Significant Road Traffic Disruptions Reported by ADAC
With summer holidays drawing to a close in Thuringia, Saxony, and Saxony-Anhalt, and millions of holidaymakers preparing to return home, Germany's motorways are bracing for a challenging weekend. Over 1,200 ongoing roadworks on major highways are causing significant delays and traffic jams, according to the ADAC.
The traffic collapse predicted by the ADAC is not just a mere warning. The highways are expected to turn into a kind of parking lot, with hours-long delays a common occurrence. Patience is required during this time.
To avoid the worst of these traffic jams, the ADAC recommends choosing unusual travel times. Avoiding Saturday, the busiest travel day of the summer, is crucial. The main holiday wave starts on Friday afternoons, so it's advisable to steer clear of these times as well.
The best departure times are during the week, especially Tuesday to Thursday, before the main holiday wave starts. If weekend travel is necessary, Sunday morning is preferable as traffic is lighter then compared to Sunday evening, which experiences heavy inbound traffic.
Several key motorways and roads with construction-related bottlenecks should be avoided during peak hours. These include the A9 (Nuremberg area, tunnels), A10 (Tauern motorway), A11 (Karawanken tunnel), A12 (Inntal motorway), A13 (Brenner motorway), and several key border crossings and tunnel routes.
In summary, planning travel to either midweek before the weekend rush or Sunday morning after the weekend peak, while steering clear of heavily under-construction motorway sections, will help avoid the worst traffic jams caused by both holiday return flows and over 1,200 ongoing roadworks in Germany. Other federal states, such as Lower Saxony and Rhineland-Palatinate, are also affected this weekend.
The number of roadworks is causing too many cars on the road, exacerbating the delays. The highways are expected to be congested due to the large number of vehicles and ongoing roadworks. Despite this, electric car drivers may be exempt from taxes, but this information is not related to the current traffic situation.
Those traveling should ensure sufficient provisions and drinks to bridge hours-long delays. The ADAC predicts a significant disruption in traffic flow due to these roadworks, so it's essential to be prepared for potential delays and plan accordingly.
The unexpectedly long delays on Germany's highways, as stated by the ADAC, are not only due to the return of holidaymakers but also the numerous roadworks throughout the week. To minimize these delays, it's advisable to opt for unconventional travel times, such as midweek before the weekend rush or Sunday morning after the peak. By avoiding the A9, A10, A11, A12, A13, and certain border crossings or tunnel routes, particularly during peak hours, travelers can potentially bypass both holiday traffic and the roadworks. Travelers should also make sure to have enough supplies and drinks to last during potential hours-long delays.
