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The Autobahns are the nationally coordinated motorway system in Germany. In German (language), they are called Bundesautobahn (plural Bundesautobahnen, abbreviated BAB), which translates as federal motorway. German autobahns have no general speed limit (though about 50% of the total length is subject to local and/or conditional limits), but the recommended speed is 130 km/h maximum.

Construction Similar to such motorways in other countries, autobahns have multiple lanes of traffic in each direction, separated by a central barrier with grade separation junctions and access restricted to motor vehicles with a top speed of at least 61 km/h. The first German Autobahn was completed in 1932 between Cologne and Bonn German Myth 8 Hitler and the Autobahn German.about.com. Each carriageway was flanked by shoulders about 60 cm in width, constructed of varying materials; right-hand shoulders on many autobahns were later retrofitted to 120 cm in width when it was realized cars needed the additional space to pull off the autobahn safely. In the postwar years, a thicker asphaltic concrete cross-section with full paved hard shoulders came into general use. The top design speed was approximately 160 km/h in flat country but lower design speeds could be used in hilly or mountainous terrain. A flat-country autobahn constructed to published design standards in use during the Nazi Germany could support speeds on curves of about 150 km/h.The current autobahn numbering system in use in Germany was introduced in 1974. All autobahns are named by using the capital letter A, which simply stands for "Autobahn" followed by a blank and a number (for example Bundesautobahn 8). The "main autobahns" going all across Germany have a single digit number. Shorter autobahns that are of regional importance (e.g. connecting two major cities or regions within Germany) have a double digit number (e.g. Bundesautobahn 24, connecting Berlin and Hamburg). The system is as follows:

• A 10 to A 19 are in eastern Germany (Berlin, Saxony-Anhalt, parts of Saxony and Brandenburg)
• A 20 to A 29 in northern and northeastern Germany
• A 30 to A 39 in Lower Saxony (northwestern Germany)
• A 40 to A 49 in the Rhine-Ruhr Area
• A 50 to A 59 also in the Rhine-Ruhr Area
• A 60 to A 69 in Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland and Hesse
• A 70 to A 79 in Thuringia, northern Bavaria and parts of Saxony
• A 80 to A 89 in Baden-Württemberg
• A 90 to A 99 in (southern) Bavaria

There are also very short autobahns of just local importance (e.g. beltways or the Bundesautobahn 555 from Cologne to Bonn) that usually have three numbers, the first one of which is similar to the system above, depending on the region. East-west routes are always even-numbered, north-south routes are always odd-numbered.

In general autobahns with odd numbers go from north to south, the higher the number, the more to the east they are located. Those autobahns having even numbers go from west to east, the higher their number, the further it is located to the south.

History The idea for the construction of the Autobahn was first conceived during the days of the Weimar Republic, but apart from the AVUS in Berlin, construction was slow, and most projected sections did not progress much beyond the planning stage due to economic problems and a lack of political support. One project was the private initiative HaFraBa which planned a "car only road" (the name autobahn was created in 1929) crossing Germany from Hamburg in the North via central Frankfurt am Main to Basel in Switzerland. Parts of the HaFraBa were completed in the 1930s and early 1940s, but construction eventually was halted by World War II.

Just days after the 1933 Nazism takeover, Adolf Hitler enthusiastically embraced an ambitious autobahn construction project and appointed Fritz Todt the Inspector General of German Road Construction. Soon, over 100,000 labourers worked at construction sites all over Germany. As well as job creation program and improved infrastructure, necessary for economic recovery efforts, the project was also a great success for propaganda purposes. In retrospect, one can say another aim of the autobahn project, beyond creating national unity and strengthening centralised rule, was to provide mobility for the movement of military forces (see Nazi architecture).

The autobahns formed the first limited-access, high-speed road network in the world, with the first section from Frankfurt am Main to Darmstadt opening in 1935. This straight section was used for high speed record attempts by the Grand Prix motor racing racing teams of Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union until a fatal accident involving popular German race driver Bernd Rosemeyer in early 1938.

Development of the overall length (at the end of):
1935 - 108 km
1936 - 1 086 km
1937 - 2 010 km
1938 - 3 046 km
1939 - 3 300 km
1940 - 3 736 km


{| class="prettytable"| Year || 1950 || 1955 || 1960 || 1965 || 1970 || 1975 || 1980 || 1985 || 1990 |- | Length in km || 2.128 || 2.187 || 2.551 || 3.204 || 4.110 || 5.742 || 7.292 || 8.198 || 8.822 |}

{| class="prettytable"| Year || 1995 || 1996 || 1997 || 1998 || 1999 || 2000 || 2001 || 2002 || 2003 || 2004 || 2005 |- | Length in km || 11.143 || 11.190 || 11.246 || 11.309 || 11.427 || 11.515 || 11.712 || 11.786 || 12.037 || 12.044 || 12.174 |}

During World War II, the central reservation of some autobahns were paved to allow their conversion into auxiliary airports. Aircraft were either stashed in numerous tunnels or camouflaged in nearby woods. However, for the most part, the autobahns were not militarily significant. Motor vehicles could not carry goods as quickly or in as much bulk as trains could, and the autobahns could not be used by tanks as their weight and caterpillar tracks tore up the roads' delicate surfaces. Furthermore, the general shortage of gasoline which Germany experienced during much of the war, as well as the relatively low number of trucks and motor vehicles badly needed for direct support of military operations, further decreased the attractiveness of autobahns for significant transport. As a result, most military and economic freight continued to be carried by rail. After the war, numerous sections of the autobahns were in bad shape, severely damaged by heavy Allies of World War II Strategic bombing during World War II and military demolition. Furthermore, thousands of kilometers of autobahns remained unfinished, their construction brought to a halt by 1943 due to the increasing demands of the war effort. Richard Vahrenkamp. Roads without Cars. The HAFRABA Association and the Autobahn Project 1933–1943 in Germany. Working Papers in the History of Mobility No. 1/2001

In West Germany, following the war, most existing autobahns were soon repaired. During the 1950s, the West German government restarted the construction programme; it continuously invested in new sections and in improvements to older ones. The finishing of the incomplete sections took longer, with some stretches being opened to traffic only in the 1980s. Some sections cut by the Iron Curtain in 1945 were only completed after German reunification in 1990. Finally, certain sections were never completed, as more advantageous routes were found. Some of these sections stretch across the landscape forming a unique type of industrial archaeology, often easily visible on satellite photographs.

The autobahns in East Germany (GDR) and the former German provinces of East Prussia, eastern Pomerania and Silesia in Poland and the Soviet Union after 1945 were grossly neglected in comparison to those in West Germany and Western Europe in general. They received minimal maintenance during the years of the Cold War. The speed limit on the GDR autobahns was 100 km/h, however lower speed limits were frequently encountered due to the poor condition of the road surface, changing quickly in some instances. The speed limits on the GDR autobahns were rigorously enforced by the Volkspolizei, whose patrol cars were frequently encountered hiding under camouflage waiting for speeders. In the 1970s and 80s, the West German government paid millions of Deutsche Marks to the GDR for construction and maintenance of the transit autobahns between West Germany and West Berlin, although there were indications that the GDR diverted some of the earmarked maintenance funds for other purposes.

Current density Today, Germany's autobahn network has a total length of about 11,980 km (as of January 1, 2003), third longest after the United States' Interstate Highway and the National Trunk Highway System (NTHS) of the People's Republic of China.

Many sections of Germany's autobahns are modern, containing three lanes in addition to an emergency lane. Some other sections remain in their original state, with two lanes, no emergency lane, short slip-roads / ramps, etc. Such a combination of the two types of autobahn can be seen on the Bundesautobahn 9 autobahn (Munich-Berlin). Heading out from Munich, the autobahn starts off as a modern, five lane in each direction + emergency lane autobahn. However, after heading into Thuringia, which was formerly part of East Germany, parts of the autobahn are no wider than two lanes and no emergency lane exists (only rare emergency bays with a telephone post in orange-yellow). Ongoing roadworks will eventually bring the entire A 9 to three-lane standard. Another large project involves the extension of the A 6 at its eastern end to connect Nürnberg/Amberg with the Czech motorway D 5 running from Rozvadov to Prague.

