ADAC issues ten tips for a relaxed car journey as NRW summer holidays approach
With 2.5 million students in North Rhine-Westphalia about to start summer holidays on 17 July, the ADAC offers advice on avoiding traffic jams and saving on fuel.
Holiday travel rush in NRW
For 2.5 million pupils in North Rhine-Westphalia, the summer holidays are just around the corner. Many families traditionally set off on the last day of the school year, 17 July, heading south by car. The ADAC has published ten tips to help travellers reach their destination with less stress.
Traffic hotspots and timing
The highest risk of congestion is in the Cologne/Bonn and Ruhr areas. The Cologne motorway ring, the fully closed Bonner Nordbrücke, and the Oberhausen/Duisburg junction (Kreuz Kaiserberg) are particularly prone to jams. Friday afternoons between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. are the worst, when holiday traffic meets commuters. Wednesday and Thursday mornings (7–9 a.m.) and afternoons (3–6 p.m.) are also busy. The ADAC recommends travelling on Monday or Tuesday instead, and driving at off-peak times also helps avoid the midday heat.
When to leave the motorway
Leaving the autobahn during a traffic jam rarely saves time, according to the ADAC, because alternative routes quickly become clogged. It only makes sense if the jam is longer than ten kilometres or if there is a full closure.
Fuel savings
The cheapest time to refuel is just before noon, when prices are at their daily low. They rise sharply at 12 p.m. and then fall again. Motorway service stations charge between 16 and 43 cents more per litre for Super E10 and diesel than stations off the motorway, depending on the state. In NRW the average difference is 33 cents per litre.Fuel is often a little cheaper in North Rhine-Westphalia than in many other federal states. That is due to the high density of petrol stations and local competition.
Even a short detour to the first petrol station after the exit is enough to save 10 to 25 euros on a full tank.
ADAC recommendations
Travellers driving abroad should check in advance whether fuel is cheaper at home or at their destination. The ADAC also advises planning breaks, keeping children entertained, and ensuring the car is roadworthy before departure.
