Truck driving bans for Christmas 2026 and New Year 2027 run across Europe from Tuesday 8 December to Wednesday 6 January. In Poland, the ban applies only on 25 and 26 December and 1 January.
In 2026, Christmas falls on a Friday and Saturday, and New Year’s Day on a Friday. In many countries the holiday bans therefore stack with the weekend bans. The permanent rules of each country are in our guide to truck driving bans in Europe. Here you have the exact days and hours of this period, with an official source for each country.
Last checked: 2 November 2026. All hours are local time in each country.
Truck driving bans in Poland: 25 and 26 December, 1 January
In Poland, the ban covers vehicles and vehicle combinations over 12 t GVW, except buses. It applies on all roads.
- Friday 25 December: 08:00-22:00 (Christmas Day).
- Saturday 26 December: 08:00-22:00 (second day of Christmas).
- Friday 1 January: 08:00-22:00 (New Year’s Day).
The HGV driving ban on 26 December has the same hours in Poland as on Christmas Day.
The ordinary Sundays of 13, 20 and 27 December and 3 January are not ban days in Poland. The rules do not cover ordinary Sundays outside the summer holidays.
No ban in Poland: 24 and 31 December, 6 January
The regulation lists the ban days in a closed list. Christmas Eve and Epiphany (6 January) are not on it, so trucks drive in Poland without restrictions on both days.
The evening ban from 18:00 to 22:00 applies only on the day before the holidays from Easter to 11 November. It does not cover Christmas or New Year’s Day, so there is no evening ban on 24 or 31 December either.
Exemptions from the Polish ban
The ban does not apply to, among others:
- live animals and perishable food,
- dangerous goods in vehicles with orange plates,
- mail,
- coal, coke, other coal-based solid fuels and firewood,
- fuel supply for sea vessels,
- combined transport,
- road works and emergency vehicles,
- vehicles of companies based in Poland that are returning from abroad to finish the haul or deliver to the consignee,
- vehicles that entered Poland outside ban hours and are within 50 km of the border.
Perishable food and mail must make up a significant part of the load. The full list is in the regulation Dz.U. 2023 poz. 2423 (in Polish).
Truck driving bans in Germany at Christmas and New Year
In Germany, the ban covers trucks over 7.5 t GVW and trailers behind any truck, in commercial goods transport. It runs from 00:00 to 22:00 on Sundays and public holidays, on all roads.
- Sundays 13 and 20 December: 00:00-22:00.
- Friday 25 and Saturday 26 December: 00:00-22:00 (1. and 2. Weihnachtstag).
- Sunday 27 December: 00:00-22:00.
- Friday 1 January: 00:00-22:00 (Neujahr).
- Sunday 3 January: 00:00-22:00.
Between the holidays and the Sunday, the ban pauses for two hours, from 22:00 to midnight. In practice, a truck in Germany stands still from midnight on Friday 25 December to Sunday 27 December at 22:00.
Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve and 6 January are not on the list of ban holidays in § 30(4) StVO (in German). Exemptions include combined rail-road transport up to 200 km and port-road transport up to 150 km, and fresh milk, meat, fish, fruit and vegetables.
Truck driving bans in France at Christmas and New Year
In France, the ban covers vehicles over 7.5 t GVW on all roads. It starts at 22:00 on Saturday or on the day before a holiday and lasts until 22:00 on the Sunday or holiday.
- Christmas: from Thursday 24 December 22:00 to Friday 25 December 22:00.
- New Year’s Day: from Thursday 31 December 22:00 to Friday 1 January 22:00.
- Weekends: from Saturday 22:00 to Sunday 22:00, on 12-13 December, 19-20 December, 26-27 December and 2-3 January.
26 December is not a public holiday in France, so the ban only starts on Saturday at 22:00. Both holidays, including 1 January 2027, are in the 2026 ban calendar (in French).
Île-de-France
On sections of the A6, A6A, A6B, A10, A12, A13 and A106 motorways around Paris, the bans last longer and have no exemptions.
