With the May 1–3 holiday break under way, Polish traffic police have launched their annual “Safe May Weekend” operation and re-introduced time-specific bans on heavy goods vehicles. A communiqué published on 30 April by the Świecie County Police—but reflecting nationwide rules—confirms that lorries over 12 tonnes are barred from public roads at four peak intervals: 18:00–22:00 on 30 April, 08:00–22:00 on 1 May, 18:00–22:00 on 2 May and 08:00–22:00 on Constitution Day, 3 May. The restrictions are designed to keep holiday traffic flowing as millions of Poles head to resorts or family gatherings. In parallel, unmarked SPEED patrols and mobile breath-testing units are being deployed on motorways leading to the German, Czech and Slovak borders—routes heavily used by business travellers and expatriate commuters. Officers will target speeding, drunk driving and vehicle road-worthiness, with particular attention to coaches hired for corporate off-sites.
![Police impose truck bans and extra roadside checks for Poland’s May long weekend]()
Travellers juggling visa questions alongside traffic disruptions can save time by consulting VisaHQ. The platform’s Poland page (https://www.visahq.com/poland/) offers rapid visa checks, document translation support and doorstep courier services, making it easier for international staff and holidaymakers to stay compliant while crossing borders during the long weekend.
Last year the same four-day period saw 307 road accidents, 19 fatalities and 383 injuries nationwide. Police hope the combination of truck curfews and visible enforcement will cut those numbers. Companies running time-critical deliveries must reschedule inbound and outbound loads or face roadside fines and possible cargo spoilage. For international assignees the practical impact is twofold. First, expect longer transfer times from Warsaw and Kraków airports to regional plants or offices. Second, if you hold a foreign (non-EU) driving licence, carry a certified translation; officers have already flagged several cases where non-Polish documentation slowed roadside checks. The Border Guard has also reminded travellers that truck bans do not affect passenger cars crossing external frontiers, but queues could still build up where holiday traffic meets EES biometric procedures. Employers should circulate the truck-ban timetable and advise staff to allow extra journey time, book rail connections where possible and keep passports and residence cards on hand for spontaneous spot-checks.
Travellers juggling visa questions alongside traffic disruptions can save time by consulting VisaHQ. The platform’s Poland page (https://www.visahq.com/poland/) offers rapid visa checks, document translation support and doorstep courier services, making it easier for international staff and holidaymakers to stay compliant while crossing borders during the long weekend.
Last year the same four-day period saw 307 road accidents, 19 fatalities and 383 injuries nationwide. Police hope the combination of truck curfews and visible enforcement will cut those numbers. Companies running time-critical deliveries must reschedule inbound and outbound loads or face roadside fines and possible cargo spoilage. For international assignees the practical impact is twofold. First, expect longer transfer times from Warsaw and Kraków airports to regional plants or offices. Second, if you hold a foreign (non-EU) driving licence, carry a certified translation; officers have already flagged several cases where non-Polish documentation slowed roadside checks. The Border Guard has also reminded travellers that truck bans do not affect passenger cars crossing external frontiers, but queues could still build up where holiday traffic meets EES biometric procedures. Employers should circulate the truck-ban timetable and advise staff to allow extra journey time, book rail connections where possible and keep passports and residence cards on hand for spontaneous spot-checks.
