Week 30 overview: two heavy ban days, five routine nights
Sixteen countries apply truck driving bans (Fahrverbot) during week 30, from Monday 20 July to Sunday 26 July 2026. Only two days carry exceptional restrictions: Saturday 25 July, with the German summer holiday ban and the Austrian weekend regime, and Sunday 26 July, with full-day bans across most of Central Europe. The other five days bring only the routine nightly bans of 22:00–05:00 in Austria, Switzerland and Liechtenstein, which apply every night of the year and should already be built into your schedule. No public holidays fall in this week, so the pattern is the standard summer weekend one; the full-year schedule is available in the truck driving bans calendar in Europe 2026.
All restrictions described here apply to goods vehicles (HGV/TIR) only. Passenger cars, coaches and buses are not affected, and several countries — Germany and Poland among them — also exempt empty containers or empty vehicles returning to base. For drivers planning cross-border routes this matters in two ways: a truck stopped by a ban still consumes driving time and rest period allowances, and parking capacity near the Alpine corridor fills up several hours before the ban starts. Drivers checking whether a truck ban applies in Europe tomorrow should confirm both the start time and the road category, because the two differ by country.
The real hotspots this week are the Alpine transit routes. The Austria truck driving bans on the A12 Inntal and A13 Brenner add a Saturday 07:00–15:00 ban towards Italy and Germany on top of the general weekend rules, and the night ban 22:00–05:00 applies on the A12, A13 and A14 all week. Combined with the full-day Sunday ban in Switzerland truck driving bans and Liechtenstein truck driving bans, the north–south corridor is effectively closed to heavy goods traffic for most of the weekend. Countries such as Bulgaria, Romania and Greece appear in the list but restrict only selected routes, so their practical impact on a transit run is far smaller.
Date-by-date breakdown
Monday 20 July to Thursday 23 July
| 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 | Very limited: urgent medical supplies, military |
| Liechtenstein | 00:00–05:00; 22:00–24:00 | >3.5t | All roads (Swiss rules) | Same as Switzerland — very limited |
These four days are routine. The only restriction is the standard night ban, identical on each date. Note the Swiss threshold of >3.5t, which is far lower than the Austrian >7.5t — a 5-tonne van is free to run in Austria at night but not in Switzerland or Liechtenstein.
Friday 24 July
| Country | Time | Applies to | Roads | Exemptions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | 00:00–05:00; 22:00–24:00 | >7.5t | Motorways and expressways | Perishable goods, 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 | Very limited |
| Czech Republic | 17:00–21:00 | >7.5t (or >3.5t with trailer) | Motorways, expressways, 1st class roads | Perishable goods, live animals, fuel, post, combined transport |
| Italy | 16:00–22:00 | >7.5t | Roads outside urban areas | Perishable goods, live animals, fuel, ATP vehicles |
| Greece | 16:00–21:00; 15:00–22:00 | >3.5t | Selected national highways and toll roads | Perishable goods, fuel, essential supplies |
The Friday afternoon ban in the Czech Republic runs 17:00–21:00 during July and August on motorways and 1st class roads. In Italy the summer pre-weekend ban starts at 16:00 outside urban areas. Plan to reach a secure parking area before 16:00 if your route crosses both countries. The Greece truck driving bans affect mainly the Athens–Thessaloniki axis and the Patras corridor.
