Impact of May public holidays on European road transport

Springtime public holidays will affect loading and transport schedules both in Finland and across Europe. On public holidays in Germany and several other European countries, bans on heavy goods vehicle traffic apply. Delays in pick-ups and deliveries due to these holidays are possible.

Week 18: Friday 1 May (May Day) is a public holiday in most European countries.

Week 19: Monday 4 May is a public holiday in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Latvia.

Friday 8 May is a public holiday in France, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Week 20: Ascension Day on Thursday 14 May will bring forward Friday groupage export pick-ups from Finland. Ascension Day is observed in a large part of Europe, including all Nordic countries and Germany. For imports into Finland, groupage cargo may not be loaded at all from some terminals on Friday 15 May.

Week 22: Monday 25 May is a public holiday in the United Kingdom (Spring Bank Holiday). On the same day, Whit Monday (Pentecost) is observed as a public holiday in, among others, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Spain, France, the Netherlands and Hungary.

Shortened working weeks due to public holidays may cause congestion at European terminals, potentially leading to delays in groupage shipments imported into Finland. The same applies to export shipments loaded in Finland: not all consignments may be delivered to their destinations within the following week.