diff --git a/jsprit-core/src/main/java/com/graphhopper/jsprit/core/problem/io/VrpXMLReader.java b/jsprit-core/src/main/java/com/graphhopper/jsprit/core/problem/io/VrpXMLReader.java
index 6c81bd16..5c881726 100644
--- a/jsprit-core/src/main/java/com/graphhopper/jsprit/core/problem/io/VrpXMLReader.java
+++ b/jsprit-core/src/main/java/com/graphhopper/jsprit/core/problem/io/VrpXMLReader.java
@@ -564,6 +564,7 @@ public class VrpXMLReader {
                     typeBuilder.addCapacityDimension(index, value);
                 }
             }
+
             Double fix = typeConfig.getDouble("costs.fixed");
             Double timeC = typeConfig.getDouble("costs.time");
             Double distC = typeConfig.getDouble("costs.distance");
@@ -671,6 +672,16 @@ public class VrpXMLReader {
                 for (String skill : skillTokens) builder.addSkill(skill.toLowerCase());
             }
 
+            // read break
+            String breakStartString = vehicleConfig.getString("breaks.timeWindow.start");
+            String breakEndString = vehicleConfig.getString("breaks.timeWindow.end");
+            String breakDurationString = vehicleConfig.getString("breaks.duration");
+            if(breakStartString!=null && breakEndString!=null && breakDurationString!=null )
+            	builder.setBreak(Break.Builder.newInstance(vehicleId)
+            				.addTimeWindow(Double.parseDouble(breakStartString), Double.parseDouble(breakEndString))
+            				.setServiceTime(Double.parseDouble(breakDurationString)).build());
+
+
             //build vehicle
             VehicleImpl vehicle = builder.build();
             vrpBuilder.addVehicle(vehicle);
diff --git a/jsprit-core/src/main/resources/vrp_xml_schema.xsd b/jsprit-core/src/main/resources/vrp_xml_schema.xsd
index 8ed94b85..52b8f8cf 100644
--- a/jsprit-core/src/main/resources/vrp_xml_schema.xsd
+++ b/jsprit-core/src/main/resources/vrp_xml_schema.xsd
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@
                                         <xs:element name="timeSchedule" type="timeWindowType"/>
                                         <xs:element name="returnToDepot" type="xs:boolean" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="1"/>
                                         <xs:element name="skills" type="xs:string" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="1"/>
+                                        <xs:element name="breaks" type="breaksType" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="1"/>
                                     </xs:all>
                                     <xs:attribute name="type" type="xs:string" use="optional"/>
                                 </xs:complexType>
@@ -368,6 +369,13 @@
         </xs:all>
     </xs:complexType>
 
+    <xs:complexType name="breaksType">
+        <xs:sequence>
+            <xs:element name="timeWindow" type="timeWindowType" minOccurs="1" maxOccurs="1"/>
+            <xs:element name="duration" type="xs:double" minOccurs="1" maxOccurs="1" default="0.0"/>
+        </xs:sequence>
+    </xs:complexType>
+
     <xs:complexType name="coordType">
         <xs:attribute name="x" type="xs:double" use="required"/>
         <xs:attribute name="y" type="xs:double" use="required"/>