Traffic jams, delays and checks at border with Germany due to European Championship

Rijkswaterstaat warns drivers on their way to Germany of additional traffic jams and delays due to border controls. Germany has reintroduced border controls because of the European Championships. Many Dutch people are on their way to Hamburg on Saturday, where the Dutch will play their first European Championship match against Poland on Sunday.

On the A1 near Bad Bentheim, the controls are causing a slight delay at the border. There are also delays of 30 minutes on the A12 and A76, the ANWB said.

"Since June 7, we have already carried out additional checks at the border, but these were mobile checks," said a spokesman for the German police. "From Saturday, we will also carry out these fixed checks." Traffic entering Germany via the A1 freeway will be diverted from the road to a parking lot near Bad Bentheim. There, the cars are selected for inspection by German officers, supported by the Dutch Marechaussee.

Most drivers have set off early. Some decorated their cars with an orange flag on the hood. In addition, a vuvuzela can be heard from time to time. A coach from Volendam was allowed to drive on after a brief inspection. A van with a group of men from Ewijk was also allowed to drive on after a brief check. Some are checked in the trunk, and others are allowed back on the road after a brief questioning and a look at their passports.

The spokesperson said the check at Bad Bentheim just before noon had not yielded much. However, one person was arrested. "But that had nothing to do with football," according to the spokesperson. 50 flares were also confiscated. Otherwise, the people checked did not cause any problems, the spokesperson informed. "The atmosphere is good, and the Dutch are, of course, also decent people," he said.