World · Europe · 10 hrs ago
Dutch evening rush hour sets yearly record with 1,109 kilometres of traffic
Traffic queues reached 1,109 kilometres across the Netherlands around 5:30 p.m.
on October 27, making it the country's longest evening rush hour of the year so far.
The previous record was 1,046 kilometres on May 13, during Ascension Day and holiday travel.
Rain and earlier darkness slowed drivers, who drove more cautiously, according to the ANWB motoring organisation.
There were no major crashes, but normal traffic jams grew longer than usual.
The biggest delays were on the A2 from Eindhoven to Utrecht, the A4 from Amsterdam to Rotterdam, and the A1 between Amsterdam and Apeldoorn.
A crash on the A28 from Zwolle to Groningen caused delays of up to 50 minutes.
Traffic had peaked and was expected to ease, with most queues likely to clear by about 7 p.m.
The Dutch evening rush hour reached a yearly record, with 1,109 kilometres of traffic reported around 17:30.
The ANWB said rain was the main factor, while earlier darkness led drivers to travel more cautiously and slowly.
The previous record was 1,046 kilometres on 13 May, during traffic linked to Ascension Day and holiday travel.
The longest delays were on the A2, A4 and A1.
The ANWB expected traffic jams to ease gradually, with most expected to have cleared by around 19:00.
- Who
- Dutch motorists and the ANWB, which reported the traffic figures.
- What
- The evening rush hour set a yearly record, with 1,109 kilometres of traffic jams.
- When
- 27 October 2026, around 17:30.
- Where
- On roads in the Netherlands, with the longest delays on the A2, A4 and A1.
- Why
- The ANWB said rain was the main factor. Earlier darkness also led drivers to travel more cautiously and slowly.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The previous yearly traffic record was set at 1,046 kilometres during traffic linked to Ascension Day and holiday travel.
Traffic jams reached 1,109 kilometres on Dutch roads.
The ANWB expected most traffic jams to have cleared by this time.
- Traffic at peak
- 1,109 kilometres
- Peak time
- Around 17:30
- Previous record
- 1,046 kilometres on 13 May
- Longest delays
- A2 Eindhoven–Utrecht; A4 Amsterdam–Rotterdam; A1 Amsterdam–Apeldoorn
- ANWB forecast
- Most traffic jams expected to clear by around 19:00