Poland is preparing to curb a surge of German “petrol tourists” crossing the border to fill up their tanks, as Europe grapples with the economic shockwaves of the escalating Iran war. The conflict in the Middle East has sent fuel prices soaring across the continent, with Germany among the hardest hit as oil markets reel from supply disorder and instability around key shipping routes.

As a result of surging costs to fill their tanks, thousands of German motorists have begun driving into neighbouring Poland, where prices remain comparatively lower. While petrol station operators are benefitting from the new trend, it has infuriated local authorities, triggering long queues and localised shortages in border regions. At a Shell station in the Polish village of Łeknica, located directly on the border and adjacent to the German town of Bad Muskau, staff said they had never seen anything like the recent surge in demand.

“Maybe a thousand German cars are arriving at our station every day,” a cashier, Julia, said, according to The Telegraph. “We’re happy […] They are our main source of business.”

Most motorists are filling up with diesel, which is about €0.28 (£0.24) per litre cheaper on the eastern side of the border. Not satisfied with simply replenishing their tanks, many are arriving with jerry cans, restocking as much as they are legally allowed to before heading back across the open border, as both countries are in the Schengen Area.

While cross-border refuelling has always been common in parts of Europe, the current surge is unprecedented. Mayors in several border towns have accused German motorists of “squirrelling away” fuel, deepening supply problems in areas not equipped to handle such high demand.

Some stations are voluntarily implementing volume restrictions, limiting the amount of fuel sold per car to maintain supply for residents. Others have banned Germans from filling up anything other than their vehicles.

Germany entered the crisis with some of the highest fuel prices in Europe, largely a direct result of government policies aimed at reducing carbon emissions, with taxes and levies comprising over half of the final price at the pump. This strategy includes a long-standing ecological tax, a national carbon-emission trading system (nETS) on transport and heating fuels, and VAT – currently at 19% but could soon rise to 21%, according to recent reports.

These are designed to meet Germany’s climate action goals, which include a 65% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 (compared to 1990 levels) and climate neutrality by 2045.

The ADAC, Germany’s leading motoring association, has been tracking price gaps and releasing regular “fuel tourism” guides to help drivers calculate whether a cross-border dash is feasible. German newspapers have also begun publishing detailed maps showing where cross-border trips are financially worthwhile.

Prices at the pump in Germany have risen to €2.07 (£1.79) per litre for petrol and an even steeper €2.27 for diesel, the latter of which is common for German cars because it is normally cheaper.