Changes

Apparently - Cars number plates starting with letters ''from what [[User:Guaka|Guaka]] has heard'AC''' are registered in this locality. License plates with '''DN''' - there indicate that a car is from the neighbour locality of Düren in the east. The central terminal for local and regional buses is a somewhat official hitchhiking spot at called ''EuropaplatzAachen Bushof''.

Cars number plates starting with letters '''AC''' are registered in this localityLocal inhabitants tell that during recent months there were some car robberies (summer 2014), when one person stops the car and suddenly other people appear and take the car from the person. It was said to be some immigrants from Belgium. License plates with '''DN''' indicate that a So car drivers are very circumspect and it is from harder to get a neighbour locality of Dürenlift there.

=== West towards [[Netherlands]], [[Belgium]], East towards [[to Cologne{{Autobahn|Köln]] 4}}, north to Düsseldorf {{Autobahn|44}} ===There is a nice [[petrol station hitchhiking|petrol station]], ''Aachener Land'', on the A4, not too far east of Aachen. It is good for heading towards Netherlands or Belgium, while the other side offers good opportunities to hitch towards almost any region in [[Germany]] via [[Cologne|Köln]].

You can either hitchhike there or take the bus. To go by bus take line 52 from the main bus terminal The ''Aachen BushofEuropaplatz'' in direction of ''Eschweiler Bushof'' and get out at ''Röhe Wasserwerk'' (3,20 Euro in January 2012, approxroundabout is a popular hitchhiker spot to start to any destination within Germany. 25 min). To go It is located in direction the east of [[Cologne|Köln]] just walk back 500 meters, to go to NL cross Aachen directly near the highway bridge on-ramp and turn left at the first streetcan be reached quickly. Another option There is to start hitchhiking from an Esso petrol station where you can ask and that also offers a spot where cars can see you easily and stop. If you don''Europaplatz'' just where t feel lucky at the cars enter Esso there is also an ARAL petrol station at the motorway from a [[same roundabout]]. When going East (direction Köln), leave ''Aachener Land'' behind Cars could also stop for you. When going Westat the hard shoulder right after the roundabout, step out at but the petrol station and do a little walk over spot is already on the bridge nearby autobahn so police might ask you to cross the motorwayleave.

<map lat='50.79269814077799' lng='6.1571502685546875' zoom='12' view='0' width='400'/>If heading towards the Netherlands you have several options. The first Getting there is to hitchhike to the traffic lights at the main motorway exit at Geleen a 15 minute walk from the ''Aachener LandAachen Bushof'' service station (perfect if you are going to Maastricht). Otherwise, one can walk from the ''Ponttor'' while in Aachen Go east for about two kilometers up the ''RoermonderstrassePeterstraße'' or take the buses 27, 37, 47 or 77 from which later becomes the central bus station ''Aachen Bushof'' to ''Jupp-Müller-Jülicher Straße'' (2,40 Euro in January 2012). There are two petrol stations and At the bus stop for thumbing where you can find a Dutch driver. If you are going to [[Maastricht]] you can also go to ''VaalserstrasseBlücherplatz'' or take square you will see a bus church to ''Vaals''your right. When in Vaals, walk to Bear right following the roundabout on Maastricherlaan, go for 20 meters more B1 federal road and you will see a bus stop. It's a perfect place come to get a lift to Maastrichtthe Esso petrol station.

The Aachen-Laurensberg on-ramp is a pretty good for getting a ride, into the Netherlands. There is a petrol station right after the border, but people going from Aachen to === West towards [[Maastricht might prefer to use the road via Vaals instead of the highway.]] ===

=== South towards [[Liège|Liege]], [[Luxembourg]], [[Eifel]] ===Another option It is possible to go get to Maastricht via the autobahn A4 (A76 in the direction of Belgium, especially if you want to go to [[Liège]] Netherlands) or [[Luxembourg]], is to go to the service station on federal road B1 (N278 in Netherlands). To take the German-Belgium border at the A44. Take bus #11autobahn, #36, #55, or #SB63 walk from the ''BusbahnhofPonttor'' or while in Aachen for about two kilometers up the ''HauptbahnhofRoermonderstrasse'' (or take the buses 27, 37, 47 or 77 from the central bus station) ''Aachen Bushof'' to ''Oberforstbach LaschetJupp-Müller-Straße'', get out . There are two petrol stations and walk back the direction bus stop for thumbing where you came fromcan find a Dutch driver. You have to walk a few hundred meters until If he's not passing by Maastricht you reach a bridge after which you turn left to can get to the service station after 150-200m (you can either walk through the fields or use the exit and walk along the autobahn). At the same bridge there is also out at the A76 exit #2 ''Aachen-LichtenbuschGeleen'' at the A44 which you can use to go either in the direction of Köln (or at least to the service station N281 exit ''Aachener LandMaastricht'') or in the direction of Belgiumand continue from there.

