Road freight in August: France restricts key corridors

The market today in figures (CargoNice data)

The Orlen diesel price stands at 6,70 PLN/l as of 1 August 2026, an increase of 0,03 PLN/l compared with the previous reading. In Poland, the average diesel price was 1 817,74 EUR/1000L according to data from 27 July 2026, while in Germany it was 2 186,00 EUR/1000L on the same date. The EU average was 2 011,33 EUR/1000L as of 27 July 2026.

On the spot market, the rate from Germany to Poland was 1,17 EUR/km as of 29 July 2026, while the Poland–Germany rate was 1,63 EUR/km on the same day. The difference between fuel costs and rates in opposite directions confirms that, when planning August routes, both vehicle availability and the possibility of securing a backhaul remain crucial.

France: the peak of the holiday changeover on major routes

France’s Bison Futé identifies the period from 31 July to 3 August 2026 as the main holiday changeover between July and August. The most difficult conditions are expected on the main routes leaving the country, particularly towards the Atlantic coast, Normandy and south-eastern France.

The Paris region is a particular risk area. The forecast names the A6 and A10 motorways, where bottlenecks are expected to form during the day. For international haulage, the problem is therefore not limited to local holiday traffic; it also affects sections linking France with the Iberian Peninsula, the Benelux, Germany, Switzerland and Italy.

An additional factor is the nationwide truck traffic restriction on 1 August. Concentrating haulage movements in the windows before and after the restriction may make it more difficult to position a vehicle, collect the load and reach the unloading slot on time. Bison Futé recommends postponing travel where possible. Source: Bison Futé

Spain: the 14% fuel surcharge remains part of container pricing

Hapag-Lloyd continues to apply the standard 14% fuel surcharge in Spain for inland road transport of containers. For combined rail–road services, the surcharge is 8%. At the same time, the extraordinary fuel and energy index for both types of service has been set at 0%.

The notice concerns Spanish inland legs for imports and exports. For FMC shipments, the stated extraordinary index has applied since 1 August 2026. The carrier notes that the charges depend on the relevant date of container collection, gate-in or vessel departure.

In practice, a zero extraordinary surcharge does not mean that the road quotation contains no additional fuel-related cost. When comparing port-to-door and door-to-port rates, these two mechanisms must be separated rather than treating the notice as a complete removal of surcharges. Source: Hapag-Lloyd

Italy: Ferragosto limits service and increases the importance of the return load

Autotrasporti Bertoni has started its August operating calendar with a clear reservation regarding direct loads. Rates for haulage ordered between 3 and 25 August may be adjusted to include the cost of the empty return journey. This is a direct signal for domestic and international orders where no confirmed backhaul is available.

In the pallet segment, 3 August is the final collection date for deliveries requiring a 96-hour service. Services carried out from 6 to 10 August will be provided without a delivery guarantee unless otherwise agreed by the parties. The operator has also scheduled a complete suspension of direct and pallet services from 13 to 17 August.

Standard delivery-time commitments should therefore not be assumed to apply throughout August. Before confirming the price, it is necessary to check separately whether the transport order is accepted, the delivery terms and whether the carrier expects an empty return journey. Source: Autotrasporti Bertoni