The summer 2026 comes to life and with the arrival of August increases the traffic on Italian highwaysStarting this weekend, a gradual increase in travel to major seaside, mountain, and holiday destinations is expected, with millions of motorists ready to set off.
According to the forecasts of Autostrade per l'Italia, the first strong increases in flows will be recorded from the morning of Saturday, August 1st, with departures from large cities to tourist destinations. The most critical moment of the 2026 summer exodus, however, will be the weekend including between Friday 7th and Sunday 9th August, indicated as the period with the highest traffic on Italian roads. During the two busiest weekends of the summer, an estimated approximately 16 million vehicles in transit along the 3 kilometers of network managed by Aspi.
Highway traffic: black mark for the first weekend of August
The first weekend of August will be one of the most delicate times for Italian traffic. Saturday 1st August it's the day to black dot, with the highest concentration of departures expected especially in the morning, when thousands of motorists will leave the big cities to reach tourist destinations.
Traffic will remain heavy in the afternoon as well, while Sunday August 2 the situation will gradually change: in addition to the last departures towards the sea, mountains and lakes, there will be new ones first returns Towards major urban centers. Slowdowns are possible at toll booths, on ring roads, and in areas closest to major holiday destinations.
The first weekend of August, however, will not be the only critical period. On the Autostrade per l'Italia network, traffic is expected to be new peaks of traffic between August 7th and 9th, with Friday 7th characterised by heavy traffic with possible criticalities and Saturday August 8 again with a black mark. Further slowdowns are expected in the weekend of August 22-23 and 29-30, when travel related to returning from holidays will increase.
Highway traffic in August 2026: the most congested routes
As happens every year, the more critical issues for summer traffic are expected on main directions that connect the Northern Italy with the tourist resorts in Central and Southern Italy.
The motorways most affected by the increase in traffic volumes will be above all the A1 Milan-Naples , A14 Bologna-Taranto, two of the key arteries for those traveling during the August holidays. On the A1 motorway, delays may be concentrated at the exits from Milan, between Parma and Bologna, at the Bologna junction, in the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines, and near Florence, with potential disruptions also near access to the Rome and Naples areas. On the A14 motorway, high traffic is expected towards the Riviera Romagnola, Marche, Abruzzo, and Puglia, while particular attention is also expected on the A22 Brennero, one of the most sensitive routes of the summer, with a black warning on Saturday, August 1st, both towards Brenner and Modena. Delays are also possible on the A10 Genoa-Ventimiglia, the A12 Genoa-Rosignano, the A4 towards Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia, and on connections to the great lakes of the North.
from second half of the month the phase of the will begin instead summer counter-exodus, with the gradual return to the large cities. The largest flows will be concentrated especially on Saturdays and Sundays, when many travelers will be returning from vacation.
Summer exodus: Highway construction work suspended on busy days
To facilitate traffic flow during the peak season, Autostrade per l'Italia has developed a special plan to manage the summer exodus. Among the measures envisaged is: suspension of the most impactful construction sites along the main motorway sections, with the aim of ensuring the greatest possible number of available lanes on days with the highest traffic volumes.
La recovery activities on the construction sites will take place progressively within the first half of September, once the influx of people returning from vacation has subsided. Meanwhile, assistance services will be strengthened with more staff and equipment at strategic points throughout the network, in addition to emergency response, mechanical assistance, and healthcare services.
