In short: Under Germany's holiday travel ordinance (Ferienreiseverordnung), trucks over 7.5 t GVW and trucks with trailers may not run between 07:00 and 20:00 on any Saturday from 1 July to 31 August. The ban covers commercial goods transport, including empty runs, on 20 listed motorway sections and 2 federal roads, in both directions. In 2027 it applies on nine Saturdays, from 3 July to 28 August.
Who is affected?
| Item | Rule (§ 1(1) FerReiseV) |
|---|---|
| Vehicles | Trucks with GVW over 7.5 t and trucks with a trailer |
| Type of transport | Commercial or paid goods transport, including related empty runs |
| Period | Every Saturday from 1 July to 31 August inclusive |
| Hours | 07:00 to 20:00 |
| Scope | Listed motorway sections (para. 2) and federal roads (para. 3), both directions |
Vans up to 3.5 t without a trailer are not covered. The ordinance dates from 1985 and was last amended by a regulation of 23 June 2025 (BGBl. I No. 149).
2027 dates
| Month | Saturdays with ban (07:00–20:00) |
|---|---|
| July 2027 | 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 |
| August 2027 | 7, 14, 21, 28 |
The restricted sections
Motorways (§ 1(2)):
| Motorway | Section |
|---|---|
| A 1 | Erfttal junction – Leverkusen-West – Wuppertal – Kamener Kreuz – Münster – Lotte/Osnabrück interchange |
| A 2 | Oberhausen interchange – Bad Oeynhausen interchange |
| A 3 | Oberhausen – Köln-Ost interchange; Mönchhof junction – Frankfurter Kreuz – Nürnberg interchange |
| A 4 | Kirchheim junction – Thuringia state border near Herleshausen |
| A 5 | Hattenbach junction – Bad Homburg interchange; Darmstadt interchange – Karlsruhe-Süd exit; Offenburg exit – Neuenburg junction |
| A 6 | Schwetzingen-Hockenheim exit – Nürnberg-Süd interchange |
| A 7 | Schleswig/Jagel exit – Bordesholm junction; Soltau-Süd exit – Hannover-Ost interchange; Schweinfurt/Werneck junction – Biebelried – Ulm/Elchingen – Allgäu junction – Füssen border |
| A 8 | Karlsruhe junction – München-Obermenzing exit; München-Ramersdorf exit – Bad Reichenhall exit |
| A 9/E 51 | Berlin ring (Potsdam junction) – München-Schwabing exit |
| A 10 | Berlin ring, Werder junction – Potsdam-Nord – Berlin-Spandau exit |
| A 45 | Dortmund-Süd exit – Westhofen – Gambach – Seligenstadt junction |
| A 61 | Meckenheim interchange – Koblenz interchange – Hockenheim junction |
| A 67 | Darmstadt interchange – Viernheim junction |
| A 81 | Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen exit – Gärtringen exit |
| A 92 | München-Feldmoching junction – Oberschleißheim exit; Neufahrn interchange – Erding exit |
| A 93 | Inntal junction – Reischenhart exit |
| A 99 | Munich ring: München Süd-West – München-West – Allach – Feldmoching – München-Nord – München-Ost – München-Süd, plus München/Eschenried junction |
| A 831 | Stuttgart-Vaihingen exit – Stuttgart interchange |
| A 980 | Allgäu interchange – Waltenhofen exit |
| A 995 | Sauerlach exit – München-Süd interchange |
Federal roads (§ 1(3)): B 31 from the Stockach-Ost exit (A 98) to the Sigmarszell exit (A 96), and B 96/E 251 from the Berlin state border to the B 104 in Neubrandenburg.
Sources differ: The German hauliers' association BGL lists two more sections in its 2026 info sheet: the A 113 (Schönefeld interchange – Neukölln junction, towards Hamburg) and the A 115 (Zehlendorf interchange – Funkturm junction). They do not appear in the version of the ordinance we checked, which is the text after the 23 June 2025 amendment. The official text on gesetze-im-internet.de is binding.
Exemptions
Exempt transport (§ 3):
- combined rail–road transport between the shipper and the nearest loading station, or between the unloading station and the consignee
- combined port–road transport to or from a port within 150 km
- fresh milk and dairy products, fresh meat and meat products, fresh and live fish, perishable fruit and vegetables
- animal by-products of categories 1 and 2 under Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009
- urgent recovery, towing and breakdown vehicles
- live bees, plus empty runs linked to these journeys
Consignment or accompanying documents must be carried. Exempt vehicles (§ 2) include police, road maintenance services, fire and civil protection services, the Bundeswehr and NATO forces.
Individual permits (§ 4): Road traffic authorities may grant an exemption in urgent cases if no other mode of transport is possible. The authority at the loading point or at the company's seat is responsible. For loads picked up abroad, the authority at the border crossing is responsible. The written permit must be carried. Breaches are administrative offences under § 24 StVG (§ 5).
Worked example: Saturday ban plus Sunday ban
A 40 t artic is due to run on the A 8 from Karlsruhe towards Munich on Saturday 3 July 2027. It reaches the restricted section at 09:00.
- Saturday 07:00–20:00: the section is closed, so the truck waits 11 hours from 09:00
- Saturday 20:00–24:00: driving allowed (4 hours)
- Sunday 00:00–22:00: the general Sunday ban under § 30 StVO applies, now on all roads
Between Saturday 07:00 and Sunday 22:00 (39 hours), only 4 hours of driving are possible on that section. If the truck cannot clear the section by 07:00 on Saturday, plan a route off the listed sections or move the departure.
FAQ
Does the summer Saturday ban apply to vans?
No, as long as they have no trailer and a GVW of 7.5 t or less. Trucks with trailers are covered under § 1.
Does the Saturday ban apply on all German motorways?
No. It applies only to the sections listed in § 1(2) and (3). Trucks may run on Saturdays on all other roads.
When does the Ferienreiseverordnung apply in 2027?
Every Saturday from 1 July to 31 August 2027, from 07:00 to 20:00. That is 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31 July and 7, 14, 21 and 28 August.
Are reefer loads exempt?
Only specific fresh goods are: milk, meat, fish and perishable fruit and vegetables. Having a reefer trailer is not enough on its own.
Keep trip costs in view
You need to build the ban hours into your plan yourself. Logist Calculator works out tolls and diesel for vans, 7.5 t trucks and 40 t artics. Calculate your route. More on tolls: Germany truck toll 2026. For Sundays and holidays: truck bans on public holidays 2026/2027.
This article is not legal advice.
Sources
- FerReiseV 1985, overview (text reproduced on gesetze.legal)
- § 1 FerReiseV, § 2, § 3, § 4, § 5
- BALM: Truck driving bans
- BGL: Ferienreiseverordnung info sheet 2026 (PDF)
- § 30 StVO (text reproduced on lxgesetze.de)
Last updated: October 2026. Check the section list against the official text of the ordinance before dispatching.