Speed limits A hard limit is imposed on some vehicles:

{||-!60 km/h|

• Buses carrying standing passengers
• Motorcycles pulling trailers

|-!80 km/h|

• Vehicles with maximum allowed weight exceeding 3.5 t (except passenger cars)
• Passenger cars and trucks with trailers
• Buses

|-!100 km/h|

• Passenger cars pulling trailers certified for 100 km/h
• Buses certified for 100 km/h not pulling trailers

|}

The German autobahns are famous for being some of the few public roads in the world without blanket speed limits for cars and motorcycles. Lack of blanket speed limits does not appear to negatively impact the Road safety#Motorway compared with motorways in other countries; motorways are safer than other road types. Perhaps this is in part because traffic can be heavy enough to restrict speeds to little above the typical motorway speeds found elsewhere, or due to reducing the exhaustion of the drivers by shortening their travelling times.Certainly, speed limits do apply at junctions and other danger points, like sections under construction or in need of repair. Speed limits at non-construction sites are generally 100 km/h, 120 km/h, or sometimes even 130 km/h; construction sites have a usual speed limit of 80 km/h but may be as low as 60 km/h or even 40 km/h. Certain stretches have separate, and lower, speed limits used in cases of wet lanes.

Some limits were imposed to reduce pollution and noise. Limits can also be put into place temporarily through dynamic traffic guidance systems that display the according traffic signs. If there is no speed limit, the recommended speed limit is not more than 130 km/h, referred to in German as the Richtgeschwindigkeit; this speed is not a binding limit, but being involved in an accident driving at higher speeds can lead to being deemed at least partially responsible due to "increased operating danger" (Erhöhte Betriebsgefahr). The average rate of speed traveled on the autobahn in unregulated areas by automobiles not regulated by other laws is about 150 km/h. On average, about half of the total length of the German autobahn network has no speed limit, about one third has a permanent limit, and the remaining parts have a temporary limit for a number of reasons.

In places without a general limit, there are mostly also no restrictions on overtaking (save for the general prohibition to overtake on the right side). Therefore, those traveling at high speeds may regularly encounter trucks running side-by-side at only about 80 km/h. In theory, trucks are not allowed to overtake others unless they drive 20 km/h faster than whomever they are overtaking, but truck drivers are generally under pressure to arrive in time, and such laws are rarely enforced for economic and political reasons, as many trucks are from foreign countries. The right lane of a typical autobahn is often crowded with trucks, and too often, trucks pull out to overtake. Due to size and speed this is often referred to as "Elefantenrennen" (Elephant Race). In some zones with only two lanes in both directions there is no speed limit, but a special overtaking restriction for trucks and/or cars pulling trailers. (An exception is Sundays and national holidays, on which trucks usually are not allowed to drive before 22:00 h, except for trucks carrying perishable goods and certain other exceptions such as military vehicles.)

Powerful modern cars can easily reach speeds well over 200 km/h, and most large car manufacturers follow a gentlemen's agreement by electronically limiting the top speed of their cars to 250 km/h for safety reasons (inexperienced drivers and risk of tires failing, especially when underinflated). Yet, these limiters can technically be defeated, so speeds over 300 km/h are not uncommon. But due to common speed limits and other traffic, such speeds are rarely attainable. Most unlimited sections of the autobahn are located outside of urban and densely populated areas. The A 8 between Stuttgart and Munich is one such example, the A4 between the metropolitan area of Chemnitz-Zwickau and Dresden as well.

Vehicles unable to attain speeds in excess of 60 km/h are not allowed to use the autobahn. Though this limit is not high for most modern vehicles, it prevents very small cars (e.g. All-terrain vehicle) and motor-scooters (e.g. Mofas) from using autobahns. To comply with this limit, several heavy-duty trucks in Germany (e.g. for carrying tanks or cranes) have a design speed of 62 km/h (usually denoted by a round black-on-white sign with "62" on it).

The overall safety record of autobahns is comparable to other European motorways and motorways are safer than other road types. A 2005 study by the Federal Minister of the Interior indicated there were an equal number of accidents per mile on the autobahn in sections without any speed limits.

Toll roads A recent development involves the introduction on January 1, 2005 of mandatory tolls (Mautpflicht) for heavy trucks (weighing more than 12 t) while using the German autobahn system. The German government contracted with a private company, Toll Collect, to operate the toll collection system, which involves the use of vehicle-mounted transponders and roadway-mounted sensors installed throughout Germany. The introduction of this system experienced several technical delays resulting in the loss of millions of Euros in potential revenue to the government. One result of the new toll policy has been an increase in heavy truck traffic on regular highways (Bundesstraßen and Landstraßen) in order to avoid paying tolls. There have been recent discussions about extending the toll requirement to include passenger cars, however this has proven so far to be very unpopular with a majority of the public and politicians of the major parties have denied they are considering such measures.

Traffic laws and enforcement The German autobahn network is patrolled by unmarked police cars and motorcycles equipped with Road-rule enforcement camera; this allows the enforcement of laws (such as tailgating) which are often viewed in other countries as difficult to prove in court.Notable laws include the following.

• Autobahns may only be used by powered vehicles that are designed to achieve a maximum speed exceeding 60 km/h.
• Similar to traffic laws in the U.S., the right lane must be used when it is free (Rechtsfahrgebot) and the left lane(s) is (are) generally intended for overtaking only; drivers using the left lane for prolonged periods of time when the other lanes are free could be fined by the Autobahnpolizei.
• Overtaking on the right (undertaking) is strictly forbidden, except in traffic jams where it may be practiced with caution. Even if the car overtaken is illegally occupying the left-hand lane, it is not an acceptable excuse; in such cases the police will routinely stop and fine both drivers.
• In the case of a traffic jam, drivers have to form an emergency lane to guarantee that emergency services can reach the scene of the accident. This lane has to be formed between the left lane and the lane next to the left lane.

• It is unlawful to stop for any reason except for emergencies and when unavoidable, like traffic jams or being involved in an accident. This includes stopping on emergency lanes. Running out of fuel is considered preventable and is consequently fined. In some cases (if there is danger to life and limb or property e.g. cars and highway infrastructure) it can also be a crime and the driver could receive a prison sentence (up to 5 years).

• The distance to the vehicle in front (in metres) should be at least half the speed (in km/h) at all times (e.g. at least 60 meters at 120 km/h). This corresponds to a "lead time" of just under 2 seconds. As a reference: The white-and-black reflection posts to the right have a distance of 50 m to each other. Again, the fact that the car in front is illegally occupying the left-hand lane when the right-hand lane is free is not a valid excuse.
• :Fines for tailgating were increased in May 2006. At speeds over 100 km/h, keeping less than 30 percent of the recommended distance now results in a suspension of one's driver's license for one to three months.
• Due to legal regulations (Straßenverkehrsordnung) it is allowed to flash headlights (Lichthupe) in order to indicate the intention of overtaking, but a proper distance to the vehicle in front must be obtained. Driving at insufficient distances and flashing headlights is illegal.
• The tires must be approved for the vehicle's top speed (winter tires (mud + snow) for lower speeds (i.e. cheaper than high-speed tires) are allowed, the driver has to have a sticker in the cockpit reminding of the maximum speed).

List of Autobahns The letter A often precedes the number in print, but signs do not include the A. Odd-numbered autobahns usually run in north-south direction, while east-west autobahns have even numbers. Single-digit numbers indicate major routes of (inter)national significance, while three-digit autobahns are usually only significant to local traffic. For two- and three-digit autobahns the first digit roughly indicates the part of Germany that particular autobahn is located in. Within each block of numbers the numbers increase from north to south and from west to east.

