Tourist Route Closure: Two Weekend-Long Disruption
The Schnelsen Tunnel on the A7 highway in Hamburg will be closed for two weekends in August for a technical upgrade. The closure will take place on August 9/10 and 16/17, from 10 pm on Saturdays to 5 am on Sundays and 10 am on Sundays.
The Schnelsen Tunnel, located between the Hamburg-Nordwest junction and Hamburg-Schnelsen, north of the Elbtunnel, has been in operation for eight years. This upgrade aims to replace all IT components to ensure safe operation with high availability. Additionally, the closure will be utilised for other construction work and a fire department exercise.
Holidaymakers heading to Croatia or Italy often find themselves in traffic jams on the A7. To avoid delays and congestion, especially on the way to or from the Hamburg harbour, authorities recommend alternative routes. For those travelling north, ADAC recommends switching to the A1 towards Lübeck at the Horster junction and changing to the A21 towards Kiel at the Bargteheide intersection. Those who want to return to the A7 should leave the A21 north of Bad Segeberg and head back to the highway via the B205.
The A7 highway, particularly between Waltershof and Volkspark, is notorious for traffic jams, with over 130,000 vehicles daily. Delays cannot be ruled out even on the detour via the B205, according to ADAC.
For precise details on the Schnelsen Tunnel upgrade and specific detour routes during the August 2022 closure, consult official German motorway authority (Autobahn GmbH des Bundes) announcements or local Hamburg traffic advisories published around that time.
It's worth noting that an important highway in Bavaria will also be closed soon, but no further details are provided. ADAC has not provided specific details about the upcoming highway closure in Bavaria.
The A7 highway upgrade is part of the typical technical upgrade process for motorway tunnels. This process often includes inspection and assessment of structural, safety, and technical systems, upgrading or replacing ventilation, lighting, fire detection and suppression systems, enhancing tunnel control and communication technology, rehabilitation of tunnel lining and roadway surfaces, and installation of modern safety features such as emergency exits and cameras.
No new information is given about the cause of the outage at Stiftung Warentest or the major problems at Telekom.
Considering the A7 highway disruption due to the Schnelsen Tunnel upgrade in August, one might opt for a different lifestyle, planing their travel itinerary to avoid traffic jams. For instance, if holidaying in Croatia or Italy, choosing an alternative route like ADAC's recommendation – switch to the A1 towards Lübeck at the Horster junction, then A21 towards Kiel, and return via the B205 – could lead to a smoother journey.