- Toward the provinces: from Thursday 24 December 16:00 to the end of Friday 25 December, and from Thursday 31 December 16:00 to the end of Friday 1 January.
- Toward Paris: from Thursday 24 December 22:00 to the end of Friday, then on Saturday 26 December 06:00-10:00. The same from Thursday 31 December 22:00 to the end of Friday 1 January.
- Ordinary weekends: Friday 16:00-21:00 and Saturday 10:00-18:00 toward the provinces, from Saturday 22:00 to the end of Sunday in both directions, Monday 06:00-10:00 toward Paris.
Ordinary weekend hours follow the order (arrêté) of 16 April 2021, explained by Bison Futé (in French).
Table: truck driving bans in Europe, 8 December to 6 January
The table lists the truck driving bans for December 2026 and early January 2027 in every country with at least one ban day in this period. The country name links to its permanent rules in the guide, and the last column to the official source.
| Country | Ban days and hours | Weight | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poland | Fri 25 Dec: 08:00-22:00 Sat 26 Dec: 08:00-22:00 Fri 1 Jan: 08:00-22:00 | over 12 t GVW | Dz.U. 2023 poz. 2423 |
| Germany | Sun 13 Dec and Sun 20 Dec: 00:00-22:00 Fri 25 Dec, Sat 26 Dec and Sun 27 Dec: 00:00-22:00 Fri 1 Jan and Sun 3 Jan: 00:00-22:00 | over 7.5 t GVW and trailers behind a truck | § 30 StVO |
| France | Sat 12 Dec 22:00 to Sun 13 Dec 22:00 Sat 19 Dec 22:00 to Sun 20 Dec 22:00 Thu 24 Dec 22:00 to Fri 25 Dec 22:00 Sat 26 Dec 22:00 to Sun 27 Dec 22:00 Thu 31 Dec 22:00 to Fri 1 Jan 22:00 Sat 2 Jan 22:00 to Sun 3 Jan 22:00 Île-de-France: longer hours | over 7.5 t GVW | Bison Futé, 2026 calendar |
| Austria | Tue 8 Dec: 00:00-22:00 Sat 12 Dec 15:00 to Sun 13 Dec 22:00 Sat 19 Dec 15:00 to Sun 20 Dec 22:00 Fri 25 Dec: 00:00-22:00 Sat 26 Dec 00:00 to Sun 27 Dec 22:00 Fri 1 Jan: 00:00-22:00 Sat 2 Jan 15:00 to Sun 3 Jan 22:00 Wed 6 Jan: 00:00-22:00 every night 22:00-05:00 (over 7.5 t) | over 7.5 t; combinations with a trailer when vehicle or trailer is over 3.5 t | § 42 StVO (RIS) |
| Czechia | Sun 13 Dec and Sun 20 Dec: 13:00-22:00 Thu 24 Dec, Fri 25 Dec and Sun 27 Dec: 13:00-22:00 Sat 26 Dec: to be confirmed in the official calendar Fri 1 Jan and Sun 3 Jan: 13:00-22:00 motorways and class I roads only | over 7.5 t; over 3.5 t with a trailer | Act 361/2000 Sb. |
| Slovakia | Sun 13 Dec and Sun 20 Dec: 06:00-22:00 Thu 24 Dec: 09:00-19:00 Fri 25 Dec and Sat 26 Dec: no ban Sun 27 Dec: 06:00-22:00 Fri 1 Jan, Sun 3 Jan and Wed 6 Jan: 06:00-22:00 motorways, expressways and class I roads | over 7.5 t; over 3.5 t with a trailer | Act 8/2009 (Slov-Lex), Public Holidays Act 241/1993 |
| Italy | Tue 8 Dec, Sun 13 Dec and Sun 20 Dec: 09:00-22:00 Fri 25 Dec, Sat 26 Dec and Sun 27 Dec: 09:00-22:00 Fri 1 Jan, Sun 3 Jan and Wed 6 Jan: to be confirmed in the official calendar outside built-up areas | over 7.5 t | 2026 decree |
