Rome – The big Christmas travel rush in Italy has officially begun. According to the Anas company (FS Group), a significant increase in traffic is expected on the country's main highways and motorways this coming weekend. A total of around 35 million vehicles will use the network over the holidays, with around 3.5 million additional trips directly attributable to the Christmas exodus.
Peak values are expected over the weekend and in the south.
Forecasts indicate a steady increase in traffic intensity: for today, Friday, an increase of 8% above normal levels is expected, and for Saturday, December 20, an increase of 11%. The situation is particularly critical in southern Italy and on the islands, where increases of up to 19% are predicted.
One hotspot today is Rome's Grande Raccordo Anulare (GRA) ring road, where over a million vehicles are expected to pass through. The Adriatic State Road (SS16) and the A2 „del Mediterraneo“ motorway are also reaching their capacity limits with up to 700,000 vehicles. Winter sports enthusiasts will also have to be patient. On the SS38 „Stilfser Joch“ (dello Stelvio), traffic to the mountain regions is expected to increase by over 20 %.
Safety and relaxation during the holidays
Anas is deploying 2,800 employees to make the „Esodo“ as safe as possible. Of these, 2,200 units are directly present on the roads and are supported by technicians and staff in the operations centers so that they can intervene immediately in the event of accidents or winter weather. Anas CEO Claudio Andrea Gemme appeals to drivers to take personal responsibility and reminds them of the „Guida e basta“ campaign for proper behavior behind the wheel.
There is good news for those who are traveling during the holidays: Between Christmas and Boxing Day (December 26), traffic volume is expected to decrease by about 40%. The situation is similarly relaxed on New Year's Day (-35%) and Epiphany (-30%). To further support traffic flow, heavy trucks will be banned from driving on several days (December 21, 25, and 26) from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
