Overview: 16 Countries Enforce Truck Driving Bans This Week
Week 32 (3–9 August 2026) brings 12 exceptional truck driving ban windows across Europe, with the heaviest restrictions on Saturday 8 August and Sunday 9 August. These bans apply exclusively to goods vehicles (HGV/TIR) — passenger vehicles, coaches, and often empty containers are exempt. Drivers planning cross-border routes must account for these restrictions to avoid penalties, border queues, and costly detours. The Alpine corridor (A12 Inntal, A13 Brenner) and main transit routes through Germany, Austria, and Italy remain the most critical hotspots. Note that weight thresholds differ: Poland uses a >12t limit, while most other countries enforce bans for vehicles >7.5t or even >3.5t (Switzerland, Liechtenstein). For a full truck driving bans calendar in Europe 2026, check our interactive tool.
Date-by-Date Breakdown
Monday 3 August
| Country | Time | Applies to | Roads | Exemptions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | 00:00–05:00, 22:00–24:00 | >7.5t | All motorways and expressways | Perishable goods, live animals, combined transport |
| Switzerland | 00:00–05:00, 22:00–24:00 | >3.5t | All public roads nationwide | Urgent medical supplies, military |
| Liechtenstein | 00:00–05:00, 22:00–24:00 | >3.5t | All roads | Same as Switzerland |
Routine nightly bans in Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. No full-day restrictions today.
Tuesday 4 August
| Country | Time | Applies to | Roads | Exemptions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | 00:00–05:00, 22:00–24:00 | >7.5t | All motorways and expressways | Perishable goods, live animals, combined transport |
| Switzerland | 00:00–05:00, 22:00–24:00 | >3.5t | All public roads nationwide | Urgent medical supplies, military |
| Croatia | 15:00–23:00 | >7.5t (or trailers >14m) | Selected main roads and motorways | Perishable goods, live animals, fuel |
| Liechtenstein | 00:00–05:00, 22:00–24:00 | >3.5t | All roads | Same as Switzerland |
Croatia introduces its first evening ban of the week, affecting key transit routes like the A1 motorway.
Wednesday 5 August — Victory and Homeland Thanksgiving Day (Croatia)
| Country | Time | Applies to | Roads | Exemptions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | 00:00–05:00, 22:00–24:00 | >7.5t | All motorways and expressways | Perishable goods, live animals, combined transport |
| Switzerland | 00:00–05:00, 22:00–24:00 | >3.5t | All public roads nationwide | Urgent medical supplies, military |
| Croatia | 14:00–23:00 | >7.5t (or trailers >14m) | Selected main roads and motorways | Perishable goods, live animals, fuel |
| Liechtenstein | 00:00–05:00, 22:00–24:00 | >3.5t | All roads | Same as Switzerland |
Croatia’s public holiday extends the evening ban by one hour. Drivers should plan routes to avoid the A1 and A3 motorways during peak hours.
Thursday 6 August
| Country | Time | Applies to | Roads | Exemptions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | 00:00–05:00, 22:00–24:00 | >7.5t | All motorways and expressways | Perishable goods, live animals, combined transport |
| Switzerland | 00:00–05:00, 22:00–24:00 | >3.5t | All public roads nationwide | Urgent medical supplies, military |
| Liechtenstein | 00:00–05:00, 22:00–24:00 | >3.5t | All roads | Same as Switzerland |
No exceptional bans today. Routine nightly restrictions remain in place.
Friday 7 August
| Country | Time | Applies to | Roads | Exemptions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | 00:00–05:00, 22:00–24:00 | >7.5t | All motorways and expressways | Perishable goods, live animals, combined transport |
| Switzerland | 00:00–05:00, 22:00–24:00 | >3.5t | All public roads nationwide | Urgent medical supplies, military |
| Czech Republic | 17:00–21:00 | >7.5t (or >3.5t with trailer) | Motorways, expressways, 1st class roads | Perishable goods, live animals, fuel |
| Greece | 16:00–21:00, 15:00–22:00 | >3.5t | Selected national highways and toll roads | Perishable goods, fuel, essential supplies |
| Italy | 16:00–22:00 | >7.5t | All roads outside urban areas | Perishable goods, live animals, fuel, ATP certificate holders |
| Liechtenstein | 00:00–05:00, 22:00–24:00 | >3.5t | All roads | Same as Switzerland |
Friday marks the start of weekend restrictions, with Italy, Greece, and the Czech Republic enforcing evening bans. Drivers on the Brenner corridor (A13) should note Austria’s additional night ban on this route.
