Travel - ADAC expects "summer traffic jam wave" towards the North and Baltic Seas
With the start of holidays in North Rhine-Westphalia this weekend, the ADAC anticipates the first "summer traffic wave" on roads heading towards the North and East Seas. The traffic jams on autobahns will serve as a test for holidaymakers, said Christian Hieff, spokesperson for the ADAC Hanse Club. Five other federal states, including Lower Saxony and Bremen, have been on holiday for two weeks.
"It will be hectic on the autobahns"
According to reports, returning Danish and coastal holidaymakers from Bremen and Lower Saxony will encounter holidaymakers from North Rhine-Westphalia heading to the beaches on Fridays. In addition, there will be normal commuter traffic around Hamburg and, with good weather, many day-trippers. "It will be hectic on the autobahns," the ADAC announced in its traffic forecast. The peak hours of the traffic wave are expected for Friday afternoon and Saturday morning and afternoon. On Friday evening, the European Championship quarter-final match between Portugal and France is taking place at Hamburg's Volksparkstadion (9 p.m.). Approximately 50,000 visitors are expected.
An additional 30 minutes planned for Elbtunnel
On the A7 Hannover-Flensburg, motorists should expect traffic jams south of Hamburg at Egestorf in the direction of the North and at Thieshope in the direction of the South. The construction work south and north of the Elbtunnel will cause delays of more than 30 minutes, according to the ADAC. Between Hamburg and Flensburg, construction sites at Bordesholm and Owschlag are slowing down traffic. However, the lanes are only being shifted, as stated by the Autobahn GmbH Nord. At the German-Danish border near Flensburg, border controls are to be expected.
Construction sites on the A1 between Hamburg and Fehmarn
On the A1 Hamburg-Lübeck, there could be delays especially at Bargteheide. Due to bridge work, the autobahn in this area will be narrowed from three to two lanes in both directions. To the north of Lübeck, a delay is threatened by a construction site between Bad Schwartau and Pansdorf in the direction of the South. A bottleneck for Fehmarn Island holidaymakers and Denmark travellers is the Fehmarnsundbrücke, which is still being repaired.
Two obstacles on the way to Sylt
Motorists heading to North Frisia and Sylt need patience northwest of Hamburg. The A23 Hamburg-Heide will only be one-lane wide until the end of July at Pinneberg. In addition, Sylt holidaymakers should plan for longer waiting times at the car ferry in Niebułł, according to the ADAC.
- Despite holidaymakers from Denmark and coastal regions like Bremen and Lower Saxony returning, the Automotive industry in North Rhine-Westphalia is also expecting a significant increase in commuters and weekend travelers this weekend.
- The ADAC Hanse Club has warned that the commute between Flensburg and Lower Saxony, especially on Fridays, could be particularly challenging due to the combined holiday and commuter traffic.
- For those planning a trip to Schleswig-Holstein or even further North to Bremen or Hamburg, the Baltic Sea region is likely to see an increase in traffic, as people look for summer getaways.
- The ADAC also advises motorists traveling towards Denmark to anticipate border controls near Flensburg.
- Meanwhile, in Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia, construction sites on the A1 and A7 autobahns could cause additional delays and complications for travelers heading towards the coast or Denmark.
- For those commuting within North Rhine-Westphalia, the busy weekend traffic could also impact their usual route and travel time.
- As the holidays coincide with important events like the European Championship quarter-final match between Portugal and France in Hamburg, the increased traffic is expected to extend beyond working days, making commuting a challenge throughout the weekend.
