With the start of the summer holidays in several German federal states, travel traffic on the transit routes in Austria towards the south will reach its peak. ÖAMTC and ARBO warn of massive traffic jams and delays, especially this coming weekend. Travelers from almost all German federal states, as well as from the Netherlands, Belgium, and Scandinavia, will place additional strain on Austria's main connections.
Alfred Obermayr, traffic expert at the ÖAMTC, advises travelers who have flexible travel times to avoid Saturdays. Those who don't have this option should either leave very early or late in the afternoon to avoid the heaviest traffic. The most affected routes include West Autobahn (A1) in the greater Salzburg area, the Pyhrn motorway (A9) with its tunnel areas and border crossings, the Tauern Autobahn (A10) in the Salzburg area and in front of the tunnels, the Karawanks Motorway (A11) in front of the tunnel and the Brenner motorway (A13) throughout its entire course. Fernpassstraße (B179) in Tyrol and the motorways in neighbouring countries, such as the Große Deutsche Eck and the South Tyrolean Brenner motorway, will be heavily used.
To support those suffering from traffic jams, the ÖAMTC will be offering its traffic jam advisor Florian Thaler on Saturday on the Tauern Autobahn (A10) between Walserberg and St. Michael im Lungau. It can provide on-site assistance in the event of minor breakdowns to avoid longer traffic jams. Both automobile clubs also urgently remind the public of the formation of Rescue alley, as accidents often occur in heavy traffic and free access for emergency services can save lives.
In addition to the general holiday travel traffic, two major events will take place next Saturday, July 26, in St. Pölten cause further traffic disruptions. In the NV Arena St. Pölten finds the “Austrian Bowl XL“, the final of the American Football League, will take place, with thousands of spectators expected. Parallel to this, Ratzersdorf Lake that "Summer Blues Festival“, which is also expected to attract a four-digit number of visitors. Thomas Haider, traffic expert of the ARBÖ, warns of traffic jams and delays on the access roads and the West Autobahn (A1) in the St. Pölten area. He recommends using public transport such as trains and buses to get to these events.