Saturday 8 August
| Country | Time | Applies to | Roads | Exemptions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | 07:00–15:00, 15:00–24:00 | >7.5t | All motorways and expressways (A12 Inntal, A13 Brenner: 07:00–15:00 towards IT/DE) | Perishable goods, live animals, combined transport |
| Bulgaria | 16:00–20:00 | >12t | Highways and selected national roads (I and II class) | Perishable goods, live animals, military |
| Switzerland | 00:00–05:00, 22:00–24:00 | >3.5t | All public roads nationwide | Urgent medical supplies, military |
| Czech Republic | 07:00–13:00 | >7.5t (or >3.5t with trailer) | Motorways, expressways, 1st class roads | Perishable goods, live animals, fuel |
| Germany | 07:00–20:00 | >7.5t | All federal roads and motorways | Fresh food, mail, empty containers, combined transport |
| France | 07:00–19:00 | >7.5t | All roads nationwide | Perishable goods, livestock, fuel |
| Greece | 08:00–22:00, 08:00–16:00 | >3.5t | Selected national highways and toll roads | Perishable goods, fuel, essential supplies |
| Croatia | 15:00–23:00 | >7.5t (or trailers >14m) | Selected main roads and motorways | Perishable goods, live animals, fuel |
| Hungary | 15:00–24:00 | >7.5t | All public roads | Perishable goods, live animals, vehicles with valid vignette |
| Italy | 08:00–22:00 | >7.5t | All roads outside urban areas | Perishable goods, live animals, fuel, ATP certificate holders |
| Liechtenstein | 00:00–05:00, 22:00–24:00 | >3.5t | All roads | Same as Switzerland |
| Luxembourg | 21:30–24:00, 23:30–24:00 | >7.5t | All roads | Perishable goods, fuel |
| Poland | 18:00–22:00 | >12t | All public roads | Perishable goods, live animals, combined transport, fuel |
| Slovenia | 06:00–16:00, 08:00–13:00 | >7.5t | Motorways and expressways | Perishable goods, live animals, dangerous goods (ADR) |
| Slovakia | 07:00–19:00 | >7.5t (or >3.5t with trailer) | All roads | Perishable goods, live animals, fuel, combined transport (00:00–06:00) |
Saturday 8 August is the most restrictive day of the week, with 12 countries enforcing bans. The Alpine corridor (A12 Inntal, A13 Brenner) is particularly critical: Austria’s additional 07:00–15:00 ban on these routes towards Italy and Germany will cause significant delays. Drivers should use our EU tachograph calculator to ensure compliance with driving time limits during detours. For Slovenian truck bans in 2026, check our dedicated page.
Sunday 9 August
| Country | Time | Applies to | Roads | Exemptions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | 00:00–22:00 | >7.5t | All motorways and expressways | Perishable goods, live animals, combined transport |
| Switzerland | 00:00–24:00 | >3.5t | All public roads nationwide | Urgent medical supplies, military |
| Czech Republic | 13:00–22:00 | >7.5t (or >3.5t with trailer) | Motorways, expressways, 1st class roads | Perishable goods, live animals, fuel |
| Germany | 00:00–22:00 | >7.5t | All federal roads and motorways | Fresh food, mail, empty containers, combined transport |
| France | 00:00–22:00 | >7.5t | All roads nationwide | Perishable goods, livestock, fuel |
| Greece | 08:00–22:00, 10:00–22:00, 16:00–23:00 | >3.5t | Selected national highways and toll roads | Perishable goods, fuel, essential supplies |
| Croatia | 14:00–23:00 | >7.5t (or trailers >14m) | Selected main roads and motorways | Perishable goods, live animals, fuel |
| Hungary | 00:00–22:00 | >7.5t | All public roads | Perishable goods, live animals, vehicles with valid vignette |
| Italy | 07:00–22:00 | >7.5t | All roads outside urban areas | Perishable goods, live animals, fuel, ATP certificate holders |
| Liechtenstein | 00:00–24:00 | >3.5t | All roads | Same as Switzerland |
| Luxembourg | 00:00–21:45 | >7.5t | All roads | Perishable goods, fuel |
| Poland | 08:00–22:00 | >12t | All public roads | Perishable goods, live animals, combined transport, fuel |
| Romania | 06:00–22:00 | >7.5t | National roads DN1, DN7, and selected highways | Perishable goods, dangerous goods (ADR), international transit on TEN-T |
| Slovenia | 08:00–22:00 | >7.5t | Motorways and expressways | Perishable goods, live animals, dangerous goods (ADR) |
| Slovakia | 00:00–22:00 | >7.5t (or >3.5t with trailer) | All roads | Perishable goods, live animals, fuel, combined transport (00:00–06:00) |
Sunday 9 August sees full-day bans in Switzerland (00:00–24:00) and Liechtenstein, making transit through these countries impossible. The Brenner corridor (A13) and Inntal (A12) remain closed in Austria until 22:00. Drivers should plan alternative routes through Hungary or Czech Republic, but note that these countries also enforce restrictions. For real-time traffic updates, use our live traffic incidents map.
Country-by-Country Rules & Penalties
Austria
Weight: >7.5t | Roads: All motorways and expressways (Autobahnen & Schnellstraßen) | Recurring pattern: Saturdays 15:00–24:00, Sundays & holidays 00:00–22:00 | Penalties: €150–€5,000
Exemptions: Perishable goods, live animals, combined transport, vehicles in direct transit to/from rail terminals. A12 Inntal and A13 Brenner have additional Saturday bans (07:00–15:00 towards IT/DE).
