To help carriers adjust schedules and avoid restricted corridors, the Federal Association for Road Haulage, Logistics and Disposal (BGL) has published its updated diversion-route map. The map can be used in the Autobahn GmbH app and is also available to download from the BGL and the Federal Office for Logistics and Mobility (BALM) websites.
The aim of the holiday driving ban is to reduce pressure on the busiest leisure routes during the summer travel season. In 2026, the restriction applies on Saturdays from 4 July to 29 August, between 07:00 and 20:00, on the motorway and federal road sections listed in the Holiday Travel Ordinance.
For transport operators, this means factoring the ban into dispatch planning early and rerouting affected trips where necessary. BGL’s annually updated diversion map highlights the road sections covered by the restriction and suggests alternative routes for planning during peak holiday traffic.
“With the free digital diversion-route map, we want to help make day-to-day work easier for truck drivers again this year — including those who are on the road on Saturdays to keep consumers and the economy supplied,” said BGL executive board spokesperson Prof. Dr. Dirk Engelhardt.
Which vehicles are covered
The holiday driving ban applies to:
- trucks with a permissible gross weight of more than 7.5 tonnes,
- trucks with trailers — regardless of permissible gross weight — and
- articulated vehicles used for freight transport where the permissible gross weight of the vehicle combination is more than 7.5 tonnes.
What matters is not the label in the registration documents, but the vehicle’s actual design and how it is used as a goods vehicle.
The ban does not apply to:
- tractor units travelling without a semi-trailer,
- tractor units with an auxiliary loading area where payload is no more than 40% of permissible gross weight,
- self-propelled work machines such as excavators or combine harvesters, and
- vehicles carrying items that are part of their own equipment, for example exhibition or film vehicles.
Which transports are exempt
Not every freight movement is affected. Key exemptions apply in particular to the transport of perishable goods, including:
- fresh milk and fresh dairy products,
- fresh meat and fresh meat products,
- fresh fish, live fish and fresh fish products,
- perishable fruit and vegetables,
- transport of live bees,
- animal by-products in categories 1 and 2 under EU law, and
- urgent recovery, towing and roadside assistance operations.
Empty runs directly connected to these transports are also exempt. The same applies to certain combined-transport moves — both road-to-rail and road-to-port. Permitted are pre- and onward carriage to the nearest suitable rail terminal for loading or unloading, as well as trips to or from a port within a radius of up to 150 kilometres.
Special permits are granted only case by case
If a transport does not fall under the statutory exemptions, a special permit from the responsible local road traffic authority is required. According to BGL, approvals continue to be handled restrictively. Companies should therefore check early whether a movement qualifies for an exemption or whether an application is needed.
Routes most affected
The holiday driving ban covers many high-traffic long-distance corridors. These include, among others, the motorways A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, A6, A7, A8, A9, A10, A45, A61, A67, A81, A92, A93, A99 as well as A113, A115, A831, A980 and A995. In addition, sections of the federal highways B31 and B96 are included. For the full list of affected sections and recommended alternatives, see the current BGL diversion-route map.
Digital routing support for dispatch and drivers
In recent years, the diversion-route map has become a practical tool for planners and drivers alike. It brings together the sections affected by the holiday bans and points to alternative routes. The map is available in the Autobahn GmbH app for smartphones and tablets, and can also be downloaded from the BGL and BALM websites.
Dr. Michael Güntner, chairman of the management board of Autobahn GmbH, said:
“Our goal is to consistently align digital services with the needs of road users. By integrating the diversion-route map into the Autobahn app, we provide professional drivers with easily accessible support for route planning during the holiday period.”
BALM president Christian Hoffmann also highlighted the day-to-day value of the tool:
“Complying with the Holiday Travel Ordinance requires extra attention from truck drivers, especially in the summer months. It is all the more welcome that the digital diversion-route map will again be available in 2026 as a practical tool that supports and simplifies compliance with the rules.”
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