Ascension Day: This is how you survive the traffic jam hell on Germany's roads!

Ascension Day: This is how you survive the traffic jam hell on Germany's roads!

Ascension Day approaches on May 28, 2025, and traffic experts warn of significant disruptions on the motorways in Germany. The rush of many travelers on short trips will cause traffic jams from Wednesday afternoon. The north and the Berlin area are particularly hard hit. The WDR traffic service emphasizes that the main traffic arteries such as the A1, A2 and A7, especially the A7 between Hamburg and Hanover, will cause problems.

The first disruptions are expected from around 1pm, with peaks between 3pm and 7pm. There is a risk of a “wave of traffic jams” in the capital region, which will put a lot of strain on city highways and arterial roads. At the weekend, return traffic from Sunday afternoon will also cause further bottlenecks. Travel experts advise drivers to plan their journeys early in the morning or late in the evening and to regularly check current traffic reports to plan alternative routes and access traffic apps such as vienna.at reports.

Traffic forecasts and causes of traffic jams

According to the ADAC, there will be a high risk of traffic jams on the Ascension weekend, especially on Wednesday between 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. The heavy travel and excursion traffic as well as around 1,200 construction sites increase the likelihood of traffic jams. There are usually more vehicles in the left and middle lanes than in the right lane, where trucks often drive. This can further aggravate the situation, as spiegel.de explains.

The main causes of traffic jams include metropolitan area highways, travel routes to the Alps and the sea as well as access roads to local recreation areas. Traffic conditions are expected to be quieter on Friday and Saturday, but the return wave on Sunday afternoon will peak by the evening.

Important road information

A look at the current construction sites and full closures shows the following information:

• A40: Essen Richtung Duisburg, 28. Mai, 21 Uhr bis 3. Juni, 5 Uhr.
• A42: Kamp-Lintfort – Dortmund, 30. Mai, 21 Uhr bis 2. Juni, 5 Uhr.
• A67: Mannheim Richtung Mönchhof-Dreieck, 31. Mai, 21 Uhr bis 2. Juni, 5 Uhr.
• A45: Hagen – Gießen, bis auf Weiteres gesperrt.

Construction sites and traffic information are already signposted, while random border controls have been carried out at the German borders since the beginning of May, which can lead to waiting times at certain crossings, as adac.de reports. In addition, attention is drawn to the need to create an emergency lane when traffic is at a standstill. Non-compliance can result in high fines of up to 320 euros.

As an additional alternative to escape the traffic jams, the train can also be considered, but travelers must also expect full trains here. By planning correctly and paying attention to traffic information, the travel chaos on the Ascension weekend can hopefully be avoided to some extent.