A 1 to A 9 Bundesautobahn 1 Hansalinie/Ruhrtangente/Eifelautobahn730 km Fehmarn (island) - Oldenburg, Schleswig-Holstein - Lübeck - Hamburg - Bremen (city) - Osnabrück - Münster - Dortmund - Leverkusen - Köln - Blankenheim gap Daun (Germany) - Trier - Saarbrücken Bundesautobahn 2 Warschauer Allee486 km: (A 3) - Oberhausen - Gelsenkirchen - Dortmund - Bielefeld - Minden - Hanover - Braunschweig - Magdeburg - Werder (Berliner Ring) Bundesautobahn 3 Rechtsrheinische Autobahn/Spessartautobahn/Würzburger Autobahn/Donautalautobahn778 km: (Utrecht (city) - Arnhem-) Elten - Wesel - Oberhausen - Duisburg - Düsseldorf - Leverkusen - Köln - Wiesbaden - Frankfurt - Würzburg - Nuremberg - Regensburg - Passau (- Linz - Vienna) Bundesautobahn 4 Hollandlinie/Oberbergische Straße/Burgwaldautobahn/Erfurter Ring515 km: (Brussels - Liège (city)(BEL)-) Aachen - Köln - Olpe gap Kirchheim - Eisenach - Erfurt - Gera - Chemnitz - Dresden - Görlitz (- Wrocław - Katowice - Kraków) Bundesautobahn 5 HaFraBa445 km : Hattenbach - Frankfurt - Darmstadt - Heidelberg - Karlsruhe - Freiburg -( Basel - Bern / Zürich / St. Gotthard Tunnel) Bundesautobahn 6 Neckarlinie/Via Carolina432 km : (Paris (F) - Metz (F) -) Saarbrücken - Kaiserslautern - Mannheim - Heilbronn - Nuremberg - Amberg - Waidhaus (- Plzeň - Prague) Bundesautobahn 7 Skandinavienautobahn/Nord-Süd-Achse935 km : (Aalborg (DK) - Kolding (DK) -) Flensburg - Hamburg - Hanover - Göttingen - Kassel - Fulda - Würzburg - Ulm - Füssen (- Reutte (A) - Imst (A)) Bundesautobahn 8 Saar-Autobahn/Südautobahn497 km : (Luxembourg -) Perl - Saarlouis - Pirmasens gap Karlsruhe - Stuttgart - Ulm - Augsburg - Munich - (Salzburg (A) - Villach (A)) Bundesautobahn 9 MüLeiBerl529 km: Potsdam - Leipzig - Bayreuth - Nuremberg - Ingolstadt - Munich

A 10 to A 19

Bundesautobahn 10 Berliner Ring AD Schwanebeck (Panketal) - AD Spreeau - Schönefeld (Berlin)er Kr. - AD Nuthetal - AD Potsdam - AD Werder (Havel) - AD Havelland - AK Oranienburg - AD Bezirk Pankow - AD Schwanebeck (Panketal)Bundesautobahn 11 AD Schwanebeck (Panketal) (Berlin) - Finowfurt - AK Uckermark (Region) - Penkun (- Stettin)Bundesautobahn 12 Dreieck Spreeau (Berlin) - Frankfurt (Oder)Bundesautobahn 13 Kreuz Schönefeld (Berlin) - AD Spreewald - Großräschen - DresdenBundesautobahn 14 Autobahnzubringer Schwerin/Altmarkautobahn/Mitteldeutsche Schleife(Schwerin) - Magdeburg - Stassfurt - Halle (Saale) - Leipzig - AD Nossen Bundesautobahn 15 SpreewaldautobahnAD Spreewald - Cottbus - Forst (Lausitz) (- Krzyżowa) Bundesautobahn 17 Via Porta BohemicaDresden - Heidenau (Sachsen) - Pirna (- Bad Gottleuba - Ústí nad Labem - Prag) Bundesautobahn 19 AD Wittstock/Dosse - Rostock

A 20 to A 29 Bundesautobahn 20 Ostseeautobahn (Stade - Neumünster - Bad Segeberg) - Lübeck - Wismar - Rostock - Grimmen - Greifswald - Neubrandenburg - AK Uckermark (Region)Bundesautobahn 21 Ostumfahrung Hamburg(Kiel) - Bad Segeberg - Bargteheide - (Geesthacht) Bundesautobahn 22 Küstenautobahn: Westerstede - Jaderberg - Wesertunnel - Bremervörde - Stade (geplant)Bundesautobahn 23 Westküstenautobahn: Heide (Holstein) - Itzehoe - Pinneberg - HamburgBundesautobahn 24 Hamburg - Schwerin - Wittstock/Dosse - AD Havelland (Berlin)Bundesautobahn 25 Marschenlinie Hamburg - GeesthachtBundesautobahn 26 Altes-Land-Autobahn Stade - Horneburg - (Hamburg)Bundesautobahn 27 Schellfischlinie Cuxhaven - Bremerhaven - Bremen (city) - WalsrodeBundesautobahn 28 Nordautobahn Leer - Westerstede - Oldenburg (Oldb.) - DelmenhorstBundesautobahn 29 Jadelinie Wilhelmshaven - Oldenburg (Oldb.) - AD Ahlhorner Heide

A 30 to A 39 Bundesautobahn 30: (Hengelo, NL) - Rheine - Osnabrück - Bad OeynhausenBundesautobahn 31 Emslandautobahn Emden - Leer - Lingen - Gronau, North Rhine-Westphalia - Gladbeck - BottropBundesautobahn 33 Ostwestfalenmagistrale Osnabrück - BorgholzhausenBielefeld - Paderborn - AK Wünnenberg-Haaren (Bad Wünnenberg) Bundesautobahn 37 Moorautobahn/Messeschnellweg Burgdorf (Hannover) - Hannover-MisburgHannover Messe - AD Hannover-Süd Bundesautobahn 38 Südharzautobahn/Mitteldeutsche Schleife Göttingen - Nordhausen - Halle (Saale) - LeipzigBundesautobahn 39 Nordlandautobahn/Südtangente Braunschweig (Hamburg) - Wolfsburg - Braunschweig - AD Salzgitter

A 40 to A 49 Bundesautobahn 40 Ruhrschnellweg Venlo - Moers - Duisburg - Oberhausen - Essen - Gelsenkirchen - Bochum - DortmundBundesautobahn 42 Emscherschnellweg Kamp-Lintfort - Duisburg - Oberhausen - Bottrop - Gelsenkirchen - Herne, Germany - Castrop-Rauxel - DortmundBundesautobahn 43 Münster (Westfalen) - Recklinghausen - Herne, Germany - Bochum - Witten, Germany - WuppertalBundesautobahn 44 Belgienlinie/DüBoDo/Ruhrschnellweg/HellweglinieAachen - Jackerath Mönchengladbach Mönchengladbach - Willich - Düsseldorf - Ratingen Bochum - Witten, Germany Dortmund - Soest, Germany - Kassel - (Eisenach) Bundesautobahn 45 Sauerlandautobahn/Wetteraulinie Dortmund - Siegen - Wetzlar - Hanau - AschaffenburgBundesautobahn 46 Wupperschnellweg/Hochsauerlandlinie Heinsberg - Grevenbroich - Neuss - Düsseldorf - Hilden - WuppertalHagen - Iserlohn - Hemer - (Menden (Sauerland)) - Arnsberg - Bestwig - (Brilon) Bundesautobahn 48 Eifelautobahn AD Vulkaneifel - Koblenz - AD DernbachBundesautobahn 49 Südtangente Kassel Kassel - Schwalmstadt - (planned and approved extension to the A5 near Gemünden(Felda). start of building

A 50 to A 59 Bundesautobahn 52 Nördlicher Zubringer (Roermond) - Mönchengladbach - Düsseldorf - EssenGladbeck - Gelsenkirchen - Marl, Germany A 56 planning rejected - see Bundesstraße 56Selfkant - Düren - Bonn - Waldbröl Bundesautobahn 57 Niederrheinautobahn Goch - Moers - Krefeld - Kaarst - Neuss - KölnBundesautobahn 59 Nord-Süd-Straße/Flughafenautobahn Dinslaken - DuisburgDüsseldorf - Leverkusen Köln - Bonn


A 60 to A 69 Bundesautobahn 60 Eifelautobahn/Mainzer Ring Winterspelt (Schneifel) - Bitburg - WittlichBingen am Rhein - Mainz - Rüsselsheim Bundesautobahn 61 Linksrheinische Autobahn (Venlo) - Viersen - Mönchengladbach - Bergheim, North Rhine-Westphalia - Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler - Koblenz - Worms, Germany - Ludwigshafen - HockenheimBundesautobahn 62 Nonnweiler - Landstuhl - PirmasensBundesautobahn 63 Mainz - KaiserslauternBundesautobahn 64 Trier - Grenzübergang Mesenich (weiter als Autoroute 1 in Luxembourg)Bundesautobahn 65 Pfälzer Autobahn Ludwigshafen am Rhein - Neustadt an der Weinstraße - Landau in der Pfalz - Kandel (Stadt) (- Lauterbourg - Strasbourg)Bundesautobahn 66 Rhein-Main-Schnellweg/Kinzigtalautobahn Eltville - Wiesbaden - Höchst (Frankfurt am Main) - Nordwestkreuz Frankfurt am Main - MiquelalleeBergen-Enkheim (Frankfurt am Main) - Hanau - Fulda (Stadt) Bundesautobahn 67 Rechtsrheinische Autobahn Rüsselsheim - Darmstadt - Viernheim

