With the start of the summer holidays in the populous German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and in the central regions of the Netherlands, the Austrian road network is facing a weekend with considerable travel traffic.
The operator Asfinag anticipates congestion on the main north-south routes and the east-west axis towards Hungary starting Friday afternoon. Construction zones, toll plazas, and border crossings are expected to be the primary areas of traffic jams, with delays of several hours possible.
Among the most affected bottlenecks are the tunnel construction site on the Pack Pass on the Southern Motorway (A2), the St. Michael toll plaza on the Tauern Motorway (A10), and the Karawanken Tunnel on the Karawanken Motorway (A11). Delays are also expected before the Lueg Bridge on the Inntal Motorway (A12) and in the greater Vienna area. Due to roadworks on the Slovenian side, traffic jams are also expected at the Spielfeld border crossing. On the Eastern Motorway (A4), roadworks in the Simmeringer Haide area are causing traffic disruptions, although access to Vienna Airport remains guaranteed, according to the operator. Additionally, overnight full closures on the Western Motorway (A1) and the Southern Motorway (A2) due to urgent repairs are complicating route planning.
To prevent traffic from diverting through the surrounding communities, strict exit closures for through traffic are in effect on the Tauern Autobahn (A10) in the state of Salzburg until September 13. Drivers without a specific destination in the region are prohibited from leaving the motorway at numerous interchanges, including Hallein, Golling, and Flachau. Law enforcement will be monitoring compliance with these regulations. Industry observers point out that these regional closures could further increase pressure on the main roads and exacerbate traffic congestion on transit routes.
In addition to construction-related bottlenecks, the ongoing border controls for entry into Austria from Hungary, Slovenia, and Slovakia are also causing delays. Travelers leaving for Germany should also expect delays at the Walserberg, Kufstein, and Suben checkpoints. Traffic psychologists strongly advise shifting travel times to the early morning or late evening hours whenever possible and checking current waiting times in advance via digital information systems.