Start of the holidays in North Rhine-Westphalia: traffic jam chaos on roads and rails expected!

Start of the holidays in North Rhine-Westphalia: traffic jam chaos on roads and rails expected!

Today, on July 11, 2025, around 2.5 million students in North Rhine-Westphalia started their well-deserved summer vacation. Many families use this opportunity to dive into holiday planning immediately after school ends or on the first holiday weekend. But be careful: a high volume of traffic is expected on roads, rails and in the air. The ADAC recommends starting your journey on a Monday or Tuesday if possible to avoid traffic jams. Especially on Friday afternoons, you can expect a lot of crowds on the main routes towards the coast, as the streets are particularly busy.

The forecasts clearly show that the motorways in the greater Cologne/Bonn area and the Ruhr area are among the traffic jam hotspots. According to that ADAC NRW is expected to face the greatest risk of traffic jams next Friday. Last year, this day was the busiest with a total of 538 hours of traffic. Holidaymakers should therefore best leave their car parked between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. and on Wednesday and Thursday mornings and afternoons if they can.

Traffic jam forecasts and construction sites

The traffic volume is also burdened by 650 to 700 construction sites spread across North Rhine-Westphalia. Drivers must expect delays, particularly on the A1, A2, A3, A40 and A61 motorways. In order to equalize travel traffic, trucks over 7.5 tons are prohibited from driving from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturdays from July 1st to August 31st. The alternative strategies are often not successful, as alternative country roads also quickly become overloaded. The ADAC therefore recommends a forward-looking travel plan.

However, the weekend promises to be busy with traffic, not only thanks to the start of the holidays in North Rhine-Westphalia, but also due to the second wave of travel that is starting from other federal states such as Bremen, Hesse and Lower Saxony. And as if that wasn't enough, many travelers from Northern Europe will also be heading to the south of Germany. This means that day-trippers and last-minute travelers also pose an additional risk of traffic jams, which often occur at popular excursion destinations.

Train station and airport

Deutsche Bahn also expects an increase in travelers at the start of the holidays and recommends flexible travel times to secure the best seats. It's worth checking online to see when the trains are least crowded. If you're not on the go, you could also go in the evening or morning. The booking system for time slots at the security checkpoints at the airports in Düsseldorf and Cologne should also be used to make the trip pleasant and stress-free. These two airports expect more than 5 million passengers during the summer holidays.

For families with children, the ADAC remembers to take enough drinks with them and plan regular breaks. Especially on such busy days, it is important to prepare well to make the trip pleasant. And don't forget: Waiting times at the borders are likely due to increased entry controls, especially on the highways to our neighboring countries such as Austria and Switzerland.

All in all, it means: plan well, be patient and always keep a cool head! Summer is just around the corner and many people want to enjoy it, even if there are a few hurdles along the way.