Austria introduces new restrictions for trucks on transit routes

On 31 March this year, the Federal Ministry for Innovation, Mobility and Infrastructure published a regulation introducing a calendar of additional traffic bans for heavy goods vehicles for 2026.

The new regulations precisely define the dates and road sections covered by restrictions, which will have a significant impact on transport planning for transit operations through Austria. The bans apply to trucks and vehicle combinations with a gross vehicle weight of over 7.5 tonnes.

❌ The regulation introduces additional days and hours of restrictions on the main routes through Tyrol:

➡️ Direction Germany:
▫️ 3 April 2026 (00:00 – 22:00)
▫️ 3 October 2026 (00:00 – 15:00)
The ban applies on the A12 Inntal and A13 Brenner motorways for transport operations destined for Germany or countries accessed via Germany.

➡️ Direction Italy:
▫️ 4 April 2026 (11:00 – 15:00)
▫️ 25 April 2026 (11:00 – 15:00)
▫️ 2 June 2026 (09:00 – 22:00)
The restrictions apply on the A12 Inntal and A13 Brenner motorways for transport operations destined for Italy or countries accessed via Italy.

❌ Summer restrictions on federal roads
Additional bans will also affect tourist traffic during the summer season:
▫️ every Saturday from 4 July to 29 August 2026, from 08:00 to 15:00 outside built-up areas, in both directions
▫️ affected sections:

B178 Loferer Straße (Lofer – Wörgl)
B320 Ennstalstraße (from km 4.5)
B177 Seefelder Straße (entire section)
B179 Fernpassstraße (Nassereith – Biberwier)
B181 Achensee Straße (entire section)
B182 Brenner Straße (entire section)

❌ A4 Ost Autobahn – additional summer restrictions
▫️ every Saturday from 4 July to 5 September 2026, from 08:00 to 15:00
▫️ section Schwechat – Nickelsdorf (Hungarian border)
Local traffic to and from selected districts (including Neusiedl am See, Eisenstadt, Bruck an der Leitha) is exempt.

Exceptions:
As with standard restrictions, a wide range of exemptions has been provided. The bans do not apply to:
▫️ transport of perishable food, slaughter animals and feed,
▫️ postal and press deliveries,
▫️ deliveries to fuel stations, gastronomy and events,
▫️ rescue operations, roadside assistance and public services,
▫️ combined transport (rail–road / water–road),
▫️ selected military and humanitarian transport.

Additionally, during summer bans, the following are permitted:
▫️ empty vehicle journeys until 10:00 (return to base),
▫️ transports exempt from bans in Germany or Italy (with appropriate documentation).

The publication of the calendar of additional bans for 2026 means that transport companies will need to plan operations even more precisely, especially during holiday and vacation periods, when both standard bans and additional restrictions introduced by the new regulation accumulate.