Low Water Forces Berlin, Brandenburg and Thuringia to Lift Sunday Truck Bans

How Low Water on German Rivers Is Opening Sunday Truck Routes

Berlin, Brandenburg and Thuringia have joined other German states in temporarily suspending the country's Sunday and public holiday driving ban for lorries, after low water levels left large stretches of the Rhine, Elbe and Danube unusable for cargo vessels. The waivers run through 31 August and are intended to let goods normally moved by inland waterway reach their destinations by road or rail.

The three states are applying different limits. Berlin and Brandenburg are allowing Sunday lorry movements only for goods that would ordinarily travel on inland ships; their general Sunday truck bans remain in force for all other transport. Thuringia has gone further, lifting the ban for all lorries for the time being, according to a transport ministry spokeswoman and an order from the Thuringia state administrative office.

Across much of Germany, low water is severely limiting barge traffic on commercial waterways. Apart from Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt, all states have indicated they want to relax Sunday truck bans so supply chains can continue. Thuringia is the outlier in breadth, and its blanket approach has drawn criticism from the Green party's state leader Ann-Sophie Bohm, who noted that the Rhine, Elbe and Danube do not flow through Thuringia.

Whether the waiver will be extended remains open and depends on waterway conditions.

The Patchwork Transport Response Behind the Waivers

Why Low Rhine, Elbe and Danube Levels Push Freight Costs Up

When rivers fall below navigable depths, barges must carry less cargo or stop running. Inland shipping is one of the cheapest ways to move bulk and containerised goods, so forced transfers to road transport raise cost per tonne and draw on scarce lorry capacity. Berlin and Brandenburg are acknowledging that reality by waiving the Sunday ban for cargo that would normally be on water; the measure is a congestion valve, not a normal expansion of road freight.

Thuringia's Blanket Exemption Creates a Compliance Patchwork

Thuringia is allowing all trucks, while Berlin and Brandenburg restrict the exception to inland-waterway replacement cargo. For carriers crossing state lines, the rules differ at the border: a lorry journey may be lawful on Sunday in Thuringia but not in a neighbouring state unless the cargo qualifies. That increases the administrative burden and the risk of fines, especially for shipments that pass through Saxony or Saxony-Anhalt, where the ban still applies.

The Green Criticism Points to a Policy Debate Beyond Logistics

Ann-Sophie Bohm's comment that no relevant freight waterway flows through Thuringia questions whether the state needed the broader waiver. It also frames the decision as a balance between keeping supply chains running and protecting Sunday rest and road-safety rules. The disagreement is unlikely to stop the order immediately, but it may shape whether Thuringia extends its blanket waiver or narrows it if low water persists.

What Shippers Hauling German Freight Should Do Before 31 August

• Confirm which waiver applies to each shipment. Berlin and Brandenburg permit Sunday lorry movements only for goods normally carried by inland vessel; Thuringia currently allows all trucks, but documentation must be ready for checks.
• Plan road and rail bookings before 31 August. The current permissions end on that date, so urgent freight should be scheduled now; after that, Sunday bans return unless states extend the order.
• Do not assume Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt are open. Those states have not relaxed their Sunday truck bans, so transiting through them may create a legal stop unless the cargo falls under existing exceptions.
• Reassess whether rail or remaining barge capacity can absorb part of the load. The road waiver does not remove cost or capacity limits; using rail where available may reduce exposure to tighter truck availability.