Major European highways are bracing for one of the busiest travel weekends of the summer as school holidays begin simultaneously across the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, and Britain. The ANWB and ADAC both warned of severe delays from Friday afternoon through Saturday morning on at least 41 German motorways alone, with bottlenecks expected around Frankfurt, Munich, and routes heading south. Belgium's Touring mobility club issued a red alert for Saturday departures toward France, Italy, Austria, and Switzerland.
Congestion is forecast along corridors leading to the Mediterranean, the Alps, and coastal destinations in Croatia and France. In Austria, exit bans are in place along the A12 in Tyrol to keep local roads clear, while the Brenner Pass and Tauern motorway remain key chokepoints. France's A6 near Fontainebleau, recently closed by wildfires, has reopened, though the VAB cautioned drivers about severe thunderstorm risks in alpine areas.
Border controls at several German crossings are expected to add further delays, the ADAC said.