| Switzerland | Sat 12 Dec 22:00 to Mon 14 Dec 05:00 Sat 19 Dec 22:00 to Mon 21 Dec 05:00 Thu 24 Dec 22:00 to Sat 26 Dec 05:00 Sat 26 Dec 22:00 to Mon 28 Dec 05:00 Thu 31 Dec 22:00 to Sat 2 Jan 05:00 Sat 2 Jan 22:00 to Mon 4 Jan 05:00 every night 22:00-05:00 | over 3.5 t | ASTRA, Art. 91 VRV (bs.ch) |
| Liechtenstein | Mon 7 Dec 22:00 to Wed 9 Dec 05:00 Sat 12 Dec 22:00 to Mon 14 Dec 05:00 Sat 19 Dec 22:00 to Mon 21 Dec 05:00 Thu 24 Dec 22:00 to Mon 28 Dec 05:00 Thu 31 Dec 22:00 to Sat 2 Jan 05:00 Sat 2 Jan 22:00 to Mon 4 Jan 05:00 Tue 5 Jan 22:00 to Thu 7 Jan 05:00 every night 22:00-05:00 | over 3.5 t | VRV (gesetze.li) |
| Hungary | Sat 12 Dec 22:00 to Sun 13 Dec 22:00 Sat 19 Dec 22:00 to Sun 20 Dec 22:00 Thu 24 Dec from 22:00: to be confirmed in the official calendar Fri 25 Dec 08:00 to Sun 27 Dec 22:00 Thu 31 Dec 22:00 to Fri 1 Jan 22:00 Sat 2 Jan 22:00 to Sun 3 Jan 22:00 Euro 3 or newer trucks in international traffic exempt | over 7.5 t | Decree 190/2008 |
| Slovenia | Sun 13 Dec and Sun 20 Dec: 08:00-22:00 Fri 25 Dec, Sat 26 Dec and Sun 27 Dec: 08:00-22:00 Fri 1 Jan, Sat 2 Jan and Sun 3 Jan: 08:00-22:00 listed roads only: motorways, expressways and selected main and regional roads | over 7.5 t | promet.si, Uradni list RS 75/2011 with the 2021 amendment, public holidays (gov.si) |
| Croatia | selected coastal and Istrian roads (motorways excluded): Thu 24 Dec 15:00-23:00, Fri 25 Dec and Sat 26 Dec 14:00-23:00, Sun 27 Dec 12:00-23:00, Thu 31 Dec 15:00-23:00 Fri 1 Jan, Tue 5 Jan and Wed 6 Jan: to be confirmed in the official calendar road D2 Varaždin-Dubrava Križovljanska: Sun 13 Dec, 20 Dec, 27 Dec and 3 Jan 06:00-22:00 | over 7.5 t | NN 64/2009, HAK 2026 calendar |
| Luxembourg | transit toward France: from 21:30 on Sat 12 Dec, 19 Dec, 26 Dec and 2 Jan and on Thu 24 Dec and 31 Dec, to 21:45 the next day transit toward Germany: from 23:30 on the same days and on Fri 25 Dec, to 21:45 the next day | over 7.5 t | police.public.lu |
| Spain | listed road sections only: Tue 8 Dec: roads into Madrid from 16:00 (until 22:00-24:00 depending on the road), A-3 Arganda-Tarancón and A-5 Madrid-Talavera outbound 16:00-24:00, A-6 and A-62 16:00-23:00, A-3 from Valencia 13:00-21:00, A-4 and A-44 at Despeñaperros 09:00-22:00, A-1 from Burgos toward Vitoria and A-8 toward Bilbao 16:00-21:00, N-631 07:00-24:00, AP-7, A-2, C-31, C-32 and B-23 in Catalonia 17:00-22:00 N-230 in the Pyrenees toward France: Fri 11 Dec and 18 Dec, Thu 24 Dec and 31 Dec 17:00-24:00 N-230 toward Lleida and Benabarre: Tue 8 Dec and Sun 13 Dec, 20 Dec and 27 Dec 13:00-20:00 Catalonia, N-145, C-14 and N-260 toward the Pyrenees: Sat 12 Dec, 19 Dec and 26 Dec 10:00-14:00, Tue 8 Dec, Sun 13 Dec, 20 Dec, Fri 25 Dec, Sat 26 Dec and Sun 27 Dec 17:00-22:00 Catalonia, N-II near Barcelona: Saturdays 10:00-14:00, Sundays 17:00-22:00 Basque Country: Sat 2 Jan 11:00-14:00 toward Cantabria, Wed 6 Jan 16:00-21:00 toward Bilbao | over 7.5 t | DGT (BOE-A-2026-1255), Catalonia, Basque Country |
