15 Countries Enforce Truck Bans This Week — 8 Full-Day Restrictions on Whit Monday and Pentecost
This week, 15 European countries impose truck driving bans, with 8 full-day or extended holiday-specific restrictions on Whit Monday (25 May) and Pentecost Sunday (31 May). Routine nightly bans (22:00–05:00) are excluded from this count as they apply daily in countries like Austria and Switzerland. All bans target goods vehicles (HGV/TIR) — passenger vehicles, coaches, and often empty containers are exempt. Drivers planning cross-border routes must adjust schedules to avoid penalties, especially on Alpine corridors like the A12 Inntal and A13 Brenner, where enforcement is strict.
Date-by-Date Breakdown
Monday 25 May — Whit Monday
| Country | Time | Applies to | Roads | Exemptions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇦🇹 Austria | 00:00–22:00 | >7.5t | All motorways & expressways | Perishable goods, live animals, combined transport |
| 🇧🇬 Bulgaria | 00:00–24:00 | >12t | Highways & selected national roads | Perishable goods, military, diplomatic vehicles |
| 🇨🇭 Switzerland | 00:00–24:00 | >3.5t | All public roads | Urgent medical supplies, military |
| 🇩🇪 Germany | 00:00–22:00 | >7.5t | All federal roads & motorways | Fresh food, mail, empty containers |
| 🇫🇷 France | 00:00–22:00 | >7.5t | All roads nationwide | Perishable goods, livestock, fuel |
| 🇭🇺 Hungary | 00:00–22:00 | >7.5t | All public roads | Perishable goods, live animals, transit with vignette |
| 🇱🇮 Liechtenstein | 00:00–24:00 | >3.5t | All roads | Same as Switzerland |
| 🇱🇺 Luxembourg | 00:00–21:45 | >7.5t | All roads | Perishable goods, fuel |
Critical: Switzerland and Liechtenstein enforce 24-hour bans, halting all >3.5t traffic. Austria’s A12 Inntal and A13 Brenner corridors add a 07:00–15:00 Saturday ban (towards Italy/Germany), but this does not apply on Whit Monday. Bulgaria’s >12t threshold means lighter trucks (<12t) are unaffected.
Tuesday 26 May
| Country | Time | Applies to | Roads | Exemptions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇦🇹 Austria | 22:00–24:00 | >7.5t | All motorways & expressways | Perishable goods, live animals |
| 🇨🇭 Switzerland | 22:00–24:00 | >3.5t | All public roads | Urgent medical supplies |
| 🇱🇮 Liechtenstein | 22:00–24:00 | >3.5t | All roads | Same as Switzerland |
Routine nightly bans resume. No full-day restrictions.
Wednesday 27 May
| Country | Time | Applies to | Roads | Exemptions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇦🇹 Austria | 22:00–24:00 | >7.5t | All motorways & expressways | Perishable goods, live animals |
| 🇨🇭 Switzerland | 22:00–24:00 | >3.5t | All public roads | Urgent medical supplies |
| 🇱🇮 Liechtenstein | 22:00–24:00 | >3.5t | All roads | Same as Switzerland |
No exceptional bans. Nightly restrictions only.
Thursday 28 May
| Country | Time | Applies to | Roads | Exemptions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇦🇹 Austria | 22:00–24:00 | >7.5t | All motorways & expressways | Perishable goods, live animals |
| 🇨🇭 Switzerland | 22:00–24:00 | >3.5t | All public roads | Urgent medical supplies |
| 🇱🇮 Liechtenstein | 22:00–24:00 | >3.5t | All roads | Same as Switzerland |
No full-day bans. Nightly restrictions continue.
Friday 29 May
| Country | Time | Applies to | Roads | Exemptions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇦🇹 Austria | 22:00–24:00 | >7.5t | All motorways & expressways | Perishable goods, live animals |
| 🇨🇭 Switzerland | 22:00–24:00 | >3.5t | All public roads | Urgent medical supplies |
| 🇱🇮 Liechtenstein | 22:00–24:00 | >3.5t | All roads | Same as Switzerland |
No exceptional bans. Nightly restrictions only.
Saturday 30 May
| Country | Time | Applies to | Roads | Exemptions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇦🇹 Austria | 07:00–15:00, 15:00–24:00 | >7.5t | All motorways & expressways | Perishable goods, live animals, combined transport |
| 🇧🇬 Bulgaria | 16:00–20:00 | >12t | Highways & selected national roads | Perishable goods, military |
| 🇨🇭 Switzerland | 22:00–24:00 | >3.5t | All public roads | Urgent medical supplies |
| 🇫🇷 France | 22:00–24:00 | >7.5t | All roads nationwide | Perishable goods, livestock |
| 🇭🇷 Croatia | 15:00–23:00 | >7.5t (or trailers >14m) | Selected main roads & motorways | Perishable goods, live animals, fuel |
| 🇭🇺 Hungary | 22:00–24:00 | >7.5t | All public roads | Perishable goods, transit with vignette |
| 🇮🇹 Italy | 09:00–14:00 | >7.5t | All roads outside urban areas | Perishable goods, live animals, fuel |
| 🇱🇮 Liechtenstein | 22:00–24:00 | >3.5t | All roads | Same as Switzerland |
| 🇱🇺 Luxembourg | 21:30–24:00 | >7.5t | All roads | Perishable goods, fuel |
| 🇵🇱 Poland | 18:00–22:00 | >12t | All public roads | Perishable goods, live animals, combined transport |
Critical: Austria’s Saturday ban splits into two windows: 07:00–15:00 (A12/A13 Brenner corridor) and 15:00–24:00 (nationwide). Italy’s 09:00–14:00 ban affects all extra-urban roads, while Poland’s 18:00–22:00 restriction applies only to >12t vehicles.
