Two Heavy Ban Days and One Holiday Shape Week 28 Across Europe
Week 28 (6–12 July 2026) brings restrictions in 16 countries, but the workload is concentrated in just three heavy periods: Saturday 11 July, Sunday 12 July, and the Czech public holiday on Monday 6 July (Jan Hus Day). Everything else on Tuesday to Friday is the routine nightly ban (22:00–05:00) in the Alpine states, which applies every night year-round and should not be treated as an exceptional closure. Drivers should plan against the full truck driving bans calendar in Europe 2026 before departure, because the summer weekend regime is now in force. The real hotspots this week are the Alpine transit corridor — Austria truck driving bans on the A12 Inntal and A13 Brenner towards Italy and Germany, and the strict full-day Sunday regime in Switzerland truck driving bans.
All restrictions below apply only to goods vehicles (HGV/TIR). Passenger cars, coaches, and in most countries empty containers returning to base are exempt, so this is purely a freight-planning issue. Weight thresholds are not uniform: Poland bans only vehicles over 12 tonnes, meaning a lighter truck below 12t is not restricted there, while Germany, France, Italy, Austria and most others use the 7.5t threshold and Switzerland and Liechtenstein go down to 3.5t. That difference matters when routing a smaller rigid across several borders in one shift. This week's holiday driver is Jan Hus Day; see the European Holidays Calendar for the exact dates that trigger each national ban.
Date-by-date breakdown
Monday 6 July — Jan Hus Day
| Country | Time | Applies to | Roads | Exemptions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Czech Republic | 13:00–22:00 | >7.5t (or >3.5t with trailer) | Motorways, expressways, 1st class roads | Perishables, live animals, fuel, combined transport |
| Austria | 00:00–05:00; 22:00–24:00 | >7.5t | Motorways & expressways | Perishables, live animals, combined transport |
| Switzerland | 00:00–05:00; 22:00–24:00 | >3.5t | All public roads | Very limited (urgent medical, military) |
| Liechtenstein | 00:00–05:00; 22:00–24:00 | >3.5t | All roads | Same as Switzerland |
The only exceptional restriction on Monday is in the Czech Republic, where Jan Hus Day is a public holiday and triggers the standard holiday ban from 13:00 to 22:00 on motorways, expressways and 1st class roads. Transit drivers on the D1, D5 and D8 should clear these corridors before 13:00. The Austrian, Swiss and Liechtenstein truck driving bans shown are only the routine night window, not a full-day closure.
Tuesday 7 – Thursday 9 July
| Country | Time | Applies to | Roads | Exemptions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | 00:00–05:00; 22:00–24:00 | >7.5t | Motorways & expressways | Perishables, live animals, combined transport |
| Switzerland | 00:00–05:00; 22:00–24:00 | >3.5t | All public roads | Very limited |
| Liechtenstein | 00:00–05:00; 22:00–24:00 | >3.5t | All roads | Same as Switzerland |
The mid-week days carry only the recurring Alpine night ban. There are no full-day or holiday restrictions, so these are the best windows for long-haul movements towards Italy through the Brenner. Note the additional night ban of 22:00–05:00 on the A12, A13 and A14 in Austria.
Friday 10 July
| Country | Time | Applies to | Roads | Exemptions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Czech Republic | 17:00–21:00 | >7.5t (or >3.5t with trailer) | Motorways, expressways, 1st class roads | Perishables, live animals, fuel |
| Greece | 15:00–22:00 | >3.5t | Selected national highways & toll roads | Perishables, fuel, essential supplies |
| Austria | 00:00–05:00; 22:00–24:00 | >7.5t | Motorways & expressways | Perishables, live animals |
| Switzerland | 00:00–05:00; 22:00–24:00 | >3.5t | All public roads | Very limited |
| Liechtenstein | 00:00–05:00; 22:00–24:00 | >3.5t | All roads | Same as Switzerland |
Two summer afternoon bans open on Friday. The Czech Republic applies its July–August Friday restriction from 17:00 to 21:00, and Greece truck driving bans take effect on the Athens–Thessaloniki axis and the Patras corridor during the afternoon peak. Both are the leading edge of the weekend restrictions.
