Netherlands truck driving ban: rules for 2026
The Netherlands has no weekend HGV driving ban, but zero-emission zones in 29 cities and the Merwedebrug bridge limit still restrict trucks in 2026.
Logifie Team
Logistics Technology Experts
The Netherlands has no blanket weekend or public holiday HGV driving ban, unlike Germany or Austria. Instead, trucks face zero-emission zones in 29 Dutch cities being phased in through 2030, older Euro VI-only low-emission zones in 11 municipalities, and a permanent over-3.5-tonne ban on the Merwedebrug bridge on the A27.
Does the Netherlands have a weekend truck driving ban?
No. According to TruckBAN.eu's Netherlands page , the country has not imposed restrictions on international heavy traffic on Saturdays, Sundays, or public holidays, unlike Germany, Austria, Poland, Croatia, and Switzerland, where a Saturday-to-Sunday HGV ban is standard. A carrier routing an ordinary freight load through Rotterdam or Schiphol on a Sunday faces no clock-based restriction. One exception sits outside general freight: abnormal and oversized-load transport carries its own peak-hour and weekend timing rules, covered below, and should not be confused with a general truck ban.
What are the Netherlands' zero-emission and low-emission zones?
The restriction that actually matters in 2026 is location and emission class, not day of the week. Zero-emission zones for freight (ZEZ-F) are rolling out across 29 municipalities between 2025 and 2030, with 18 zones already live since 2025 and the Schiphol zone added on 1 January 2026, as detailed by KVK.nl in its guide on what zero-emission zones mean for deliveries. Inside a ZEZ-F, diesel and other non-zero-emission trucks are restricted by emission class and each municipality's own phase-in date, so the same vehicle can be compliant in one city and barred from another.
Separately, 11 municipalities still run older low-emission zones (milieuzones), setting a lower bar of Euro VI as the minimum standard for diesel trucks and coaches, according to the milieuzones.nl official information site for these zones. A truck cleared for a milieuzone is not automatically cleared for a ZEZ-F in the same city, since the two zone types run different rules. Confirm which zone type applies before routing through a Dutch city centre, and check current diesel prices via the EU fuel price map for the Netherlands .
Which other Dutch truck restrictions should carriers know?
The Merwedebrug bridge on the A27 carries a permanent weight limit, not a time-based rule, banning vehicles over 3.5 tonnes and forcing detours for freight crossing between Utrecht and Breda. The Netherlands also runs a camera-enforced overtaking ban (inhaalverbod) for trucks over 7.5 tonnes on several motorway stretches, a standing rule to check locally rather than assume nationwide. Abnormal and oversized-load transport carries its own peak-hour and weekend timing rules, but this scoped exception is not a general HGV ban. Cross-check routes against the Dutch public holiday calendar for 2026 and the HGV speed limits for the Netherlands before booking through Rotterdam or Schiphol.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a Sunday driving ban for trucks in the Netherlands?
No. The Netherlands does not restrict ordinary freight HGVs from driving on Sundays or public holidays, unlike neighbouring Germany. The only Sunday-relevant timing rule applies to abnormal or oversized-load transport, which is a separate and narrower category from general freight.
What is a milieuzone in the Netherlands?
A milieuzone is a low-emission zone that sets a minimum emissions standard, typically Euro VI, for diesel trucks and coaches entering parts of a city. Eleven Dutch municipalities operate one, distinct from the newer zero-emission zones (ZEZ-F) now rolling out nationally.
Which Dutch cities have zero-emission zones for trucks?
Twenty-nine Dutch municipalities are rolling out zero-emission zones (ZEZ-F) between 2025 and 2030, with 18 already active since 2025 and the Schiphol zone added on 1 January 2026. Each municipality sets its own phase-in date and boundary, so carriers should confirm the specific rules for each city on their route rather than assume a single national standard.
Are there weekend restrictions for abnormal or oversized loads in the Netherlands?
Yes. Abnormal and oversized-load transport in the Netherlands is subject to peak-hour and weekend timing restrictions that do not apply to ordinary freight HGVs. This is a narrow, load-specific rule and should not be mistaken for a general truck driving ban, which the Netherlands does not have.
Routing a Dutch leg through Rotterdam or Schiphol: get a free quote in under 2 minutes .
