ADAC warns of massive traffic jams as summer holidays begin in six German states

Germany’s summer holiday period starts on July 3 in six states – Bremen, Niedersachsen, Sachsen, Sachsen‑Anhalt, Schleswig‑Holstein and Thüringen – prompting the ADAC to forecast severe congestion on the country’s major autobahns. The club expects the heaviest traffic on Friday afternoon and Saturday, especially on routes heading south and toward the North and Baltic Sea coasts, with roughly 1,000 active construction sites further slowing progress.

Additional pressure comes from large events such as the DTM race at the Norisring in Nürnberg, the Splash! festival near Gräfenhainichen, and the Fahrradsternfahrt in the Ruhr area, all of which create local bottlenecks. Cross‑border traffic is also expected to suffer, as Austria’s Tauern, Inntal and Brenner routes, Switzerland’s Gotthard corridor, and Italy’s Brenner approaches to Milan and Genoa are already congested.

The ADAC advises motorists to allow extra travel time, consider early departures, or avoid the critical Friday‑afternoon window altogether.