Week 35: three restricted days, sixteen countries, one critical corridor
Sixteen European countries apply truck driving bans between 24 and 30 August 2026. Only three days carry exceptional restrictions: Friday 28 August, Saturday 29 August and Sunday 30 August. Monday to Thursday bring no full-day bans at all — Austria, Switzerland and Liechtenstein apply only their routine nightly ban from 22:00 to 05:00, which runs every night of the year and should not be planned for as an exceptional closure. Full details for every date are available in the truck driving bans calendar in Europe 2026.
All restrictions listed here apply to goods vehicles (HGV/TIR) only. Passenger cars, coaches and buses are not affected, and several countries — including Germany and Poland — also exempt empty containers or empty vehicles returning to base. The countries are not equally affected. The real hotspot this week is the Alpine transit corridor: the Austrian A12 Inntal and A13 Brenner carry an additional Saturday ban from 07:00 to 15:00 towards Italy and Germany, on top of the standard weekend closure. Drivers running the Brenner axis, the Slovak and Czech transit routes, or the Polish east-west corridor should build the ban windows into the route plan before departure, not after arrival at the border.
Date-by-date breakdown
Monday 24 August
| 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: urgent medical supplies, military |
| Liechtenstein | 00:00–05:00; 22:00–24:00 | >3.5t | All roads | Same as Switzerland |
No daytime restrictions. Austria truck driving bans apply here only as the standard night ban on the A12, A13 and A14. Switzerland truck driving bans start at a lower threshold of >3.5t, so vans with trailers are also covered.
Tuesday 25 August
| 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 | Urgent medical supplies, military |
| Liechtenstein | 00:00–05:00; 22:00–24:00 | >3.5t | All roads | Same as Switzerland |
A routine night only. Transit through Liechtenstein truck driving bans follows the Swiss regime without exception, so no separate check is needed for that leg.
Wednesday 26 August
| 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 | Urgent medical supplies, military |
| Liechtenstein | 00:00–05:00; 22:00–24:00 | >3.5t | All roads | Same as Switzerland |
The best day of the week for long Alpine legs. Use the free daytime window to build distance before Friday, and check your remaining driving time with the EU tachograph calculator so the required rest period does not fall inside a ban window.
Thursday 27 August
| 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 | Urgent medical supplies, military |
| Liechtenstein | 00:00–05:00; 22:00–24:00 | >3.5t | All roads | Same as Switzerland |
Last unrestricted day before the weekend closures begin.
Friday 28 August
| Country | Time | Applies to | Roads | Exemptions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Czech Republic | 17:00–21:00 | >7.5t (or >3.5t with trailer) | Motorways, expressways, 1st class roads | Perishable goods, live animals, fuel, combined transport |
| Greece | 16:00–21:00; 15:00–22:00 | >3.5t | Selected national highways and toll roads | Perishable goods, fuel, essential supplies |
| 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 | Urgent medical supplies, military |
| Liechtenstein | 00:00–05:00; 22:00–24:00 | >3.5t | All roads | Same as Switzerland |
The Czech afternoon window is the July–August summer rule and closes the D1, D5 and D8 corridors during peak departure hours. In the Czech Republic the threshold drops to >3.5t as soon as a trailer is attached. On selected routes in Greece truck driving bans the window runs until 22:00, mainly on the Athens–Thessaloniki axis and the Patras corridor.
Saturday 29 August
Saturday is the heaviest day of the week. It is also the anniversary of the Slovak National Uprising, a public holiday that triggers a full-day ban in Slovakia. First mentions of the affected public holidays are listed in the holiday calendar.
