Road freight: fuel costs and August traffic bans are increasing
European road freight is entering August with rising diesel costs, pressure on contract rates and limited capacity on selected lanes. At the same time, traffic bans in Germany and the Czech Republic, along with a revised network schedule in France, are increasing the risk of delays for weekend and groupage shipments.
Prepared by the CargoNice editorial team with AI support, based on the sources listed and CargoNice's own market data. Machine translation of the Polish original. Editorial policy · Read the Polish original
Market today in figures (CargoNice data)
The price of diesel in Poland stood at 6,62 PLN/l on 4 August 2026. The average diesel price in the EU reached 2 011,33 EUR/1000L on 27 July 2026, while in Germany it was 2 186,00 EUR/1000L on the same day. The rate on the Germany–Poland lane stood at 1,17 EUR/km on 29 July 2026, while the Poland–Germany lane was priced at 1,63 EUR/km.
Compared with the previous reading, the EU diesel price rose from 1 927,78 EUR/1000L to 2 011,33 EUR/1000L, an increase of 83,55 EUR/1000L. The decline in the retail price in Poland does not change the fact that fuel costs at European level remain a significant component of international haulage calculations.
Road freight contract rates rise despite a weaker spot market
The European road freight market remains primarily cost-driven. According to DSV’s update, the contract rate index stood at 140,1 in Q1 2026, up 8,9% year on year, while the spot index weakened. Carriers are factoring fuel, labour and road toll costs, as well as limited fleet flexibility, into their quotations—not merely changes in demand.
DSV also points to an increase in the number of load offers alongside a decline in published vehicle availability in Q1. This does not indicate a uniform shortage of vehicles across Europe, but on busy corridors it may increase the risk that a transport order is rejected at the rate previously accepted in the calculation.
Germany: Saturday ban will restrict the travel window
In Germany, a summer traffic ban will apply on 8 August 2026 to heavy goods vehicles over 7,5 t and trucks with trailers. The restriction runs from 07:00 to 20:00 and covers specified sections of motorways and federal roads, including parts of the A1, A2, A3, A5, A6, A7, A8, A9, A10, A45 and A61.
This will be followed by a nationwide Sunday and public holiday ban from 00:00 to 22:00 on Sunday, 9 August. For loads without an exemption, little operating time will therefore remain between the Saturday and Sunday restrictions. The issue affects not only deliveries to Germany, but also transit between Western, Central and Southern Europe.
Czech Republic: three ban periods from Friday to Sunday
The Czech Republic’s summer restrictions for trucks over 7,5 t will begin on Friday, 7 August, from 17:00 to 21:00. On Saturday, the ban will apply from 07:00 to 13:00, and on Sunday from 13:00 to 22:00. It covers motorways and first-class roads, including the major international corridors D1, D2, D5, D8 and D11.
Three consecutive restriction periods shorten the effective driving time for shipments crossing the Czech Republic. The exemptions include combined transport to or from the nearest suitable terminal, but the vehicle’s eligibility must be checked before planning the route.
France: reduced groupage network activity
Kuehne+Nagel is adjusting its road transport schedule in France from 3 to 23 August 2026 due to a seasonal decline in activity. The operator is asking customers to provide closure dates and coordinate shipment handling with its commercial and operational teams.
Friday, 14 August is a particular point to note. Due to the traffic restrictions falling on the following day, collections made on that day are not scheduled to be dispatched on linehaul until 22:00 on Sunday, 16 August. The information concerns the Kuehne+Nagel network, but it illustrates the real risk of longer transit times for August groupage in France.
EU road tolls: important CO2 classification
The Council of the EU and the European Parliament have reached a preliminary agreement on a targeted amendment to the Eurovignette rules. The agreed provisions are intended to clarify the definitions and classification of zero-emission and low-emission heavy-duty vehicles, vehicle combinations and reference CO2 emissions.
The amendment is intended to align road toll rules with the CO2 standards for heavy-duty vehicles applied from 1 July 2026. The agreement still requires formal approval and adoption by both EU legislators, so it is not yet at the final legislative stage.
In brief
- Hungary: DHL Freight set a fuel surcharge of 13,00% for Euroconnect and Eurapid services in August 2026; the level is unchanged from July but higher than the 6,50% recorded a year earlier. Source: DHL Freight
- Italy: The ScioperoTrasporti calendar indicates a risk of action in freight transport on 10 and 13 August 2026, without specifying the operators, scope or duration. Source: ScioperoTrasporti
- Slovenia: Total road freight volume in Q1 2026 increased by less than 1% quarter on quarter but was 5% lower year on year; cross-trade accounted for 44% of the total, compared with 49% in 2019. Source: UMAR