Heavy traffic brought parts of Turkey’s Anadolu Motorway to a standstill as millions of people began travelling for the country’s extended Eid al-Adha holiday break.
Long queues formed on the Ankara-bound lanes through Bolu, particularly around the Bolu Mountain Tunnel, Elmalık and Köroğlu ramps, one of Turkey’s busiest transport corridors linking Istanbul with the capital Ankara and central Anatolia.
Drivers set off early to avoid congestion, but traffic quickly intensified as holidaymakers headed to hometowns, coastal resorts and tourist destinations for the nine-day break announced for public sector workers. The extended holiday period is expected to trigger one of the busiest domestic travel waves of the year.
At several points along the motorway, vehicles slowed to crawling speed or stopped completely. Service stations and rest areas around Bolu also became overcrowded as travellers paused for fuel, food and rest.
The Bolu section of the motorway is traditionally one of Turkey’s main bottlenecks during major holidays because it sits on the primary east-west highway connecting Istanbul with Ankara and much of the country’s interior. Traffic pressure regularly peaks during religious holidays such as Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr, when families travel across provinces to reunite with relatives.
Images shared by Turkish media showed dense lines of cars stretching for kilometres on the Ankara-bound carriageway, while congestion spread into motorway exits and rest facilities.
The Turkish government recently extended the Eid al-Adha holiday to nine days for many public employees, increasing expectations of a sharp rise in domestic tourism and road travel. Under the arrangement, the holiday period effectively runs from May 23 to May 31 for government workers.
The longer break has boosted demand for transport and accommodation across Turkey’s coastal and resort regions, with tourism operators expecting strong occupancy levels during the holiday week.
Authorities across Turkey have increased traffic monitoring and safety measures ahead of the holiday travel surge. Earlier holiday periods saw thousands of traffic accidents nationwide, prompting officials to strengthen inspections and road controls. During previous Eid holidays, Turkish authorities deployed tens of thousands of traffic officers, patrol teams, drones and helicopters to monitor key routes and reduce accidents.
Road congestion was not limited to Bolu. Turkish media also reported heavy traffic at motorway junctions in Sakarya and along sections of the Northern Marmara Motorway as travellers left major cities including Istanbul.
The Anadolu Motorway remains one of the country’s most strategically important transport links, carrying large volumes of passenger and freight traffic between western Turkey and the capital region throughout the year. During holiday periods, however, the route often becomes heavily congested as millions choose to travel by private car and intercity bus.
Transport experts in Turkey frequently advise drivers to avoid peak departure hours, take regular breaks and monitor traffic conditions before setting off during major public holidays.
With the holiday getaway continuing over the coming days, congestion on major Turkish highways is expected to remain high, especially on routes leading from Istanbul toward Ankara, the Black Sea region and popular Aegean and Mediterranean holiday destinations.
