Tens of thousands on the way to the Southside: traffic chaos in Neuhausen!

Tens of thousands on the way to the Southside: traffic chaos in Neuhausen!

In the beautiful Alpine foothills of Baden-Württemberg, the Southside Festival, which takes place in Neuhausen ob Eck, attracts tens of thousands of music lovers every year. On June 19, 2025 it was that time again: the festival visitors arrived under sometimes chaotic conditions. Christoph Steilner and Fabian Maier started their work at 6 a.m. and had their hands full right from the start. At around 9 a.m., seven shuttle buses were already waiting at Tuttlingen train station to quickly take arriving guests to the festival site.

However, the traffic conditions were anything but ideal. There were significant traffic jams, especially between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m., which were also caused by incorrect navigation. A new access system to the campsites, which was originally intended to relieve congestion, did not achieve the desired result. In fact, there was a backlog at the entrances to the parking lots, where the police had no opportunity to intervene. “Steilner contacted the organizer to improve the signage and also suggested hiring ushers,” reports the Schwäbische.de.

Chaos at the entrances

Despite the difficulties, initial reports show that most guests have arrived safely. It is estimated that 65% of festival visitors had already arrived by early afternoon. The trailer park was already full, while the regular camping area was less busy. At around 1:30 p.m. an improvement in the traffic situation was noticed, but things remained tight in the direction of Mühlheim. The police headquarters' drone team was deployed to monitor the situation from the air and react quickly.

The traffic situation in southern Germany proved to be a challenge, but was ultimately overcome well. Steilner expressed optimism that there would be no further major traffic jams. “Heavy traffic was successfully managed without any major disruptions on the federal highway,” he said.

First information about arrival

southside.de.

The challenges of getting there are not just an issue for the Southside Festival. Similar problems, such as traffic jams and traffic congestion, are also observed at other festivals in Germany. For example, the Wacken Open Air in Schleswig-Holstein showed how an event can not only stimulate the regional economy, but also how important a well-thought-out transport concept is. Insights from Wacken show that the festival makes a significant contribution to increasing sales in the catering, hotel and retail sectors, and local tourism also benefits beyond the festival period. It is an example of sustainable business in the event industry that could serve as a best practice example of how the Southside Festival can optimize its processes.

In conclusion, it remains to be said that the first day of arrival for the Southside Festival was associated with challenges, but those responsible have so far been able to draw a positive conclusion. It will be interesting to see how the next few days go and whether the lessons from the first day can be implemented in the coming years.