Germany: HGV driving bans on 31.10 and 1.11

We have received a number of inquiries regarding HGV driving bans on these days.

Here is a summary of all necessary information.

❌ October 31 (Reformation Day) is a public holiday in:
– Brandenburg,
– Bremen,
– Hamburg,
– Mecklenburg-Vorpommern,
– Lower Saxony,
– Saxony,
– Saxony – Anhalt,
– Schleswig-Holstein,
– Thuringia.
The holiday driving ban is in effect from 00:00 to 10:00 PM (in Lower Saxony from 06:00 to 10:00 PM – see information below);

❌ November 1 (All Saints Day) is a public holiday in:
– Baden-Württemberg,
– Bavaria,
– North Rhine-Westphalia,
– Rhineland-Palatinate,
– Saar.
The ban is in effect from 00:00 to 10:00 PM (in North Rhine-Westphalia from 06:00 to 10:00 PM – see information below).

Exceptions in Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia

There are special regulations that apply on Reformation Day and All Saints Day in the states of Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia in the years 2020-2025 . Reformation Day (October 31) is a public holiday in Lower Saxony, while All Saints Day (November 1) is a public holiday in North Rhine-Westphalia. To make sure that lorry drivers traveling through Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia are not banned from driving for 2 days in a row, the hours when the ban is in effect have been changed. On both holidays, the ban will last from 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM. In addition, both federal states allow lorries to use the main transit routes along A 1, A 2, A 30, A 31 and A 33 during a public holiday when the ban is in effect.

A list of motorway sections where HGV traffic is allowed between 6:00 AM and 10:00 PM on public holidays in Lower Saxony or North Rhine Westphalia:
➡️ A1 – from the Lotte/Osnabrück junction to the border of North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony near the Osnabrück-Nord junction and in the opposite direction.
➡️ A2 – From the Bad Oeynhausen junction to the border between Lower Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt and in the opposite direction.
➡️ A 30 – from the Bad Bentheim border crossing to the Bad Oeynhausen intersection with the A2 motorway and in the opposite direction.
➡️ A31 – from the Schüttorf motorway junction to the border between Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia and in the opposite direction.
➡️ A33 – from the Osnabrück-Süd motorway junction to the Dissen-Süd junction and in the opposite direction.

Transit traffic to and from the federal state of Berlin on Reformation Day (31.10)

The state of Berlin, in agreement with the states of Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia, has suspended the driving ban (with the possibility of cancellation at any time) on October 31 on the following federal motorways: A 2, A 20, A 24 , A 4, A 9, A 10, A 11, A 12, A 13, A 14, A 15, A 17, A 19, A 38, A 71, A 72, A 73, A 111, A 113, A 114, A 115, A 117, A 143 in the above-mentioned federal states, for lorries traveling from Berlin (point of departure) or to Berlin (point of destination).

Lorries are not allowed to leave the motorway in the federal states where there is a holiday driving ban on Reformation Day, except for situations when a motorway is completely closed following an accident or owing to construction work. In such cases, drivers are allowed to use a signed diversion route. If no diversion has been indicated, the shortest route to the nearest motorway entrance should be used. Lorries are also allowed to leave the motrway if they need to be towed but they should be parked in the nearest suitable place.