Switzerland
Weight: >3.5t | Roads: All public roads nationwide | Recurring pattern: Sundays & holidays 00:00–24:00, night ban 22:00–05:00 daily | Penalties: CHF 100–10,000
Exemptions: Very limited — urgent medical supplies, military. Most cargo has no exemption.
Liechtenstein
Weight: >3.5t | Roads: All roads | Recurring pattern: Same as Switzerland | Penalties: CHF equivalent fines
Exemptions: Same as Switzerland.
Germany
Weight: >7.5t | Roads: All federal roads and motorways (Bundesstraßen & Autobahnen) | Recurring pattern: Sundays & public holidays 00:00–22:00 | Penalties: €75–€525
Exemptions: Fresh food, mail, empty containers returning to base, combined transport. Summer ban (Jul–Aug) includes Saturdays 07:00–20:00 on selected motorways. Calculate your German LKW-Maut costs here.
France
Weight: >7.5t | Roads: All roads nationwide | Recurring pattern: Saturdays 22:00–Sunday 22:00 | Penalties: €135–€750
Exemptions: Perishable goods, livestock, fuel, humanitarian shipments.
Italy
Weight: >7.5t | Roads: All roads outside urban areas (extraurbane) | Recurring pattern: Sundays & holidays 07:00–22:00 (summer) | Penalties: €419–€1,682
Exemptions: Perishable goods, live animals, fuel, newspapers, postal deliveries, vehicles with ATP certificate.
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, vehicles in transit with valid Hungarian motorway vignette.
Czech Republic
Weight: >7.5t (or >3.5t with trailer) | Roads: Motorways, expressways, 1st class roads | Recurring pattern: Sundays & holidays 13:00–22:00, Fridays 17:00–21:00 (Jul–Aug) | Penalties: CZK 5,000–100,000
Exemptions: Perishable goods, live animals, fuel, postal deliveries, combined transport.
Slovakia
Weight: >7.5t (or >3.5t with trailer) | Roads: All roads | Recurring pattern: Sundays & holidays 00:00–22:00 | Penalties: €150–€1,500
Exemptions: Perishable goods, live animals, fuel, combined transport (00:00–06:00).
Slovenia
Weight: >7.5t | Roads: Motorways and expressways | Recurring pattern: Sundays & holidays 08:00–21:00 | Penalties: €500–€2,000
Exemptions: Perishable goods, live animals, dangerous goods with valid ADR. For Slovenian truck bans in 2026, see our dedicated page.
Poland
Weight: >12t | Roads: All public roads | Recurring pattern: Sundays & public holidays 08:00–22:00, pre-holiday Saturdays 18:00–22:00 | Penalties: PLN 500–10,000
Exemptions: Perishable goods, live animals, combined transport, fuel, mail, humanitarian aid, empty vehicles returning to base.
Croatia
Weight: >7.5t (or trailers >14m) | Roads: Selected main roads and motorways | Recurring pattern: Sundays & public holidays 14:00–23:00 | Penalties: HRK 3,000–15,000
Exemptions: Perishable goods, live animals, fuel, humanitarian transport.
Bulgaria
Weight: >12t | Roads: Highways and selected national roads (I and II class) | Recurring pattern: Public holidays all day, day before holidays 16:00–20:00 | Penalties: BGN 500–2,000
Exemptions: Perishable goods, live animals, military, diplomatic vehicles.
Romania
Weight: >7.5t | Roads: National roads DN1, DN7, and selected highways | Recurring pattern: Weekends & public holidays | Penalties: RON 3,000–9,000
Exemptions: Perishable goods, dangerous goods with valid ADR, vehicles in international transit on TEN-T corridors.
Greece
Weight: >3.5t | Roads: Selected national highways and toll roads | Recurring pattern: Public holidays and holiday eves | Penalties: €200–€2,000
Exemptions: Perishable goods, fuel, essential supplies. Restrictions focus on the Athens-Thessaloniki axis and Patras corridor.
Plan Your Route
To avoid delays and penalties during Week 32, follow these steps:
- Check ban times before departure: Use our interactive traffic bans calendar to filter by country, date, and weight threshold. Note that Switzerland’s full-day Sunday ban (00:00–24:00) makes transit impossible — plan alternative routes through Austria or Germany.
- Use rest areas during bans: Identify secure truck parking using our truck parkings map (19,000+ locations). Popular rest areas near the Brenner corridor (e.g., Brennersee, Vomp) fill up quickly on Saturdays.
- Plan alternative routes: For drivers transiting the Alpine corridor, consider detours through Hungary or the Czech Republic, but account for their restrictions. Use our trip cost calculator to compare fuel and toll expenses for different routes.
- Allow buffer time near borders: Border crossings like Brenner (AT/IT), Subotica (HU/RS), and Medyka (PL/UA) experience longer wait times during ban periods. Check real-time border queue data on our live traffic incidents map.
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: 03.08.2026