On a public holiday in Europe, more than the office shuts down. Loading and unloading sites are closed, planners are hard to reach and in several countries trucks are not allowed on the road. In 2027 a good share of the holidays fall at the weekend, but the weekday holidays sit close together: around Easter in late March, in the first week of May and around 1 November. If you move vehicles across Europe, put those dates in your planning now.
This overview lists the 2027 public holidays per country and the driving bans that come with them, so you can stay ahead of delays.
Please note: we update this blog regularly, but rules and dates can change. Not sure about a specific driving ban or date? Feel free to check with your TransConnect contact.
Why public holidays affect transport
A public holiday affects a transport in three ways:
- Loading and unloading sites are closed or run with minimal staff
- France, Germany, Luxembourg, Poland and Romania apply driving bans for heavy trucks. A car transporter is generally covered by them
- The days around a holiday are busier: everyone wants to load or unload before it starts
The rules differ per country. In Germany the ban applies on the holiday itself, in France it starts the evening before, and the Netherlands and Belgium have no general driving ban. For more background, read our blog on truck driving bans in Europe.
2027 at a glance: the weeks to watch
- 26 to 29 March, Easter. Easter is early. Good Friday is a public holiday with a driving ban in Germany, and Easter Monday is a day off in almost every country in this overview.
- 30 April to 8 May. The period with the most holidays in quick succession. 1 May falls on a Saturday, Romania celebrates Orthodox Easter from 30 April to 3 May, Poland has a public holiday on Monday 3 May and Ascension Day falls on Thursday 6 May. In the Netherlands, Wednesday 5 May (Liberation Day) comes right before it; in France, Saturday 8 May follows.
- 17 and 27 May. Whit Monday on Monday 17 May and Corpus Christi on Thursday 27 May, a public holiday in Poland and in six German federal states.
- 1 and 11 November. All Saints' Day falls on a Monday and creates a long weekend in Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Poland and parts of Germany. Thursday 11 November is a public holiday in Belgium, France and Poland.
- Christmas. Christmas Day and 26 December fall on Saturday and Sunday. In Poland, Friday 24 December is a day off as well.
Public holidays in 2027 by country
The Netherlands
The Netherlands has no driving ban on Sundays and public holidays. Most businesses are closed, however, so loading and unloading is often not possible.
- 1 January (Fri) - New Year's Day
- 26 March (Fri) - Good Friday
Not a general day off. Some businesses are closed or close early. - 29 March (Mon) - Easter Monday
- 27 April (Tue) - King's Day
City centres are often inaccessible because of celebrations. Most businesses are closed. - 5 May (Wed) - Liberation Day
A normal working day for many employees. Some businesses are closed, so expect lower staffing at depots. - 6 May (Thu) - Ascension Day
Many businesses also close on Friday 7 May. - 17 May (Mon) - Whit Monday
- 25 and 26 December (Sat and Sun) - Christmas Day and Second Day of Christmas
Belgium
Belgium has no general driving ban for trucks on Sundays and public holidays. Restrictions apply to exceptional transport only. Most logistics sites are closed on public holidays. When a holiday falls at the weekend, a replacement day off applies, and it differs per sector or company. So check when your loading or unloading address is closed.
- 1 January (Fri) - New Year's Day
- 29 March (Mon) - Easter Monday
- 1 May (Sat) - Labour Day
- 6 May (Thu) - Ascension Day
- 17 May (Mon) - Whit Monday
- 21 July (Wed) - National Day
- 15 August (Sun) - Assumption Day
- 1 November (Mon) - All Saints' Day
- 11 November (Thu) - Armistice Day
- 25 December (Sat) - Christmas Day
Luxembourg
Luxembourg applies a driving ban for transit trucks over 7.5 tonnes heading for France and Germany. Towards France it runs from 21:30 on the evening before a public holiday until 21:45 on the holiday itself; towards Germany it starts at 23:30. The same applies from Saturday evening to Sunday evening.
- 1 January (Fri) - New Year's Day
- 29 March (Mon) - Easter Monday
- 1 May (Sat) - Labour Day
- 6 May (Thu) - Ascension Day
- 9 May (Sun) - Europe Day
- 17 May (Mon) - Whit Monday
- 23 June (Wed) - National Day
- 15 August (Sun) - Assumption Day
- 1 November (Mon) - All Saints' Day
- 25 and 26 December (Sat and Sun) - Christmas Day and St Stephen's Day
If you drive through Luxembourg to France or Germany, check the public holidays in the country of destination too.
France
In France, the driving ban starts on the evening before a public holiday. Trucks over 7.5 tonnes may not drive from 22:00 that evening until 22:00 on the holiday itself. The same applies at the weekend, from Saturday 22:00 to Sunday 22:00.
In 2027, 1 May, 8 May and Christmas Day fall on a Saturday. The holiday ban then runs straight into the weekend ban. Trucks over 7.5 tonnes are in principle not allowed to drive from Friday 22:00 to Sunday 22:00.
