Germany's A1 and A2 Autobahns Closed Over Weekend Amid Summer Vacation Traffic

Two major autobahn sections in North Rhine‑Westphalia – the A2 near Hamm and the A1/A61 between Erftstadt and the Bliesheim interchange – will be partially closed from the evening of 3 July until the early hours of 5 July for road‑work, including the application of noise‑reducing asphalt. Detours are in place, with long‑distance traffic redirected via the A31, A30, A44 and A33 and local traffic using the A1 to Kamen and a temporary U67 route.

The ADAC warns that the start of summer holidays in six German states (Bremen, Lower Saxony, Saxony, Saxony‑Anhalt, Schleswig‑Holstein and Thuringia) will generate severe congestion on the weekend, especially on Friday afternoon. The closures on the A1 and A2 are expected to add to the traffic pressure, and drivers are advised to start journeys early, avoid the Friday afternoon peak or consider alternative routes. Additional local bottlenecks are anticipated from events such as the DTM race in Nürnberg, the Splash! festival in Saxony‑Anhalt and a cycling rally in the Ruhr area. The club also notes similar congestion on key Alpine and trans‑Alpine routes in Austria, Switzerland and Italy.