| Bulgaria | draft: Wed 23 Dec 14:00-20:00, Thu 24 Dec 09:00-14:00, Mon 28 Dec 12:00-20:00, Trakia and Hemus motorways out of Sofia and the Simitli-Kresna section; to be confirmed in the official calendar | over 12 t | BTA |
The ban days in France on 25 December and 1 January, in Italy in December, in Spain (except the N-II in Catalonia) and on the Croatian coast up to 31 December are confirmed in the official 2026 calendars. The other days follow from standing rules on Sundays and public holidays.
8 December: truck driving bans in Italy, Austria and Spain
Tuesday 8 December is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. In Poland, Germany and France it is an ordinary working day, but on routes heading south a truck runs into a ban.
- Italy: 09:00-22:00 on roads outside built-up areas, according to the 2026 decree.
- Austria: 00:00-22:00, plus the night ban from 22:00 to 05:00.
- Liechtenstein: from Monday 7 December 22:00 to Wednesday 9 December 05:00.
- Spain: listed road sections only, mainly roads into Madrid in the afternoon, the A-4 at Despeñaperros, the main roads of Catalonia and the N-230 in the Pyrenees.
On a route from Poland to Italy through Austria, both countries stop trucks on 8 December. If unloading falls on Wednesday 9 December, plan to cross Austria on Monday at the latest.
Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve and Epiphany abroad
In Poland there is no ban on 24 and 31 December or on 6 January. Abroad, these days look different:
- Thursday 24 December: Czechia from 13:00 to 22:00, Slovakia from 09:00 to 19:00, the Croatian coast from 15:00. In the evening, bans start in Luxembourg (from 21:30 toward France), France, Switzerland and Liechtenstein (from 22:00). The start of the Hungarian ban at 22:00 is to be confirmed in the official calendar.
- Thursday 31 December: Czechia and Slovakia have no ban. The Croatian coast has a ban from 15:00, and in the evening bans start in Luxembourg (from 21:30 toward France), France, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Hungary (from 22:00).
- Wednesday 6 January: Austria from 00:00 to 22:00, Slovakia from 06:00 to 22:00, Liechtenstein all day. Germany has no ban on 6 January under § 30 StVO. Italy and Croatia will confirm this day in their 2027 calendars.
In Hungary, from 4 November to 1 March, trucks meeting Euro 3 or newer in international traffic are exempt from the weekend and holiday ban. If your truck is Euro 3 or newer and runs in international traffic, the Hungarian hours in the table do not apply to it.
Other trucks stand still in Hungary from Friday 25 December 08:00 to Sunday 27 December 22:00. When a holiday falls right before a Sunday, § 2(2) of Decree 190/2008 counts the ban from 08:00 on the first day.
The general rule in § 2(1) starts a holiday ban at 22:00 the day before. So a start on Thursday 24 December at 22:00 is to be confirmed in the official calendar.
Other countries: thresholds, roads and conditions
The days and hours are in the table. Here are the details that can change the answer for a specific order.
