Lorry driving bans by country
Twelve countries, their regular bans, what the summer adds, and the column most tables leave out: what changes when the load is dangerous goods.
| Country | From | Regular ban | Seasonal and additional | What changes for ADR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | from 7.5 t | Sundays and public holidays, 0 to 22 | 1 July to 31 August, Saturdays 7 to 20 on designated holiday routes | Check the tunnel restriction code, Alpine transit often affected |
| Austria | from 7.5 t | Saturday 15 to 24, Sundays and public holidays 0 to 22 | Night ban 22 to 5, and a sectoral ban in Tirol on top | The Brenner axis has its own conditions, night ban on the A12 |
| Switzerland | from 3.5 t | Sundays and public holidays, all day | Night ban 22 to 5, gross weight capped at 40 t | The Gotthard is metered and dangerous goods are restricted in places |
| France | from 7.5 t | Saturday 22 to Sunday 22 | Extra summer Saturdays on an annual calendar | Stricter conditions for dangerous goods, and route requirements of its own in places |
| Italy | from 7.5 t | Sundays and public holidays, hours vary by month | An annual calendar with a tightening over the summer | Alpine tunnels carry ADR restrictions |
| Poland | from 12 t | Summer: Friday 18 to 22, Saturday 8 to 14, Sunday 8 to 22 | The summer regime runs roughly late June to late August | Via Baltica is the main axis into the Baltic states |
| Czechia | from 7.5 t | Sunday 13 to 22 | In summer also Friday 17 to 21 and Saturday 7 to 13 | Transit axis towards south east Europe |
| Hungary | from 7.5 t | Saturday 22 to Sunday 22 | In summer from Friday 22 | Regional exceptions are possible |
| Slovakia | from 7.5 t | Sundays and public holidays, with a summer regime | In summer also Saturday morning | Transit towards the east |
| Spain | depends on the region | Set regionally, Sundays and public holidays | An annual calendar per autonomous community | Long distances, and limited capacity for specialist linings |
| Netherlands | no general ban | No general Sunday ban | Vrachtwagenheffing from 1 July 2026, from 3.5 t | The Westerscheldetunnel is closed to flammable gases |
| Belgium | no general ban | No general Sunday ban | Viapass distance charge from 3.5 t | Regional differences between Flanders, Wallonia and Brussels |
The asymmetry that catches planners out
The Netherlands and Belgium have no general Sunday ban. Germany, Austria and Switzerland do. A load that leaves Rotterdam on a Sunday morning is running legally right up to the German border and then stops, and the driver is the one who discovers it.
Switzerland is the strictest of the three: from 3.5 tonnes rather than 7.5, all day on Sundays and public holidays, and a night ban on top. Poland runs the other way, starting only at 12 tonnes but with a summer regime that closes Friday evening as well.
Why the last column exists
Most tables of driving bans stop at the weight threshold and the hours. For an ADR load that is only half the picture, because the tunnel restriction code can close a route on a day when driving is otherwise permitted. The Alpine crossings are where the two rules meet: the Gotthard is metered, the Brenner has conditions of its own, and the Italian tunnels carry ADR restrictions regardless of the day of the week.
The Dutch entry is the clearest case of a restriction that has nothing to do with a driving ban at all. There is no Sunday ban, and the Westerscheldetunnel is still closed to flammable gases every day of the year.
Frequently asked
Which country has the strictest ban?
Switzerland of the three Alpine countries: from 3.5 tonnes, all day on Sundays and public holidays, plus a night ban from 22 to 5.
Is there a Sunday ban in the Netherlands?
No general one. The restriction that matters there is the Westerscheldetunnel, which is closed to flammable gases.
Do these bans apply to dangerous goods differently?
The driving ban itself usually applies the same way. What differs is that the tunnel restriction code can close a route independently of the ban.
Related references
Take the data
Source
Compiled by us from the national traffic rules of each country and last checked on 24 August 2026. It is a planning overview, not a legal source: bans change, several countries publish an annual calendar, and regional rules apply in Spain and Belgium. Check the current national rule before relying on a specific date. The English wording is our translation of our German reference set.
Cite this page
Vektor Group. European lorry driving bans by country. 2026. https://vektorgroup.eu/european-driving-bans
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