Summer holidays start in NRW: Hardly any traffic disruptions expected!

Summer holidays start in NRW: Hardly any traffic disruptions expected!

The summer holidays began for around 2.5 million students in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) on July 12, 2025. How n-tv reported, the start of the holiday did not result in any spectacular traffic chaos. Despite the rush on roads, trains and airports, delays for travelers were limited. There were long traffic jams on some motorways on Friday afternoon, but these were behind the usual rush hour traffic jam times.

On Saturday afternoon, the WDR traffic office reported only around 20 kilometers of traffic jams throughout the state. Düsseldorf and Cologne/Bonn airports are expecting more than five million passengers throughout the holidays. Around 220,000 travelers are scheduled to travel in Düsseldorf alone from Friday to Sunday. What was particularly remarkable was that the waiting times at the security checkpoints at midday were less than ten minutes. A passenger at Cologne/Bonn Airport even remarked how rarely the airport was so empty.

Recommendations for travelers

Deutsche Bahn also expects an increase in passenger numbers at the start of the holidays. Travelers are advised to opt for earlier morning or later evening services during peak travel times. To find the best options, travelers should also check the occupancy indicators bahn.de inform and reserve a seat if necessary.

There is also some advice on how to plan your trip optimally. The upcoming holidays are not only important for NRW; Nine federal states have holidays starting at the weekend. The risk of traffic jams on popular holiday routes is particularly concentrated on Saturdays. So if you can organize your time flexibly, you should avoid Saturdays or better leave in the evening.

Construction sites and diversions

The traffic situation could still be affected by numerous construction sites. Many road sections in North Rhine-Westphalia are affected, such as the A45 near Lüdenscheid and the A44, which is closed in both directions from Friday evening to Monday morning. Ratinger Straße (L156) is also undergoing renovation, which will lead to local diversions. Construction sites on the A52 near Essen and other work in Duisburg are increasing the volume of traffic, especially in the inner city area.

• Wichtige Sperrungen:
  • A45 Hagen – Gießen bis auf Weiteres gesperrt.
  • A44 Düsseldorf – Essen: 11. Juli, 18 Uhr bis 14. Juli, 5 Uhr.

If you take to the roads in the coming weeks, the risk of traffic jams on motorways in other federal states and neighboring countries should also be taken into account. In particular, the unexpected additional wave of travel from cities such as Bremen, Hesse and Lower Saxony could put a strain on the motorways. Loud ADAC On a typical weekend, traffic jams can always be expected on Friday afternoon, Saturday morning and Sunday afternoon. If you can, you should plan your trip during the week or avoid rush hour.

All in all, the summer holidays in North Rhine-Westphalia are off to a relatively harmonious start this year, and with a little planning nothing stands in the way of a relaxing holiday.