United Kingdom
Republic of Ireland
Polska
România
Republica Moldova
Российская Федерация
Украина
Республика Беларусь
Литва
Латвия
Эстония
Deutschland
Schweiz
Österreich
Lichtenstein
Belgien
Luxemburg
Magyarország
Česká republika
Slovenská republika.
España
Italia
Bulgaria
Can I drive a HGV in Europe on weekends or bank holidays?
It depends on which country you are driving in and what you are carrying. Many countries on mainland Europe impose bans on the driving of commercial vehicles over a specified weight on Sunday’s and public holidays.
Some countries will extend these on popular summer weekends, whilst others have commercial traffic prohibitions on specified roads at certain times. There are not normally restrictions on vans. It is always worth checking the details for the country you are planning on visiting. Information for some popular destinations is included here:
| FRANCE | Gross weight over 7.5t, throughout the road and motorway network, from 22:00 Saturday and the eve of public holidays until 22:00 Sundays and public holidays. There are exceptions for trucks carrying perishable produce or refrigerated produce, trucks servicing sporting events or trade fairs, and a few other cases. |
| GERMANY | Gross weight of over 7.5t, plus any vehicle with a trailer, regardless of weight, on Sundays and public holidays from 00:00 to 22:00. |
| BELGIUM | There are no restrictions on goods vehicles on Sundays or public holidays |
| NETHERLANDS | There are no restrictions on goods vehicles on Sundays or public holidays |
| ITALY | Gross weight over 7.5t, from 08:00-22:00 on Sundays between October and May, and from 07:00 to 24:00 from June to September. Also applies on public holidays and days of heavy traffic. There are exceptions for trucks carrying perishable produce or fuels. |
| SPAIN | Gross weight over 7.5t, except those transporting livestock or fresh milk, on certain roads and on certain dates. Regional and date restrictions can be extensive so it is important to familiarise yourself with national driving restrictions as fines can be very severe. |
