When are trucks banned from driving in Turkey? Holiday rules

Turkey restricts trucks through Ministry of Interior announcements for holiday periods, not through a published weekly schedule. For Kurban Bayrami 2026, trucks, tractor units and tankers were barred on named routes toward Istanbul and Ankara from 2026-05-30 13:00 until 2026-06-01 01:00, and each holiday gets its own window.

When are trucks banned from driving in Turkey?

The Ministry sets each restriction for a holiday period by announcement, so the hours change every time. For Ramazan Bayrami 2026 it ran from 2026-03-21 16:00 to 2026-03-23 01:00 toward Istanbul, as reported by Milliyet after the Ministry notice. For Kurban Bayrami 2026 the Ministry listed the routes in its official statement : the window was 2026-05-30 13:00 to 2026-06-01 01:00.

Toward Istanbul the 2026 list covered D-100 and O-3 from Kirklareli, D-110 and O-7 from Tekirdag, O-4 and D-750 from Ankara, and O-5 plus D-575 and D-595 from Bursa, among others. Toward Ankara it covered sections of D-200, D-300 and D-260. The Ministry also said that no special permits for overweight or oversize vehicles would be issued from 2026-05-23 to 2026-05-31.

Is there a weekday truck ban in Istanbul?

We found no current primary decision that confirms a standing Istanbul weekday ban, so this post gives no weight threshold, hours or bridge list. The Istanbul orders we could verify are holiday-specific: the Istanbul Governorate order barred trucks, tractor units and similar heavy vehicles from leaving the city eastward from 2024-06-14 06:00 to 2024-06-16 05:00 on D-100, O-7 and O-3, exempted carriers of perishable food, medicine and fuel, and set no limit on entering the city. Check the Istanbul municipality traffic notices before any weekday run.

How should carriers plan around the Turkey truck ban?

Put the holiday dates into the route plan early, starting with the Turkey public holiday calendar for 2027. Ministry notices come only days ahead: the Ramazan Bayrami notice appeared on 2026-03-19, two days before it started. The same holiday-window logic applies in neighbouring markets, as the Greece truck driving ban rules show.

Plan refuelling before the window opens, using the diesel price map ; Turkish routes toward Istanbul and Ankara are where queues form once the restriction lifts. Carriers that need a partner for holiday-period runs can register through our carrier network and agree the schedule in advance.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a truck ban every Sunday in Turkey?

We found no standing nationwide Sunday truck ban in Ministry of Interior sources. The restrictions we could verify were announced for holiday periods. Sunday hours quoted on other sites are not confirmed here and should not be used for planning.

Which vehicles does the Turkish holiday ban cover?

The 2026 Ministry statements name trucks (kamyon), tractor units (cekici) and tankers. Earlier Istanbul orders exempted vehicles carrying perishable food, medicine, medical supplies, mail and fuel, but the exemption list should be checked in each new notice.

Can overweight or oversize vehicles drive during the holiday?

No. For Kurban Bayrami 2026 the Ministry stated that no special permits for vehicles over the legal weight and size limits would be issued from 2026-05-23 to 2026-05-31, so such vehicles were not allowed on the road.

Where is the official announcement published?

The Ministry of Interior publishes holiday traffic measures on icisleri.gov.tr and its social media account, and governorates such as Istanbul publish their own orders. Read the original notice for the exact roads, since each one lists different entry points.

Planning a Turkey run around a holiday window? Get a quote and we will build the schedule around it.