Drivers may face significant delays on German highways during the long Pentecost weekend May 17-20, 2024, with extensive traffic expected in Kaiserslautern and across the country. (ADAC)

Significant traffic jams are expected on highways across Germany during the upcoming long Pentecost weekend, affecting drivers in all directions, including those in the Kaiserslautern area.

Many motorists are hitting the roads for the extended weekend in states like Bremen, Mecklenburg, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia and Saxony, which have an additional school-free day May 21. Others are beginning vacations, with extended breaks starting in Baden-Württemberg Bavaria, Hamburg, Saarland, Saxony-Anhalt and Rheinland-Pfalz.

Travel destinations primarily include the Alps, the North and Baltic seas, as well as neighboring countries, according to German Automobile Club ADAC. Day trips to recreational areas near major cities are also contributing to the congestion.

The most severe traffic disruptions are expected on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning, as well as on Pentecost Monday. The Friday before Pentecost last year was one of the busiest traffic days of the year, according to ADAC.

Areas particularly prone to congestion include major urban centers and specific routes like highway A1 from Cologne to Lübeck, the A2 from Dortmund to Berlin, and the A6 from Kaiserslautern to Heilbronn.