Despite earlier warnings from traffic experts about heavy congestion on Northern Germany’s motorways in the days leading up to Christmas, the anticipated traffic jams largely failed to materialize by Christmas Eve. The ADAC had forecast significant traffic on typically congested routes, but disruptions remained relatively low.
Minimal Pre-Christmas Traffic Jams
Even on Christmas Eve itself, traffic conditions remained mostly calm. Only a minor traffic jam of up to six kilometers was reported by NDR traffic services on the A2 between Braunschweig-Watenbüttel and Peine-Ost in the afternoon. This unexpected ease of travel provided a welcome relief for many holiday travelers.
Post-Christmas and New Year’s Travel Expected to Be Busier
However, the situation is expected to change in the coming days. According to ADAC spokesperson Menno Gebhardt, the return traffic after Christmas and the approaching New Year’s celebrations could lead to fuller roads on the last weekend of the year (December 27th/28th) and on Tuesday, December 30th. “Experience shows that many people are simultaneously on their way to and from family visits, on holiday, or on short trips around the New Year,” Gebhardt explained.
Congestion-Prone Routes Identified
Should traffic jams occur, they are most likely to affect the major transport axes in the wider Hamburg area and the main travel routes in Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein, and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, especially those leading to and from the North and Baltic Sea coasts. The ADAC specifically named the A1, A7, A20, A23, and A24 as particularly susceptible to congestion.
The A7 section near the Elbe Tunnel in Hamburg remains a critical bottleneck, where traffic can quickly come to a standstill in both directions. Construction work on the New Elbe Bridge and the resulting reduced number of lanes are also causing regular tailbacks in the area of the Norderelbe bridges on the A1 and B75. The ADAC advises motorists to bypass this area if possible. Longer waiting times are also to be expected at the car train loading facility in Niebüll, which serves Sylt.
Ferry Services Disrupted by Strong Easterly Winds
While road traffic was smoother than anticipated, ferry services to the North Sea islands are experiencing significant disruptions. Strong easterly winds have led to low water levels along the North Sea coast, causing problems for ferries to several East Frisian Islands. Some ferry connections have been canceled, or their schedules have been altered, as reported by the ferry companies.
For instance, the two planned departures to and from Wangerooge on the first and second Christmas holidays were canceled, with replacement services operating at different times. Norden-Frisia announced the complete cancellation of ferry trips to and from Juist on Thursday due to very low water levels, with altered schedules planned for Friday. Changes are also expected for Norderney ferry services on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, with some morning connections being canceled.
Departures from Bensersiel (Wittmund district) and Langeoog for the island of Langeoog were also shifted on Christmas Day. The Baltrum-Linie also reported altered departure times for its ferry on December 25th from Neßmersiel (Aurich district) to Baltrum and back to the mainland.
Deutsche Bahn Anticipates High Passenger Numbers
Deutsche Bahn is also preparing for a busy period around Christmas and New Year’s. A railway spokesperson stated that this year’s travel is spread over several days, leading to a better distribution of passengers. They anticipate slightly more long-distance passengers than in 2024. To meet the increased demand, all available trains, including the new ICE-L for the first time, are being deployed, along with additional sprinter and half-hourly connections between major cities. Passengers are advised to reserve seats, with early morning or late evening journeys typically being less crowded. Unfortunately, an accident involving a freight train derailment on Tuesday is causing disruptions on the Hannover-Göttingen line, which is expected to remain partially closed until early January.
Air Travel Also Busy
Hamburg Airport expects more than 570,000 passengers during the Christmas holidays until January 2nd, with up to 42,000 travelers per holiday day at Hamburg Airport Helmut Schmidt.
Source: [ndr.de](https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/info/alle-jahre-wieder-weihnachtsferien-bringen-staus-in-norden,weihnachtsverkehr-100.html), [adac.de](https://www.adac.de/news/reise-weihnachten-2025-verkehr-stauprognose/), [ln-online.de](https://www.ln-online.de/lokales/ostholstein/a1-a7-a24-a21-adac-warnt-komplette-staus-zu-weihnachten-rund-um-luebeck-und-hamburg-OE6RLRLFD5FQ3KP2HOPDGFTRN4.html), [n-tv.de](https://www.n-tv.de/regionales/niedersachsen-und-bremen/Weihnachtsferien-Darauf-sollten-Autofahrer-achten-id30155312.html), [ndr.de](https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/schleswig-holstein/zugausfaelle-in-sh-diese-bahnen-fahren-im-november-nicht,bahn3528.html)
