Italian roads saw over 23.5 million vehicle transits recorded between Friday, August 15th, and midday Sunday, August 17th, according to data released by national road agency Anas. This figure represents the traffic volume for the third weekend of August, marking the beginning of the holiday return period. Approximately 6.5 million of these transits occurred solely on Sunday morning, half a million more than the previous Sunday. While traffic volumes on the highway and road network were exceptionally high, no major disruptions were reported.
The initial holiday returns commenced Sunday, with northbound traffic on the A2 “Autostrada del Mediterraneo” motorway more than doubling compared to last weekend in the Campania and Calabria-Lucania Apennine sections. Traffic increases in the remaining Calabrian stretch ranged between 40% and 70%.
Specific peak volumes were recorded at key points: 173,442 vehicles near Pontecagnano, 150,546 at Salerno junction, 125,592 after Battipaglia, 73,380 at Campagna, and 72,136 near Casalbuono. On the Apennine section, counts included 57,301 vehicles at Rivello and 46,518 at Altomonte. Further south, notable volumes were 49,189 vehicles after Cosenza at Montalto Uffugo, 66,937 after Falerna, 56,595 near Palmi, and 52,782 at Villa San Giovanni. In Sicily, traffic on the A19 included 127,876 vehicles near Palermo (Via Giafar), 86,897 at Altavilla Milicia, 27,258 at Alimena, and 23,897 at Caltavuturo.