A number of people who left on vacation or to visit relatives on Friday were temporarily slowed down on the roads by traffic jams.

"We have a lot of travel," said a spokeswoman for the ADAC automobile club on Friday in Munich.

In Baden-Württemberg in particular there are many traffic jams on the motorways, in the north the A1 is particularly affected.

Many people are mainly heading south, it said.

In the next two days, i.e. on Saturday and Easter Sunday, the ADAC expects things to be quieter on the motorways.

Only on Monday, when the long Easter weekend comes to an end for many, do the experts expect heavier traffic and more traffic jams.

According to Deutsche Bahn, travel to the public holidays has got off to a good start.

“As usual at Easter, more travelers are on the move.

Train traffic is stable,” said a railway spokeswoman on Good Friday.

According to Deutsche Bahn, there could be a lot going on again, especially on Easter Monday.

The company had announced that it would use 50 special trains on high-demand connections between Maundy Thursday and April 24, such as between Berlin and Munich or between North Rhine-Westphalia and Berlin.

More than 155,000 travelers at Frankfurt Airport

According to the operator, travel at Frankfurt Airport flowed without major problems until the afternoon, despite increased rush.

"The terminal halls are full, but the flow of passengers is moving at a normal pace through the various checkpoints to the gate," said a spokesman for the airport operator Fraport in the afternoon.

According to this, more than 155,000 travelers were traveling through Germany's largest hub on Good Friday.

However, this did not result in unusually long queues in front of the counters until the afternoon.

According to the spokesman, 1,200 take-offs and landings were planned for Friday.

The airport operator had recommended vacationers to be in the terminal no later than two and a half hours before departure.

As far as possible, travelers should check in online and check in their luggage the night before.

The tourism season in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania started on Friday under heavy clouds and accompanied by showers.

In the morning there were only a few visitors on the beaches, as webcams in Boltenhagen, Warnemünde, Binz and Ahlbeck showed.

Tourism Minister Reinhard Meyer (SPD) was nevertheless optimistic.

The Easter holidays caused the first major tourist rush in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, he explained.

“The tourism industry is gradually picking up again.

The booking numbers are good.

In terms of tourism, our country is prepared for Easter at the start of the season.” The industry is expecting 300,000 Easter vacationers.

She also hopes for spontaneous travelers.

On Maundy Thursday, the obligation to test for unvaccinated people fell in many areas in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.

However, one of the exceptions is that tourists who are not vaccinated or have recovered must present a negative test upon arrival at the hotel.

In the neighboring state of Schleswig-Holstein, with which the north-east competes in tourism, this has been dispensed with for a long time.

The pandemic is not over yet, emphasized Meyer.

He appealed to vacationers and day-trippers to be considerate of each other when many people meet.

A mask also helps to protect yourself from infection.

In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, masks are still compulsory and distance is required in publicly accessible indoor areas.