Week 45 on the German Autobahn: 9 full closures and long-term roadworks on 11 motorways
As of 3 November 2026, Die Autobahn GmbH des Bundes reports 40 significant disruptions on 11 German motorways. These include 9 full closures (Vollsperrung) and several long-term roadworks with lane restrictions. Most of the full closures are on the A4 near Jena in Thuringia, on the night of 7 to 8 November. Other closures affect junctions on the A7 in Lower Saxony and the A81 near Stuttgart. For HGV/TIR drivers on east–west and north–south transit routes, these closures can mean long detours, narrow lanes and delivery delays.
This article is a live snapshot, not a fixed weekly schedule. Closures can start late, be extended or be cancelled at short notice. New incidents also appear every day. Before departure, always check the live traffic & closures map. For general road rules, tolls and border crossings, see our Germany country guide.
Full closures
A4 — Jena area (Lobdeburg tunnel and Jagdbergtunnel), Thuringia
- Full closure between Jagdbergtunnel and Rodablick, both directions (Erfurt – Chemnitz). Start: Saturday 07.11.2026 at 20:00.
- Full closure between Jagdbergtunnel and Jena-Göschwitz, both directions. Start: 07.11.2026 at 20:00.
- Full closure between Lobdeburg and Rodablick, both directions. Start: 07.11.2026 at 20:00.
- Access to the A4 at the Jena-Göschwitz junction (Anschlussstelle, AS) is also closed.
The reason is a fire test (Brandversuch) in the Lobdeburg tunnel. It is planned for 07.11 to 08.11.2026. The closure falls mostly within the Sunday truck driving ban (Sonn- und Feiertagsfahrverbot), which applies from 00:00 to 22:00. However, trucks with exemptions, and drivers who plan to start again on Sunday evening, may still be affected. The local diversion routes go through urban roads around Jena and are not ideal for heavy vehicles. For long-distance transit between Erfurt and Chemnitz, consider a wider bypass, for example via the A38 and A9/A72. Check the reopening time on the live map before you return to the A4.
A7 — AS Westenholz, Lower Saxony
Full closure of the Westenholz junction, access from the L191 (Westenholzer Bruch direction) onto the A7. Start: 03.11.2026 at 21:00. The reason is the renewal of the L191 road surface. The A7 main carriageway stays open. Trucks serving local customers should use the neighbouring junctions and plan for extra kilometres on rural roads.
A81 — Gärtringen area, Baden-Württemberg
Full closure of the junction ramps at Gärtringen/Hildrizhausen for ramp renovation. Valid every Monday to Friday between 02.11 and 13.11.2026, from 09:00 to 15:00. Outside these hours the ramps are open. Drivers serving the Böblingen/Herrenberg area should schedule deliveries early in the morning or in the afternoon.
Major roadworks & lane restrictions
A4 — Bergisches Land, Hermsdorfer Kreuz, Dresden
- Wiehltalbrücke (Köln → Olpe): long-term roadworks between Bellingroth, Bielstein and Hömeler Feld (some active since November 2024). From 14.11.2026 at 09:00, a closure for heavy goods traffic over 44 tonnes applies at AS Bielstein. Special transport operators must check their permits.
- Erlenhof – Engelskirchen (Köln → Olpe): short lane closure on 03.11.2026, 09:00–15:00.
- AS Frechen-Nord (Aachen → Köln): junction closed from 06.11.2026 at 20:00 to 07.11.2026 at 24:00.
- Hermsdorfer Kreuz: roadworks in both directions (Rüdersdorf and Tümmelsberg) since 05.10.2026. This is a key A4/A9 interchange, so expect queues at peak times.
- Dresden-Neustadt – Dresden-Wilder Mann: lane restrictions in both directions since 26.05.2026.
A45 — Lüdenscheid (Sauerland line)
Long-term restrictions between Hunscheid, Lüdenscheid-Nord and Lüdenscheid in both directions (since December 2025). There is a new section Dickenwalze – Lüdenscheid (Hagen → Gießen) since 12.10.2026. Expect narrow lanes and no overtaking for trucks in the work zones.
A14 — Leipzig/Halle and Magdeburg
- Gröbers – Schkeuditzer Kreuz, both directions, since 31.10.2025.
- AS Magdeburg-Sudenburg: the exit to the B81 towards Halberstadt is closed since 26.10.2026.
A3, A5 and other motorways
- A3: Limburg-Süd – Limburg-Nord (Frankfurt → Köln) on 05.11.2026, 08:00–12:00. Emmerich-Ost – Löwenberger Landwehr (Arnhem → Oberhausen) since 28.07.2026. AS Hengersberg closed from 06.11.2026 at 18:00.
- A5: night closures for oversize/heavy transports. Renchtal – Achern (Basel → Karlsruhe) and AS Achern on 09.11, 22:00 – 10.11, 05:00. AS Appenweier on 11.11, 22:00 – 12.11, 05:00.
- A6: AS Waidhaus (near the Czech border crossing) closed towards Nürnberg since October 2023.
- A7: AS Neumünster-Mitte closed in both directions since 17.08.2026.
- A2: at Autobahnkreuz Recklinghausen, the ramps to the A43 towards Wuppertal remain closed.
- A8: Einöd – Zweibrücken-Ernstweiler (Neunkirchen → Karlsruhe) since 11.05.2026.
- A19: Rostock – Kessin (towards Rostock) since 18.05.2026.
Detours change the distance on toll roads. Recalculate your motorway toll (LKW-Maut) with the German LKW-Maut calculator before you accept a long diversion.
Plan your route through Germany
- Check the live map before departure and again during your rest period. Night closures often start at 20:00 or 22:00.
- Respect the truck driving bans. Germany bans trucks over 7.5 t on Sundays and public holidays from 00:00 to 22:00. Check the weekend & holiday driving bans calendar and the Germany truck ban map for the full rules.
- Find parking early. Rest areas near closures fill up quickly, especially on Saturday evening. Use the truck parkings map to reserve a safe place before the closure starts.
- Allow buffer time. Detours and queues use your driving time. Verify your daily limits with the tachograph calculator. Estimate the extra fuel and toll with the trip cost calculator.
Useful Tools for Truck Drivers
- Live Traffic Incidents Map — real-time road closures and delays
- Interactive Traffic Bans Calendar — weekend & holiday HGV bans
- Truck Parkings Map (19,000+) — find parking during closures
- Speed Cameras (48,000+) — radar and camera locations
- 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
- Truck Drivers Portal — all tools in one place
Source: Die Autobahn GmbH des Bundes (verkehr.autobahn.de) | Updated: 03.11.2026