A 70 – A 79 Bundesautobahn 70 Maintalautobahn Schweinfurt - Bamberg - BayreuthBundesautobahn 71 Thüringer-Wald-Autobahn (Sangerhausen) - Sömmerda - Erfurt - Suhl - Meiningen - (Schweinfurt)Bundesautobahn 72 Vogtlandautobahn (170 km) AD Bayrisches Vogtland/Hof (Bayern) - Plauen - Zwickau - Chemnitz- (Leipzig) (in Bau) Bundesautobahn 73 Thüringer-Wald-Autobahn/Frankenschnellweg Suhl - (im Bau) - (Eisfeld) -(finished)- Coburg, Germany - (construction in progress) - (Lichtenfels) - Bamberg - Erlangen - Fürth - Nürnberg - Feucht

A 80 – A 89 Bundesautobahn 80 Hittistetten - Ulm (current part of the Bundesstraße 28, plannend route Germersheim - Bruchsal - Stuttgart - Esslingen - Ulm - Autobahndreieck Hittistetten

Bundesautobahn 81 Neckarlinie/Bodenseeautobahn Würzburg - Heilbronn - Stuttgart - Sindelfingen - Rottweil - Singen (Hohentwiel) - GottmadingenBundesautobahn 82 Karlsruhe - Pforzheim - Ditzingen - Stuttgart (geplant, aber andersweitig ausgeführt)Bundesautobahn 85 Schwäbisch Hall - Backnang - Stuttgart - Metzingen - Riedlingen - Ravensburg (geplant, aber zurückgestellt)Bundesautobahn 86 Schwarzwaldautobahn Breisach - Freiburg im Breisgau - Titisee-Neustadt - Donaueschingen - Tuttlingen - Riedlingen - Ulm - Langenau (Württemberg) (plannend, but put on ice)Bundesautobahn 89 Ulm - Laupheim - Biberach an der Riß - Bad Waldsee - Weingarten (Württemberg) - Ravensburg - Friedrichshafen (geplant)

A 90 – A 99 Bundesautobahn 91 Feuchtwangen - Donauwörth - Augsburg - Landsberg am Lech - Füssen (plannend, but put on ice)Bundesautobahn 92 Isarlinie AD M.-Feldmoching - AK Neufahrn b.Freising - Landshut - DeggendorfBundesautobahn 93 Ostbayernautobahn/Inntalautobahn Inntalautobahn: Rosenheim/AD Inntal - Kufstein (- Innsbruck - Brennerpass) Bundesautobahn 94 Passauer Autobahn München - ForstinningAmpfing - Altötting - (Burghausen - Pocking) Bundesautobahn 95 Garmischer Autobahn München - Garmisch-PartenkirchenBundesautobahn 96 Lindauer Autobahn Lindau (Bodensee) - Wangen im Allgäu - Memmingen - Landsberg am Lech - MünchenBundesautobahn 98 Bodenseeautobahn Weil am Rhein - Lörrach - Rheinfelden (Baden) - (Bad Säckingen) - Waldshut-Tiengen - (Jestetten) - (Schaffhausen)Singen (Hohentwiel) - Stockach Bundesautobahn 99 Umfahrung München (AD Unterpfaffenhofen) - AK M.-West - AD M.-Feldmoching - AK M.-Nord - AK M.-Ost - AK M.-SüdBundesautobahn 99a Eschenrieder Spange AD M.-Allach - M.-Eschenried

A 100 – A 199 Bundesautobahn 100 Stadtring Berlin Seestraße - AD Berlin-Charlottenburg - AD Funkturm - AK Berlin-Schöneberg - AD Berlin-Neukölln - (Frankfurter Allee)Bundesautobahn 103 Abzweig Schöneberg Sachsendamm - Wolfensteindamm/SchloßstraßeBundesautobahn 104 Ast der A 100 (Herabstufung): Konstanzer Straße - SchildhornstraßeBundesautobahn 105 AK Berlin-Reinickendorf - Kurt-Schumacher-PlatzBundesautobahn 111 Autobahnzubringer Hamburg AK Oranienburg - AD Berlin-CharlottenburgBundesautobahn 113 Teltowkanal-Autobahn (AD Neukölln -) AD Bezirk Treptow - Schönefelder KreuzBundesautobahn 114 Autobahnzubringer Prenzlau AD Bezirk Pankow - Prenzlauer PromenadeBundesautobahn 115 Autobahnzubringer Magdeburg AD Funkturm - Potsdam - AD NuthetalBundesautobahn 143 Westumfahrung Halle AD Halle (Saale)-Nord - AD Halle-Süd

A 200 – A 299 Bundesautobahn 210 Mettenhofzubringer Rendsburg - KielBundesautobahn 215 Kieler Abzweig Kiel - AD BordesholmBundesautobahn 226 Abzweig Lübeck AD Bad Schwartau - Lübeck-SiemsBundesautobahn 241 (Wismar) - SchwerinBundesautobahn 250 Maschener Autobahn Maschener Kr. - LüneburgBundesautobahn 252 Hafenspange Hamburg-GeorgswerderBundesautobahn 253 Wilhelmsburger Reichsstraße/Umgehung Harburg Hamburg-HarburgBundesautobahn 255 Abzweig Veddel Hamburg-VeddelBundesautobahn 261 Eckverbindung Harburg Hamburg-HarburgBundesautobahn 270 Lesumer Schnellweg Bremen (city)Bundesautobahn 280 Bunder Autobahn BundeBundesautobahn 281 Zubringer Bremen-Industriehäfen Bremen (city)Bundesautobahn 293 Westumgehung Oldenburg AK Oldenburg (Oldb)-Nord - AD Oldenburg-West

A 300 – A 399 Bundesautobahn 352 Eckverbindung Hannover AD Hannover-Nord - AD Hannover-WestBundesautobahn 388 AD Göttingen-Nord - Göttingen-WeendeBundesautobahn 391 Westtangente Braunschweig Braunschweig-Wenden - AD Braunschweig-SüdwestBundesautobahn 392 Nordtangente Braunschweig Braunschweig-Watenbüttel-Ost - Braunschweig-Hamburger StraßeBundesautobahn 395 Harz-Highway Braunschweig - Wolfenbüttel - Vienenburg

A 400 – A 499 Bundesautobahn 430 renumbered Bundesautobahn 40Bundesautobahn 443 (Iserlohn) - Unna-Süd - AK Unna-Ost - UnnaBundesautobahn 445 (Hamm) - Werl - Arnsberg-Neheim - (AD AR-Neheim)Bundesautobahn 480 Gießener Ring Wetzlar-Nord - Aßlar - Wetzlar-BlasbachWettenberg - Gießener Nordkreuz - Reiskirchener Dr. Bundesautobahn 485 Osttangente Gießen Gießener Nordkreuz - Linden (Hessen) - Gießener Südkreuz - Langgöns

A 500 – A 599 Bundesautobahn 516 Abzweig Oberhausen Autobahnkreuz Oberhausen - Oberhausen-EisenheimBundesautobahn 524 Autobahndreieck Breitscheid - AK Duisburg-Süd Krefeld-Oppum - Krefeld-Oppum Bundesautobahn 535 Sonnborner Kreuz - Wuppertal-Dornap - (Velbert) - (Essen)Bundesautobahn 540 Grevenbroicher Abzweig Jüchen - GrevenbroichBundesautobahn 542 Monheim am Rhein - LangenfeldBundesautobahn 544 Aachener Zubringer Aachen-Europaplatz - AK AachenBundesautobahn 553 Brühler Autobahn AK Bliesheim - Brühl (Rheinland)Bundesautobahn 555 Köln-Bonner Autobahn Köln - BonnBundesautobahn 559 Abzweig Köln-Deutz Köln-Deutz - AK Gremberg - AD Köln-PorzBundesautobahn 560 Südliche Umgehung Siegburg Sankt Augustin - Siegburg - Hennef (Sieg)

The Autobahns are the nationally coordinated motorway system in Germany. In German (language), they are called Bundesautobahn (plural Bundesautobahnen, abbreviated BAB), which translates as federal motorway. German autobahns have no general speed limit (though about 50% of the total length is subject to local and/or conditional limits), but the recommended speed is 130 km/h maximum.