Saturday 11 July
| Country | Time | Applies to | Roads | Exemptions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | 07:00–20:00 | >7.5t | Federal roads & motorways | Fresh food, mail, empty containers, combined transport |
| France | 07:00–19:00 | >7.5t | All roads nationwide | Perishables, livestock, fuel, humanitarian |
| Italy | 08:00–16:00 | >7.5t | Roads outside urban areas | Perishables, live animals, fuel, ATP vehicles |
| Austria | 07:00–15:00; 15:00–24:00 | >7.5t | Motorways & expressways | Perishables, live animals, combined transport |
| Hungary | 15:00–24:00 | >7.5t | All public roads | Perishables, live animals, valid vignette transit |
| Croatia | 15:00–23:00 | >7.5t (or trailers >14m) | Selected main roads & motorways | Perishables, live animals, fuel |
| Slovenia | 06:00–16:00; 08:00–13:00 | >7.5t | Motorways & expressways | Perishables, live animals, ADR |
| Slovakia | 07:00–19:00 | >7.5t (or >3.5t with trailer) | All roads | Perishables, combined transport |
| Poland | 18:00–22:00 | >12t | All public roads | Perishables, live animals, fuel, mail, empty return |
| Czech Republic | 07:00–13:00 | >7.5t (or >3.5t with trailer) | Motorways, expressways, 1st class roads | Perishables, fuel |
| Greece | 08:00–16:00; 08:00–22:00 | >3.5t | Selected national highways & toll roads | Perishables, fuel |
| Bulgaria | 16:00–20:00 | >12t | Highways & I/II class national roads | Perishables, live animals, military, diplomatic |
| Luxembourg | 21:30–24:00 | >7.5t | All roads | Perishables, fuel |
| Switzerland | 00:00–05:00; 22:00–24:00 | >3.5t | All public roads | Very limited |
| Liechtenstein | 00:00–05:00; 22:00–24:00 | >3.5t | All roads | Same as Switzerland |
Saturday is the first heavy day. Under the summer holiday regulation (Ferienreiseverordnung), Germany closes selected motorways to trucks over 7.5t from 07:00 to 20:00; drivers can estimate their route charges with the German LKW-Maut Calculator before committing to an autobahn detour. France runs a nationwide daytime ban from 07:00 to 19:00, and Italy restricts extra-urban roads from 08:00 to 16:00. In the Alpine corridor, the A12 Inntal and A13 Brenner carry the extra Saturday 07:00–15:00 ban towards Italy and Germany — the single most congested point of the week. Further east, Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Luxembourg all impose afternoon or evening windows.
Sunday 12 July
| Country | Time | Applies to | Roads | Exemptions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Switzerland | 00:00–24:00 | >3.5t | All public roads | Very limited |
| Liechtenstein | 00:00–24:00 | >3.5t | All roads | Same as Switzerland |
| Germany | 00:00–22:00 | >7.5t | Federal roads & motorways | Fresh food, mail, empty containers |
| France | 00:00–22:00 | >7.5t | All roads nationwide | Perishables, livestock, fuel |
| Austria | 00:00–22:00 | >7.5t | Motorways & expressways | Perishables, live animals, combined transport |
| Italy | 07:00–22:00 | >7.5t | Roads outside urban areas | Perishables, ATP vehicles, fuel |
| Hungary | 00:00–22:00 | >7.5t | All public roads | Perishables, live animals |
| Slovakia | 00:00–22:00 | >7.5t (or >3.5t with trailer) | All roads | Perishables, combined transport |
| Slovenia | 08:00–22:00 | >7.5t | Motorways & expressways | Perishables, ADR |
| Poland | 08:00–22:00 | >12t | All public roads | Perishables, fuel, mail, empty return |
| Czech Republic | 13:00–22:00 | >7.5t (or >3.5t with trailer) | Motorways, expressways, 1st class roads | Perishables, fuel |
| Croatia | 14:00–23:00 | >7.5t (or trailers >14m) | Selected main roads & motorways | Perishables, live animals, fuel |
| Romania | 06:00–22:00 | >7.5t | National roads DN1, DN7, selected highways | ADR, TEN-T international transit |
| Greece | 08:00–22:00 | >3.5t | Selected national highways & toll roads | Perishables, fuel |
| Luxembourg | 00:00–21:45 | >7.5t | All roads | Perishables, fuel |
Sunday is the strictest day of the week. Switzerland and Liechtenstein enforce a full 24-hour ban with almost no cargo exemptions — most freight simply cannot move. Germany, France and Austria run near-full-day closures until 22:00, and Romania adds a daytime ban on the DN1 and DN7. Only international transit on TEN-T corridors and perishable loads keep any margin. Plan to be parked well before the windows open.
Country-by-country rules & penalties
Austria
Weight: >7.5t | Roads: motorways & expressways | Recurring pattern: Saturdays 15:00–24:00, Sundays & holidays 00:00–22:00, plus A12/A13/A14 night ban 22:00–05:00 | Penalties: €150–€5,000.
Exemptions: perishable goods, live animals, combined transport, direct transit to/from rail terminals.
Germany
Weight: >7.5t | Roads: federal roads & motorways | Recurring pattern: Sundays & holidays 00:00–22:00; summer Saturdays 07:00–20:00 on selected motorways | Penalties: €75–€525.
Exemptions: fresh food, mail, empty containers returning to base, combined transport.
France
Weight: >7.5t | Roads: all roads nationwide | Recurring pattern: Saturdays 22:00 to Sunday 22:00; holiday eves 22:00–24:00 | Penalties: €135–€750.
Exemptions: perishable goods, livestock, fuel, humanitarian shipments.
Italy
Weight: >7.5t | Roads: extra-urban roads | Recurring pattern: Sundays & holidays, summer 07:00–22:00; pre-holidays often 16:00–22:00 | Penalties: €419–€1,682.
Exemptions: perishable goods, live animals, fuel, newspapers, postal, ATP-certified vehicles.
