Traffic jam chaos threatens: Ascension Day and Father's Day bring traffic to a standstill!

Traffic jam chaos threatens: Ascension Day and Father's Day bring traffic to a standstill!

The anticipation of Ascension Day and the associated Father's Day brings with it high waves of travel on German motorways. The ADAC expects significantly increased traffic volumes, especially from Wednesday afternoon, May 26, 2025. This is happening in conjunction with the nationwide holiday on Thursday, which many will follow with an additional Friday without school, which will result in additional travelers, especially in the northern and eastern German states. Last year, the day before Ascension Day was already identified as one of the busiest days of the year.

A return journey chaos is also to be expected on Sunday, June 1st. The traffic situation could worsen into the evening hours. In addition to holiday travelers, there are also the challenges of around 1,200 construction sites throughout Germany, which further increase the risk of traffic jams. Drivers are therefore given urgent advice to plan their travel times well.

Forecasts for traffic jams on important highway sections

The ADAC forecasts for the upcoming weekend are clear. Metropolitan areas such as Hamburg, Berlin, Cologne, Frankfurt, Stuttgart and Munich are particularly hard hit. The highway sections where the most congestion is expected include:

• A1: Köln – Hamburg
• A2: Berlin – Dortmund
• A3: Köln – Nürnberg
• A6: Heilbronn – Nürnberg
• A8: Stuttgart – Salzburg
• A9: München – Berlin
• A93: Inntaldreieck – Kufstein

Ascension Day is also celebrated in Austria and Switzerland, which could increase the impact on the traffic situation on the access roads to popular excursion regions. Drivers should prepare for longer journey times.

Current traffic situation and possible delays

Current information about the traffic situation is essential for all road users. About a interactive dashboard Information on the nationwide and regional traffic situation can be accessed. In addition to the longest traffic jams, the number of construction sites and current disruptions on highways can also be found, allowing drivers to plan better.

Delays are also possible on the main connections to Poland and the Netherlands, and travelers should also expect longer waiting times at border crossings, as the federal police carry out more checks there.

Overall, pleasant travel is forecast for Friday and Saturday. Nevertheless, it is expected that the traffic situation will deteriorate significantly on Sunday, so forward planning is particularly important.