Week of 23-26 October: Hungary holiday, general weekend and Austrian Nationalfeiertag

The week starting today, 21 October, has three dates to watch for anyone crossing central Europe: a holiday in Hungary already on Friday, the general weekend ban on Saturday and Sunday — which coincides with the end of summer time — and Austria’s national holiday right on the following Monday, 26 October.

Friday 23 October — holiday in Hungary

Hungary marks the anniversary of the 1956 Revolution, a national holiday that triggers the driving ban for vehicles over 7.5 tonnes from 00:00 to 22:00 on Friday, with the usual early start on Thursday night into Friday (22:00–24:00). The rule already appears on the Hungary driving-bans page under the “Holidays” period — no change in hours or scope from the known calendar.

Saturday and Sunday, 24-25 October — general weekend

The usual weekend bans apply in at least thirteen European countries, according to the calendar compiled by Nakordoni: strict ban from Saturday night to Sunday night in France, Austria, Luxembourg and Hungary; Sunday-only in Germany, Italy, Czechia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Croatia, Bulgaria and Romania; full day (00:00–24:00) in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Spain, Portugal, Belgium and the Netherlands remain without a general weekend ban.

23 October correction: Poland does not belong on this list. Its driving-ban calendar only covers Sundays between 26 June and 30 August, plus national holidays — this weekend is neither summer nor a Polish holiday, confirmed against the official regulation (GITD/ISAP). There is no heavy-vehicle driving ban in Poland on 24-25 October.

Mind the clock. At 03:00 on Sunday 25 October, summer time ends across continental Europe. Anyone mid-way through a driving or rest period at that hour must adjust the tachograph record for the change — the legal time falls back by one hour.

Monday 26 October — Nationalfeiertag in Austria

Austria’s national holiday falls on a Monday this year, stretching the restrictive weekend through to midnight Sunday into Monday. Beyond the general holiday ban (00:00–22:00, across the network, for vehicles over 7.5 t, already covered under the “Sundays and holidays” period of the Austria driving-bans page), there is an extra restriction specific to this day: the A4 Ost, between Schwechat and Nickelsdorf, towards the Hungarian border, is closed to heavy vehicles from 08:00 to 15:00. Anyone heading to Hungary or further east along this corridor should cross before 08:00 or after 15:00.

For hauliers leaving the Iberian Peninsula

• Towards Hungary via Austria: the tightest stretch is precisely between Friday morning and Monday night — three consecutive restrictions in three days. Plan the Hungary crossing outside the Friday 00:00-22:00 window and the A4 Ost outside Monday’s 08:00-15:00.
• Towards Italy via the Brenner: Austria closes for the general weekend (Saturday 15:00 to Sunday 22:00) and Monday’s holiday adds on with no practical gap in Tyrol.
• Tachograph: confirm the unit adjusts automatically for summer time in the early hours of Sunday; log it manually if it doesn’t, to avoid misaligning driving times.