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Public holidays in Europe 2025 – How to plan transport without hitting a dead end?

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    Planning international transport isn’t just about kilometers, tonnage, or freight rates. It’s also – or even primarily – about knowing your consignee’s calendar. In 2025, Europe (including key destinations for Polish exports such as Germany, France, Italy, and Spain) have many national public holidays. Each of them can mean delays, missed deliveries, or unexpected downtime.

    For carriers and freight forwarders, it all comes down to one thing: knowing when not to drive, or even better, when not to plan delivery at all.

    Why do public holidays matter in logistics?
    On holidays, in most European countries:
    Warehouses are closed or operating on reduced hours,

    Standard delivery windows may not apply,

    Driving bans for trucks are in force,

    Administration offices are closed – you can’t issue documents, register transport, or submit complaints.

    Many companies also use “bridge days” – turning a holiday into a long weekend. That means even if it’s not a public holiday, nobody’s working anyway.

    When not to plan a delivery?
    Key public holidays in Europe in 2025
    Some dates should immediately trigger a warning light when planning international deliveries. On these days, logistics stops, warehouses are closed, and truck traffic may be restricted.

    🇩🇪 Germany

    April 18 – Good Friday (Karfreitag)

    April 21 – Easter Monday

    May 1 – Labour Day

    May 29 – Ascension Day (Christi Himmelfahrt)

    June 9 – Whit Monday (Pfingstmontag)

    October 3 – German Unity Day

    December 25–26 – Christmas

    🇫🇷 France

    April 21 – Easter Monday

    May 1 – Labour Day

    May 8 – Victory in Europe Day

    May 29 – Ascension Day

    June 9 – Whit Monday (Lundi de Pentecôte)

    July 14 – Bastille Day (National Day)

    August 15 – Assumption of Mary

    November 1 – All Saints’ Day

    November 11 – Armistice Day (WWI)

    December 25 – Christmas

    🇮🇹 Italy

    April 25 – Liberation Day

    May 1 – Labour Day

    June 2 – Republic Day (Festa della Repubblica)

    August 15 – Assumption of Mary (Ferragosto)

    December 8 – Immaculate Conception

    December 25–26 – Christmas

    🇳🇱 Netherlands

    April 27 – King’s Day (Koningsdag)

    May 5 – Liberation Day (Bevrijdingsdag) – observed every 5 years (2025 included)

    May 29 – Ascension Day (Hemelvaartsdag)

    June 9 – Whit Monday (Tweede Pinksterdag)

    December 25 – Christmas

    🇧🇪 Belgium

    April 21 – Easter Monday

    May 1 – Labour Day

    May 29 – Ascension Day (Onze-Lieve-Heer Hemelvaart)

    June 9 – Whit Monday (Pinkstermaandag)

    July 21 – Belgian National Day

    August 15 – Assumption of Mary

    November 1 – All Saints’ Day

    November 11 – Armistice Day (Wapenstilstand)

    December 25 – Christmas

    🇪🇸 Spain (nationwide holidays – regional ones may vary)

    April 18 – Good Friday (Viernes Santo)

    May 1 – Labour Day

    August 15 – Assumption of Mary (Asunción de la Virgen)

    October 12 – National Day of Spain (Fiesta Nacional de España)

    November 1 – All Saints’ Day

    December 6 – Constitution Day (Día de la Constitución)

    December 8 – Immaculate Conception (Inmaculada Concepción)

    December 25 – Christmas

    🇦🇹 Austria

    April 21 – Easter Monday

    May 1 – Labour Day

    May 29 – Ascension Day (Christi Himmelfahrt)

    June 9 – Whit Monday (Pfingstmontag)

    August 15 – Assumption of Mary

    October 26 – Austrian National Day

    November 1 – All Saints’ Day

    December 8 – Immaculate Conception

    December 25–26 – Christmas

    🇬🇧 United Kingdom (England & Wales)

    April 21 – Easter Monday

    May 5 – Early May Bank Holiday

    May 26 – Spring Bank Holiday

    August 25 – Summer Bank Holiday

    December 25 – Christmas

    December 26 – Boxing Day

    Common planning mistakes to avoid:

    ❌ Scheduling deliveries on public holidays – no one will be there to receive them

    ❌ Sending goods without confirming warehouse availability – delays or rejection guaranteed

    ❌ Ignoring truck bans – risk of fines and downtime

    ❌ Overloading the calendar for the day after a holiday – traffic jams at the ramp included

    What should transport and freight companies implement?

    ✅ Holiday calendars integrated into your TMS

    ✅ Alerts for clients and drivers about upcoming public holidays

    ✅ Early communication with consignees – confirm warehouse availability

    ✅ Time buffers – especially for exports to countries with frequent long weekends

    ✅ Continuous monitoring of truck driving bans – especially in countries like Germany and Austria

    Public holidays across Europe directly impact delivery times and supply chain efficiency. Ignoring them can cost more than time – it can cost money, contracts, and trust.

    Today, planning and being aware of local specifics isn’t optional – it’s essential.

    If you want your goods to arrive on time, you also need to know when not to drive.

    Need a logistics partner who knows the European calendar better than Google?

    Get in touch: offer@exportsy.pl

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