Slovakia shortened its truck bans on 1 Sept 2026. When trucks stop in SK, CZ, DE, AT, PL and HU in November and at Christmas 2026, and how to plan.
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Indicative transit times to Germany and Austria, tolls included, FTL vs LTL, what to put in your request and the documents. Quote within 2 hours.
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Read articleShipments arrive on time before Christmas when loading is planned around the holiday truck bans, not around the production calendar. This year it matters more than usual. Christmas Eve falls on a Thursday, so trucks in Germany and Austria stand still for three days in a row, from Friday 25 to Sunday 27 December. On top of that, Slovakia changed the hours of its own bans on 1 September 2026.
The amendment to the Slovak Road Traffic Act (Act No. 131/2026 Coll.) has applied since 1 September 2026. On motorways, expressways and class I roads it covers vehicles over 7.5 t and vehicles over 3.5 t with a trailer.
For a manufacturer this means more time to load on Sunday morning and an easier return of vehicles home. The bans abroad have not changed, and that is where the unloading date is decided.
The bans apply to trucks over 7.5 t, in Poland over 12 t. Times are local.
| Date | Country | What applies |
|---|---|---|
| Sun 1 Nov | SK, CZ, DE, AT, PL, HU | Sunday and holiday: SK 06:00–22:00, CZ 13:00–22:00, DE and AT 00:00–22:00, PL 08:00–22:00, HU from Saturday 22:00 to Sunday 22:00 |
| Wed 11 Nov | PL | Independence Day, ban 08:00–22:00 |
| Tue 17 Nov | CZ | Public holiday, ban 13:00–22:00 on motorways and class I roads |
| Tue 8 Dec | AT | Public holiday, ban 00:00–22:00 |
| Thu 24 Dec | SK, CZ | SK ban 09:00–19:00, CZ ban 13:00–22:00 |
| Fri 25 Dec | DE, AT, CZ, PL, HU | DE and AT 00:00–22:00, CZ 13:00–22:00, PL 08:00–22:00, HU see the note below |
| Sat 26 Dec | DE, AT, CZ, PL, HU | Same as 25 Dec (in Austria the holiday ban replaces the Saturday ban) |
| Sun 27 Dec | SK, CZ, DE, AT | Sunday: SK 06:00–22:00, DE and AT 00:00–22:00, CZ 13:00–22:00 |
Notes by country:
If a truck loaded on Wednesday 23 December cannot unload in Germany by Thursday evening, it may continue only after 22:00 on Sunday 27 December. It will then unload on Monday 28 December. Many plants and warehouses also close earlier before the holidays.
How to prepare an enquiry with all the details is described in How to prepare a transport enquiry and get an accurate quote. Transit times on the most common lanes are in Transport to Germany and Austria.
We build the truck bans into the route plan when we quote, so the date we confirm already accounts for them. Dispatch is available around the clock, so we can work in a date change even just before the holidays. When a shipment cannot wait until the new year, express transport helps. Our most common lanes are described on transport to Germany and transport to Austria.
Does the Slovak ban also apply on class II and III roads? The ban under § 39 covers motorways, expressways and class I roads. Class III roads have a separate restriction for vehicles over 12 t.
Do I as the shipper need to apply for an exemption? No. Exemptions and the route plan are the carrier's job. Send us the loading and unloading dates and the time slots.
How often do the rules change? Slovakia last changed them on 1 September 2026. We always check dates against the current rules before dispatch.
Send us a transport enquiry with addresses, dimensions, weight and dates. We prepare a 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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