Construction Similar to such motorways in other countries, autobahns have multiple lanes of traffic in each direction, separated by a central barrier with grade separation junctions and access restricted to motor vehicles with a top speed of at least 61 km/h. The first German Autobahn was completed in 1932 between Cologne and Bonn German Myth 8 Hitler and the Autobahn German.about.com. Each carriageway was flanked by shoulders about 60 cm in width, constructed of varying materials; right-hand shoulders on many autobahns were later retrofitted to 120 cm in width when it was realized cars needed the additional space to pull off the autobahn safely. In the postwar years, a thicker asphaltic concrete cross-section with full paved hard shoulders came into general use. The top design speed was approximately 160 km/h in flat country but lower design speeds could be used in hilly or mountainous terrain. A flat-country autobahn constructed to published design standards in use during the Nazi Germany could support speeds on curves of about 150 km/h.The current autobahn numbering system in use in Germany was introduced in 1974. All autobahns are named by using the capital letter A, which simply stands for "Autobahn" followed by a blank and a number (for example Bundesautobahn 8). The "main autobahns" going all across Germany have a single digit number. Shorter autobahns that are of regional importance (e.g. connecting two major cities or regions within Germany) have a double digit number (e.g. Bundesautobahn 24, connecting Berlin and Hamburg). The system is as follows:

• A 10 to A 19 are in eastern Germany (Berlin, Saxony-Anhalt, parts of Saxony and Brandenburg)
• A 20 to A 29 in northern and northeastern Germany
• A 30 to A 39 in Lower Saxony (northwestern Germany)
• A 40 to A 49 in the Rhine-Ruhr Area
• A 50 to A 59 also in the Rhine-Ruhr Area
• A 60 to A 69 in Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland and Hesse
• A 70 to A 79 in Thuringia, northern Bavaria and parts of Saxony
• A 80 to A 89 in Baden-Württemberg
• A 90 to A 99 in (southern) Bavaria

There are also very short autobahns of just local importance (e.g. beltways or the Bundesautobahn 555 from Cologne to Bonn) that usually have three numbers, the first one of which is similar to the system above, depending on the region. East-west routes are always even-numbered, north-south routes are always odd-numbered.

In general autobahns with odd numbers go from north to south, the higher the number, the more to the east they are located. Those autobahns having even numbers go from west to east, the higher their number, the further it is located to the south.

History The idea for the construction of the Autobahn was first conceived during the days of the Weimar Republic, but apart from the AVUS in Berlin, construction was slow, and most projected sections did not progress much beyond the planning stage due to economic problems and a lack of political support. One project was the private initiative HaFraBa which planned a "car only road" (the name autobahn was created in 1929) crossing Germany from Hamburg in the North via central Frankfurt am Main to Basel in Switzerland. Parts of the HaFraBa were completed in the 1930s and early 1940s, but construction eventually was halted by World War II.

Just days after the 1933 Nazism takeover, Adolf Hitler enthusiastically embraced an ambitious autobahn construction project and appointed Fritz Todt the Inspector General of German Road Construction. Soon, over 100,000 labourers worked at construction sites all over Germany. As well as job creation program and improved infrastructure, necessary for economic recovery efforts, the project was also a great success for propaganda purposes. In retrospect, one can say another aim of the autobahn project, beyond creating national unity and strengthening centralised rule, was to provide mobility for the movement of military forces (see Nazi architecture).

The autobahns formed the first limited-access, high-speed road network in the world, with the first section from Frankfurt am Main to Darmstadt opening in 1935. This straight section was used for high speed record attempts by the Grand Prix motor racing racing teams of Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union until a fatal accident involving popular German race driver Bernd Rosemeyer in early 1938.

Development of the overall length (at the end of):
1935 - 108 km
1936 - 1 086 km
1937 - 2 010 km
1938 - 3 046 km
1939 - 3 300 km
1940 - 3 736 km


{| class="prettytable"| Year || 1950 || 1955 || 1960 || 1965 || 1970 || 1975 || 1980 || 1985 || 1990 |- | Length in km || 2.128 || 2.187 || 2.551 || 3.204 || 4.110 || 5.742 || 7.292 || 8.198 || 8.822 |}

{| class="prettytable"| Year || 1995 || 1996 || 1997 || 1998 || 1999 || 2000 || 2001 || 2002 || 2003 || 2004 || 2005 |- | Length in km || 11.143 || 11.190 || 11.246 || 11.309 || 11.427 || 11.515 || 11.712 || 11.786 || 12.037 || 12.044 || 12.174 |}

During World War II, the central reservation of some autobahns were paved to allow their conversion into auxiliary airports. Aircraft were either stashed in numerous tunnels or camouflaged in nearby woods. However, for the most part, the autobahns were not militarily significant. Motor vehicles could not carry goods as quickly or in as much bulk as trains could, and the autobahns could not be used by tanks as their weight and caterpillar tracks tore up the roads' delicate surfaces. Furthermore, the general shortage of gasoline which Germany experienced during much of the war, as well as the relatively low number of trucks and motor vehicles badly needed for direct support of military operations, further decreased the attractiveness of autobahns for significant transport. As a result, most military and economic freight continued to be carried by rail. After the war, numerous sections of the autobahns were in bad shape, severely damaged by heavy Allies of World War II Strategic bombing during World War II and military demolition. Furthermore, thousands of kilometers of autobahns remained unfinished, their construction brought to a halt by 1943 due to the increasing demands of the war effort. Richard Vahrenkamp. Roads without Cars. The HAFRABA Association and the Autobahn Project 1933–1943 in Germany. Working Papers in the History of Mobility No. 1/2001

In West Germany, following the war, most existing autobahns were soon repaired. During the 1950s, the West German government restarted the construction programme; it continuously invested in new sections and in improvements to older ones. The finishing of the incomplete sections took longer, with some stretches being opened to traffic only in the 1980s. Some sections cut by the Iron Curtain in 1945 were only completed after German reunification in 1990. Finally, certain sections were never completed, as more advantageous routes were found. Some of these sections stretch across the landscape forming a unique type of industrial archaeology, often easily visible on satellite photographs.

The autobahns in East Germany (GDR) and the former German provinces of East Prussia, eastern Pomerania and Silesia in Poland and the Soviet Union after 1945 were grossly neglected in comparison to those in West Germany and Western Europe in general. They received minimal maintenance during the years of the Cold War. The speed limit on the GDR autobahns was 100 km/h, however lower speed limits were frequently encountered due to the poor condition of the road surface, changing quickly in some instances. The speed limits on the GDR autobahns were rigorously enforced by the Volkspolizei, whose patrol cars were frequently encountered hiding under camouflage waiting for speeders. In the 1970s and 80s, the West German government paid millions of Deutsche Marks to the GDR for construction and maintenance of the transit autobahns between West Germany and West Berlin, although there were indications that the GDR diverted some of the earmarked maintenance funds for other purposes.

Current density Today, Germany's autobahn network has a total length of about 11,980 km (as of January 1, 2003), third longest after the United States' Interstate Highway and the National Trunk Highway System (NTHS) of the People's Republic of China.

Many sections of Germany's autobahns are modern, containing three lanes in addition to an emergency lane. Some other sections remain in their original state, with two lanes, no emergency lane, short slip-roads / ramps, etc. Such a combination of the two types of autobahn can be seen on the Bundesautobahn 9 autobahn (Munich-Berlin). Heading out from Munich, the autobahn starts off as a modern, five lane in each direction + emergency lane autobahn. However, after heading into Thuringia, which was formerly part of East Germany, parts of the autobahn are no wider than two lanes and no emergency lane exists (only rare emergency bays with a telephone post in orange-yellow). Ongoing roadworks will eventually bring the entire A 9 to three-lane standard. Another large project involves the extension of the A 6 at its eastern end to connect Nürnberg/Amberg with the Czech motorway D 5 running from Rozvadov to Prague.

