With Easter around the corner and the schools’ May vacation not far behind it, the roads are going to get busy, and not just a little busy for that matter. The ANWB foresees an extremely busy rush period on the roads this Thursday evening.

Easter and May vacation in the Netherlands

For many people in the Netherlands, Easter marks the start of the holiday season, with the May vacation starting only a few days later on Friday, April 27. Some schools, however, are deviating from this date and starting the May holiday on April 20. This means major congestion on the roads, as day-trippers and hundreds of thousands of tourists along with locals take to the roads to reach their holiday destinations.

The longest delays are expected on the A1 road from Amsterdam to Apeldoorn and the A2 between Den Bosch and Maastricht. The roads are also expected to be busy between Utrecht and the German border and the A50 from Apeldoorn to Oss.

Easter hustle and bustle

It’s not just Thursday which will see busy roads, on certain routes, it will be hectic during the whole of the Easter weekend due to events and festivals such as the Keukenhof in Lisse, Paaspop in Schijndel and Designer Outlet in Roermond. Easter races in Zandvoort and the Amstel Gold Race in South-Limburg may also contribute to bustling roads.

On Monday, April 22, traffic jams are anticipated from noon onwards, as many holiday-goers will be travelling back home then.