Saturday 25 July
| Country | Time | Applies to | Roads | Exemptions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | 15:00–24:00; also 07:00–15:00 on A12/A13; night 22:00–05:00 | >7.5t | Motorways and expressways | Perishable goods, live animals, combined transport |
| Germany | 07:00–20:00 | >7.5t | Selected motorways and federal roads | Fresh food, mail, empty containers, combined transport |
| France | 07:00–19:00 | >7.5t | All roads nationwide | Perishable goods, livestock, fuel, humanitarian |
| Slovakia | 07:00–19:00 | >7.5t (or >3.5t with trailer) | All roads | Perishable goods, combined transport, live animals, fuel |
| Slovenia | 06:00–16:00; 08:00–13:00 | >7.5t | Motorways and expressways | Perishable goods, live animals, ADR goods |
| Czech Republic | 07:00–13:00 | >7.5t (or >3.5t with trailer) | Motorways, expressways, 1st class roads | Perishable goods, fuel, post, combined transport |
| Hungary | 15:00–24:00 | >7.5t | All public roads | Perishable goods, live animals, transit with valid vignette |
| Croatia | 15:00–23:00 | >7.5t (or trailers >14m) | Selected main roads and motorways | Perishable goods, live animals, fuel, humanitarian |
| Italy | 08:00–16:00 | >7.5t | Roads outside urban areas | Perishable goods, live animals, fuel, ATP vehicles |
| Greece | 08:00–22:00; 08:00–16:00 | >3.5t | Selected national highways | Perishable goods, fuel |
| Poland | 18:00–22:00 | >12t | All public roads | Perishable goods, live animals, fuel, mail, empty vehicles |
| Bulgaria | 16:00–20:00 | >12t | Highways, I and II class roads | Perishable goods, live animals, military, diplomatic |
| Luxembourg | 21:30–24:00; 23:30–24:00 | >7.5t | All roads | Perishable goods, 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 | Very limited |
Saturday is the first heavy day. The German summer ban (Ferienreiseverordnung) runs 07:00–20:00 on selected motorways throughout July and August; see the Germany rules if your route uses the A3, A7 or A8. A traffic ban in Slovakia applies 07:00–19:00 on all roads. Note the Polish threshold: the Warsaw truck ban times and the national schedule use a >12t limit, so a 10-tonne rigid may run legally in Poland while an identical vehicle would be stopped in Germany or Slovakia. Bulgaria also uses >12t; every other country here uses >7.5t or lower.
Sunday 26 July
| Country | Time | Applies to | Roads | Exemptions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Switzerland | 00:00–24:00 (full day) | >3.5t | All public roads | Very limited |
| Liechtenstein | 00:00–24:00 (full day) | >3.5t | All roads | Very limited |
| Austria | 00:00–22:00; 22:00–24:00 | >7.5t | Motorways and expressways | Perishable goods, live animals, combined transport |
| Germany | 00:00–22:00 | >7.5t | Federal roads and motorways | Fresh food, mail, empty containers |
| France | 00:00–22:00 | >7.5t | All roads nationwide | Perishable goods, livestock, fuel |
| Slovakia | 00:00–22:00 | >7.5t (or >3.5t with trailer) | All roads | 00:00–06:00 general exemption for perishable goods |
| Hungary | 00:00–22:00 | >7.5t | All public roads | Perishable goods, live animals |
| Luxembourg | 00:00–21:45 | >7.5t | All roads | Perishable goods, fuel |
| Italy | 07:00–22:00 | >7.5t | Roads outside urban areas | Perishable goods, live animals, fuel, ATP vehicles |
| Poland | 08:00–22:00 | >12t | All public roads | Perishable goods, fuel, mail, empty vehicles |
| Slovenia | 08:00–22:00 | >7.5t | Motorways and expressways | Perishable goods, ADR goods |
| Czech Republic | 13:00–22:00 | >7.5t (or >3.5t with trailer) | Motorways, expressways, 1st class roads | Perishable goods, fuel, post |
| Croatia | 14:00–23:00 | >7.5t (or trailers >14m) | Selected main roads and motorways | Perishable goods, live animals, fuel |
| Romania | 06:00–22:00 | >7.5t | DN1, DN7 and selected highways | Perishable goods, ADR, TEN-T international transit |
| Greece | 16:00–23:00; 08:00–22:00; 10:00–22:00 | >3.5t | Selected national highways | Perishable goods, fuel |
Sunday is the most restrictive day of the week. Switzerland and Liechtenstein close to all vehicles above 3.5t for the full 24 hours, with almost no exemptions. France and Hungary restrict all roads, not only motorways, so no alternative route exists inside those countries. In Romania the ban is route-specific — DN1, DN7 and selected highways — and international transit on TEN-T corridors is exempt.
Country-by-country rules and penalties
Austria
Weight: >7.5t | Roads: motorways and expressways | Recurring pattern: Saturdays 15:00–24:00, Sundays and holidays 00:00–22:00, plus A12/A13 Saturday 07:00–15:00 and night ban 22:00–05:00 on A12/A13/A14 | Penalties: €150–€5,000
Exemptions: perishable goods, live animals, combined transport, vehicles in direct transit to or from rail terminals.
