Weekend 10-11 October: heavy-vehicle driving bans across Europe

This weekend, 10 and 11 October, there is no national public holiday in any country along the usual route for hauliers leaving the Iberian Peninsula. Only the already-known weekend bans for heavy vehicles (over 7.5 tonnes, unless noted otherwise) apply — with one correction on our part: Hungary has a standard weekend ban (Saturday 22:00 to Sunday 22:00, or from 15:00 in the summer season), already documented on the Hungary restrictions page since 8 September. Last week’s article wrongly listed it as having no weekend restriction — the rule did not change, we missed it.

Country-by-country summary — Saturday 10 and Sunday 11

Strict bans (Saturday evening to Sunday evening)

France

• Saturday 22:00 to Sunday 22:00, French time, across the whole motorway network.
• Exemptions: perishables, live animals, combined transport, emergencies.

Hungary

• Saturday 22:00 to Sunday 22:00 (from 15:00 in summer). Confirmed in three sources — Europa Camiones, Nakordoni and the site’s own Hungary restrictions page, in force all along; last week’s article left it out by mistake.

Luxembourg

• Saturday from 21:30 (towards France) or 23:30 (towards Germany) to Sunday 21:45.
• Applies to international transit traffic through the Grand Duchy.

Austria

• Saturday 15:00-24:00; Sunday 00:00-22:00.
• A permanent night ban (22:00-05:00) also applies network-wide, even outside the weekend, for vehicles without a low-noise certificate.
• The Brenner is closed to heavy vehicles in this window — detour via Bavaria or Slovenia.

Sunday-only bans

Germany — Sunday 00:00-22:00, network-wide.

Italy — Sunday 09:00-22:00 (winter schedule, in force since 1 October; it was 7:00-22:00 in summer).

Switzerland and Liechtenstein (over 3.5 t) — full-day ban on Sunday (00:00-24:00); a night ban (22:00-05:00) also applies on Saturday.

Czech Republic — Sunday 13:00-22:00.

Slovakia — Sunday 06:00-22:00 (over 7.5 t; over 3.5 t with a trailer or semi-trailer).

Slovenia — Sunday 08:00-22:00.

No general weekend ban

Spain — no weekend ban in the DGT’s general calendar, but this weekend falls within the Pilar bank holiday restrictions (8-12 October), with its own entry windows into Madrid and along the Mediterranean and Cantabrian corridors — see the dedicated article.

Portugal — no general weekend ban. Only the permanent restrictions on dangerous goods (ADR) on designated roads remain, including Sunday and holiday windows; unchanged from what was already known.

Poland, Belgium and the Netherlands — no specific weekend ban.

Correction to last week’s article

Country	Status
Hungary	Correction: has a standard ban (Saturday 22:00-Sunday 22:00); last week’s article left it out by mistake, the rule itself did not change
Italy	Keeps the winter schedule (9:00-22:00 on Sunday), in force since 1 October
France, Austria, Germany, Luxembourg	Unchanged

For hauliers leaving the Iberian Peninsula

• Towards France: leave on Friday or in the early hours of Monday; cross before 22:00 on Saturday if leaving today.
• Towards Italy via the Brenner: Austria closes the Brenner from 15:00 on Saturday — cross before that time or wait until after 22:00 on Sunday (Italy only reopens at 22:00).
• Towards Hungary: the weekend ban applies to all transit traffic — plan the crossing outside the Saturday 22:00-Sunday 22:00 window.
• Spain: check the Pilar bank holiday’s own windows before entering Madrid or the Mediterranean and Cantabrian corridors this weekend.

There is also a one-off tanker exemption in France on Sunday 12 October, outside this weekend but relevant for planning the week ahead.