Easter Break 2026: How to Beat the Traffic, Find the Best Destinations and Make the Most of Your Time Off

The first few German states have already started their holidays, while others are just packing their suitcases now. The Easter break is officially underway, and I'll be honest with you: if you have to hit the motorway now, you'll need either nerves of steel or a really good audiobook. The Rhine corridor, the A8 towards Salzburg, the A99 around Munich – these are the usual suspects that prove every year that German efficiency sadly doesn't extend to traffic jams. In the Rhine-Neckar region and across Baden-Württemberg, things tend to get particularly tight. Even the digital signs suggesting a “max 80” speed limit won't help much when everything's at a standstill in front of you.

How to Make the Most of Your Easter Break – A Go-To Guide

The real skill isn't just about getting away. It's about timing your departure so that your colleagues in Bavaria are still in the office while those in North Rhine-Westphalia are already stuck in a jam. My Easter travel guide is based on far too many years of navigating holiday chaos: forget about setting off at lunchtime on a Friday. That's travel suicide with added comfort. The best windows are Tuesday or Wednesday afternoon before the official start of the holidays, or – if you can be flexible – very early on Saturday morning. A pro tip that I use myself every time: drive at night. Between 2am and 5am, the motorway belongs to us night owls and the few lorry drivers sticking to their rest breaks.

Where to Go? The Best Options for Your Easter Getaway

The longing for the south is huge during the Easter break. The Alps, Lake Garda, Croatia – all are top of mind. But I've noticed year after year that the savviest travellers are taking a different route this time. Those who don't make the classic “Easter holiday how-to” mistake of thinking they absolutely must cover 1,500 kilometres, choose to stay in Germany or head to the Netherlands. The North Sea coast has a unique charm in spring. Sure, it's not the beach holiday you'd get in July, but the peace, the wide-open spaces and the fresh sea air are worth their weight in gold when the rest of the country is piling south.

A look at booking portals shows that Easter breaks in the low mountain ranges are in high demand this year. The Harz, the Ore Mountains and the Eifel are no longer secret tips, but they're still far more relaxed than the Brenner Pass, where traffic jams now back up all the way to Innsbruck. So if you haven't booked yet, these regions should be top of your Easter getaway shortlist.

The Checklist: What You Absolutely Need to Sort Out Now

Before you set off, there are a few things I've overlooked far too often in my life to not mention them now. This isn't about scaremongering, it's about making sure your Easter break actually gives you the rest you need.

• Car check: Tyre tread, coolant, screenwash. Sounds basic, but garages are at their busiest right now. If you end up stuck with a flat battery on a Saturday morning, you've had it.
• Reservations: For long-distance trains, here's the rule: without a seat reservation, travelling on an ICE is a gamble. And during the Easter holidays, you'll almost always lose that bet. If you're driving, be sure to check the vignette requirements for Italy or Austria – the digital version is handy, but the sticker vignette is still mandatory on many routes.
• Weather readiness: We're talking about April. I've seen snow during Easter holidays and 25-degree heat. So don't just pack shorts, bring a proper fleece jacket and rain gear. That's not a joke, that's reality.

Jams, Mood and the Right Strategy

Do you know what makes the difference between a relaxing holiday and one that takes you three days just to unwind? Your mindset. For me, the Easter break is the unofficial start of the travel season. Yes, it will be busy. Yes, the A8, A3 and A9 will be clogged. But it's like Oktoberfest: if you know it's going to be packed, you can either get annoyed or just factor it in. Build generous buffers into your travel time, pack your car fridge not only with water but with decent snacks, and stop asking your satnav every five minutes if there's a faster route. Sometimes the longer route on country roads is the more relaxing one. And if you feel you absolutely have to read that one Easter holiday review of the hotel you've booked, do it beforehand. Not while driving. It's just a distraction.

At the end of the day, these are the moments we look back on with family or friends. That little restaurant that found us a table despite being packed, the unexpectedly beautiful sunrise at the service station, or the realisation that you can have a wonderful Easter break at home too, when the neighbour's kids are hunting for eggs in the garden. So make the most of the days. And if you find yourself stuck in a traffic jam, just remember: it won't last forever. Safe travels!