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Autumn Holiday Travel Wave Puts German Roads, Rails and Airports Under Pressure

Officials urge off‑peak departures with extra time because of extensive works, rerouted trains and stepped‑up border checks.

Overview

  • After the first departures on Friday, the ADAC forecasts continued queues over the weekend on routes to the North and Baltic Seas and on the MunichSalzburg corridor.
  • Roughly 1,200 motorway work sites nationwide—more than 800 in North Rhine–Westphalia—are slowing traffic on key arteries such as the A1, A2, A3, A4 and A40, with local closures also scheduled in cities including Göttingen from 13–24 October.
  • Düsseldorf Airport expects about 1.3 million passengers between 10 and 26 October and warns of longer waits, citing additional security checks and advising online check‑in, early arrival, and use of the DUSgateway fast‑track.
  • Deutsche Bahn is routing long‑distance trains around the Dortmund–Essen corridor during holiday works, with Bochum Hauptbahnhof losing all long‑distance stops and passengers urged to reserve seats and avoid peak times.
  • The Bundespolizei reports spot border and exit controls that typically add 10–15 minutes, urging travelers to carry valid ID, keep documents ready and not attempt to bypass checkpoints, including on secondary roads and on trains.