Holiday traffic is expected to face major disruption in the Netherlands after the closure of the Wijkertunnel on the A9, with authorities warning motorists to expect significant delays during one of the busiest summer travel periods.
The tunnel closed on 12 July and will remain shut until 8 August 2026 while Rijkswaterstaat, the Dutch national road authority, replaces all ventilation fans inside the tunnel. The project coincides with the start of the summer holiday season in parts of Germany, including North Rhine-Westphalia, increasing pressure on roads leading to the Dutch coast. Authorities expect delays of 30 to 60 minutes on diversion routes.
The Wijkertunnel is a vital transport link connecting traffic between the Amsterdam region and the North Sea coast. During the closure, through traffic is being diverted primarily via the Coentunnel (A10), while local traffic is directed through the Velsertunnel (A22). Rijkswaterstaat has advised motorists to avoid peak travel times, check traffic conditions before departure and allow considerably more time for their journeys.
The engineering work involves replacing the tunnel’s ageing ventilation system, which has reached the end of its operational life. According to Rijkswaterstaat, the ventilation system is essential for maintaining air quality during normal traffic and removing smoke in the event of a fire, making it a critical safety feature.
The closure particularly affects travellers heading to popular North Sea destinations such as Wijk aan Zee, Zandvoort and Egmond aan Zee, all of which attract large numbers of domestic and international visitors during the summer months.
Traffic pressure is also increasing across neighbouring Germany. The start of school holidays in North Rhine-Westphalia traditionally creates one of the busiest weekends of the year on German motorways, with the ADAC warning of heavy congestion around Cologne and major routes leading towards the Netherlands and the North Sea coast.
Although the A4 near Cologne has reopened following recent disruption, reduced speed limits remain in place around the damaged bridge near the Eifeltor junction. Long queues experienced in recent weeks have highlighted the vulnerability of the regional road network during the summer getaway period.
Rijkswaterstaat is urging drivers to prepare carefully, use navigation apps for live traffic information and consider travelling outside the busiest periods. The agency says several major roadworks are taking place across the Netherlands this summer, making advance journey planning more important than usual.
With thousands of holidaymakers travelling between Germany, the Netherlands and popular North Sea beach resorts over the coming weeks, the combination of roadworks, seasonal traffic and border crossings is expected to result in longer travel times on both sides of the frontier.
Top Photo Credit: Rijkswaterstaat
