If you go abroad during the Whitsun holidays or on the long weekend, you can often refuel there but not always cheaper. Prices for both diesel and premium E5 gasoline are cheaper in five of Germany's nine neighboring countries, according to data from the EU Commission and the Swiss traffic club TCS. The price differences are sometimes high: Depending on the country and fuel, you can save 20 euros on a tank of fuel if you refuel on the cheaper side of the border.

According to data from the EU Commission, Poland and the Czech Republic currently have the lowest fuel prices among Germany's neighbouring countries. On Monday – more recent figures are not available – a liter of Super in Poland was on average 39 cents cheaper than in Germany, diesel by 22 cents. In the Czech Republic, a litre of Super was 29 cents cheaper, while a litre of diesel was 25 cents cheaper.

You can also save money in Austria, where super is 28 cents cheaper and diesel is 9 cents cheaper. Likewise in Luxembourg, where it is 29 cents for super and 19 cents for diesel. If you go to Belgium, you can save 14 cents per litre on premium petrol. Diesel, on the other hand, is 8 cents more expensive. In the Netherlands it is the other way around: here Super is 3 cents more expensive, diesel 8 cents cheaper.

But it's not cheaper everywhere

On the other hand, holidaymakers who want to save money should refuel before the border when it comes to France, where super is 2 cents more expensive and diesel is 8 cents more expensive. In Denmark, Super 8 and diesel cost 3 cents more than in Germany. Switzerland is also more expensive: If you compare current data from the TCS with those from the EU Commission, the difference for premium gasoline is rather small at a good 5 cents, but for diesel around 40 cents per liter more is due across the border.

If you look at other holiday countries that are often visited by car, there are also opportunities for savings: In Slovenia, super is 42 cents cheaper, diesel by 17 cents. In Croatia, the figures are as high as 47 and 21 cents. If you drive to Spain, you can refuel there for 26 or 17 cents cheaper. Italy, on the other hand, is slightly more expensive than Germany, at 2 cents for super and 7 cents for diesel.

The price differences refer to country averages and do not necessarily arise directly when crossing the border. There are often harmonisation effects near the border, as well as fluctuations in prices from day to day, by region, brand and time.