Spill-over from nationwide farmer protests in Poland over the EU-Mercosur trade deal reached Germany’s doorstep on 31 December, as tractor convoys clogged key approach roads to the Zgorzelec-Görlitz and Sękowice crossings. Travel advisory site Adept Travel reported nearly 200 protest locations across Poland, with many actions timed between 10:00 and 15:00 but lingering well into the afternoon as police rerouted vehicles.
While the blockades were mostly on the Polish side, the knock-on effect extended into Saxony’s border towns: lorry queues stretched six kilometres on the A4, and local authorities warned of detours through residential streets. Tourist coaches heading from Dresden to Wrocław were delayed up to two hours, forcing operators to cancel scheduled sightseeing stops.
The protests underscore the vulnerability of just-in-time supply chains that straddle the German-Polish border, Europe’s second-busiest freight corridor after the Benelux. Manufacturers in Saxony and Brandenburg reliant on Polish components reported late-afternoon line stoppages.
![Polish Farmer Blockades Slow Traffic on Germany’s Eastern Gateways]()
For travellers and logistics teams who still need to cross despite the disruptions, VisaHQ’s Germany portal (https://www.visahq.com/germany/) offers quick visa checks and application support, helping drivers, technicians, and business visitors confirm entry requirements or extend transit paperwork on the fly—crucial when last-minute detours can add hours to a journey.
Mobility managers should monitor Polish farmer unions’ social-media channels, which are calling for renewed actions on 7 January if talks with Warsaw fail. Contingency plans could include re-routing via the Swiecko-Frankfurt (Oder) corridor or shifting urgent cargo to rail.
German authorities refrained from deploying additional police on their side, but advised motorists to check live traffic maps and carry enough fuel and provisions in case of stand-stills.
While the blockades were mostly on the Polish side, the knock-on effect extended into Saxony’s border towns: lorry queues stretched six kilometres on the A4, and local authorities warned of detours through residential streets. Tourist coaches heading from Dresden to Wrocław were delayed up to two hours, forcing operators to cancel scheduled sightseeing stops.
The protests underscore the vulnerability of just-in-time supply chains that straddle the German-Polish border, Europe’s second-busiest freight corridor after the Benelux. Manufacturers in Saxony and Brandenburg reliant on Polish components reported late-afternoon line stoppages.
For travellers and logistics teams who still need to cross despite the disruptions, VisaHQ’s Germany portal (https://www.visahq.com/germany/) offers quick visa checks and application support, helping drivers, technicians, and business visitors confirm entry requirements or extend transit paperwork on the fly—crucial when last-minute detours can add hours to a journey.
Mobility managers should monitor Polish farmer unions’ social-media channels, which are calling for renewed actions on 7 January if talks with Warsaw fail. Contingency plans could include re-routing via the Swiecko-Frankfurt (Oder) corridor or shifting urgent cargo to rail.
German authorities refrained from deploying additional police on their side, but advised motorists to check live traffic maps and carry enough fuel and provisions in case of stand-stills.
