Truck driving restrictions in 2026: Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic
For international transport companies operating across Central Europe, knowing when truck driving bans apply is essential for efficient route planning. Every year, several countries introduce restrictions for heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) during public holidays, weekends, and the peak summer tourist season.
Failing to respect these regulations can result in significant fines, delivery delays, and operational disruptions. That is why dispatchers and truck drivers should always check the current traffic bans before planning cross-border routes.
In this article, we provide a verified overview of truck driving restrictions in Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic for 2026, including exact dates and hours when HGV traffic is prohibited.
In Poland, traffic bans apply to vehicles with a gross vehicle weight exceeding 12 tonnes on national roads. Restrictions mainly occur during public holidays and selected summer weekends, when road traffic increases significantly due to tourism and family travel.
On public holidays in Poland, trucks over 12 tonnes are not allowed to drive:
- on public holidays 08:00 – 22:00
- on the day before selected public holidays: 18:00 – 22:00 (however, this additional ban does not apply before every public holiday)
| date | holiday | restriction hours |
| 01.01.2026 | New Year’s Da | 08:00 – 22:00 |
| 05.04.2026 * | Easter Sunday | 08:00 – 22:00 |
| 06.04.2026 * | Easter Monday | 08:00 – 22:00 |
| 01.05.2026 * | Labour Day | 08:00 – 22:00 |
| 03.05.2026 * | Constitution Day | 08:00 – 22:00 |
| 24.05.2026 * | Pentecos | 08:00 – 22:00 |
| 04.06.2026 * | Corpus Christi | 08:00 – 22:00 |
| 15.08.2026 * | Assumption of Mar | 08:00 – 22:00 |
| 01.11.2026 * | All Saints’ Day | 08:00 – 22:00 |
| 11.11.2026 * | Independence Da | 08:00 – 22:00 |
| 25.12.2026 | Christmas Day | 08:00 – 22:00 |
| 26.12.2026 | Second Day of Christma | 08:00 – 22:00 |
Dates marked with * indicate that the pre-day ban applies
During summer holidays and the peak of tourist season, that is until the last Sunday before the school year starts (26.06-30.08.2026), additional restrictions apply:
| day | restriction hours |
| Friday | 18:00 – 22:00 |
| Saturday | 08:00 – 14:00 |
| Sunday | 08:00 – 22:00 |
These seasonal bans help reduce congestion on major roads during summer travel periods when most of the country goes on holiday and intercity traffic is significantly higher.
In Slovakia, driving restrictions apply to:
- trucks over 7.5 tonnes
- truck-trailer combinations exceeding 3.5 tonnes
The bans apply on motorways, expressways, and main national roads.
Unlike Poland, Slovakia has a regular weekly restriction – Sundays 00:00 – 22:00. This means heavy vehicles cannot drive for most of the day every Sunday.
The same 00:00 – 22:00 restriction applies on Sundays and on public holidays that are treated as statutory non-working days for road-ban purposes.
Key 2026 dates include:
- 1 January – New Year’s Day
- 6 January – Epiphany
- 3 April – Good Friday
- 6 April – Easter Monday
- 1 May – Labour Day
- 5 July – St. Cyril and Methodius Day
- 29 August – Slovak National Uprising Day
- 1 November – All Saints’ Day
- 24–26 December – Christmas holidays
In 2026, 8 May and 15 September are not treated as non-working days, while 1 September, 28 October and 17 November are state holidays but not non-working days, so they are not listed here as standard truck-ban dates. Those dates may vary upon ministry’s decisions so it’s crucial to check the news before transporting through Slovakia.
During the tourist season, additional bans apply 01.07-31.08.2026 on Saturdays from 7:00 to 19:00. Meaning between Saturday and Sunday you have only 5 hours of driving (between Saturday 19:00 and Sunday 00:00)!
These rules are particularly important for trucks traveling along major transit routes between Poland, Hungary, and Austria.
In the Czech Republic, restrictions apply to vehicles and vehicle combinations exceeding 7.5 tonnes. They apply on:
- motorways ,
- expressways,
- first-class roads.
Truck traffic is restricted each Sunday between 13:00 and 22:00.
The same restriction hours apply on public holidays: 13:00-22:00.
Those include:
- 1 January – Restoration Day of the Independent Czech State
- 3 April – Good Friday
- 6 April – Easter Monday
- 1 May – Labour Day
- 8 May – Victory Day
- 5 July – Saints Cyril and Methodius Day
- 6 July – Jan Hus Day
- 28 September – Czech Statehood Day
- 28 October – Independent Czechoslovak State Day
- 17 November – Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day
- 24–26 December – Christmas holidays.
Additional bans apply during summer travel months, between 01.07 and 31.08.2026:
| day | restriction hours |
| Friday | 17:00 – 21:00 |
| Saturday | 07:00 – 13:00 |
| Sunday | 13:00 – 22:00 |
These restrictions mainly affect international transit routes through the country.
For quick reference, here is a generic overview of truck traffic restrictions in 2026 in Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic:
| country | vehicle weight | regular restrictions |
| Poland | over 12 t | holidays + summer weekends |
| Slovakia | over 7.5 t | Sundays + non-working holidays + summer weekends |
| Czech Republic | over 7.5 t | Sundays + holidays + summer weekends |
Truck driving bans are one of the most important regulatory factors affecting freight transport across Central Europe. Logistics companies, dispatchers, and drivers should integrate these restrictions into route planning to prevent delays and costly penalties.
If your company operates international routes across Poland, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic, keeping an updated calendar of truck bans can significantly improve scheduling efficiency and delivery reliability.
Planning ahead ensures that both drivers and logistics teams can optimize routes, avoid restricted hours, and maintain smooth cross-border transport operations throughout 2026.
For transport companies facing unexpected costs, such as unplanned downtime, fines, or operational delays, cash flow support can make a real difference.
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