Speed limits A hard limit is imposed on some vehicles:

{||-!60 km/h|

• Buses carrying standing passengers
• Motorcycles pulling trailers

|-!80 km/h|

• Vehicles with maximum allowed weight exceeding 3.5 t (except passenger cars)
• Passenger cars and trucks with trailers
• Buses

|-!100 km/h|

• Passenger cars pulling trailers certified for 100 km/h
• Buses certified for 100 km/h not pulling trailers

|}

The German autobahns are famous for being some of the few public roads in the world without blanket speed limits for cars and motorcycles. Lack of blanket speed limits does not appear to negatively impact the Road safety#Motorway compared with motorways in other countries; motorways are safer than other road types. Perhaps this is in part because traffic can be heavy enough to restrict speeds to little above the typical motorway speeds found elsewhere, or due to reducing the exhaustion of the drivers by shortening their travelling times.Certainly, speed limits do apply at junctions and other danger points, like sections under construction or in need of repair. Speed limits at non-construction sites are generally 100 km/h, 120 km/h, or sometimes even 130 km/h; construction sites have a usual speed limit of 80 km/h but may be as low as 60 km/h or even 40 km/h. Certain stretches have separate, and lower, speed limits used in cases of wet lanes.

Some limits were imposed to reduce pollution and noise. Limits can also be put into place temporarily through dynamic traffic guidance systems that display the according traffic signs. If there is no speed limit, the recommended speed limit is not more than 130 km/h, referred to in German as the Richtgeschwindigkeit; this speed is not a binding limit, but being involved in an accident driving at higher speeds can lead to being deemed at least partially responsible due to "increased operating danger" (Erhöhte Betriebsgefahr). The average rate of speed traveled on the autobahn in unregulated areas by automobiles not regulated by other laws is about 150 km/h. On average, about half of the total length of the German autobahn network has no speed limit, about one third has a permanent limit, and the remaining parts have a temporary limit for a number of reasons.

In places without a general limit, there are mostly also no restrictions on overtaking (save for the general prohibition to overtake on the right side). Therefore, those traveling at high speeds may regularly encounter trucks running side-by-side at only about 80 km/h. In theory, trucks are not allowed to overtake others unless they drive 20 km/h faster than whomever they are overtaking, but truck drivers are generally under pressure to arrive in time, and such laws are rarely enforced for economic and political reasons, as many trucks are from foreign countries. The right lane of a typical autobahn is often crowded with trucks, and too often, trucks pull out to overtake. Due to size and speed this is often referred to as "Elefantenrennen" (Elephant Race). In some zones with only two lanes in both directions there is no speed limit, but a special overtaking restriction for trucks and/or cars pulling trailers. (An exception is Sundays and national holidays, on which trucks usually are not allowed to drive before 22:00 h, except for trucks carrying perishable goods and certain other exceptions such as military vehicles.)

Powerful modern cars can easily reach speeds well over 200 km/h, and most large car manufacturers follow a gentlemen's agreement by electronically limiting the top speed of their cars to 250 km/h for safety reasons (inexperienced drivers and risk of tires failing, especially when underinflated). Yet, these limiters can technically be defeated, so speeds over 300 km/h are not uncommon. But due to common speed limits and other traffic, such speeds are rarely attainable. Most unlimited sections of the autobahn are located outside of urban and densely populated areas. The A 8 between Stuttgart and Munich is one such example, the A4 between the metropolitan area of Chemnitz-Zwickau and Dresden as well.

Vehicles unable to attain speeds in excess of 60 km/h are not allowed to use the autobahn. Though this limit is not high for most modern vehicles, it prevents very small cars (e.g. All-terrain vehicle) and motor-scooters (e.g. Mofas) from using autobahns. To comply with this limit, several heavy-duty trucks in Germany (e.g. for carrying tanks or cranes) have a design speed of 62 km/h (usually denoted by a round black-on-white sign with "62" on it).

The overall safety record of autobahns is comparable to other European motorways and motorways are safer than other road types. A 2005 study by the Federal Minister of the Interior indicated there were an equal number of accidents per mile on the autobahn in sections without any speed limits.

Toll roads A recent development involves the introduction on January 1, 2005 of mandatory tolls (Mautpflicht) for heavy trucks (weighing more than 12 t) while using the German autobahn system. The German government contracted with a private company, Toll Collect, to operate the toll collection system, which involves the use of vehicle-mounted transponders and roadway-mounted sensors installed throughout Germany. The introduction of this system experienced several technical delays resulting in the loss of millions of Euros in potential revenue to the government. One result of the new toll policy has been an increase in heavy truck traffic on regular highways (Bundesstraßen and Landstraßen) in order to avoid paying tolls. There have been recent discussions about extending the toll requirement to include passenger cars, however this has proven so far to be very unpopular with a majority of the public and politicians of the major parties have denied they are considering such measures.

Traffic laws and enforcement The German autobahn network is patrolled by unmarked police cars and motorcycles equipped with Road-rule enforcement camera; this allows the enforcement of laws (such as tailgating) which are often viewed in other countries as difficult to prove in court.Notable laws include the following.

• Autobahns may only be used by powered vehicles that are designed to achieve a maximum speed exceeding 60 km/h.
• Similar to traffic laws in the U.S., the right lane must be used when it is free (Rechtsfahrgebot) and the left lane(s) is (are) generally intended for overtaking only; drivers using the left lane for prolonged periods of time when the other lanes are free could be fined by the Autobahnpolizei.
• Overtaking on the right (undertaking) is strictly forbidden, except in traffic jams where it may be practiced with caution. Even if the car overtaken is illegally occupying the left-hand lane, it is not an acceptable excuse; in such cases the police will routinely stop and fine both drivers.
• In the case of a traffic jam, drivers have to form an emergency lane to guarantee that emergency services can reach the scene of the accident. This lane has to be formed between the left lane and the lane next to the left lane.

• It is unlawful to stop for any reason except for emergencies and when unavoidable, like traffic jams or being involved in an accident. This includes stopping on emergency lanes. Running out of fuel is considered preventable and is consequently fined. In some cases (if there is danger to life and limb or property e.g. cars and highway infrastructure) it can also be a crime and the driver could receive a prison sentence (up to 5 years).

• The distance to the vehicle in front (in metres) should be at least half the speed (in km/h) at all times (e.g. at least 60 meters at 120 km/h). This corresponds to a "lead time" of just under 2 seconds. As a reference: The white-and-black reflection posts to the right have a distance of 50 m to each other. Again, the fact that the car in front is illegally occupying the left-hand lane when the right-hand lane is free is not a valid excuse.
• :Fines for tailgating were increased in May 2006. At speeds over 100 km/h, keeping less than 30 percent of the recommended distance now results in a suspension of one's driver's license for one to three months.
• Due to legal regulations (Straßenverkehrsordnung) it is allowed to flash headlights (Lichthupe) in order to indicate the intention of overtaking, but a proper distance to the vehicle in front must be obtained. Driving at insufficient distances and flashing headlights is illegal.
• The tires must be approved for the vehicle's top speed (winter tires (mud + snow) for lower speeds (i.e. cheaper than high-speed tires) are allowed, the driver has to have a sticker in the cockpit reminding of the maximum speed).

List of Autobahns The letter A often precedes the number in print, but signs do not include the A. Odd-numbered autobahns usually run in north-south direction, while east-west autobahns have even numbers. Single-digit numbers indicate major routes of (inter)national significance, while three-digit autobahns are usually only significant to local traffic. For two- and three-digit autobahns the first digit roughly indicates the part of Germany that particular autobahn is located in. Within each block of numbers the numbers increase from north to south and from west to east.

