Traffic jams expected on Italian, German, Austrian and Swiss motorways over Easter
During the long Easter weekend (28.03–1.04), there is a high likelihood of traffic jams, especially on German motorways. Delays can also be expected on popular holiday routes in Austria, Switzerland and Italy.
Maundy Thursday is one of the five days in the year when the volume of traffic on German roads is the highest, and big traffic jams are also very likely this Thursday. The situation on the roads is not expected to improve much on Good Friday and Holy Saturday, but the volume of traffic on motorways is likely to decline on Easter Sunday. According to ADAC, delays are likely to increase on Easter Monday and in the following days which coincide with the end of Easter holidays in the dederal states of Hamburg, Bremen, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saxony-Anhalt.
Currently in Germany there are 1,130 motorway sections where roadworks are underway, which may occasionally cause traffic jams there, especially during heavy traffic.
❌ Long-term closures
◾ A27 Bremen – Bremerhaven in both directions between Uthlede and Hagen probably until the end of March;
◾ A42 Kamp-Lintfort – Dortmund in both directions between Bottrop-Süd and Kreuz Essen-Nord until April 15;
◾ A45 Hagen – Gießen in both directions between Lüdenscheid-Nord and Lüdenscheid until further notice
◾ A49 Südtangente, Gießen towards Kassel between Kassel-Waldau and the Kassel-Mitte junction until 11:59 PM on June 1,;
◾ A49 Südtangente, Gießen towards Kassel between Kreuz Kassel-West and Kassel-Auestadion until 11:59 PM on June 1,.
Traffic jam forecast for Austria and Switzerland
The volume of holiday traffic on long-distance routes is also expected in the neighboring Alpine countries as the holiday break starts in all Austrian states. Similar problems are expected in some regions of Switzerland. Routes with a high probability of traffic jams:
❌ in Austria: motorways A1, A10, A12 (Brenner Pass) and A13 (Innu Valley), B179 (Fernpass) and S16 (Arlberg Tunnel), as well as the federal roads of Tyrol, Salzburg and Vorarlberg. On the A10 motorway between Golling and Pfarrwerfen, the Ofenauer and Hiefler tunnels and the chain of Werden tunnels are being renovated.
❌ in Switzerland, delays can be expected on the route through the Gotthard Pass, on access roads to ski resorts in Graubünden, the Bernese Oberland, and Valais.
❌ in Italy, apart from the route through the Brenner Pass, the roads in the Puster Valleys, Val Gardena, Val Badia and Vinschgau.
Traffic jams are also likely on main routes to Poland and the Netherlands.
Detailed information about HGV restrictions, including a list of derogations and exemptions in specific countries can be found on www.trafficban.com.
