Busiest weekend of the year expected on European roads

This weekend will be one of the busiest of the year on European roads, due to returning holidaymakers and Parisians traveling south, according to the ANWB. In addition, travelers should take high temperatures into account.

It has been very busy on European holiday routes to the south since noon on Friday, the ANWB reports. This could be because many holidaymakers want to avoid Black Saturday –– the busiest travel day on European roads –– and have left earlier. Only toward the end of the afternoon on Friday did the traffic jams become shorter.

In Germany, traffic will come to a standstill this weekend due to construction work and returning Scandinavian holidaymakers. Travel is expected to slow early on Saturday on the A8 between Munich and Salzburg. The A99 near Munich is closed in both directions, and, near Hamburg, the A7 to the north is closed due to construction work.

Many Parisians will start their holidays this weekend and travel en masse to the south. On Black Saturday, France will see its biggest bottleneck on the A7 between Lyon and Orange, on the Autoroute du Soleil. The ANWB expects a delay of about three hours there, along with considerable heat. According to Weeronline, the temperature on the popular holiday route will rise to 32 degrees. It is therefore recommended to bring enough water.

The traffic service advises travelers to the south of France to drive via the A20 over Limoges and Brive. Between Tours and Bordeaux, traffic jams on the A10 should be taken into account.

In Switzerland on Saturday at the Gotthardtunnel there could also be traffic jams in both directions all day long. Travelers should take into account a delay of about two hours. In Austria, there is a delay on the popular holiday route A10 and A11 between Salzburg, Villach and the Slovenian border. The biggest bottlenecks are the Tauerntunnel and the Karawankentunnel.

Dutch Formula 1 fans who are on their way to Hungary for the Grand Prix this weekend should take into account the crowds on the A4/M1 to Budapest from Vienna. In Italy, too, the highways can become overcrowded by holidaymakers to the Mediterranean and Adriatic coasts. Travelers' patience will be tested on the A22 between Brenner and Verona.

In the Netherlands, Rijkswaterstaat will be working on the A2 near Eindhoven in the coming month. Until Aug. 22, traffic in both directions will have to travel on fewer and narrower lanes. The work could cause significant disruptions and the ANWB therefore advises against the route for cars with caravans.