| Country | Time | Applies to | Roads | Exemptions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slovakia | 00:00–22:00 | >7.5t (or >3.5t with trailer) | All roads | 00:00–06:00 general exemption; perishables, live animals, fuel |
| Austria | 15:00–24:00; A12/A13 07:00–15:00; night 22:00–05:00 | >7.5t | Motorways and expressways | Perishable goods, live animals, combined transport |
| Germany | 07:00–20:00 | >7.5t | Federal roads and motorways | Fresh food, mail, empty containers, combined transport |
| Italy | 08:00–16:00 | >7.5t | Roads outside urban areas | Perishables, live animals, fuel, ATP certificate |
| 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 | Perishables, live animals, fuel, humanitarian transport |
| Slovenia | 06:00–16:00; 08:00–13:00 | >7.5t | Motorways and expressways | Perishables, live animals, ADR dangerous goods |
| Czech Republic | 07:00–13:00 | >7.5t (or >3.5t with trailer) | Motorways, expressways, 1st class roads | Perishables, live animals, fuel, combined transport |
| Poland | 18:00–22:00 | >12t | All public roads | Perishables, live animals, fuel, mail, empty vehicles |
| Bulgaria | 16:00–20:00 | >12t | Highways, I and II class national roads | Perishables, live animals, military, diplomatic |
| Greece | 08:00–16:00; 08:00–22:00 | >3.5t | Selected national highways and toll roads | Perishables, fuel, essential supplies |
| France | 22:00–24:00 | >7.5t | All roads nationwide | Perishables, livestock, fuel, humanitarian |
| 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 | Urgent medical supplies, military |
| Liechtenstein | 00:00–05:00; 22:00–24:00 | >3.5t | All roads | Same as Switzerland |
Three restrictions decide the day. Slovakia closes for 22 hours on all roads. Germany applies the summer holiday rule (Ferienreiseverordnung) from 07:00 to 20:00 on selected motorways — plan the toll cost of any diversion with the German LKW-Maut calculator. On the Brenner axis the Austrian A12 and A13 are closed from 07:00 to 15:00 towards Italy and Germany, then again nationwide from 15:00, leaving almost no usable window. A poland traffic ban also starts at 18:00, but only above 12 tonnes.
Sunday 30 August
| Country | Time | Applies to | Roads | Exemptions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Switzerland | 00:00–24:00 | >3.5t | All public roads | Urgent medical supplies, military only |
| Liechtenstein | 00:00–24:00 | >3.5t | All roads | Same as Switzerland |
| Austria | 00:00–22:00; 22:00–24:00 | >7.5t | Motorways and expressways | Perishables, 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 | Perishables, livestock, fuel, humanitarian |
| Hungary | 00:00–22:00 | >7.5t | All public roads | Perishables, live animals, valid vignette transit |
| Slovakia | 00:00–22:00 | >7.5t (or >3.5t with trailer) | All roads | 00:00–06:00 exemption; perishables, fuel |
| Italy | 07:00–22:00 | >7.5t | Roads outside urban areas | Perishables, live animals, fuel, ATP certificate |
| Poland | 08:00–22:00 | >12t | All public roads | Perishables, live animals, fuel, empty vehicles |
| Slovenia | 08:00–22:00 | >7.5t | Motorways and expressways | Perishables, live animals, ADR |
| Czech Republic | 13:00–22:00 | >7.5t (or >3.5t with trailer) | Motorways, expressways, 1st class roads | Perishables, fuel, combined transport |
| Croatia | 14:00–23:00 | >7.5t (or trailers >14m) | Selected main roads and motorways | Perishables, live animals, fuel |
| Romania | 06:00–22:00 | >7.5t | DN1, DN7 and selected highways | Perishables, ADR, TEN-T international transit |
| Greece | 08:00–22:00; 10:00–22:00; 16:00–23:00 | >3.5t | Selected national highways and toll roads | Perishables, fuel, essential supplies |
| Luxembourg | 00:00–21:45 | >7.5t | All roads | Perishable goods, fuel |
Switzerland and Liechtenstein close for the full 24 hours with almost no exemptions — most cargo simply cannot move. The Austrian, German, French, Hungarian and Slovak bans all lift at 22:00, which creates a heavy departure peak on the A4, D1 and A2 corridors. In Romania the restriction is route-specific: DN1 and DN7 are closed, while international transit on TEN-T corridors remains exempt. The current truck restrictions in Hungary run under the April–September summer rule.
Country-by-country rules and penalties
Austria
Weight: >7.5t | Roads: motorways and expressways | Pattern: Saturdays 15:00–24:00, Sundays and holidays 00:00–22:00; A12 Inntal and A13 Brenner add Saturday 07:00–15:00 towards IT/DE, 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 | Pattern: Sundays and public holidays 00:00–22:00; summer rule July–August, Saturdays 07:00–20:00 on selected motorways | Penalties: €75–€525
Exemptions: fresh food, mail, empty containers returning to base, combined transport.
