After three years of construction, a new left-hand lane for carpoolers and buses opened in late March 2025 on the heavily congested A3 motorway between France and Luxembourg, offering long-awaited relief for drivers.
A month in, RTL spoke to commuters about the new setup, and reactions are mixed.
For some carpoolers, especially those coming from areas like Hettange-Grande, the experience is generally positive. One of them described it as an ideal solution for shared travel, noting that it helps save time and fits their routine well. His colleague echoed the sentiment, adding that while the time saved isn’t massive, it does shave a few minutes off their morning journey, which still makes a difference.
At the P+R Lux Sud near the Cloche d’Or, many commuters have adopted carpooling, and satisfaction levels are high. Most report gaining around ten minutes on their daily trip from France, a noticeable improvement that makes the effort worthwhile.
However, solo drivers – still the majority – see things differently.
One young woman commuting daily from Etain in the Meuse region said the situation hasn’t improved for her at all. According to her, the traffic is just as bad, and it took her nearly two hours to get to Luxembourg on the day she was interviewed. In her view, the investment in the lane was money poorly spent.
Other workers mentioned how difficult it is to find carpool partners. One explained that in France, commuters often come from various small villages, making coordination complicated. For people with irregular or long working hours, like himself, it’s especially tough to plan return trips, even if morning carpools are feasible.
As a result, some solo drivers have admitted to using the new lane even when they shouldn’t. One such driver said she feels bad about it but explained that the lack of carpool options and consistently jammed other lanes makes the carpool lane feel unfairly underused. She expressed a wish that it had been opened to all drivers instead.
Even some of the drivers who do follow the rules expressed understanding for those who don’t. One commuter said it’s easy to empathise with single drivers stuck in traffic, especially when it’s worse than before.
Mobility Minister Yuriko Backes confirmed on Tuesday that automatic speed cameras or enforcement tools may be installed along the motorway to ensure the carpool lane is used only by eligible vehicles.
It’s also worth keeping in mind that this 3.5-km lane is just the beginning. The government’s broader plan is to expand the A3 to six lanes – three in each direction – across its full 12-km stretch between the French border and the Croix de Gasperich by the end of 2030.
