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The '''A2''' is a well-frequented [[highway|motorway ]] in the [[Netherlands]].

Check The most effective way to travel as a hitchhiker using this motorway is to comply with the same, common on Western motorways practice of hopping from one [[rest area|service area]] to another. A2 unites several cities, notably [[Utrecht]], [[den Bosch|'s-Hertogenbosch]], [[Eindhoven]] and [[Sittard]]. In Maastricht, the A2 ends for a distance of about 2 km, to turn into A2 again from the south of Maastricht up to the border to [[Belgium]] where it is named [[A25 (Belgium)|A25]] and goes towards [[Liège|Liege]]. Since the A2 is the main north-south motorway within the Netherlands, hitchhiking is usually pretty straightforward. For more information check either [http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rijksweg_2 the Dutch ] or [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A2_motorway_(Netherlands) English] Wikipedia]!. '''Scroll down to bottom of page for more detailed maps'''<map lat='51.6' lng='5.45' zoom='8' view='0' country='Netherlands' width='450' height='550' float='left'/>

Since == Hitchhiking on the '''A2 is the main north-south motorway within the Netherlands, hitchhiking is usually pretty straightforward.''' =={{legend}}

===Hitchhiking A2 [[Amsterdam]] direction [[Maastricht]] using service areas===* [[Petrol station hitchhiking|Petrol station]] 500 meter south of the bridge Utrechtsebrug in Amsterdam. This one may be reached on foot from the Utrechtsebrug. One has to walk in the verge of the motorway. ''Rating: not available{{senseless}}''* Petrol station "Viersprong" between exit 3 and 4. This petrol station does not exist anymore ''Rating: useless{{senseless}}''* Petrol station "Haarrijn" between exit 5 and 6. Huge petrol station, and the best one to change cars between Amsterdam and Utrecht. Possible to camp at the west end of this huge area. ''Rating: {{good}}''* Petrol station "Nieuwegein" between exit 8 and 9. Comparatively small petrol station, yet good going further down the A2 or onto the A27. ''Rating: {{average}}''* Petrol station "Bisde" between exit 13 and 14. Quite big petrol station. ''Rating: perhaps good{{average}}''* Petrol station with restaurant "De Lucht west" between exits 17 and 18. Huge petrol station with a long history. One of the buildings dates back to the 1950s, and the area has been used as a stopover for travellers for over a hundred years. This service area may be considered the most important one between the west and the south of the Netherlands. Fverhart hitched there over 10 times, with an average wait of 10-15 minutes for a 100 km ride to Maastricht or its vicinity. ''Rating: great{{Very Good}}''* Parking area "De Rooijen" between exit 19 and 20. Please avoid this one, just a couple of kilometers after the previous great petrol station. Few people stop here, it is usually rather noisy and windy (though the views over the river are nice), and there seem some shady activities to be going on. And you may smell piss or so, because there is no toilet there. ''Rating: {{bad}}''* Petrol station "Velder" between exit 26 and 27. Place to change car is the driver is going into Eindhoven. Pretty standard size, and even if it is not the most busy one, pretty easy to get away. ''Rating: {{average}}/{{good}}''* Parking area "Aalsterhut" between exit 34 and 35. This parking does not exist anymore. ''Rating: Mission impossible{{senseless}}''* Petrol station "'t Haasje" between exits 35 and 36. Quite good, just as the previous one. ''Rating: {{average}}/{{good}}''* Restaurant and parking "Roevenpeel" between exits 39 and 40. There is no petrol station on this service area, therefore the prospects with hitchhiking are not optimal. ''Rating: quite {{bad}}''* Petrol station "Ellerbrug" between exits 40 and 41. This one is rather quiet, especially in the evening. It is currently being rebuilt. ''Rating: {{average}}''* Petrol station "Het Anker" between exits 46 and 47. This is the service area which you should use in case the driver is not going to Maastricht, but to one of the other cities in the southernmost part of the Netherlands, or if the driver is heading for Aachen or beyond in Germany. It is quite easy to find a driver to Maastricht. About 20% of the drivers actually go there, while most go towards Geleen, Heerlen, Kerkrade etc. French and Luxembourgian Luxembourgish cars are extremely likely to go through Maastricht from here. ''Rating: {{average}}/{{good}}''* Petrol station "Vossedal" between exits 49 and 50. This one is small, but since Maastricht is only 8 kilometers further on, one normally finds a ride there in no time. ''Rating: {{good }} (for Maastricht) and {{bad}}/{{average }} (for any place beyond Maastricht)''* Petrol station "Knuvelkes" between exit 57 and 58. This one is already south of Maastricht. Alas, it is not frequented very much, because all driver drivers go into Belgium, and rather leave this one aside, for the petrol in Belgium is a bit cheaper. Still it is possible to find rides to Liege/Luxembourg or towards Charleroi. ''Rating: bad/average''* Parking area on the border. On this former customs area you will find a snack bar, where some people stop on their way to the south. France, for example. ''Rating: {{bad}}/{{average}}''

===Hitchhiking A2 [[Amsterdam]] direction [[Maastricht]] using ramps===

* Utrechtsebrug, bridge just before the beginning of the motorway. Amsterdam. This is a classic starting point to hitchhike, THE '''the''' spot for hitchhiking in the '60s and '70s. Today it does not look too good there, but one may still ask for rides at the traffic lights just before the bridge. It is a pity for hitchhikers that there is a barrier between the road and the cycling lane onto the brdigebridge. Autostopguide to Europe recommends hitchhiking after the bridge, between the first (inofficialunofficial) exit and entry lanes, though cars are speeding there yet at 80 kmh. ''Rating: quite bad''

===Hitchhiking A2 [[Maastricht]] direction [[Amsterdam]] using service areas===

===Hitchhiking A2 [[Maastricht]] direction [[Amsterdam]] using ramps===