Switzerland and Liechtenstein
Weight: >3.5t | Roads: all public roads | Pattern: Sundays and holidays 00:00–24:00, plus a daily night ban 22:00–05:00 | Penalties: CHF 100–10,000
Exemptions: very limited — urgent medical supplies and military transport only. Liechtenstein follows the Swiss regime in full.
France
Weight: >7.5t | Roads: all roads nationwide | Pattern: Saturdays 22:00 to Sunday 22:00, every weekend; 22:00–24:00 before each public holiday | Penalties: €135–€750
Exemptions: perishable goods, livestock, fuel, humanitarian shipments.
Italy
Weight: >7.5t | Roads: all roads outside urban areas | Pattern: Sundays and holidays, typically 07:00–22:00 in summer | Penalties: €419–€1,682
Exemptions: perishable goods, live animals, fuel, newspapers, postal deliveries, vehicles with an ATP certificate.
Poland
Weight: >12t | Roads: all public roads | Pattern: Sundays and holidays 08:00–22:00, pre-holiday Saturday 18:00–22:00, summer Friday 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. Note the threshold difference: Poland and Bulgaria restrict only vehicles above 12 tonnes, so a 10-tonne truck may drive legally there while the same vehicle is banned in Germany or Austria at >7.5t, and in Switzerland already at >3.5t. Always check the threshold, not only the time window.
Czech Republic and Slovakia
Weight: >7.5t, or >3.5t with a trailer | Roads: CZ motorways, expressways and 1st class roads; SK all roads | Pattern: CZ Sundays and holidays 13:00–22:00 plus summer Fridays 17:00–21:00; SK Sundays and holidays 00:00–22:00 | Penalties: CZK 5,000–100,000 and €150–€1,500
Exemptions: perishable goods, live animals, fuel, postal deliveries, combined transport; Slovakia adds a general exemption from 00:00 to 06:00.
Hungary, Slovenia and Croatia
Weight: >7.5t (Croatia also trailers over 14 m) | Roads: HU all public roads, SI motorways and expressways, HR selected main roads | Pattern: Sunday and holiday bans, 06:00–22:00, 08:00–21:00 and 14:00–23:00 respectively | Penalties: HUF 30,000–300,000, €500–€2,000, HRK 3,000–15,000
Exemptions: perishable goods, live animals, ADR dangerous goods in Slovenia, fuel and humanitarian transport in Croatia; Hungary also exempts transit vehicles holding a valid motorway vignette.
Bulgaria, Romania, Greece and Luxembourg
Weight: BG >12t, RO >7.5t, GR >3.5t, LU >7.5t | Roads: BG highways and I/II class roads, RO DN1, DN7 and selected highways, GR selected national and toll roads, LU all roads with direction-specific windows towards DE, FR and BE | Penalties: BGN 500–2,000, RON 3,000–9,000, €200–€2,000, €50–€500
Exemptions: perishable goods and fuel in all four; Bulgaria adds military and diplomatic vehicles, Romania adds ADR loads and TEN-T international transit.
Plan your route
Check the exact start time for each country on your route before departure, not at the border. A ban that lifts at 22:00 in Austria still leaves the 22:00–05:00 night ban in force on the A12 and A13, so the road does not reopen for Alpine transit.
Book a parking space in advance for Saturday afternoon and Sunday. Rest areas along the A4, D1, A2 and the Brenner approach fill up several hours before the ban starts. Use the mandatory stop as a full rest period so the vehicle is legally ready to move the moment the ban ends.
Consider alternative routing through countries with a higher threshold. A vehicle between 7.5 and 12 tonnes can keep moving through Poland and Bulgaria on Sunday while it is stopped in Germany, Austria or Hungary. Compare the extra distance against the delay using the trip cost calculator before committing to a diversion, because additional tolls and fuel can outweigh the saved hours.
Allow buffer time near border crossings. Queues build up in the two hours before a ban starts and again immediately after it ends, and any national traffic ban can be extended at short notice by local authorities.
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: 24.08.2026