- 1 January (Fri) - New Year's Day
- 29 March (Mon) - Easter Monday
- 1 May (Sat) - Labour Day
- 6 May (Thu) - Ascension Day
- 8 May (Sat) - Victory in Europe Day
- 17 May (Mon) - Whit Monday
- 14 July (Wed) - National Day
- 15 August (Sun) - Assumption Day
- 1 November (Mon) - All Saints' Day
- 11 November (Thu) - Armistice Day
- 25 December (Sat) - Christmas Day
Logistics activity also drops in the days before a public holiday, especially in regional transport. Around Ascension Day, many people in France take the Friday off as well.
Germany
Germany applies a driving ban on Sundays and public holidays from 00:00 to 22:00 for trucks over 7.5 tonnes and for trucks with a trailer. The ban also applies when a public holiday falls on a Saturday, as 1 May and Christmas Day do in 2027.
Nationwide public holidays:
- 1 January (Fri) - New Year's Day
- 26 March (Fri) - Good Friday
- 29 March (Mon) - Easter Monday
- 1 May (Sat) - Labour Day
- 6 May (Thu) - Ascension Day
- 17 May (Mon) - Whit Monday
- 3 October (Sun) - German Unity Day
- 25 and 26 December (Sat and Sun) - Christmas Day and Second Day of Christmas
Regional public holidays with a driving ban:
- 27 May (Thu) - Corpus Christi
Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland. - 31 October (Sun) - Reformation Day
Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Lower Saxony, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein and Thuringia. - 1 November (Mon) - All Saints' Day
Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland.
Pay particular attention to 27 May and 1 November. North Rhine-Westphalia borders the Netherlands and Belgium and lies on many north-south routes. Warehouses often have shorter opening hours on the day before a public holiday.
Poland
In Poland, the driving ban applies to vehicles and combinations over 12 tonnes. On public holidays it runs from 08:00 to 22:00, on the day before from 18:00 to 22:00. Most businesses are closed on public holidays.
- 1 January (Fri) - New Year's Day
- 6 January (Wed) - Epiphany
A day off, but without a driving ban. - 28 and 29 March (Sun and Mon) - Easter
- 1 May (Sat) - Labour Day
- 3 May (Mon) - Constitution Day
- 16 May (Sun) - Whit Sunday
- 27 May (Thu) - Corpus Christi
- 15 August (Sun) - Assumption Day
- 1 November (Mon) - All Saints' Day
- 11 November (Thu) - Independence Day
- 24 December (Fri) - Christmas Eve
A day off since 2025, but without a driving ban. - 25 and 26 December (Sat and Sun) - Christmas Day and Second Day of Christmas
From late June to late August, weekend driving bans apply as well. Around public holidays, the border crossings with Germany and the Czech Republic can be busier.
Romania
Romania has no driving ban that covers the whole road network. Around public holidays, road authority CNAIR does close a number of busy sections to vehicles over 7.5 tonnes, such as the A2 between Bucharest and Constanța and the DN7 between Pitești and Veștem. On the holiday itself this usually applies from 06:00 to 22:00. CNAIR announces the exact sections and times per holiday. Romania follows the Orthodox calendar: in 2027, Easter and Pentecost fall five weeks later than in Western Europe.
- 1 and 2 January (Fri and Sat) - New Year
- 6 and 7 January (Wed and Thu) - Epiphany and St John's Day
- 24 January (Sun) - Unification Day
- 30 April (Fri) - Good Friday (Orthodox)
- 1 May (Sat) - Labour Day
- 2 and 3 May (Sun and Mon) - Easter (Orthodox)
- 1 June (Tue) - Children's Day
- 20 and 21 June (Sun and Mon) - Pentecost (Orthodox)
- 15 August (Sun) - Assumption Day
- 30 November (Tue) - St Andrew's Day
- 1 December (Wed) - National Day
- 25 and 26 December (Sat and Sun) - Christmas Day and Second Day of Christmas
The availability of carriers and sites drops sharply around these days. That applies above all to 30 April to 3 May and to 30 November and 1 December.
Planning in 2027: our tips
This is how you avoid surprises:
- Do not plan time-critical loading on or right around a public holiday
- On international routes, look at every country along the way, not just the countries of origin and destination
- Load one working day earlier where you can and book your transport well ahead of the busy weeks
- When a holiday falls at the weekend, ask whether your loading or unloading address has a replacement day off
Still looking for a date in 2026? See the overview of European public holidays in 2026.
If you put the public holidays in your planning early, you can keep your commitments when it counts. And take some time off yourself as well.
Sources: Rijksoverheid, Royal Observatory of Belgium, Bison Futé, Moovijob, Service-Public.fr, ADAC, IHK Ostthüringen, Forsal, Poradnik Przedsiębiorcy, Digi24 and Agerpres (CNAIR).
