Traffic chaos on the A10 Tauern Autobahn: Pentecost travelers are stuck in the longest traffic jam of the year

The Whitsun weekend of 2025 will bring significant challenges for drivers heading south. The Tauern Autobahn (A10) in Austria is particularly affected, with a traffic jam over 45 kilometers long on Saturday morning. The cause is a tunnel construction site near Golling in the Salzburg region, which has reduced traffic to just one lane. Combined with heavy holiday traffic from Germany, this is leading to massive delays.

The effects of the traffic jam extend far beyond Austria's borders. Vehicles are already backed up on the A8 near Neukirchen in Bavaria. Many drivers are trying to avoid the traffic jam by taking alternative routes such as the Salzachtal federal highway or smaller state roads. But even there, congestion is occurring, sometimes with traffic coming to a standstill in small communities and through roads that are unable to cope with the onslaught.

The situation around the bottleneck near Golling is particularly problematic. Work has been underway on several tunnel sections there for weeks – an urgently needed measure to upgrade the infrastructure, but at an inopportune time for travel. During the renovation, traffic is reduced to one lane in each direction. This would already be a challenge during normal operations, but on a busy weekend like Pentecost, it develops into a traffic gridlock.

Traffic planners are now calling this one of the worst traffic jams on the A10 in years. The tunnel construction site is considered the biggest traffic problem currently on the important north-south axis through the Alps. In addition, the rail traffic restrictions – caused by construction work and train cancellations – are forcing many drivers to use their cars, thus further increasing traffic congestion.

A further threat threatens the border between Austria and Germany. There, the German Federal Police are currently conducting an increased number of stationary and mobile border controls. These could lead to further delays, especially during heavy return traffic on Whit Monday. Particularly affected are border crossings such as Walserberg on the A8 and smaller border stations in the Berchtesgadener Land region. Drivers there can expect additional waiting times of up to 90 minutes, further complicating the already slow return traffic.

Traffic experts do not expect the situation to ease over the remainder of the Whitsun weekend. Rather, the wave of return journeys is expected to hit with full force on Monday. Wait times of several hours are expected, particularly on the A10 and A8 in Bavaria, as well as on the Inntal Autobahn (A12) in Tyrol. Repercussions could also persist on Tuesday.

The ADAC and Austrian transport services recommend scheduling planned return trips for times of day with the least traffic, such as early morning or late evening, or, if possible, switching to Tuesday. Travelers should check the current traffic situation before setting off, consider alternative routes, and, if necessary, bring sufficient food and water.