A 1 to A 9 Bundesautobahn 1 Hansalinie/Ruhrtangente/Eifelautobahn730 km Fehmarn (island) - Oldenburg, Schleswig-Holstein - Lübeck - Hamburg - Bremen (city) - Osnabrück - Münster - Dortmund - Leverkusen - Köln - Blankenheim gap Daun (Germany) - Trier - Saarbrücken Bundesautobahn 2 Warschauer Allee486 km: (A 3) - Oberhausen - Gelsenkirchen - Dortmund - Bielefeld - Minden - Hanover - Braunschweig - Magdeburg - Werder (Berliner Ring) Bundesautobahn 3 Rechtsrheinische Autobahn/Spessartautobahn/Würzburger Autobahn/Donautalautobahn778 km: (Utrecht (city) - Arnhem-) Elten - Wesel - Oberhausen - Duisburg - Düsseldorf - Leverkusen - Köln - Wiesbaden - Frankfurt - Würzburg - Nuremberg - Regensburg - Passau (- Linz - Vienna) Bundesautobahn 4 Hollandlinie/Oberbergische Straße/Burgwaldautobahn/Erfurter Ring515 km: (Brussels - Liège (city)(BEL)-) Aachen - Köln - Olpe gap Kirchheim - Eisenach - Erfurt - Gera - Chemnitz - Dresden - Görlitz (- Wrocław - Katowice - Kraków) Bundesautobahn 5 HaFraBa445 km : Hattenbach - Frankfurt - Darmstadt - Heidelberg - Karlsruhe - Freiburg -( Basel - Bern / Zürich / St. Gotthard Tunnel) Bundesautobahn 6 Neckarlinie/Via Carolina432 km : (Paris (F) - Metz (F) -) Saarbrücken - Kaiserslautern - Mannheim - Heilbronn - Nuremberg - Amberg - Waidhaus (- Plzeň - Prague) Bundesautobahn 7 Skandinavienautobahn/Nord-Süd-Achse935 km : (Aalborg (DK) - Kolding (DK) -) Flensburg - Hamburg - Hanover - Göttingen - Kassel - Fulda - Würzburg - Ulm - Füssen (- Reutte (A) - Imst (A)) Bundesautobahn 8 Saar-Autobahn/Südautobahn497 km : (Luxembourg -) Perl - Saarlouis - Pirmasens gap Karlsruhe - Stuttgart - Ulm - Augsburg - Munich - (Salzburg (A) - Villach (A)) Bundesautobahn 9 MüLeiBerl529 km: Potsdam - Leipzig - Bayreuth - Nuremberg - Ingolstadt - Munich

A 10 to A 19

Bundesautobahn 10 Berliner Ring AD Schwanebeck (Panketal) - AD Spreeau - Schönefeld (Berlin)er Kr. - AD Nuthetal - AD Potsdam - AD Werder (Havel) - AD Havelland - AK Oranienburg - AD Bezirk Pankow - AD Schwanebeck (Panketal)Bundesautobahn 11 AD Schwanebeck (Panketal) (Berlin) - Finowfurt - AK Uckermark (Region) - Penkun (- Stettin)Bundesautobahn 12 Dreieck Spreeau (Berlin) - Frankfurt (Oder)Bundesautobahn 13 Kreuz Schönefeld (Berlin) - AD Spreewald - Großräschen - DresdenBundesautobahn 14 Autobahnzubringer Schwerin/Altmarkautobahn/Mitteldeutsche Schleife(Schwerin) - Magdeburg - Stassfurt - Halle (Saale) - Leipzig - AD Nossen Bundesautobahn 15 SpreewaldautobahnAD Spreewald - Cottbus - Forst (Lausitz) (- Krzyżowa) Bundesautobahn 17 Via Porta BohemicaDresden - Heidenau (Sachsen) - Pirna (- Bad Gottleuba - Ústí nad Labem - Prag) Bundesautobahn 19 AD Wittstock/Dosse - Rostock

A 20 to A 29 Bundesautobahn 20 Ostseeautobahn (Stade - Neumünster - Bad Segeberg) - Lübeck - Wismar - Rostock - Grimmen - Greifswald - Neubrandenburg - AK Uckermark (Region)Bundesautobahn 21 Ostumfahrung Hamburg(Kiel) - Bad Segeberg - Bargteheide - (Geesthacht) Bundesautobahn 22 Küstenautobahn: Westerstede - Jaderberg - Wesertunnel - Bremervörde - Stade (geplant)Bundesautobahn 23 Westküstenautobahn: Heide (Holstein) - Itzehoe - Pinneberg - HamburgBundesautobahn 24 Hamburg - Schwerin - Wittstock/Dosse - AD Havelland (Berlin)Bundesautobahn 25 Marschenlinie Hamburg - GeesthachtBundesautobahn 26 Altes-Land-Autobahn Stade - Horneburg - (Hamburg)Bundesautobahn 27 Schellfischlinie Cuxhaven - Bremerhaven - Bremen (city) - WalsrodeBundesautobahn 28 Nordautobahn Leer - Westerstede - Oldenburg (Oldb.) - DelmenhorstBundesautobahn 29 Jadelinie Wilhelmshaven - Oldenburg (Oldb.) - AD Ahlhorner Heide

A 30 to A 39 Bundesautobahn 30: (Hengelo, NL) - Rheine - Osnabrück - Bad OeynhausenBundesautobahn 31 Emslandautobahn Emden - Leer - Lingen - Gronau, North Rhine-Westphalia - Gladbeck - BottropBundesautobahn 33 Ostwestfalenmagistrale Osnabrück - BorgholzhausenBielefeld - Paderborn - AK Wünnenberg-Haaren (Bad Wünnenberg) Bundesautobahn 37 Moorautobahn/Messeschnellweg Burgdorf (Hannover) - Hannover-MisburgHannover Messe - AD Hannover-Süd Bundesautobahn 38 Südharzautobahn/Mitteldeutsche Schleife Göttingen - Nordhausen - Halle (Saale) - LeipzigBundesautobahn 39 Nordlandautobahn/Südtangente Braunschweig (Hamburg) - Wolfsburg - Braunschweig - AD Salzgitter

A 40 to A 49 Bundesautobahn 40 Ruhrschnellweg Venlo - Moers - Duisburg - Oberhausen - Essen - Gelsenkirchen - Bochum - DortmundBundesautobahn 42 Emscherschnellweg Kamp-Lintfort - Duisburg - Oberhausen - Bottrop - Gelsenkirchen - Herne, Germany - Castrop-Rauxel - DortmundBundesautobahn 43 Münster (Westfalen) - Recklinghausen - Herne, Germany - Bochum - Witten, Germany - WuppertalBundesautobahn 44 Belgienlinie/DüBoDo/Ruhrschnellweg/HellweglinieAachen - Jackerath Mönchengladbach Mönchengladbach - Willich - Düsseldorf - Ratingen Bochum - Witten, Germany Dortmund - Soest, Germany - Kassel - (Eisenach) Bundesautobahn 45 Sauerlandautobahn/Wetteraulinie Dortmund - Siegen - Wetzlar - Hanau - AschaffenburgBundesautobahn 46 Wupperschnellweg/Hochsauerlandlinie Heinsberg - Grevenbroich - Neuss - Düsseldorf - Hilden - WuppertalHagen - Iserlohn - Hemer - (Menden (Sauerland)) - Arnsberg - Bestwig - (Brilon) Bundesautobahn 48 Eifelautobahn AD Vulkaneifel - Koblenz - AD DernbachBundesautobahn 49 Südtangente Kassel Kassel - Schwalmstadt - (planned and approved extension to the A5 near Gemünden(Felda). start of building

A 50 to A 59 Bundesautobahn 52 Nördlicher Zubringer (Roermond) - Mönchengladbach - Düsseldorf - EssenGladbeck - Gelsenkirchen - Marl, Germany A 56 planning rejected - see Bundesstraße 56Selfkant - Düren - Bonn - Waldbröl Bundesautobahn 57 Niederrheinautobahn Goch - Moers - Krefeld - Kaarst - Neuss - KölnBundesautobahn 59 Nord-Süd-Straße/Flughafenautobahn Dinslaken - DuisburgDüsseldorf - Leverkusen Köln - Bonn


A 60 to A 69 Bundesautobahn 60 Eifelautobahn/Mainzer Ring Winterspelt (Schneifel) - Bitburg - WittlichBingen am Rhein - Mainz - Rüsselsheim Bundesautobahn 61 Linksrheinische Autobahn (Venlo) - Viersen - Mönchengladbach - Bergheim, North Rhine-Westphalia - Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler - Koblenz - Worms, Germany - Ludwigshafen - HockenheimBundesautobahn 62 Nonnweiler - Landstuhl - PirmasensBundesautobahn 63 Mainz - KaiserslauternBundesautobahn 64 Trier - Grenzübergang Mesenich (weiter als Autoroute 1 in Luxembourg)Bundesautobahn 65 Pfälzer Autobahn Ludwigshafen am Rhein - Neustadt an der Weinstraße - Landau in der Pfalz - Kandel (Stadt) (- Lauterbourg - Strasbourg)Bundesautobahn 66 Rhein-Main-Schnellweg/Kinzigtalautobahn Eltville - Wiesbaden - Höchst (Frankfurt am Main) - Nordwestkreuz Frankfurt am Main - MiquelalleeBergen-Enkheim (Frankfurt am Main) - Hanau - Fulda (Stadt) Bundesautobahn 67 Rechtsrheinische Autobahn Rüsselsheim - Darmstadt - Viernheim

