According to the ÖAMTC, Austria’s main motoring association, traffic is likely to build on routes out of larger cities on Wednesday afternoon and evening, as many people leave early for the extended weekend. The return journey is expected to be slowest on Sunday evening, when day-trippers and long-weekend travellers head home at the same time.
The weather outlook is “not rosy”, ÖAMTC said, but it still expects strong excursion traffic around Ascension Day.
When is traffic expected to be worst?
The main pressure points are likely to be:
Wednesday afternoon and evening, May 13th, as people leave for the long weekend.
Thursday, May 14th, around Ascension Day travel and events.
Saturday, May 16th, around the Eurovision Song Contest final in Vienna.
Sunday evening, May 17th, when many people return home.
Sunday, May 17th, in Salzburg, because of the Salzburg Marathon.
Drivers should expect delays on routes out of larger cities. It also warned that the two major events, the Eurovision final in Vienna and the Salzburg Marathon, will cause regional disruption.
READ ALSO: ÖBB adds more than 13,500 seats for Austria’s May holiday weekends
Motorways and expressways where delays are expected
ÖAMTC listed the following routes as places where drivers should expect possible time losses:
A1 West Autobahn: Linz junction to Enns
A2 Süd Autobahn: Villach area
A4 Ost Autobahn: Schwechat junction to Fischamend
A7 Mühlkreis Autobahn: greater Linz area
A10 Tauern Autobahn: two-way traffic sections at Pass Lueg to Werfen, Eben im Pongau and Flachau, Spittal-Millstätter See junction, and St. Andrä underpass route
A12 Inntal Autobahn: Kufstein to Wiesing
A13 Brenner Autobahn: Luegbrücke area
A14 Rheintal Autobahn: between Dornbirn and Hohenems
S6 Semmering Schnellstraße: construction sites at Spital am Semmering and Mürzzuschlag West, Niklasdorf and Leoben West
Main roads where traffic could be slow
Drivers should also expect delays on several well-known holiday and excursion routes:
B158 Wolfgangsee Straße: Sankt Gilgen to Bad Ischl
B169 Zillertal Straße: before the Brettfall tunnel
B179 Fernpass Straße: along the whole route
B311 Pinzgauer Straße: between Zell am See and Lend
Vienna disruption around Eurovision
Vienna will have extra disruption because of the Eurovision Song Contest final at Wiener Stadthalle on Saturday, May 16th. The Ringstraße and some streets around the Stadthalle will be closed on Ascension Day, May 14th, and again on Saturday, May 16th.
Anyone travelling through Vienna on those days should avoid driving around the Ring and the Stadthalle area unless they really need to. If you’re heading to Eurovision events, it’s safer to plan extra time and check public transport information before leaving.
READ ALSO: Accommodation to safety: What to expect in Vienna during Eurovision week
Salzburg Marathon road closures
Salzburg will also see major local disruption on Sunday, May 17th, because of the Salzburg Marathon.
ÖAMTC warned of extensive road closures and parking bans linked to the marathon. It recommends using Park & Ride options and switching to public transport.
For visitors, that means it’s worth avoiding driving into central Salzburg on Sunday if possible. Anyone who needs to travel through the city should check the route and parking situation in advance.
Key vocabulary
Christi Himmelfahrt – Ascension Day, a public holiday in Austria
der Ausflugsverkehr – excursion or day-trip traffic
die Rettungsgasse – rescue lane for emergency vehicles
die Sperre – closure
das Parkverbot – parking ban
der Pannenstreifen – hard shoulder or emergency lane on a motorway
Comments