Germany Public Holidays 2026
Germany has 9 nationwide public holidays in 2026. Easter runs April 3–6 for a four-day break, but German Unity Day (Sat Oct 3) and Boxing Day (Sat Dec 26) fall on weekends — and with no substitute-day rule in Germany, both are simply lost.
Nationwide holidays
9
Longest break
Easter · 4 days
Lost to weekends
2 (Oct 3, Dec 26)
With state days
Up to 13 (Bavaria)
2026 Germany calendar
01January
02February
03March
04April
05May
06June
07July
08August
09September
10October
11November
12December
Germany public holiday list
| Date | Day | Holiday | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1, 2026 | Thursday | New Year's DayPublic holiday | Public holiday |
| April 3, 2026 | Friday | Good FridayPublic holiday | Public holiday |
| April 6, 2026 | Monday | Easter MondayPublic holiday | Public holiday |
| May 1, 2026 | Friday | Labour DayPublic holiday | Public holiday |
| May 14, 2026 | Thursday | Ascension DayPublic holiday | Public holiday |
| May 25, 2026 | Monday | Whit MondayPublic holiday | Public holiday |
| October 3, 2026 | Saturday | German Unity DayFalls on a Saturday in 2026 — Germany has no substitute-day rule, so it is lost for Monday-to-Friday workers.Public holiday | Public holiday |
| December 25, 2026 | Friday | Christmas DayPublic holiday | Public holiday |
| December 26, 2026 | Saturday | Boxing DayFalls on a Saturday in 2026 — Germany has no substitute-day rule, so it is lost for Monday-to-Friday workers.Public holiday | Public holiday |
Germany long weekends in 2026
New Year bridge
4 daysJan 1 – 4
New Year's Day falls on a Thursday. Friday Jan 2 is a Brückentag — a vacation day, not a public holiday.
Easter
4 daysApr 3 – 6
Good Friday and Easter Monday bracket the weekend — four days off.
Labour Day
3 daysMay 1 – 3
Ascension bridge
4 daysMay 14 – 17
Ascension Day is always a Thursday. Friday May 15 is the most popular Brückentag of the year — a vacation day, not a public holiday.
Whit Monday
3 daysMay 23 – 25
Christmas Day & Boxing Day
3 daysDec 25 – 27
Nationwide holidays vs state (Bundesland) holidays
Only nine public holidays apply in all of Germany. Each of the 16 federal states adds its own days: Epiphany (Jan 6) in Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria and Saxony-Anhalt; International Women's Day (Mar 8) in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern; Corpus Christi in Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland and parts of Saxony and Thuringia; the Assumption (Aug 15) in Saarland and Bavaria's mostly Catholic areas; Reformation Day (Oct 31) in Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia, Hamburg, Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein and Bremen; All Saints (Nov 1) in Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland; and Buß- und Bettag in Saxony only.
Bavaria tops the table with up to 13 holidays in total, while Berlin and Hamburg get only the nine nationwide days plus (in Berlin's case) Women's Day. Always check the calendar for your specific state.
No substitute days: two holidays lost to weekends in 2026
Unlike the UK or Japan, Germany has no substitute-day rule. When a public holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, there is no weekday off in lieu — the holiday is simply lost for employees on a standard Monday-to-Friday week.
In 2026, two of the nine nationwide holidays land on weekends: German Unity Day on Saturday Oct 3 and Boxing Day on Saturday Dec 26. Christmas Day itself (Fri Dec 25) still gives a three-day weekend.
Brückentage: how Germans turn 1 vacation day into 4 days off
A "Brückentag" (bridge day) is the working day between a holiday and the weekend, which Germans routinely take as vacation. Ascension Day always falls on a Thursday, so the Friday after it is the country's most popular bridge day — one vacation day turns into a four-day weekend.
In 2026 the bridge days are Friday Jan 2 (after New Year's Day) and Friday May 15 (after Ascension). Book early — offices and trains empty out on those Fridays, and popular destinations fill up fast.
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Official sources & data
- Public holidays in Germany 2026Visit sourceDeutsche Bundesbank
Frequently asked questions
How many public holidays does Germany have in 2026?+
Nine nationwide. Individual states add their own days — Bavaria reaches up to 13 in total — while states like Hamburg and Bremen stick to the nine.
Which days are public holidays in all of Germany, and which only in some states?+
Nationwide: New Year's Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Labour Day, Ascension Day, Whit Monday, German Unity Day, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. State-level days include Epiphany, Women's Day (Berlin), Corpus Christi, the Assumption, Reformation Day, All Saints and Buß- und Bettag (Saxony).
What happens when a German holiday falls on a weekend?+
Nothing — Germany has no substitute-day rule, so the holiday is simply lost for Monday-to-Friday workers. In 2026, German Unity Day (Sat Oct 3) and Boxing Day (Sat Dec 26) are both lost this way.
When is Easter in Germany in 2026?+
Good Friday is April 3 and Easter Monday is April 6, 2026 — a four-day weekend nationwide.
What is a Brückentag?+
A "bridge day" — the working day between a holiday and the weekend, taken as vacation. In 2026, Friday Jan 2 (after New Year's Day) and Friday May 15 (after Ascension) are the classic examples: one vacation day yields four days off.
Is December 24 (Christmas Eve) a public holiday in Germany?+
No. Neither Dec 24 nor Dec 31 is a public holiday, but most shops close around 2pm on both days, and many offices give staff the day off.
