Last loading dates for Germany, Austria, Italy, France and Spain before 24 Dec 2026, truck bans over the holidays and New Year, and what to put in your enquiry.
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Send us the route, the date and the type of goods. We prepare a quote within 2 hours.
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Read articleGoods arrive before Christmas on time when you know the last loading day for each country and send your enquiry before the free vehicles run out. Christmas Eve 2026 falls on a Thursday, so in Germany, Austria and France trucks do not move again after 24 December until the evening of Sunday 27 December. Below you will find the dates that follow from this, the holiday and New Year truck bans in nine countries, and the list of details for your enquiry.
The dates in the table are RUSH's recommendation. They are based on the indicative transit times with one driver that we publish on our country pages and on the holiday truck bans. They assume unloading on Wednesday 23 December at the latest, because many plants and warehouses stop receiving goods before the holidays. We always confirm the exact date in the quote.
| Country of unloading | Last loading in Slovakia | Send the enquiry by |
|---|---|---|
| Austria, Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg | Tuesday 22 Dec | Friday 18 Dec |
| Northern and western Germany | Monday 21 Dec | Thursday 17 Dec |
| Northern Italy | Monday 21 Dec | Thursday 17 Dec |
| Central and southern Italy, eastern France | Friday 18 Dec | Wednesday 16 Dec |
| Paris, southern France | Thursday 17 Dec | Monday 14 Dec |
| Spain | Wednesday 16 Dec | Friday 11 Dec |
Why these days:
The bans in Slovakia, Czechia, Germany, Austria, Poland and Hungary from 1 November to 27 December are set out in Christmas 2026 truck bans, including the change to the Slovak act from 1 September 2026. Here we add Italy, France and Spain and the turn of the year. Times are local, the bans apply to vehicles over 7.5 t, in Poland over 12 t.
| Date | What applies |
|---|---|
| Tue 8 Dec | AT holiday 00:00–22:00, IT holiday 09:00–22:00 |
| Sun 20 Dec | SK 06:00–22:00, CZ 13:00–22:00, DE and AT 00:00–22:00, PL 08:00–22:00, FR from Saturday 22:00 to 22:00, IT 09:00–22:00 |
| Thu 24 Dec | SK 09:00–19:00, CZ 13:00–22:00, FR from 22:00, HU from 22:00; DE, AT, IT, PL no ban |
| Fri 25 Dec | DE and AT 00:00–22:00, CZ 13:00–22:00, PL 08:00–22:00, FR 00:00–22:00, IT 09:00–22:00, HU until 22:00 |
| Sat 26 Dec | DE and AT 00:00–22:00, CZ 13:00–22:00, PL 08:00–22:00, IT 09:00–22:00, HU from 25 Dec 22:00 to 22:00; FR only from 22:00 (regular Saturday rule) |
| Sun 27 Dec | SK 06:00–22:00, CZ 13:00–22:00, DE and AT 00:00–22:00, FR from Saturday 22:00 to 22:00, IT 09:00–22:00 |
| Thu 31 Dec | FR ban from 22:00, HU from 22:00; a working day elsewhere |
| Fri 1 Jan 2027 | SK 06:00–22:00, CZ 13:00–22:00, DE and AT 00:00–22:00, PL 08:00–22:00, FR 00:00–22:00, HU until 22:00; IT holiday according to the 2027 calendar |
| Sun 3 Jan 2027 | Sunday bans in every country as on 20 Dec |
| Wed 6 Jan 2027 | SK 06:00–22:00, AT 00:00–22:00, DE only Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg and Saxony-Anhalt; CZ, PL, HU no ban |
Notes by country:
In its report for the third quarter of 2026, the TIMOCOM exchange puts the share of freight offers in all offers at 83% in July, 78% in August and 84% in September. It expects a value above 80% for October, 78% for November and 75% for December. At the same time it expects competition for available capacity during the Christmas season to increase again. Offers of free vehicles in the third quarter were 2.7% below the previous year. In its report for the second quarter of 2026, TIMOCOM stated that the number of free vehicles in Europe fell by 10.8% year on year and the average offered price in Europe reached 1.81 euros per kilometre, 12.8% more than a year earlier.
For a manufacturer this comes down to a simple rule: the earlier you announce your December volumes, the more certain your vehicle and date are. For regular shipments we reserve capacity in advance and adjust the quote only when the scope of the transport changes.
An accurate enquiry means an accurate quote without follow-up questions. Before Christmas the time slots matter most, because unloading in the last week before the holidays is squeezed into shorter hours.
The full checklist is in How to prepare a transport enquiry and get an accurate quote.
We build the truck bans and the holiday closures of warehouses into the route plan when we quote, so the date we confirm already accounts for them. When a shipment cannot wait until the new year, express transport helps. Lanes and transit times are described on transport to Germany, transport to Austria, transport to Italy, transport to France and transport to Spain.
Will a shipment to Germany make it if I send the enquiry on Monday 21 December? For unloading in southern Germany or Austria yes, if a vehicle is free and loading takes place on Tuesday 22 December. For northern Germany it is already tight, so we recommend express transport or a date after the holidays.
Can trucks run between the holidays, from 28 to 30 December? Yes, Monday to Wednesday are working days without a ban in all the countries listed. Many plants have a company-wide shutdown, though, so confirm that the consignee will receive the goods.
Who handles exemptions from the bans? The carrier. Send us the loading and unloading dates, the rest is our job.
Send us a transport enquiry with addresses, dimensions, weight and date. We prepare the quote within 2 hours. RUSH dispatch is available 24/7 on +421 948 886 077 or at transport@rush.sk.
We are here for you 24/7. Contact us for a price quote, consultation or any questions regarding transport.
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