The General German Automobile Club (ADAC) is expecting heavy congestion on Germany's motorways next weekend. More traffic is anticipated on the main routes running north from the south, as well as from the coasts back inland. The wave of holiday traffic will peak on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.
North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany's most populous state, is likely to see a particularly high number of holidaymakers on the move. Meanwhile, the summer holidays are also drawing to a close in the neighbouring countries of Poland, Belgium, the Netherlands, France and the Czech Republic. In Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, by contrast, the holidays are still ongoing, as is the case in Austria and here in Luxembourg.
While some drivers will be heading home, from Friday afternoon onwards a whole other group will be setting off on trips or weekend breaks to the mountains, the coast or the lakes to make the most of the good weather, which means heavy traffic in both directions. On top of that, some 1,000 construction sites and road closures are currently in place across the German motorway network, adding a further layer of complication.
To keep holidaymakers from spilling out onto country roads, various motorway sections are being closed in some regions. This applies in particular to the busiest routes in southern Germany, for example near the Alps. Similar measures have been in place for some time in neighbouring Austria. The ADAC is also warning of an uptick in lorry traffic. Because river levels are so low, exceptions to the weekend driving bans have been granted to allow important goods to reach their destinations.
The wave of returning holidaymakers is also likely to affect traffic on Luxembourg's motorways. The A3 heading towards the capital and the A6 towards Belgium will be particularly exposed. Further information is available on the websites of the ADAC and Luxembourg's ACL.
