Transport traffic - ADAC: Heavy traffic particularly at holiday begins
With the start of summer holidays in Baden-Württemberg at the end of this week, travelers are advised to keep a strong nerve. "Germany as a whole is on holiday then, so in terms of traffic congestion, we are looking at the busiest weekend of the summer from this perspective," said Holger Bach, department head Transport & Environment at ADAC Württemberg, according to a press release. "Travelers on the highways in the south should definitely plan for more time."
Traffic jams peak on Friday and Saturday
The first signs of the travel wave could allegedly be noticed on the highways in the south as early as Wednesday. The strongest traffic congestion is expected on Friday and Saturday. Last year, the first holiday Friday recorded 266 hours of traffic jams in Baden-Württemberg and was at the same time one of the most congested days of the year, it was reported. The waiting time on the highways in the south amounted to 530 hours during the first holiday weekend.
Flexible travelers are advised to ideally start their vacation in the period Tuesday to Thursday during the first holiday week. "We are expecting significantly calmer traffic on the highways," Bach suggested. For those bound to the first holiday weekend, it is recommended to travel on Friday and Saturday before 8:00 a.m. or after 6:00 p.m.
Almost 60 highway construction sites
ADAC lists the A5 (Karlsruhe-Basel), A6 (Mannheim-Heilbronn-Nuremberg), A7 (Würzburg-Ulm-Füssen/Reutte), A8 (Karlsruhe-Stuttgart-Munich), and A81 (Stuttgart-Singen) in both directions, as well as the Stuttgart metropolitan area, as congested sections. In addition, there are currently 58 construction sites on the highways in Baden-Württemberg. The ADAC specifically mentions those on the A7 between Giengen/Herbrechtingen and Heidenheim, as well as on the A8 near Pforzheim.
The Albaufstieg is also expected to be a bottleneck on the way to the south, according to experts. "Above all, the checkpoint at the Gruibinger Tunnel increases the risk of traffic jams," it was added. ADAC expert Bach predicts: "There will be no going through this section on the A8 without traffic jams at the beginning of the holidays."
Traffic jams also abroad
Those who have managed to cross the border cannot necessarily relax: "The main bottlenecks abroad are expected on the Tauern-, Fernpass-, Inntal-, Brenner, Karawanken-, Pyhrn- and Gotthard-route, as well as on the motorways to the Italian, French, and Croatian coasts," the ADAC reported.
The San Bernardino route to Italy through Switzerland is again one-lane in both directions since July 5. However, the traffic jams remain large. Those traveling to France should expect delays due to border controls in view of the Olympic Games in Paris.
- Holger Bach suggests that flexible travelers in Baden-Württemberg should ideally start their vacation during the first holiday week from Tuesday to Thursday, as traffic on the highways will be significantly less congested.
- ADAC Würtemberg warns that the thrust level of travel traffic during the summer vacation start in Baden-Württemberg will be at its highest, leading to significant traffic congestion on the highways, especially on Friday and Saturday.
- Consumers planning their summer vacation in Germany should be aware of the increased traffic during this period and plan accordingly, allowing for extra time on their journey.
- Würtemberg is one of the regions in Baden-Württemberg that is expected to experience the busiest traffic during the summer vacation, with the strongest congestion on Friday and Saturday.
- The Albaufstieg is a section of road in Baden-Württemberg that is expected to be a bottleneck during the summer vacation, with delays likely due to increased traffic and checkpoints at the Gruibinger Tunnel.
- Travelers going abroad during the summer vacation should be aware of potential traffic jams on popular routes such as the Tauern-, Fernpass-, Inntal-, Brenner, Karawanken-, Pyhrn- and Gotthard-route, as well as on motorways to the Italian, French, and Croatian coasts.
- Those traveling to France during the summer vacation should expect delays due to border controls in view of the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris.
- ADAC lists several sections of highways in Baden-Württemberg as congested during the summer vacation, including the A5, A6, A7, A8, and A81, as well as the Stuttgart metropolitan area, with construction sites at key locations such as the A7 between Giengen/Herbrechtingen and Heidenheim, and the A8 near Pforzheim.
