Full trains and traffic jams: heavy traffic over the Easter weekend

An increase in traffic is also expected at the BER airport in the capital.

Over the long Easter weekend, travellers in Berlin and Brandenburg also have to be prepared for heavy traffic on the roads and trains.

The German Automobile Club (ADAC) expects an increased risk of traffic jams on the roads and motorways again this year. The most traffic jams are expected to occur on Maundy Thursday. Rail and air travellers can also expect high capacity utilisation.

Traffic jams possible on the A9, A10 and A12 motorways

According to the ADAC, there will be traffic jams in Berlin, particularly on the A9 motorway between Berlin, Nuremberg and Munich and on the A10 Berliner Ring. In Brandenburg, drivers on the A12 between the Spreeau motorway junction and Frankfurt (Oder) must be prepared for longer waiting times. At the end of the Easter holidays, the motorways will be very busy at the weekend (5 to 7 April), according to the club. Travellers can also find out about roadworks on the motorways from the ADAC.

Seat reservation recommended for rail travellers

As usual, Deutsche Bahn (DB) is also experiencing a high volume of travellers. However, passengers need not fear strikes following the agreement reached in the wage dispute between the German Train Drivers' Union (GDL) and DB. However, trains will be very busy, especially on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Monday, according to a DB spokesperson. Rail travellers should therefore inform themselves about their journey in good time and reserve a seat. The connections between the major cities are among the most heavily booked train routes, including the Berlin and Hamburg and Frankfurt am Main and Berlin connections. "If you can travel flexibly, you should avoid the peak travel times and look for connections in the early morning and late evening."

BER expects 1.2 million passengers during the holiday season

The Airport Berlin Brandenburg BER is expecting around 1.2 million passengers during the holiday period until 7 April. Last weekend, after the last day of school before the Easter holidays in Berlin and Brandenburg, around 200,000 passengers flew off on their Easter holidays, as a BER spokesperson announced on Sunday. The busiest day is expected to be 5 April with up to 84,000 passengers. However, passengers of Lufthansa subsidiary Austrian Airlines (AUA) will have to be prepared for restrictions: There will be a 36-hour strike on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, which will result in around 400 flights being cancelled, according to AUA.

Berlin is a popular Easter holiday destination

The German capital is also a popular destination over the Easter holidays, as the Managing Director of the tourism company Visit Berlin, Burkhard Kieker, emphasised on Wednesday. "Berlin is therefore once again a popular destination for guests over the Easter weekend and is well booked," Kiefer told dpa. However, there are still enough rooms in all categories for last-minute travellers.