Germany
Weight: >7.5t | Roads: federal roads and motorways | Recurring pattern: Sundays and public holidays 00:00–22:00, plus 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 Sundays 22:00 | Penalties: €135–€750
Exemptions: perishable goods, livestock, fuel, humanitarian shipments.
Italy
Weight: >7.5t | Roads: outside urban areas | Recurring pattern: Sundays and holidays, typically 07:00–22:00 in summer | Penalties: €419–€1,682
Exemptions: perishable goods, live animals, fuel, newspapers, postal deliveries, ATP-certified vehicles.
Switzerland
Weight: >3.5t | Roads: all public roads | Recurring pattern: Sundays and holidays 00:00–24:00, night ban 22:00–05:00 daily | Penalties: CHF 100–10,000
Exemptions: very limited — urgent medical supplies and military only. Most cargo has no exemption.
Liechtenstein
Weight: >3.5t | Roads: all roads | Recurring pattern: identical to Switzerland | Penalties: CHF equivalent
Exemptions: same as Switzerland — very limited.
Czech Republic
Weight: >7.5t, or >3.5t with trailer | Roads: motorways, expressways, 1st class roads | Recurring pattern: Sundays 13:00–22:00, Fridays 17:00–21:00 in July and August | 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 and holidays 00:00–22:00 | Penalties: €150–€1,500
Exemptions: general exemption 00:00–06:00 for perishable goods and combined transport; live animals, fuel.
Slovenia
Weight: >7.5t | Roads: motorways and expressways | Recurring pattern: Sundays and holidays 08:00–21:00 | Penalties: €500–€2,000
Exemptions: perishable goods, live animals, ADR dangerous goods.
Hungary
Weight: >7.5t | Roads: all public roads | Recurring pattern: Sundays and holidays 06:00–22:00 from April to September | Penalties: HUF 30,000–300,000
Exemptions: perishable goods, live animals, transit with a valid Hungarian motorway vignette.
Poland
Weight: >12t | Roads: all public roads | Recurring pattern: Sundays and public holidays 08:00–22:00; summer additions Friday 18:00–22:00 and Saturday 08:00–14:00 | 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 over 14m | Roads: selected main roads and motorways | Recurring pattern: Sundays and public 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 and holidays, with direction-specific times on the German, French and Belgian border corridors | Penalties: €50–€500
Exemptions: perishable goods, fuel.
Bulgaria
Weight: >12t | Roads: highways and I and II class national roads | Recurring pattern: public holidays all day; day before 16:00–20:00; day after 14:00–20:00 | Penalties: BGN 500–2,000
Exemptions: perishable goods, live animals, military, diplomatic vehicles.
Romania
Weight: >7.5t | Roads: DN1, DN7 and selected highways | Recurring pattern: weekends and public holidays on selected routes; additional Friday restrictions in summer | 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 and toll roads | Recurring pattern: public holidays and holiday eves on the Athens–Thessaloniki axis and the Patras corridor | Penalties: €200–€2,000
Exemptions: perishable goods, fuel, essential supplies.
Plan your route
Check the exact start time for every country on your route before departure, not only the first one. A Saturday run from Hungary to Germany crosses three different ban regimes with three different start times, and the earliest one determines when you must stop.
Use rest areas during ban hours and arrive early. Parking on the Brenner and Inntal corridors fills up two to three hours before a Saturday ban begins, and stopping on the hard shoulder is itself a penalty offence. Verify that the enforced stop fits your legal driving time and rest period schedule before you commit to the plan.
Where possible, plan alternative routes through countries with less restrictive rules. Poland's >12t threshold and Romania's route-specific bans leave more options than Switzerland, where the Sunday ban is absolute. Also compare the cost of a detour against the toll: a longer route through Germany changes the LKW-Maut due, and fuel and toll totals for the full trip can be estimated with the trip cost calculator.
Allow buffer time near border crossings. Ban end times release a large volume of trucks at once, and queues at crossings such as those into Hungary and Croatia grow sharply after 22:00 on Sundays.
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: 20.07.2026