ADAC forecast - Traffic at Christmas: Full trains and highways expected
Whether by car, rail or air - there are usually a lot of people traveling in Berlin and Brandenburg around Christmas. As a result, travelers have to be prepared for full trains and freeways, especially just before the holidays.
ADAC expects many traffic jams
The ADAC expects traffic jams on many German highways before the Christmas weekend. Most traffic jams are expected on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning, according to the automobile club. The highways in the vicinity of major cities are expected to be particularly full, including Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne, Frankfurt and Munich.
The ADAC also expects traffic jams on the A2 Dortmund - Berlin, the A1 Cologne - Hamburg and on the southbound highways such as the A7 and A8. The ADAC expects less traffic on December 24 and 25, but the roads are likely to be busy again on December 26.
Adjusted timetable for S-Bahn and U-Bahn in Berlin
Anyone spending the festive season in Berlin can travel through the city on December 24, 25 and 26 according to the Sunday timetable. According to the transport company, 3900 BVG employees will be on duty on December 24 alone to get Berliners to their destinations.
The subway is in continuous operation despite the holidays. From Friday (December 22) to Tuesday (December 26), the trains, with the exception of the U4, will run through the night without a break.
The Sunday timetable also applies to the Berlin S-Bahn over the Christmas holidays. On December 24, this applies until 5 pm. After that, trains will run every 20 minutes, with the exception of the Ringbahn.
Deutsche Bahn increases train services
Between December 20 and January 1, Deutsche Bahn is putting 60 special trains on the tracks for long-distance services in order to balance out the high volume of passengers over Christmas. According to DB, this is primarily intended to relieve the heavily frequented connections such as Berlin - Göttingen - Frankfurt or Cologne - Munich via Frankfurt and Stuttgart. The Group plans to deploy around 300 additional service staff at train stations during the holidays.
"Things will get particularly congested on Friday," predicted Karl-Peter Naumann, honorary chairman of the passenger association Pro Bahn. He expects trains to be full over the holidays despite the additional seats on offer.
According to the railroad company, demand was already high in the entire pre-Christmas week. This is partly due to the fact that Christmas Eve falls on a Sunday this year. The company also expects demand to be evenly distributed but high between the years.
BER expects 950,000 passengers
Berlin-Brandenburg Airport is expecting 950,000 passengers to arrive at or depart from the airport between December 22 and January 7. "The busiest travel day is expected to be 22 December with just under 73,000 passengers," the airport recently announced. European cities and destinations in Turkey and the Canary Islands are popular during this time. Winter trips to Tromsø in Norway, Innsbruck in Austria or Rovaniemi in Finland are also in demand.
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- Many consumers might choose to drive their own cars during the holidays in Berlin and Brandenburg, given the expected traffic congestion.
- For those planning to travel by car to Frankfurt, Cologne, Hamburg, or Munich during Christmas, it would be wise to consider the ADAC's forecast and adjust their schedules accordingly.
- The ADAC also recommends avoiding certain highways, such as the A2 Dortmund - Berlin, the A1 Cologne - Hamburg, and the A7 and A8, to avoid heavy traffic.
- If traveling to Berlin during the holidays, passengers can take advantage of the adjusted timetable for the S-Bahn and U-Bahn, which will operate according to the Sunday schedule.
- Hanover, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Munich, and Dortmund are among the major cities expecting higher air traffic during the Christmas period, as indicated by Berlin-Brandenburg Airport.
- Despite the increased train services offered by Deutsche Bahn, especially between December 20 and January 1, trains are likely to be full, with evenly distributed high demand predicted.
- The German railroad company expects to handle nearly 1 million passengers between December 22 and January 7, making this holiday period one of their busiest.
- As a result, travelers are advised to plan their trips in advance, considering alternative modes of transportation and routes to reduce potential wait times and traffic delays.
- Additionally, the air traffic in major German cities such as Hamburg and Frankfurt and highways leading to popular holiday destinations like Brandenburg and Dortmund should also be anticipated for increased traffic.
Source: www.stern.de
