ADAC warns of first major summer travel wave – Traffic jams on highways from Friday afternoon
Munich, 23 June 2026
Carsten Wolff für das Bundesministerium der Finanzen und die Deutsche Post AG / Wikimedia Commons / Public domain
Summary
Due to the start of school holidays in Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate, and the Saarland, the ADAC expects a first major summer travel wave on the coming weekend. On classic travel routes heading south as well as to the North Sea and Baltic Sea, heavy traffic and numerous jams are expected from Friday afternoon.
Munich, 23 June 2026
The ADAC expects a first major summer travel wave on the coming weekend due to the start of school holidays in three federal states and warns of traffic jams on numerous highways.
First major summer travel wave
The ADAC expects a first major summer travel wave on the coming weekend due to the start of school holidays in Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate, and the Saarland. "Heavy holiday traffic is expected there from Friday afternoon onwards," the automobile club announced in Munich. The club warns of congestion on various routes.
The particularly congested routes include the classic travel routes heading south as well as the routes to the North Sea and Baltic Sea. The ADAC warned that "on the classic travel routes heading south as well as to the North Sea and Baltic Sea, heavy traffic is expected from Friday afternoon onwards." Patience is also required on the important holiday routes abroad.
Problem routes at home and abroad
According to the ADAC, the Tauern, Fern Pass, Inn Valley, Brenner, and Gotthard routes are considered particularly vulnerable. In addition, the summer holidays are also beginning in several European neighboring countries, such as parts of Switzerland, Poland, and Denmark, which further increases the pressure on highways near the borders.
In addition to holiday traffic, a large number of construction sites are causing delays. "Added to this are the burdens caused by more than 1,000 construction sites," the ADAC said. According to the ADAC, burdens also arise from more than a thousand highway construction sites nationwide. "Heavy congestion and traffic jams are expected there."
Construction sites worsen the situation
Additional excursion traffic to local recreation areas is expected on Saturday, the automobile club announced. While return travel waves are likely to intensify on Saturday and Sunday evenings, the situation on many routes remains tense. The ADAC advises drivers to fill up their tank or battery sufficiently and to carry drinks with them.
The ADAC recommends starting the trip to the holiday destination on Sunday or Monday if possible to avoid the biggest rush. The club also warns of traffic jams as early as Thursday afternoon, when commuter traffic and holiday traffic coincide in both directions – northbound and southbound.
ADAC traffic expert Wolfgang Herda pointed out that roads and bridges were in poor condition. "The road surfaces are dilapidated, the bridges are dilapidated, it is urgent that something be done about this," Herda said. In individual cases, bridges would have to be completely closed, citing the current situation in Bonn as an example.
Poor infrastructure as the cause
The main cause is decades of postponed renovation work. Hessen Mobil explained that construction work is generally scheduled during the summer holidays because commuter traffic is lower then. At the same time, the number of construction sites in Hesse increased by 45 additional projects during the holidays. A total of 45 are added during the summer holidays.
Important arteries are also affected on Hesse's highways. The A3 between the Mönchhof interchange and the Wiesbaden interchange is getting a new road surface. The A4 between Friedewald and the Kirchheim interchange in eastern Hesse is only passable to a limited extent. The A45 is partly restricted between Wetzlar-Ost and the Wetzlar interchange.
The A7, one of Germany's most important north-south connections, is being narrowed by construction sites on several sections. Hessen Mobil currently records around 45 construction sites on federal roads and around 70 on state roads in Hesse. Construction is also underway on the A60 and A66.
Restrictions on the railways
Not only roads but also the rail network is affected. Deutsche Bahn refers to its online information services and apps such as the DB Navigator, which list construction measures, diversions, and replacement services. "We have to modernize the infrastructure and there will be no perfect time to do it," a Bahn spokesperson explained.
During the holidays, temporary restrictions are to be expected on the Lahn-Kinzig route, the Fulda–Bebra and Bensheim–Bürstadt routes, as well as on the left-bank Rhine route between Cologne and Mainz. From 10 July, track and switch renewals are planned between Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof and Frankfurt-Niederrad, which will restrict regional and S-Bahn traffic.
Work is continuing at the Mainz node. Preparations for the corridor renovation of the left-bank Rhine route are underway on the right bank of the Rhine, whose major five-month full closure begins on 10 July. S-Bahn and regional trains via Frankfurt-Höchst will also be affected by construction work in the coming weeks.
Tips and app information from the ADAC
According to its own information, the ADAC is working on a nationwide overview of municipal construction sites, which is currently still in a test version and does not yet cover all municipalities. This is intended to enable drivers to better prepare for alternative routes in the future.
This news was broadcast on 23.06.2026 on Deutschlandfunk. Overall, the ADAC forecast makes clear that car and train travelers must expect significantly more travel time in the coming weeks.
Besides Hesse, the Saarland, and Rhineland-Palatinate, the holiday season does not begin in any other federal state at the same time, the ADAC emphasized. The first major travel wave is thus concentrated on three states whose highways are also heavily used transit routes heading south.
Questions & Answers
In which federal states do the summer holidays begin now?
The summer holidays begin in Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate, and the Saarland. In no other federal state do the holidays start at the same time.
On which routes does the ADAC expect the most traffic jams?
According to the ADAC, the classic travel routes heading south, the routes to the North Sea and Baltic Sea, as well as the Tauern, Fern Pass, Inn Valley, Brenner, and Gotthard routes are particularly affected.
Why are so many highways under construction at the same time in summer?
The ADAC cites more than 1,000 highway construction sites nationwide; Hessen Mobil prefers to schedule construction work during the holiday season because there is less commuter traffic. ADAC expert Wolfgang Herda sees the cause in decades of postponed renovation work.
ADAC Traffic Jam Forecast: Start of school holidays in | allfacts360
