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→Hitchhiking on the A2
The '''A2''' is a well-frequented [[highway|motorway]] in the [[Netherlands]].
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 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'/>
=== 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: {{senseless}}''
* Petrol station "Viersprong" between exit 3 and 4. This petrol station does not exist anymore ''Rating: {{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}}''
* 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: {{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 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''
* Entrance 57. Oost-Maarland. There is no access lane to the south. ''Rating: mission impossible''
===Hitchhiking A2 [[Maastricht]] direction [[Amsterdam]] using service areas===
* Petrol station "Patiel" between exits 58 and 57. Even if this petrol station, still south of Maastricht, is not always that busy, it is fine for hitchhiking. It is the first rest area after the border, and people are quite likely to be heading for many directions within the Netherlands from here. ''Rating: average/good''
* Petrol station "Kruisberg" between exits 51 and 50. This petrol station is quite small and it lacks a rest area. It can be reached from Maastricht by public transport, as it is about 1 kilometer from train station Bunde. Later in the evening there is not a lot of traffic. In the afternoon many drivers will have come out of Maastricht, and may be heading back home, well furhter on. Its small size may make it a bit more likely that you would be sent away by the manager, than on other petrol stations. ''Rating: average''
* Petrol station "Ruwiel" between exits 5 and 4. Quite big petrol station. Finding a ride into the city of Amsterdam should be easy here. Last petrol station before the junction with the A9 towards Haarlem, Alkmaar. Finding a ride from here onto the A8 (direction Hoorn, afsluitdijk) should be rather tough. Access lanes S103, S102 and S101 on the A10-west ring around Amsterdam are possible ramps to hitch in this direction. ''Rating: average/good''
===Hitchhiking A2 [[Maastricht]] direction [[Amsterdam]] using ramps===
* Entrance 58. Eijsden. There is no access lane to the north. ''Rating: mission impossibleaverage''
* Entrance 57. Easy to get to nearby Maastricht, otherwise rather hike back to the petrol station 2 km south. ''Rating: average''
* Entrance 3. Abcoude. Dangerous! ''Rating: bad''
==Maps of motorway A2==
===[[Amsterdam]] and northern section to [[Vianen]] ([[:Category:Utrecht|Utrecht]] and [[Noord-Holland]] provinceprovinces)===
<map lat='52.32' lng='4.92' zoom='12' view='3' width='450' height='450'/>
|}
===Middle section, [[Gelderland]] and [[Noord-Brabant]] provinceprovinces, around [[Den Bosch]] and [[Eindhoven]]===
===[[Maastricht]] and southern section, A2 in [[Limburg]] province, Weert to Belgian border===
{{Highways NL}}
__NOTOC__
[[Category:Noord Holland|Noord-Holland]]
[[Category:Gelderland|Gelderland]]
[[Category:Noord Brabant|Noord-Brabant]]
[[Category:Limburg|Limburg]]
[[Category:Netherlands]]
[[Category:Motorways]]
[[wikipediaCategory:A2 motorway (Netherlands)Excellent Articles]]