A 70 – A 79 Bundesautobahn 70 Maintalautobahn Schweinfurt - Bamberg - BayreuthBundesautobahn 71 Thüringer-Wald-Autobahn (Sangerhausen) - Sömmerda - Erfurt - Suhl - Meiningen - (Schweinfurt)Bundesautobahn 72 Vogtlandautobahn (170 km) AD Bayrisches Vogtland/Hof (Bayern) - Plauen - Zwickau - Chemnitz- (Leipzig) (in Bau) Bundesautobahn 73 Thüringer-Wald-Autobahn/Frankenschnellweg Suhl - (im Bau) - (Eisfeld) -(finished)- Coburg, Germany - (construction in progress) - (Lichtenfels) - Bamberg - Erlangen - Fürth - Nürnberg - Feucht

A 80 – A 89 Bundesautobahn 80 Hittistetten - Ulm (current part of the Bundesstraße 28, plannend route Germersheim - Bruchsal - Stuttgart - Esslingen - Ulm - Autobahndreieck Hittistetten

Bundesautobahn 81 Neckarlinie/Bodenseeautobahn Würzburg - Heilbronn - Stuttgart - Sindelfingen - Rottweil - Singen (Hohentwiel) - GottmadingenBundesautobahn 82 Karlsruhe - Pforzheim - Ditzingen - Stuttgart (geplant, aber andersweitig ausgeführt)Bundesautobahn 85 Schwäbisch Hall - Backnang - Stuttgart - Metzingen - Riedlingen - Ravensburg (geplant, aber zurückgestellt)Bundesautobahn 86 Schwarzwaldautobahn Breisach - Freiburg im Breisgau - Titisee-Neustadt - Donaueschingen - Tuttlingen - Riedlingen - Ulm - Langenau (Württemberg) (plannend, but put on ice)Bundesautobahn 89 Ulm - Laupheim - Biberach an der Riß - Bad Waldsee - Weingarten (Württemberg) - Ravensburg - Friedrichshafen (geplant)

A 90 – A 99 Bundesautobahn 91 Feuchtwangen - Donauwörth - Augsburg - Landsberg am Lech - Füssen (plannend, but put on ice)Bundesautobahn 92 Isarlinie AD M.-Feldmoching - AK Neufahrn b.Freising - Landshut - DeggendorfBundesautobahn 93 Ostbayernautobahn/Inntalautobahn Inntalautobahn: Rosenheim/AD Inntal - Kufstein (- Innsbruck - Brennerpass) Bundesautobahn 94 Passauer Autobahn München - ForstinningAmpfing - Altötting - (Burghausen - Pocking) Bundesautobahn 95 Garmischer Autobahn München - Garmisch-PartenkirchenBundesautobahn 96 Lindauer Autobahn Lindau (Bodensee) - Wangen im Allgäu - Memmingen - Landsberg am Lech - MünchenBundesautobahn 98 Bodenseeautobahn Weil am Rhein - Lörrach - Rheinfelden (Baden) - (Bad Säckingen) - Waldshut-Tiengen - (Jestetten) - (Schaffhausen)Singen (Hohentwiel) - Stockach Bundesautobahn 99 Umfahrung München (AD Unterpfaffenhofen) - AK M.-West - AD M.-Feldmoching - AK M.-Nord - AK M.-Ost - AK M.-SüdBundesautobahn 99a Eschenrieder Spange AD M.-Allach - M.-Eschenried

A 100 – A 199 Bundesautobahn 100 Stadtring Berlin Seestraße - AD Berlin-Charlottenburg - AD Funkturm - AK Berlin-Schöneberg - AD Berlin-Neukölln - (Frankfurter Allee)Bundesautobahn 103 Abzweig Schöneberg Sachsendamm - Wolfensteindamm/SchloßstraßeBundesautobahn 104 Ast der A 100 (Herabstufung): Konstanzer Straße - SchildhornstraßeBundesautobahn 105 AK Berlin-Reinickendorf - Kurt-Schumacher-PlatzBundesautobahn 111 Autobahnzubringer Hamburg AK Oranienburg - AD Berlin-CharlottenburgBundesautobahn 113 Teltowkanal-Autobahn (AD Neukölln -) AD Bezirk Treptow - Schönefelder KreuzBundesautobahn 114 Autobahnzubringer Prenzlau AD Bezirk Pankow - Prenzlauer PromenadeBundesautobahn 115 Autobahnzubringer Magdeburg AD Funkturm - Potsdam - AD NuthetalBundesautobahn 143 Westumfahrung Halle AD Halle (Saale)-Nord - AD Halle-Süd

A 200 – A 299 Bundesautobahn 210 Mettenhofzubringer Rendsburg - KielBundesautobahn 215 Kieler Abzweig Kiel - AD BordesholmBundesautobahn 226 Abzweig Lübeck AD Bad Schwartau - Lübeck-SiemsBundesautobahn 241 (Wismar) - SchwerinBundesautobahn 250 Maschener Autobahn Maschener Kr. - LüneburgBundesautobahn 252 Hafenspange Hamburg-GeorgswerderBundesautobahn 253 Wilhelmsburger Reichsstraße/Umgehung Harburg Hamburg-HarburgBundesautobahn 255 Abzweig Veddel Hamburg-VeddelBundesautobahn 261 Eckverbindung Harburg Hamburg-HarburgBundesautobahn 270 Lesumer Schnellweg Bremen (city)Bundesautobahn 280 Bunder Autobahn BundeBundesautobahn 281 Zubringer Bremen-Industriehäfen Bremen (city)Bundesautobahn 293 Westumgehung Oldenburg AK Oldenburg (Oldb)-Nord - AD Oldenburg-West

A 300 – A 399 Bundesautobahn 352 Eckverbindung Hannover AD Hannover-Nord - AD Hannover-WestBundesautobahn 388 AD Göttingen-Nord - Göttingen-WeendeBundesautobahn 391 Westtangente Braunschweig Braunschweig-Wenden - AD Braunschweig-SüdwestBundesautobahn 392 Nordtangente Braunschweig Braunschweig-Watenbüttel-Ost - Braunschweig-Hamburger StraßeBundesautobahn 395 Harz-Highway Braunschweig - Wolfenbüttel - Vienenburg

A 400 – A 499 Bundesautobahn 430 renumbered Bundesautobahn 40Bundesautobahn 443 (Iserlohn) - Unna-Süd - AK Unna-Ost - UnnaBundesautobahn 445 (Hamm) - Werl - Arnsberg-Neheim - (AD AR-Neheim)Bundesautobahn 480 Gießener Ring Wetzlar-Nord - Aßlar - Wetzlar-BlasbachWettenberg - Gießener Nordkreuz - Reiskirchener Dr. Bundesautobahn 485 Osttangente Gießen Gießener Nordkreuz - Linden (Hessen) - Gießener Südkreuz - Langgöns

A 500 – A 599 Bundesautobahn 516 Abzweig Oberhausen Autobahnkreuz Oberhausen - Oberhausen-EisenheimBundesautobahn 524 Autobahndreieck Breitscheid - AK Duisburg-Süd Krefeld-Oppum - Krefeld-Oppum Bundesautobahn 535 Sonnborner Kreuz - Wuppertal-Dornap - (Velbert) - (Essen)Bundesautobahn 540 Grevenbroicher Abzweig Jüchen - GrevenbroichBundesautobahn 542 Monheim am Rhein - LangenfeldBundesautobahn 544 Aachener Zubringer Aachen-Europaplatz - AK AachenBundesautobahn 553 Brühler Autobahn AK Bliesheim - Brühl (Rheinland)Bundesautobahn 555 Köln-Bonner Autobahn Köln - BonnBundesautobahn 559 Abzweig Köln-Deutz Köln-Deutz - AK Gremberg - AD Köln-PorzBundesautobahn 560 Südliche Umgehung Siegburg Sankt Augustin - Siegburg - Hennef (Sieg)

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Autobahn   (help · info) (German: IPA:  [ˈaʊtoːbaːn], plural Autobahnen; English: /ˈɔːtəʊbɑːn/) is the German word for a major high-speed road restricted to motor ...

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