Public Holidays Bavaria vs. North Rhine-Westphalia 2026
Public holidays 2026 in direct comparison: Bavaria (12 holidays, 252 working days) versus North Rhine-Westphalia (11 holidays, 253 working days).
Bavaria comes out ahead with 12 statutory public holidays – a difference of 1 holidays compared to North Rhine-Westphalia.
For 2026 this means: working in Bavaria means 252 working days; in North Rhine-Westphalia it is 253 – a difference of 1 days.
The differences arise from regional holidays: only in Bavaria: Epiphany. Nationwide holidays such as New Year’s Day, Labour Day or the Christmas days apply equally in both states.
For vacation planning, bridge days also matter: Bavaria offers 12 opportunities, North Rhine-Westphalia offers 11.
The Comparison at a Glance
| Metric | Bavaria | North Rhine-Westphalia |
|---|---|---|
| Statutory public holidays | 12 | 11 |
| Working days 2026 | 252 | 253 |
| Bridge-day opportunities | 12 | 11 |
| Shared public holidays | 11 | |
Conclusion: with 12 statutory public holidays, Bavaria offers 1 more holiday(s) than North Rhine-Westphalia.
Differences in Detail
Only in Bavaria
- Epiphany – Jan 6, 2026 (Tuesday)
Only in North Rhine-Westphalia
- none
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has more public holidays: Bavaria or North Rhine-Westphalia?
Bavaria has more statutory public holidays than North Rhine-Westphalia: 12 compared to 11.
Which public holidays exist only in Bavaria?
Statutory only in Bavaria: Epiphany.
Data Source & Freshness
- Feiertagsgesetze der 16 Bundesländer – official source Landesrechtliche Feiertagsregeln; bewegliche Feiertage per Computus berechnet.