The traffic‑jam situation on Germany’s autobahns became more severe in 2025. While the number of registered jams fell from 516 000 in 2024 to about 496 000 in 2025, jam hours rose by roughly seven percent. There were 478 000 jam hours in 2025 compared with 448 000 the year before, and the total length of jams measured 866 000 km, just above the 859 000 km recorded in 2024.
Most jam hours occurred in the most populous state: North Rhine‑Westphalia accounted for 35 % of all jam hours, followed by Bavaria with 13 % and Baden‑Württemberg with 10 %. The largest percentage increases were seen in Hamburg and Schleswig‑Holstein, each about 30 % higher than in 2024, and in Rhineland‑Palatinate, up by 19 %.
Monthly trends revealed that January was comparatively calm, with roughly 25 500 jam hours. By July this figure had doubled to nearly 50 000 hours, making July the busiest month, followed closely by October at about 49 000 jam hours.
Jam kilometres mirrored this pattern. In January, a winter crash registered about 65 000 km of jams. From April to November, the daily average stayed above 75 000 km, with July peaking at 87 000 km and October at 85 000 km.
Weekday analysis continued the usual pattern: Wednesdays and Thursdays saw the highest jam hours, while Mondays and Fridays were lower, and weekends attracted the least congestion.
A few specific days stand out. The January 9 winter crash produced a total jam length of 6 300 km. The day before Ascension Day, May 28, saw 5 700 km of jams, and the day before German Unity Day, October 2, had 4 900 km of congestion.
Looking ahead, the ADAC predicts a moderate rise in traffic volume for 2026, which will likely lead to more jams. The organization also stresses the need for extensive construction work to modernise aging autobahn bridges. Although these projects will temporarily add traffic disruptions, they are deemed “essential to keep the highway network fit for the future”.