A2 (Germany)

The A2 is a major motorway in Germany. It connects the Ruhr Area with Berlin, via Hannover, Braunschweig and Magdeburg.

It crosses the A 1 (Hamburg-Cologne) near Dortmund, the A 7 (Hamburg-Frankfurt) in Hannover and the A 30 (Bad Oeynhausen - Amsterdam (it merges into the Dutch A 1 near Hengelo)) in Bad Oeynhausen.

You can almost be sure to travel very fast here. There are plenty of petrol stations, and all of them are highly frequented. It is also the most important connection between Poland and western Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and France. Because of the many Polish cars and trucks, it is often referred to as Warsaw Alley. So when heading to Poland, you can try to find a direct ride here.

The A2 from Bad Oeynhausen until Berlin is part of the European road E 30.

<map lat='52.2008737173322' lng='9.95361328125' zoom='7' view='0' country='Germany' width='800' height='200' />

Hitching the A2

Legend:  (very good) |  (good) |  (average) |  (bad) |  (senseless)

	(1) Kreuz Oberhausen * A 3 and to the A 516
	(2) Oberhausen-Königshardt
Raststätte Bottrop
	(3) Bottrop
	(3) Kreuz Bottrop * A 31
	(4) Gladbeck-Ellinghorst
	(5) Essen/Gladbeck
	(6) Gelsenkirchen-Buer
		Raststätte Resser Mark
	(7) Herten
	(8) Kreuz Recklinghausen * A 43
	(9) Recklinghausen-Süd
	(10) Recklinghausen-Ost
	(11) Henrichenburg
	(12) Kreuz Dortmund-Nordwest * A 45
	(12a) Dortmund-Mengede
	(13) Dortmund-Nordost
	(14) Dortmund-Landstrop
	(15) Kamen-Bergkamen
	(16) Kamener Kreuz * A 1	near Lünen
	(17) Bönen
	(18) Hamm
Raststätte Rhynern Süd (good)	Reststation Hamm-Rhynern from the air	Raststätte Rhynern Nord (good)
	(19) Hamm-Uentrop
	(20) Beckum
	(21) Oelde
	(22) Herzebrock-Clarholz
	(23) Rheda-Wiedenbrück
Raststätte Gütersloh Süd (very good)		Raststätte Gütersloh Nord (very good)
	(24) Gütersloh
Raststätte Obergassel (bad)		Raststätte Niedergassel (bad)
	(25) Kreuz Bielefeld * A 33
(senseless)	(26) Bielefeld-Sennestadt	(senseless)
(good) Forget it directly at the ramp, but there's a good spot some 1km before the ramp where the approach road starts. Have a look at the Bielefeld article for specific information.	(27) Bielefeld-Ost	(good) Forget it directly at the ramp, but there's a good spot some 1km before the ramp where the approach road starts. Have a look at the Bielefeld article for specific information.
Raststätte Lipperland Süd
	(28) Ostwestfalen-Lippe
		Raststätte Lipperland Nord
	(29) Herford/Bad Salzuflen
	(30) Herford-Ost
	(31) Exter
	(32) Kreuz Bad Oeynhausen * A 30 Near Bad Oeynhausen
	(33) Porta Westfalica
	(34) Veltheim
(good)	(35) Bad Eilsen In both directions, this ramp is quite good. Best option might be to stand down by the traffic light with a sign if going westwards, or walk up and wait just some 10 meters before the bridge if you want to hitch towards Hannover. Much traffic, cars can stop (not perfectly, but it's ok). Beautiful landscape!	(good)
Raststätte Auetal Süd (good)	At service area Auetal direction Dortmund	Raststätte Auetal Nord (good)
	(36) Rehren
	(37) Lauenau
	(38) Bad Nenndorf
	(39) Wunstorf-Kolenfeld
	(40) Wunstorf-Luthe
Raststätte Garbsen Süd (very good)		Raststätte Garbsen Nord (very good)
	(41) Garbsen
	(42) Hannover-Herrenhausen Get off here, when heading to Hannover. A tram station is very close.
	(43) Dreieck Hannover-West * A 352
(bad)	(44) Hannover/Langenhagen You can get off here if you want to visit Hannover. There's a tram station at the Hannover side of the ramp, and drivers can go back to the motorway easily.	(senseless)
	(45) Hannover-Bothfeld
	(46) Hannover-Lahe
	(47) Kreuz Hannover-Buchholz * A 37
	(48) Kreuz Hannover-Ost * A 7
	(49) Lehrte
		Raststätte Lehrter See Nord (good), going south (senseless), going north (average)
	(50) Lehrte-Ost
	(51) Hämelerwald
	(52) Peine
Raststätte Zweidorfer Holz Süd (good)		Raststätte Zweidorfer Holz Nord (good)
	(53) Braunschweig-Watenbüttel
(senseless)	(54) Braunschweig-Hafen	(good)
	(55) Kreuz Braunschweig-Nord * A 391
(bad)	(56) Braunschweig-Flughafen low traffic and almost no traffic during evenings and weekends	(bad)
(average) from Braunschweig-Center take tram line to Volkmarode, then it is a 7km walk (or hitchhiking) to this ramp. There is a caravan whorehouse here, local people know this and don't want to pick up punters. Waiting times 45-60 minutes to Berlin.	(57) Braunschweig-Ost
	(58) Kreuz Wolfsburg/Königslutter * A 39
	(59) Königslutter
	(60) Rennau
	(61) Helmstedt-West
	(62) Helmstedt-Zentrum
Raststätte Helmstedt (good) This is the first of two service station's within 5 kilometers. Better try it here than the next service station some kilometer further.
	(63) Helmstedt-Ost/Marienborn
		Raststätte Lappwald (very good)
Raststätte Marienborn (average)
	(64) Alleringersleben
	(65) Eilsleben
	(66) Bornstedt
Raststätte Börde Süd (very good)		Raststätte Börde Nord (very good)
	(67) Irxleben
	(68) Kreuz Magdeburg * A 14
	(69) Magdeburg-Kannenstieg	(average) |
(senseless) better you go the ARAL station 1.5 km south and ask drivers there (very good), see Magdeburg	(70) Magdeburg-Zentrum	(senseless) better you go the ARAL station 1.5 km south and ask drivers there (very good), see Magdeburg
	(71) Magdeburg-Rothensee
	(72) Lostau/Hohenwarthe
	(73) Burg-Zentrum
	(74) Burg-Ost
	(75) Theeßen
	(76) Ziesar
Raststätte Buckautal Süd (good)		Raststätte Buckautal Nord (good)
	(77) Wollin
	(78) Brandenburg an der Havel
	(79) Netzen
	(80) Lehnin
	(81) Dreieck Werder * A 10

German highways

Major highways: A1 • A2 • A3 • A4 • A5 • A6 • A7 • A8 • A9

Minor highways: A10 • A11 • A12 • A13 • A14 • A15 • A17 • A19 • A20 • A21 • A23 • A24 • A25 • A26 • A27 • A28 • A29 • A30 • A31 • A33 • A37 • A38 • A39 • A40 • A42 • A43 • A44 • A45 • A46 • A48 • A49 • A52 • A57 • A59 • A60 • A61 • A62 • A63 • A64 • A65 • A66 • A67 • A70 • A71 • A72 • A73 • A81 • A92 • A93 • A94 • A95 • A96 • A98 • A99