EU Oversize Weekly·29 August 2026

Critical HGV and Exceptional Transport Restrictions Across Europe (31 Aug - 6 Sep 2026)

Detailed report on truck driving bans and exceptional transport restrictions in Europe for 31 August to 6 September 2026, covering Czechia, France, Germany, and more.

Intro

As we enter the week of 31 August to 6 September 2026, European heavy goods vehicle (HGV) operators face several critical movement restrictions. Key regulations are in place across Czechia, France, Germany, and more, requiring careful planning to ensure compliance and operational efficiency.

Driving bans and exceptional-transport restrictions

Seasonal Class I-road restriction for wide special vehicles (Czechia)

A seasonal driving ban on Class I roads outside built-up areas for special vehicles, animal-drawn vehicles and handcarts over 600 mm wide.

Where: Class I roads outside built-up areas
Affected vehicles: Special vehicles, animal-drawn vehicles and handcarts with total width above 600 mm
When: Friday 4 September 2026 15:00-21:00; Saturday 5 September 2026 07:00-11:00; Sunday 6 September 2026 15:00-21:00

Impact: Vehicles falling under this special legal classification cannot use affected Class I roads during the listed windows, even though the timing differs from the general HGV ban.

Recommended action: Confirm whether the planned vehicle is legally a “special vehicle” under Section 43(2); if it is, route or time the movement outside these Class I-road windows.

Exemptions/conditions: This is a separate Section 43(2) regime and must not be confused with the general HGV restriction in Section 43(1). Check the vehicle legal classification before applying it.

Source: Ministerstvo dopravy CR - stanovisko k Section 43(2)

Standard Sunday driving ban (Czechia)

The standing Sunday/rest-day driving ban applies to vehicles above 7.5t and above 3.5t towing a trailer on Czech motorways and Class I roads.

Where: Motorways and Class I roads
Affected vehicles: Vehicles above 7.5t; vehicles above 3.5t towing a trailer
When: Sunday 6 September 2026 13:00-22:00

Impact: Affected vehicles cannot use Czech motorways or Class I roads during the Sunday ban window.

Recommended action: Plan Czech motorway/Class I-road transit outside 13:00-22:00 on Sunday, or confirm a valid statutory/individual exemption before departure.

Exemptions/conditions: Individual exemptions (“povoleni”) can be granted by the Ministry of Transport for specific transports - check before assuming the ban applies without exception.

Source: Ministerstvo dopravy CR - Vyjimky ze zakazu jizdy

Section 39 Sunday driving ban (Slovakia)

A consolidated Section 39 Sunday/last-rest-day restriction for vehicles above 7.5t and above 3.5t towing a trailer.

Where: Motorways, roads for motor vehicles, and Class I roads
Affected vehicles: Vehicles above 7.5t; vehicles above 3.5t towing a trailer
When: Sunday 6 September 2026 06:00-22:00

Impact: Affected vehicles cannot use motorways, roads for motor vehicles, or Class I roads during the Sunday window.

Recommended action: Plan Slovak transit outside the Section 39 Sunday window and verify whether a statutory exemption covers the specific movement.

Exemptions/conditions: Section 39 contains statutory exemptions including specified public-service, combined-transport, fuel-supply, dangerous-goods, humanitarian and emergency movements; verify the current consolidated wording for the specific transport.

Source: Slov-Lex - Act No. 8/2009 Coll., Section 39

General Sunday driving ban (Germany)

Germany’s nationwide Sunday/public-holiday driving ban for goods vehicles and combinations over 7.5t GVW.

Where: Nationwide road network
Affected vehicles: Goods vehicles (and combinations) over 7.5t gross vehicle weight; goods vehicles with trailers
When: Sunday 6 September 2026, 00:00-22:00

Impact: No general-cargo road haulage by the affected vehicle categories anywhere in Germany during the ban window.

Recommended action: Schedule Sunday transits outside the ban window, or confirm the transport qualifies for a standard StVO exemption before departure.

Exemptions/conditions: Standard exemptions apply (e.g. perishable/livestock transport, empty runs to the nearest suitable depot) - always check the current BALM exemption list for the specific transport.

Source: BALM - LKW-Fahrverbote

General HGV weekend driving ban (France)

France’s standing weekend driving restriction for goods vehicles and combinations above 7.5t GVW.

Where: Entire French road network
Affected vehicles: Goods vehicles and combinations above 7.5t GVW, excluding the specialised and agricultural categories defined by the order
When: Saturday 5 September 2026 22:00 to Sunday 6 September 2026 22:00

Impact: Affected general-goods vehicles cannot operate on the French road network during the weekend window unless an Article 4 exemption applies.

Recommended action: Schedule general HGV transit outside Saturday 22:00-Sunday 22:00, and verify the Article 4 exemption list if the load may qualify.

Exemptions/conditions: Article 4 transport categories are exempt from the general restriction unless a prefect decides otherwise under the order. This is distinct from the separate exceptional-transport movement regime.

Source: Bison Fute - Vehicules lourds, interdictions generales

Exceptional-transport weekend movement ban (France)

France maintains weekend movement prohibition for exceptional transports lacking departmental exemptions.

Where: Nationwide French road network
Affected vehicles: Exceptional transports (convois exceptionnels) without the necessary departmental exemption
When: Saturday 5 September 2026 12:00 to Monday 7 September 2026 06:00

Impact: Exceptional/oversized transports without a departmental exemption cannot move anywhere in France during this window - note it extends into the Monday of the following week.

