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

Some states have already started their break, and others are just packing their bags. The Easter holidays are officially here, and let me tell you straight: if you need to hit the highway now, you’ll either need 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, unfortunately, doesn’t extend to traffic jams. In the Rhine-Neckar region and across Baden-Württemberg, things tend to get especially tight. Even those digital signs suggesting “slow to 80” don’t help much when everything is at a standstill ahead of you.

How to make the most of the Easter holidays – a guide for every scenario

The real trick isn’t just going away. It’s about picking the perfect moment – when your colleagues in Bavaria are still at their desks while those in North Rhine-Westphalia are already stuck in traffic. My Easter travel guide is based on too many years of navigating travel chaos: forget the idea of zooming off on Friday afternoon. That’s just self-sabotage. The best windows are Tuesday or Wednesday afternoon before the break officially starts, or – if you have flexibility – early Saturday morning. A pro tip I rely on every single time: drive at night. Between 2 and 5 am, the motorway belongs to us night owls and the few truckers sticking to their rest periods.

Where to go? The best options for your Easter getaway

The longing for the south is huge during the Easter holidays. The Alps, Lake Garda, Croatia – these are all top of mind. But year after year, I notice the smartest travellers take a different route this year. Those who avoid the classic “how to use Easter holidays” mistake – thinking you absolutely must clock 1,500 kilometres – will stay in Germany or head to the Netherlands. The North Sea coast has a unique charm in spring. Sure, it’s not a July beach holiday, but the peace, the wide-open spaces and the fresh breeze are priceless when the rest of the country is pushing south.

A look at booking portals shows that this year, the Easter holidays are in high demand, especially in the low mountain ranges. The Harz, the Ore Mountains, or the Eifel are no longer hidden gems, 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 at the top of your Easter holiday review list.

The checklist: What you absolutely need to check now

Before you set off, there are a few things I’ve overlooked too many times in my life, so I’m mentioning them again. This isn’t about fear-mongering, it’s about ensuring that the Easter holidays actually give you the rest you deserve.

• Car check: Tyre tread, coolant, washer fluid. Sounds basic, but workshops are in peak season now. If you’re stuck with a dead battery on Saturday morning, you’ve lost the game.
• Reservations: For long-distance trains, the rule is: without a seat reservation, taking the ICE is a gamble. And during the Easter holidays, you almost always lose that bet. If you’re driving, make sure you check the vignette requirements for Italy or Austria – the digital one is handy, but the sticker vignette is still mandatory on many routes.
• Weather flexibility: We’re talking about April. I’ve experienced snow during the Easter holidays and also 25-degree days. So don’t just pack shorts; bring a solid fleece jacket and rain gear too. No joke – that’s the reality.

Jams, moods, and the right strategy

You know what makes the difference between a relaxing holiday and one where you need the first three days just to decompress? It’s your mindset. For me, the Easter holidays are the unofficial start of the travel season. Yes, it’ll be crowded. 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 frustrated or you can plan for it. Build generous buffer time into your trip, pack your car fridge not just with water but with proper snacks, and stop asking your navigation system every five minutes for a faster route. Sometimes the longer route via country roads is the more relaxing one. And if you feel you absolutely must read that Easter holiday review of the hotel you booked, do it beforehand. Not while driving. It’s just a distraction.

In the end, these are exactly the days we’ll look back on with family or friends. The little restaurant that squeezed us in despite being full, the unexpectedly beautiful sunrise at a rest stop, or the realisation that you can have a wonderful Easter holiday right at home when the neighbours’ kids are hunting for eggs in the garden. So, make the most of the days. And if you’re stuck in traffic, remember: it won’t last forever. Have a safe trip!