People going from Aachen to Maastricht might prefer to use the federal road via Vaals, the first town after the Netherlands border, instead of the autobahn. To get there, go to the B1 ''Vaalserstrasse'' or take a bus to ''Vaals''. When in Vaals, walk to the roundabout on ''Maastricherlaan'' road, go for 20 meters more and you will see a bus stop where cars going to Maastricht can stop. === West towards [[Netherlands]] {{Autobahn|4}} {{E|314}}, [[Belgium]] {{Autobahn|44}} {{E|40}}, East towards [[Cologne|Köln]] {{Autobahn|4}} via service station ''Aachener Land'' ===<map lat='50.80' lng='6.1571502685546875' zoom='12' view='0' width='400' height='220' float='right'/>The autobahn [[petrol station hitchhiking|service station]] ''Aachener Land'' is located 10 km east of Aachen on the A4. The north side is good for heading towards Netherlands or Belgium, while the south side offers good opportunities to hitch towards almost any region in [[Germany]] via [[Cologne|Köln]]. You can either hitchhike there or take the bus. Hitchhike from ''Europaplatz'' roundabout as explained in going east. To go further east towards Germany, stay on this side; cross the autobahn to continue towards Belgium or Netherlands. Bus line 52 from ''Aachen Bushof'' in direction of ''Eschweiler Bushof'' will take you to the station ''Röhe Wasserwerk'' in about 25 minutes. (3,20 Euro in January 2012). To continue in direction of [[Cologne|Köln]] just walk back 500 meters, to go to the Netherlands or Belgium cross the bridge over the autobahn and turn left at the first street.[[File:AachenerLand2013.jpeg|200px|thumb|left|Approaching Aachener Land from town Eschweiler]] === West towards [[Liège]] (B), south towards [[Luxembourg]] {{Autobahn|44}} {{E|40}}===To go to in the direction of Belgium, especially if you want to go to [[Liège]] or [[Luxembourg]], go to the service station ''Lichtenbusch'' on the German-Belgium border at the A44. There's not too much traffic, and most of it seems to go via [[Liege]] and [[Namur]] to France. ==== Option 1 ====Take bus 11, 36, 55 or SB63 from the centre to ''Kohlhof''. Walk westwards on the little street parallel to the motorway and you will find the service area on the right. There's a pedestrian bridge connecting both sides. ==== Option 2 ====To get to the service station or the exit you can also hitchhike from the bus station ''Aachen Siegel'' (reachable . It can be reached by the bus lines #11, #21, #36, #46, #53 and #SB63 or by foot a 45 minute walk from the city centre to the south. Cars can easily see you and stop. ==== Option 3 ====One may also thumb at the on- ask locals for directionsramp at the Autobahn exit ''Aachen Brand'' on the A44. To get there take bus lines 25, 45, 55 or 68 from the main bus station ''Aachen Bushof'' until ''Königsberger Straße'' (2,55 Euro as of May 2013) which . Walk 500 m along the road and either thumb down the cars coming from Aachen centre turning right or the cars going straight onto the highway from the industrial area. Beware that there is local traffic that will leave the Autobahn on the next exit. === South towards [[Eifel]] region === To get into the region south of Aachen hitchhike from the bus station ''Aachen Siegel''. It can be reached by bus lines #11, #21, #36, #46, #53 and #SB63 or by a 45 minute walk from the city centre to the south. The spot is perfect if you want to hitchhike south to the Eifel in the direction of Roetgen, Monschau, Simmerath or further. Cars can easily see you and stop. == Hitchhiking In == If you are with people that are going directly to Aachen being dropped of at the central bus terminal ''Aachen Bushof'' is a good idea. Most buses come through there, but this is not the main train station. Otherwise, if your driver is only passing by the city your best option to get off depends on the direction. === A4 from/to west (Netherlands) === Ask your driver to drop you off at the exit #3 ''Aachen Zentrum''. From there you can take various buses to the central bus terminal ''Aachen Bushof''. If you're coming from the Netherlands, your driver can turn around when going straight after the exit. Otherwise, going towards the Netherlands he should turn right and then left to be able to drop you off and make a U-turn. Don't drop yourself at the Dutch petrol station (Shell) near borderpoint Vetschau. It was very difficult to find a ride just to Aachen and I stucked there for 3 hours in Feb 2018. There is also NO train-station in the next village Bochholtz (like in some maps), but at least some bus-services to Aachen. === A4 from/to east (Cologne) === When your driver is passing by on the A4 it is a good idea to get out at the autobahn service station ''Aachener Land'' and take the bus 52 to the center (see [[Aachen#Hitchhiking Out|Hitchhiking Out]]). Buses to Aachen go weekdays every half hour between 5:00 and 20:30 and hourly until 23:30. Saturday service is from 5:30 until 23:30 and sunday service is between 8:30 and 23:30. === A44 from/to south (Belgium) === On the A44 from/to Belgium, get dropped off at the exit #3 ''Aachen Brand''. You can use the frequent bus service at any time from there to the center (2,40 Euro as of January 2012) or try to hitchhike. Your driver can get back on the highway easily. == Public transportation == Check [http://www.aseag.de/ the website of the local bus operator ASEAG] for bus informations. There is no english page but you can just input your request on the top right. Input the start city (e.g. ''Aachen'') and station (e.g. ''Bushof'', the main bus terminal) and the same for the destination in the second row. The results are understandable without knowing German. People with monthly tickets and job tickets can take you along for free in buses and regional RE trains on weekdays from 19:00 until 3:00 and on the whole weekend within the area of their validity. Feel free to ask around.

There are quite a few [[police]] controls around Aachen, so make sure you are not bringing any drugs from the Netherlands to Germany as you might get controlled, although hitchhiker . Hitchhiker [[User:Fverhart|Fverhart]] writes: ''"I don't like drugs and I was never checked on the border. Once in my life I had some marihuana with me, our host so kindly asked for it that I took the risk, although I did not know what kind of risk I was actually running."''[[User:Kriechstrom|Kriechstrom]] thinks otherwise: ''"There are police controls for sure for buses, cars and even bicycles. Bus lines from the NL are being controlled, especially the line 50 from Maastricht if you get out at the main train station. Cars are more likely to be controlled if they have registration plates from other cities than Aachen."''