In this publication, we will answer the question: what are bridge days in Germany. You will find out what bridge days are, who establishes them, and how to use them to spend time with your child. This article will be especially useful if you live in Germany but are not a native resident of the country.
Table of Contents
- What are “bridge days” and why they matter to you
- How bridge days are regulated in schools
- Major holidays often paired with bridge days
- Bridge days and additional days off in the 2026-2027 school year (Table)
- Where to look for information about bridge days?
- Rules and fines: what you need to know before traveling
What are “bridge days” and why they matter to you
There is a very practical concept in the German calendar — Brückentag, which literally translates as “bridge day.” This is a working day that falls between a public holiday and the weekend (Saturday and/or Sunday). For example, if a holiday falls on a Thursday, the following Friday becomes that very “bridge” connecting the holiday with the weekend.
For you and your children, this is a great opportunity to get a four-day mini-vacation by using just one day of leave. Knowing these dates helps you plan trips in advance and effectively manage time throughout the school year without affecting your child’s studies.
Please note! Taking mini-vacations is a common practice in Germany (as well as in many other European countries). Most employers are used to their staff taking one or two days off before or after a public holiday. This way, you can arrange a short break of 4–5 days. And if you take a day off when your child has a school bridge day, you can enjoy a joint holiday or trip together!
How bridge days are regulated in schools
Unfortunately, there is no single rule for all schools in Germany. School education is managed by the individual federal states (governed by the principle of cultural sovereignty of the states, Kulturhoheit der Länder). Therefore, a day off in one school might be a regular school day in a neighboring one.
Often, ministries of education or school administrations close this “bridge” using flexible school holidays (movable days off, or bewegliche Ferientage). In some states, these days are approved centrally for the entire region. In other federal states, they are determined by the specific school board (Schulkonferenz), a joint board of several schools, the municipality, etc.
Major holidays often paired with bridge days
Essentially, most German public holidays are connected to Christian religious events. Consequently, certain religious holidays always fall on fixed days of the week. You should pay close attention to the following dates, which frequently create bridge days:
- Ascension Day (Christi Himmelfahrt) is always celebrated on a Thursday. The following Friday becomes an official day off in almost all schools. For this purpose, schools may use flexible school holidays, or the bridge day may be officially fixed in the school holiday calendar of the respective federal state.
- Corpus Christi (Fronleichnam) also always falls on a Thursday. This is relevant to you if you live in a predominantly Catholic federal state (such as Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, or North Rhine-Westphalia).
- German Unity Day (Tag der Deutschen Einheit) and Reformation Day (Reformationstag) — these holidays have fixed dates (October 3 and October 31). They are not tied to a specific day of the week, but traditionally, a bridge day is “extended” to them if they fall on a Tuesday or Thursday.
Important! Reformation Day is a public holiday only in the following federal states: Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Saxony, Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia, and Schleswig-Holstein. In other regions, it is a regular school day.
Bridge days and additional days off in the 2026-2027 school year (Table)
In many German states, bridge days are included in the official school holiday calendar. Their dates are fixed and predetermined up to 2030. In addition, there are significant dates that are not public holidays, but students still have no classes. Below is a table of such dates and the federal states where they are observed:
| Date of the day off | Holiday name | Federal state |
|---|---|---|
| October 31, 2026 (Saturday) | Reformationstag | Baden-Württemberg |
| November 18, 2026 (Wednesday) | Buß- und Bettag | Bavaria |
| March 25, 2027 (Thursday) | Gründonnerstag | Baden-Württemberg |
| May 7, 2027 (Friday) | Christi Himmelfahrt | Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Saxony, Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein, Thuringia |
Interesting fact! On the Day of Prayer and Repentance (Buß- und Bettag) in Bavaria, only students are exempt from attending school. For teachers, it is a regular working day. Typically, on this date, educators hold seminars, meetings, or professional development events. In recent years (largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic), teachers often work from home on this day.
Where to look for information about bridge days?
Since school attendance rules can vary, you need to check the current holiday calendar yourself. Do not rely on corporate calendars for employees, as adult leave schedules and school holiday blocks do not always coincide. To avoid confusion, you can use the following verified sources:
- The official school website — the exact plan for the current school year, including all bridge days, is always posted here.
- Information letters from the principal — schools usually send these out to parents at the beginning of each term.
- The portal of the Ministry of Education of your federal state — basic official data for parents is published there.
Important! Portals of the Ministries of Education usually list only those bridge days that are included in the official state school year schedule. If a bridge day is determined locally by the school or municipality, it will not be published on the Ministry’s website. The reason is simple — it is too difficult to keep track of every single educational institution.
Rules and fines: what you need to know before traveling
Germany strictly enforces Schulpflicht (compulsory school attendance). You are forbidden to unauthorizedly extend holidays and take your child out of school on bridge days if the school has officially scheduled lessons for that date. And if you are a student yourself, remember — your parents will have to pay a hefty fine for your truancy!
Attempting to arrange an unscheduled vacation with children can be very costly. During periods bordering holidays, airport police frequently check families with school-aged children. For an “unauthorized absence,” you could face a major fine ranging from a few hundred to several thousand euros. In exceptional cases, criminal liability may even apply!
Important! If you need to miss a school day due to family circumstances, submit an application to the principal or class teacher well in advance (this depends on the school year, the institution, and the federal state). You can only obtain an official exemption from classes (Beurlaubung) if you have a valid reason. In some cases, older students can submit the application themselves!
Bridge days are an excellent tool for giving students a break during the school year. If you keep a close eye on the school calendar and plan your family leisure time in advance, you can arrange a quality holiday for your child without fines or conflicts with the school administration.
In this publication, we told you about bridge days in Germany, explained what they are, and how they can be used. We hope you found the answers to your questions. On De-Sf.Info, you will find even more useful information about bridge days, school holidays, and public holidays in different federal states of Germany. Don’t forget to share this post with your friends!