Recommended action: Confirm the departmental exemption is in hand before Saturday midday; do not confuse this exceptional-transport rule with France’s separate general HGV weekend restrictions.

Exemptions/conditions: A departmental exemption (autorisation prefectorale) can permit movement during the ban window for a specific transport - this rule applies only in the absence of such an exemption. Distinct from France’s general HGV weekend restrictions, which follow a separate regime.

Source: Bison Fute - Regime general des transports exceptionnels

Sunday HGV driving restriction (Slovenia)

Slovenia’s Sunday restriction applies to HGVs above 7.5t GVW.

Where: Roads covered by the Slovenian cargo-traffic restriction order
Affected vehicles: Heavy goods vehicles above 7.5t maximum authorised total weight
When: Sunday 6 September 2026 08:00-22:00

Impact: Affected HGVs cannot operate on roads covered by the restriction order during the Sunday window unless an exception applies.

Recommended action: Plan Slovenian HGV transit outside 08:00-22:00 on Sunday and verify the published exception list for the specific transport.

Exemptions/conditions: Promet.si lists statutory exceptions including emergency/public-interest movements, specified perishable goods, certain combined transport and documented empty runs to loading/from unloading; verify the current list for the specific movement.

Source: Promet.si - Limitation of cargo traffic in Slovenia

Nationwide weekend driving ban (Austria)

Austria enforces its nationwide weekend ban with different thresholds by vehicle type.

Where: Nationwide Austrian road network
Affected vehicles: Goods vehicles with trailers above 3.5t; standalone goods vehicles above 7.5t; articulated combinations above 7.5t; self-propelled working machines above 7.5t - the threshold differs by vehicle type and must not be flattened to a single number
When: Saturday 5 September 2026 from 15:00; Sunday 6 September 2026 until 22:00

Impact: Affected vehicle categories cannot operate on the Austrian road network during the ban window - a single flat weight threshold must not be applied across all vehicle types.

Recommended action: Confirm which threshold applies to the specific vehicle/combination type before departure, and check the standard exemption list.

Exemptions/conditions: Standard Austrian weekend-ban exemptions apply (e.g. combined transport, certain perishable goods) - check the current exemption list for the specific transport.

Source: WKO - Fahrverbote in Oesterreich

Sunday and night driving ban (Switzerland)

The standing nightly driving ban (22:00-05:00, every day) applies as usual, together with the Sunday driving ban.

Where: Nationwide Swiss road network
Affected vehicles: Vehicles above 3.5t; articulated vehicles above 5t; vehicles towing a trailer above 3.5t
When: Nightly 22:00-05:00 (every day); Sunday 6 September 2026 full-day ban

Impact: Affected vehicles cannot move at night on any day, or at all on Sunday, without a special permit.

Recommended action: Apply for a Sonderbewilligung in advance for any required Sunday or night movement, and confirm how it interacts with any exceptional-transport permit already held for the same movement.

Exemptions/conditions: A special permit (“Sonderbewilligung”) can be requested for Sunday or night movements, and interacts with any separate exceptional-transport permit already held for the same movement - both must be checked.

Source: ASTRA - Sonntags- und Nachtfahrverbot

Ministerial Decree 325/2025 driving ban (Italy)

Ministerial Decree 325/2025 restricts goods vehicles above 7.5t and covers exceptional transports.

Where: Outside built-up areas, nationwide
Affected vehicles: Goods vehicles above 7.5t; per the decree, exceptional vehicles and exceptional transports even when authorised, unless a specific exemption or timing adjustment applies
When: Sunday 6 September 2026 07:00-22:00

Impact: Affected vehicles - including authorised exceptional transports without a specific exemption - cannot operate outside built-up areas during the listed window.

Recommended action: Do not assume an existing exceptional-transport authorisation exempts the movement; check the decree’s exemptions and timing adjustments for the specific transport before departure.

Exemptions/conditions: The decree sets out specific exemptions and timing adjustments for vehicles arriving from abroad, port traffic, and other categories - always check the current decree text for the specific transport, including whether an existing exceptional-transport authorisation is still subject to the ban.

Source: Ministero delle Infrastrutture e dei Trasporti - Decreto n. 325/2025

Rest of Europe: verified operational roundup

These verified items did not rank among the lead reports, but may still affect route execution. Coverage is evidence-led and is not limited to a fixed list of countries.

Tourist-season Saturday HGV restriction (5 September 2026) (Slovenia)

The 2026 tourist-season Saturday restriction for HGVs above 7.5t remains in force through the first weekend in September; coastal routes have a longer Saturday window.

Where: Tourist-season restricted routes; coastal routes have the longer Saturday window stated by Promet.si
Affected vehicles: Heavy goods vehicles above 7.5t maximum authorised total weight
When: Saturday 5 September 2026 08:00-13:00; coastal routes 06:00-16:00

Impact: Affected HGVs must avoid the tourist-season restricted routes during the Saturday window, with the longer 06:00-16:00 restriction on coastal routes.

Recommended action: Check whether the planned Slovenian route is in the tourist-season restriction set and, on coastal routes, treat 06:00-16:00 as the operative Saturday window.

Exemptions/conditions: The same published Slovenian cargo-restriction exceptions remain relevant. Route scope and coastal-road timing must be checked against the current Promet.si notice.

Source: Promet.si - 2026 tourist-season HGV restriction

Operator checklist

Confirm if special vehicles must reroute due to Czech seasonal road windows.
Review and comply with Austria’s unique weight thresholds for weekend bans.
Validate if your transport is eligible for Italy’s exceptional transport exemptions under Decree 325/2025.