC experts fear that the previous year’s level will even be exceeded. On the summer holiday weekends in 2022, 38,351 traffic jams formed in Germany.
Summer holidays: More traffic jams on the freeways
The Germans’ desire to travel is really great again after the Corona years. “Even at Easter and Pentecost there was a lot more going on on the roads than in 2022 or before,” explains an ADAC traffic expert. When the weather is nice, numerous traffic jams are likely to be caused by day trippers or spontaneous holidaymakers. A great deal of patience will be required on the access roads to the mountains and to the lakes and coasts.
The summer vacation dates 2023
The holiday dates are spread over just twelve weeks, similar to previous years. But at least: The dates of the populous federal states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Hesse are relatively far apart. And: The holidays do not start or end immediately before the weekend in all federal states, but in some cases also in the middle of the week.
As always: Bavaria’s and Baden-Württemberg’s schools traditionally close and open almost simultaneously. The load in southern Germany is therefore very high at times.
The school-free summer period began on June 22nd in North Rhine-Westphalia. From the weekend of 7./9. July, the schoolchildren in Bremen, Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Saxony and Thuringia were happy about the six-week break. It will follow on the weekend of 14./16. July Berlin, Brandenburg, Hamburg, Mecklenburg-West Pomerania and Schleswig-Holstein. Another wave of travel is to be expected when the 21./23. July Drivers in Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland pack their bags. Only on the weekend of 28./30. July the classrooms are empty in Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria. Here the students are free until almost mid-September.
Summer vacation 2023: The traffic jam weekends
Traffic jam balance: The first holiday weekends were so full of traffic jams
Interim balance after the first five weeks of vacation: On the weekend of 14./16. July had the most traffic jams (3630), but they were somewhat shorter (7757 kilometers) than on the weekend of 21/23. July (3622 traffic jams or 7864 kilometers). The longest traffic jam of the season so far formed on Sunday, July 16, on the A24 (Schwerin – Berliner Ring). The sheet metal convoy temporarily grew to 46 kilometers between Meyenburg and Kremmen. Second longest traffic jam: Saturday, July 15, A9 (Nuremberg – Munich) between Denkendorf and Kreuz Neufahrn (34 kilometers).
According to ADAC traffic experts, the most congested weekends up to September are:
28/30 July
4./6. August
11./13. August
25./27. August
8./10. September
The last holiday weekend is also very prone to traffic jams. The holidays don’t only end in Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria this weekend. In addition, there is heavy work, late holiday and autumn excursion traffic. There are also more construction sites again.
Overall, as in the previous year, the last weekend in July is likely to be the most congested of the entire season. If you can, you should definitely avoid the streets this weekend.
For comparison: In the summer of 2022, the last weekend in July with 3544 traffic jams and the last holiday weekend in September with 3462 traffic jams were the most congested during the summer holidays.
Construction sites during the summer holidays
“In the summer holidays, there tends to be less construction on the motorways than before and after the main travel season,” says the ADAC traffic expert. There are currently more than 1,300 motorway construction sites. Many end before the start of the summer holidays. Others stay all summer long.
New traffic rules, fuel prices and consumer tips
The worst traffic jams
These five traffic jam routes have been particularly busy during the peak travel season for years. As a rule, more than two thirds of all traffic jams in Germany are counted here:
A1 Lübeck – Hamburg – Bremen – Cologne
A3 Oberhausen – Frankfurt – Nürnberg
A7 Flensburg – Hamburg – Würzburg – Füssen
A8 Karlsruhe – Stuttgart – Munich – Salzburg
A9 Berlin – Nuremberg – Munich
Interesting for foreign travelers: Fines can be enforced throughout Europe.
Without traffic jams on vacation: the right planning
Especially during the summer holidays, the highways on the important travel routes are overcrowded, endless traffic jams and long waiting times are inevitable. If you want to start your vacation as quickly and stress-free as possible, you should plan properly and in good time. Itinerary and travel dates are particularly important. Suitable days of the week to start driving are Monday to Thursday, the worst conceivable Friday and Saturday. This also applies to the return journey. But: Avoid the times of rush hour in the morning and evening if possible.
If you start your holiday at the weekend, you should consider a night trip. Of course only if you are really fit.
Before departure (and also on the return journey) you should find out about the construction sites and traffic jams on the route and possible alternatives.
Recreational breaks are also part of a relaxed trip to the holidays.
Another tip: If you don’t want to spend your time in traffic jams, travel by train, for example with the Deutschlandticket.
#Summer #vacation
