Austria: Traffic jams around National Day and autumn holidays (24 October to 2 November 2026)
Around the National Holiday on Monday, 26 October 2026, and the Austrian autumn school holidays (until 2 November), ASFINAG expects significantly more traffic on Austria's motorways: from Thursday, 22 October, until the All Saints' Day weekend. In addition, several German federal states are on autumn break, with Baden-Württemberg just starting. According to ASFINAG, the north-south routes and the approaches to the mountain and spa regions are the most affected. This is stated in ASFINAG's traffic outlook of 22 October 2026.
Where traffic jams are likely
ASFINAG expects increased holiday traffic on the A9 Pyhrn Autobahn, the A10 Tauern Autobahn, the A12 Inntal Autobahn in the Innsbruck area and the A13 Brenner Autobahn. It names four specific bottlenecks:
the St. Michael toll station on the A10 Tauern Autobahn, the area before the Karawanken Tunnel on the A11, the Inntal Autobahn in the Innsbruck area, and the Brenner Autobahn before the Lueg Bridge. Anyone with flexible plans is best off travelling outside peak times at the start and end of the long weekend.
Waiting times at border crossings
When entering Austria, waiting times are possible mainly at Nickelsdorf (A4), Kittsee (A6), Spielfeld (A9) and the Karawanken Tunnel (A11). When leaving towards Germany, this affects Kufstein (A12), Walserberg (A1) and Suben (A8). You can find background information on the Karawanken Tunnel in our article on the general refurbishment of the western tube.
Closures and construction sites this week
In addition to the holiday traffic, there are several announced restrictions, which ASFINAG lists in its outlook:
A7 Mühlkreis Autobahn (Linz): Due to an emergency response exercise in the Niedernhart Tunnel, the A7 will be closed in both directions between Wiener Straße and Hummelhof junction on Saturday, 24 October, from 6 pm to midnight. Traffic will be rerouted through the city of Linz.
A12 Inntal Autobahn: The Landeck Tunnel will remain completely closed for refurbishment until 7 December, as expected, with traffic being diverted through the town of Landeck. There is a dedicated page on this in the guide to the Landeck Tunnel.
27 to 30 October: Nightly tunnel cleaning in the Klaus and Lainberg tunnel chains on the A9 Pyhrn Autobahn (diversion via the B138), as well as nightly closures in the Semmering and Tanzenberg tunnels on the S6 Semmering Schnellstraße (diversion via the Semmering parallel road and the B116). On the S4 Mattersburger Schnellstraße, there will be sectional closures in both directions during the day in this period.
Tips for your journey
ASFINAG recommends checking your route before setting off. Current time losses are shown on ASFINAG's website at asfinag.at/reisezeiten. New is the mobile website driveaustria.info for the Tauern Autobahn, offering real-time data and forecasts for trip planning. Also, on the night of Sunday, 25 October, daylight saving time ends: clocks will be turned back from 3 am to 2 am.
Vignette and toll on the transit routes
On the A9, A10, A12 and A13, the vignette requirement for Austria applies to cars up to 3.5 t gross vehicle weight. For certain routes, such as the Bosruck or Karawanken Tunnel, an additional route toll applies.
Austria toll at a glance
For cars, motorcycles, and motorhomes up to 3.5 t gross weight, the vignette requirement applies on motorways and expressways (digital or as a sticker vignette, from the 2027 vignette year onwards only digital). It is a flat amount for a fixed period.
For trucks, buses and larger motorhomes over 3.5 t gross vehicle weight, distance-based tolling via the GO-Box applies instead, with the amount depending on factors such as distance travelled, number of axles and emission class. On certain tunnel and pass routes (e.g. Brenner, Tauern Tunnel, Karawanks Tunnel), a separate special toll (route toll) applies: vehicles up to 3.5 t gross vehicle weight pay it instead of the vignette, while for vehicles over 3.5 t it is charged via the GO-Box.
All details on tolls in AustriaThe vignette flat rate explained
With our vignette flat rate, you save yourself the hassle of buying individually for each trip: for just 12,80 €* per month, it covers the included vignettes in 8 European countries. For each trip, simply select the appropriate vignette, and the toll fee is then already covered by your flat rate. You are not tied to any single country.
* ASFINAG toll fee (10-day vignette): 12.80 €, toll fee fully covered by DMC, flat price (per monthly billing period): 12,80 €, notice period 0 days.
- One flat rate, 8 countries
- Travel flexibly
- Termination directly in the administration
The Europamaut team wishes you a pleasant journey!
We wish you a relaxed and safe journey through Austria! You can find all information on the vignette requirement in our guide to the Austria vignette and on the closure of the Landeck Tunnel.
Frequently asked questions about travel traffic around National Day
The most important answers about the ASFINAG traffic forecast.
When is National Day in Austria in 2026?
National Day falls on Monday, 26 October in 2026. This creates a long weekend that coincides with the autumn holidays, which in Austria last until 2 November.
Where are the biggest traffic jams expected around the National Holiday?
Where are there waiting times at the borders?
Is the Landeck Tunnel currently closed?
