Traffic chaos at border crossings on this year’s major travel days. The heavy traffic at the border crossings is primarily due to one of the biggest travel days of the year – not rainy weather. On Saturday, there was a forecast of heavy rain in several parts of the country, at the same time as many Danes were planning to go on holiday. However, Saturday morning and early afternoon were dominated by the many holidaymakers affecting traffic.
The Road Directorate (Vejdirektoratet) reported at 11:30 about an hour-long queue at the border crossing at Frøslev towards Germany, according to duty officer Kenneth Jensen. “The weather has not had a major influence yet. We expected queues at the border, both before and after rainy weather was forecasted,” he says, adding that rain can increase the risk of traffic jams and slow traffic, as people will hopefully drive more cautiously in wet conditions.
Queues also formed at other border crossings, including Kruså and Padborg towards Germany, reports DR P4 Traffic South Denmark on X. Kenneth Jensen urges all drivers to leave in good time and familiarize themselves with their route before setting off. “With more cars on the roads, it is crucial to keep a safe distance, leave in good time, and turn on the lights. When it’s dark and wet, it can be difficult to see each other, so turn on the lights and help each other on the way,” says Kenneth Jensen.
In Southern and Southern Jutland, the rain had not caused any problems overnight, the police district posted on social media X early Saturday morning. The Danish Meteorological Institute (DMI) had forecasted heavy rain and cloudbursts in most of the country over the weekend. In some places, around 80 millimeters of rain could fall in one day. Since then, DMI has lowered the expected amount of rain, but local cloudbursts and up to 35 millimeters of rain can still occur in several places, including North Zealand and North Jutland.
According to the Road Directorate, traffic will mainly concentrate on the major highways that stretch across the country in a westward direction. This especially applies to the Fynske Motorway and the Triangle Area on E45 towards the German border, but also at holiday home areas on the west coast of Jutland and in North Zealand.