Patience for Car Journeys Around Ascension and Pentecost
11.05.2026 | from Touring Club Suisse (TCS)
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Image rights: TCS
11.05.2026, Vernier/Ostermundigen - Car journeys to the south will again lead to some hours of traffic jams around the upcoming holidays. More patience will be needed on Pentecost than on Ascension, as spring holidays begin in neighbouring countries. The TCS highlights peak travel times and alternative routes and advises planning travel times flexibly.
Around the holidays and long weekends, many travelers are drawn south by car. Again this year, one must prepare for traffic jams and longer waiting times.
Traffic jam forecasts around Ascension On the day before Ascension, the first queue will form at the northern portal of the Gotthard from Wednesday noon. Longer waiting times are expected on Thursday morning from eight o'clock. Last year, a queue of up to 11 kilometers formed, while in 2024 it was even 16 kilometers at noon. It is advisable to plan the trip during the night from Thursday to Friday or Friday morning.
For the return traffic northbound, the queue is expected to increase to ten kilometers on Sunday after noon. For the return journey, it is advisable to reach the Gotthard south portal on Saturday before 10 am or during the night to Sunday.
Even longer waiting times expected at Pentecost Those who can set off south by car on Friday evening before Pentecost will do well. On Pentecost weekend, a lot of patience is needed at the northern portal of the Gotthard on Saturday already in the early morning. In the last three years, queues have accumulated to up to 20 kilometers by noon with a waiting time of a good three and a half hours. At Pentecost, spring holidays also begin in the Netherlands and in six German states.
On the other hand, the return wave in recent years was limited to four to seven kilometers on Pentecost Monday. To avoid the jam, it is also advisable here to start the journey as early as possible in the morning or late in the evening. A week later, on the Saturday after Pentecost, the Brenner motorway is completely closed due to a demonstration from 11 am to 7 pm. As a large-scale detour is recommended, this could have an impact on the San Bernardino and Gotthard routes.
These main congestion times also apply to travelers from western Switzerland heading toward Italy who choose to travel through the Mont Blanc or Great St. Bernard Tunnel. Both tunnels are subject to tolls.
Alternative route recommendations For travelers from the Zurich area and eastern Switzerland, the detour via the San Bernardino route (A13) is worthwhile. This alternative is recommended by ASTRA, the Federal Roads Office, as soon as the waiting time ahead of the Gotthard tunnel exceeds one hour and six kilometers. However, there can also be disruptions on the alternative route. The opening of the Gotthard Pass is expected to provide relief for traffic. This is planned for the Wednesday before Ascension. The winter closure of the Great St. Bernard lasts until June.
From the Midlands heading south, the car shuttle at Lötschberg and Simplon is available. Due to the renovation of the Simplon tunnel, car trains will run only every two hours until 28 May instead of the usual 90-minute intervals.
Through the TCS app, road users are well informed on the go, whether it is about the traffic situation, open passes, or the TCS fuel price radar for the cheapest petrol station in the vicinity. Other European countries, such as France and Italy, also offer fuel price comparison platforms.
Press Contact:
Marco Wölfli
Media Spokesperson
Tel.: +41 58 827 34 03
Mobile: +41 79 123 46 91
marco.woelfli@tcs.ch
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Touring Club Suisse (TCS)
Since its founding in 1896 in Geneva, the Touring Club Suisse has been serving the Swiss population. It is committed to safety, sustainability, and self-determination in personal mobility, both politically and socially. With over 2,000 employees and 23 regional sections, Switzerland's largest mobility club provides a wide range of services on mobility, health, and leisure activities to its over 1.6 million members.
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Source: Touring Club Suisse (TCS), Press release
Original article published on: Geduld für Autofahrten rund um Auffahrt und Pfingsten