Sunday 31 May — Pentecost
| Country | Time | Applies to | Roads | Exemptions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇦🇹 Austria | 00:00–22:00 | >7.5t | All motorways & expressways | Perishable goods, live animals, combined transport |
| 🇨🇭 Switzerland | 00:00–24:00 | >3.5t | All public roads | 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 & motorways | Fresh food, mail, empty containers |
| 🇫🇷 France | 00:00–22:00 | >7.5t | All roads nationwide | Perishable goods, livestock, fuel |
| 🇭🇷 Croatia | 14:00–23:00 | >7.5t (or trailers >14m) | Selected main roads & motorways | Perishable goods, live animals, fuel |
| 🇭🇺 Hungary | 00:00–22:00 | >7.5t | All public roads | Perishable goods, transit with vignette |
| 🇮🇹 Italy | 09:00–22:00 | >7.5t | All roads outside urban areas | Perishable goods, live animals, fuel |
| 🇱🇮 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 |
| 🇷🇴 Romania | 06:00–22:00 | >7.5t | DN1, DN7, selected highways | Perishable goods, dangerous goods (ADR), TEN-T transit |
| 🇸🇮 Slovenia | 08:00–22:00 | >7.5t | Motorways & 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 |
Critical: Switzerland and Liechtenstein enforce 24-hour bans, while Austria, Germany, and France impose 22-hour restrictions. Italy’s ban extends to 13 hours (09:00–22:00). Poland’s >12t threshold means lighter trucks are exempt, unlike most other countries where the limit is >7.5t.
Country-by-Country Rules & Penalties
🇦🇹 Austria
Weight: >7.5t | Roads: All motorways & expressways | 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 & A13 Brenner: additional Sat 07:00–15:00 ban (towards IT/DE). Night ban 22:00–05:00 on A12/A13/A14.
🇩🇪 Germany
Weight: >7.5t | Roads: All federal roads & motorways | 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): Saturdays 07:00–20:00 on selected motorways.
🇫🇷 France
Weight: >7.5t | Roads: All roads nationwide | Recurring pattern: Saturdays 22:00–Sun 22:00 | Penalties: €135–€750
Exemptions: Perishable goods, livestock, fuel, humanitarian shipments. Holiday eves: 22:00–24:00 before each public holiday.
🇮🇹 Italy
Weight: >7.5t | Roads: All roads outside urban areas | Recurring pattern: Sundays & holidays 09:00–22:00 (winter), 07:00–22:00 (summer) | Penalties: €419–€1,682
Exemptions: Perishable goods, live animals, fuel, newspapers, postal deliveries, vehicles with ATP certificate.
🇨🇭 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.
🇵🇱 Poland
Weight: >12t | Roads: All public roads | Recurring pattern: Sundays & holidays 08:00–22:00, pre-holiday Saturday 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. Summer: Fri 18:00–22:00, Sat 08:00–14:00 (Jun–Sep).
🇨🇿 Czech Republic
Weight: >7.5t (or >3.5t with trailer) | Roads: Motorways, expressways, 1st class roads | Recurring pattern: Sundays & holidays 13:00–22:00 | 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. General exemption 00:00–06:00 for combined transport.
🇸🇮 Slovenia
Weight: >7.5t | Roads: Motorways & expressways | Recurring pattern: Sundays & holidays 08:00–21:00 | Penalties: €500–€2,000
Exemptions: Perishable goods, live animals, dangerous goods with valid ADR.
🇭🇺 Hungary
Weight: >7.5t | Roads: All public roads | Recurring pattern: Sundays & holidays 06:00–22:00 (Apr–Sep) | Penalties: HUF 30,000–300,000
Exemptions: Perishable goods, live animals, vehicles in transit with valid Hungarian motorway vignette.
🇷🇴 Romania
Weight: >7.5t | Roads: DN1, DN7, selected highways | Recurring pattern: Weekends & holidays 06:00–22:00 | Penalties: RON 3,000–9,000
Exemptions: Perishable goods, dangerous goods with valid ADR, vehicles in international transit on TEN-T corridors.
🇧🇬 Bulgaria
Weight: >12t | Roads: Highways & selected national roads | Recurring pattern: Public holidays 00:00–24:00, day before holidays 16:00–20:00 | Penalties: BGN 500–2,000
Exemptions: Perishable goods, live animals, military, diplomatic vehicles. Uses Orthodox Easter calendar.
🇭🇷 Croatia
Weight: >7.5t (or trailers >14m) | Roads: Selected main roads & motorways | Recurring pattern: Sundays & holidays 14:00–23:00 | 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 bans | Penalties: €50–€500
Exemptions: Perishable goods, fuel. Different times for DE/FR/BE borders.
🇱🇮 Liechtenstein
Weight: >3.5t | Roads: All roads | Recurring pattern: Same as Switzerland | Penalties: CHF equivalent
Exemptions: Same as Switzerland — very limited.
Plan Your Route
1. Check timing before departure: Switzerland’s 24-hour bans on Whit Monday and Pentecost require drivers to park before midnight. Use nakordoni.eu’s truck parking map to find secure rest areas. 2. Avoid Alpine corridors during bans: Austria’s A12 Inntal and A13 Brenner enforce additional Saturday restrictions (07:00–15:00). Plan detours via Germany or Slovenia if possible. 3. Note weight thresholds: Poland and Bulgaria ban only >12t vehicles, while most other countries use >7.5t. Lighter trucks can often continue without restrictions. 4. Allow buffer time near borders: Enforcement is strict in Italy, Switzerland, and Austria. Delays of 1–2 hours are common during holiday bans.
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
Source: nakordoni.eu — Truck Traffic Bans Calendar | Updated: 25.05.2026