Switzerland & Liechtenstein
Weight: >3.5t | Roads: all public roads | Recurring pattern: Sundays & holidays 00:00–24:00 full day, nightly 22:00–05:00 | Penalties: CHF 100–10,000.
Exemptions: very limited — urgent medical supplies and military only. Most cargo has no exemption.
Hungary
Weight: >7.5t | Roads: all public roads | Recurring pattern: Sundays & holidays 06:00–22:00 (April–September) | Penalties: HUF 30,000–300,000.
Exemptions: perishable goods, live animals, transit with valid Hungarian vignette.
Czech Republic
Weight: >7.5t (>3.5t with trailer) | Roads: motorways, expressways, 1st class | Recurring pattern: Sundays & holidays 13:00–22:00; summer Fridays 17:00–21:00 | Penalties: CZK 5,000–100,000.
Exemptions: perishable goods, live animals, fuel, postal, combined transport.
Slovakia
Weight: >7.5t (>3.5t with trailer) | Roads: all roads | Recurring pattern: Sundays & holidays 00:00–22:00 | Penalties: €150–€1,500.
Exemptions: 00:00–06:00 general exemption for perishables and combined transport; live animals, fuel.
Slovenia
Weight: >7.5t | Roads: motorways & expressways | Recurring pattern: Sundays & holidays 08:00–21:00; pre-holidays from 14:00 | Penalties: €500–€2,000.
Exemptions: perishable goods, live animals, dangerous goods with valid ADR.
Poland
Weight: >12t | Roads: all public roads | Recurring pattern: Sundays & holidays 08:00–22:00; pre-holiday Saturday 18:00–22:00; summer Fri 18:00–22:00 and Sat 08:00–14:00 | Penalties: PLN 500–10,000.
Exemptions: perishable goods, live animals, combined transport, fuel, mail, humanitarian aid, empty return vehicles.
Croatia
Weight: >7.5t (or trailers >14m) | Roads: selected main roads & motorways | Recurring pattern: Sundays & holidays 14:00–23:00; pre-holidays 15:00–23:00 | Penalties: HRK 3,000–15,000.
Exemptions: perishable goods, live animals, fuel, humanitarian transport.
Luxembourg
Weight: >7.5t | Roads: all roads | Recurring pattern: Sundays & holidays, direction-specific on border corridors (towards DE, FR, BE) | Penalties: €50–€500.
Exemptions: perishable goods, fuel.
Bulgaria
Weight: >12t | Roads: highways & I/II class national roads | Recurring pattern: holidays all day; day before 16:00–20:00; day after 14:00–20:00 (Orthodox Easter calendar) | Penalties: BGN 500–2,000.
Exemptions: perishable goods, live animals, military, diplomatic vehicles.
Romania
Weight: >7.5t | Roads: DN1, DN7, selected highways | Recurring pattern: weekends & holidays on selected routes; summer Friday restrictions (Orthodox Easter calendar) | Penalties: RON 3,000–9,000.
Exemptions: perishable goods, ADR dangerous goods, international transit on TEN-T corridors.
Greece
Weight: >3.5t | Roads: selected national highways & toll roads | Recurring pattern: holidays and holiday eves, mainly Athens–Thessaloniki axis and Patras corridor (Orthodox Easter calendar) | Penalties: €200–€2,000.
Exemptions: perishable goods, fuel, essential supplies.
Plan Your Route
Check the exact window for every country on your route before departure — what many drivers still search for as a trafik bann varies by country, weight and road class, and the summer weekend rules are wider than the winter ones. Use the mandatory rest period during the ban rather than fighting it; the EU Tachograph Calculator helps you line up your driving time and mandatory breaks with the closure so you lose no productive hours. Where possible, route through countries with lighter thresholds — a vehicle under 12t is not banned in Poland, which can open a corridor unavailable elsewhere.
Allow buffer time near borders and secure a space early, because parking fills fast once the Saturday and Sunday windows open. Look up the nearest truck parking to my location along the Greek toll network, or parking for trucks on the Ukrainian approach corridors, so you are not caught between a full lay-by and an active ban. Finally, cost the detour honestly with the Trip Cost Calculator — factoring fuel, tolls and the extra hours — before choosing a longer but ban-free path.
Useful Tools for Truck Drivers
- Interactive Traffic Bans Calendar — full ban schedule with filters
- Live Traffic Incidents Map — real-time road closures and delays
- Truck Parkings Map (19,000+) — find parking during ban hours
- Speed Cameras (48,000+) — radar and camera locations
- European Vignettes & Tolls — e-vignette prices for 9 countries
- Truck Drivers Portal — all tools in one place
- European Holidays Calendar — public holidays affecting truck bans
- German LKW-Maut Calculator — calculate motorway toll costs for HGV trucks
- EU Tachograph Calculator — verify driving time and mandatory break compliance
- Trip Cost Calculator — estimate fuel, toll and total trip expenses
Source: nakordoni.eu — Truck Traffic Bans Calendar | Updated: 06.07.2026