- Austria: the weekend ban starts on Saturday at 15:00. On Saturdays 12 and 19 December, journeys within built-up areas are exempt. From 1 November, the night ban on the A12 in Tyrol starts at 20:00 on working days (werktags) and at 23:00 on Sundays and holidays.
- Czechia: on Thursday 24, Friday 25 and Sunday 27 December the ban runs from 13:00 to 22:00. The Public Holidays Act does not count a holiday that falls on an employee’s weekly rest day as a day off, so Saturday 26 December is to be confirmed in the official calendar. The ban covers only motorways and class I roads.
- Slovakia: when several days off fall in a row, the ban covers the first day from 09:00 to 19:00, and the Sunday and the last day from 06:00 to 22:00. In this period that means Thursday 24 and Sunday 27 December. There is no ban in Slovakia on Friday 25 or Saturday 26 December. The single days off, 1 and 6 January, have a ban from 06:00 to 22:00.
- Switzerland and Liechtenstein: the threshold is 3.5 t, and the night ban adds to the holiday ban. In Switzerland, 26 December is not a ban day this year, because Christmas falls on a Friday. In Liechtenstein, the ban also covers 26 December, 8 December and 6 January.
- Italy: the ban covers roads outside built-up areas, motorways included. For a truck entering from abroad with documents, the ban starts 4 hours later, and for a truck heading abroad it ends 2 hours earlier. The 2026 decree also had a ban on 5 January from 16:00 to 22:00, so check the 2027 calendar once it is out.
- Slovenia: 26 December is Independence and Unity Day, and 2 January is the second day of New Year. Both fall on a Saturday and both have a ban.
- Croatia: the holiday ban covers only selected roads on the coast, in Istria and near the ports of Split and Zadar. The HAK calendar for 2027 is not out yet.
- Luxembourg: the ban covers only transit toward France or Germany. 26 December is a ban day only for transit toward Germany.
- Spain: there is no general weekend or holiday ban. Bans cover listed road sections on listed days. The national sections for January 2027 will be set by the DGT resolution for 2027, usually published in January.
- Bulgaria: the road agency API has drafted bans for vehicles over 12 t on 23, 24 and 28 December. The final order is not out yet.
Countries with no bans in this period
In these countries, we found no ban day for ordinary trucks in this period:
- Belgium: according to Bison Futé, Belgium has no truck ban on weekends or public holidays (in French).
- Sweden: the last truck traffic ban ordinance, SFS 1977:53, was repealed on 1 January 2011 (in Swedish).
- Portugal: the IMT notice describes weekend and holiday restrictions for dangerous goods (ADR) (in Portuguese). We found no ban for ordinary trucks.
For other countries, such as the Netherlands, Romania and the Nordic and Baltic states, we found no official text that confirms the absence of a ban.
How to plan routes around the holidays
Treat the start of a ban as a hard stop. Plan the last parking spot and the driver’s rest before that time, not after it.
Look at the countries along the way, not only the country of unloading. On Thursday 24 December there is no ban in Poland, but in Czechia it starts at 13:00 and in France at 22:00.
On a route from Poznań to Lyon, you stand still in Germany from Friday 25 December to Sunday 27 December at 22:00. France closes its roads on Thursday at 22:00 and reopens them on Friday at 22:00, then stops trucks again from Saturday at 22:00.
Send drivers the ban hours before 8 December, before 24 December and again before 31 December. Make one person in dispatch responsible for the final source check before departure.
Plan orders in ONYX TMS, and check the ban hours in the table when you set routes.
Where the data comes from
The data comes from the texts of laws and regulations and from the official calendars linked in the table. We will update the days marked “to be confirmed in the official calendar” once Italy and Croatia publish their 2027 calendars, Bulgaria approves its December schedule, and Czechia and Hungary confirm the open hours.
Countries can change their rules or announce exceptions at short notice, so always open the source for the countries on your route before departure. The next ban period is Easter, and we covered the previous one in our article on truck driving bans for All Saints and 11 November.
