Summer Truck Driving Bans 2026 in Austria, France and Slovakia

Summer truck driving bans are in force in many European countries and can significantly affect route planning, delivery schedules and drivers' working time. During the summer season, particular attention should be paid to countries that serve as key transit corridors for international transport.

Below, we have compiled the most important information about summer truck driving bans in Austria, France and Slovakia in 2026.

Austria

In Austria, summer restrictions apply to vehicles with a gross vehicle weight exceeding 7.5 tonnes as well as vehicle combinations with a gross vehicle weight exceeding 3.5 tonnes.

In addition to summer restrictions, Austria also enforces year-round driving bans:

• from Saturday 15:00 until Sunday 22:00,
• on Sundays and public holidays from 00:00 to 22:00,
• a nightly driving ban from 22:00 to 05:00.

Additional summer restrictions apply from 4 July to 29 August 2026 between 08:00 and 15:00 on selected roads in both directions:

• B178 (Loferer Straße) between Lofer and Wörgl,
• B320 (Ennstalstraße) from km 4.500,
• B177 (Seefelder Straße) along its entire route,
• B179 (Fernpassstraße) between Nassereith and Biberwier,
• B181 (Achensee Straße) along its entire route,
• B182 (Brenner Straße) along its entire route.

Furthermore, from 4 July to 5 September 2026, restrictions also apply between 08:00 and 15:00 on the A4 (Ost Autobahn) between the Schwechat interchange and the Nickelsdorf border crossing in both directions.

An exception applies to destination and origin traffic associated with selected districts, including Neusiedl am See, Eisenstadt, Mattersburg, Bruck an der Leitha, Gänserndorf and Korneuburg.

When planning transport through Austria during the summer season, it is important to consider not only seasonal restrictions but also roadworks, detours and year-round night driving bans.

France

In France, driving bans apply to vehicles with a gross vehicle weight exceeding 7.5 tonnes.

Year-round restrictions apply on Sundays and public holidays:

• from 00:00 to 22:00,
• additionally from 22:00 to 24:00 on the day preceding a public holiday.

During the summer season, additional restrictions apply on selected routes. In 2026, driving bans apply on selected Saturdays between 07:00 and 19:00.

Additional restrictions also apply during selected public holidays, including:

• Bastille Day (14 July): 00:00-22:00,
• Assumption of Mary (15 August): 00:00-22:00.

The greatest disruptions usually occur on routes leading to the Mediterranean coast, tourist regions in southern France and around major urban areas.

Slovakia

In Slovakia, summer driving bans apply to heavy goods vehicles with a gross vehicle weight exceeding 7.5 tonnes and cover the entire road and motorway network.

Year-round restrictions apply:

• on Sundays and public holidays from 00:00 to 22:00.

Additional summer restrictions apply from 1 July to 31 August 2026:

• on Saturdays from 07:00 to 19:00.

Unlike in some Western European countries, the restrictions apply across the entire road and motorway network. For this reason, they should be taken into account already at the route-planning stage.

The greatest disruptions occur primarily on major transit corridors leading towards Hungary, Czechia, Austria and Poland.

What Should You Consider When Planning Summer Routes?

During the holiday season, restriction hours are only part of the challenge. It is also worth considering:

1. increased tourist traffic,
2. congestion on major transit routes,
3. limited parking availability,
4. longer travel times on popular holiday routes,
5. local roadworks and detours,
6. exemptions from general driving bans.

In practice, even a few hours' difference in loading or departure times can determine whether a shipment is delivered on schedule.

That is why careful route planning and taking local restrictions into account are particularly important during the summer season.

This article is for informational purposes only. Before planning transport operations, always verify current restrictions, local traffic announcements and official driving ban schedules applicable to your specific route and travel date.