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)

10px		10px
	(1) Kreuz Oberhausen * A 3 and to the A 516
	(2) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Oberhausen-Königshardt
Raststätte Bottrop
	(3) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Bottrop
	(3) Kreuz Bottrop * A 31
	(4) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Gladbeck-Ellinghorst
	(5) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Essen/Gladbeck
	(6) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Gelsenkirchen-Buer
		Raststätte Resser Mark
	(7) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Herten
	(8) Kreuz Recklinghausen * A 43
	(9) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Recklinghausen-Süd
	(10) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Recklinghausen-Ost
	(11) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Henrichenburg
	(12) Kreuz Dortmund-Nordwest * A 45
	(12a) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Dortmund-Mengede
	(13) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Dortmund-Nordost
	(14) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Dortmund-Landstrop
	(15) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Kamen-Bergkamen
	(16) Kamener Kreuz * A 1	File:A2ost.jpg near Lünen
	(17) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Bönen
	(18) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Hamm
Raststätte Rhynern Süd (good)	File:Rasthof Rhynern.jpg Reststation Hamm-Rhynern from the air	Raststätte Rhynern Nord (good)
	(19) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Hamm-Uentrop
	(20) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Beckum
	(21) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Oelde
	(22) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Herzebrock-Clarholz
	(23) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Rheda-Wiedenbrück
Raststätte Gütersloh Süd (very good)		Raststätte Gütersloh Nord (very good)
	(24) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Gütersloh
Raststätte Obergassel (bad)		Raststätte Niedergassel (bad)
	(25) Kreuz Bielefeld * A 33
(senseless)	(26) File:AB-AS-blau.svg 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) File:AB-AS-blau.svg 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 under construction, will become opened in autumn 2013
	(28) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Ostwestfalen-Lippe
		Raststätte Lipperland Nord under construction, will become opened in autumn 2013
	(29) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Herford/Bad Salzuflen
Raststätte Herford Süd (average), will become closed in autumn 2013		Raststätte Herford Nord (average), will become closed in autumn 2013
	(30) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Herford-Ost
	(31) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Exter
	(32) Kreuz Bad Oeynhausen * A 30 File:Autobahn with Berlinsign.jpg Near Bad Oeynhausen
	(33) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Porta Westfalica
	(34) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Veltheim
(good)	(35) File:AB-AS-blau.svg 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) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Rehren
	(37) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Lauenau
	(38) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Bad Nenndorf
	(39) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Wunstorf-Kolenfeld
	(40) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Wunstorf-Luthe
Raststätte Garbsen Süd (very good)		Raststätte Garbsen Nord (very good)
	(41) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Garbsen
	(42) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Hannover-Herrenhausen Get off here, when heading to Hannover. A tram station is very close.
	(43) Dreieck Hannover-West * A 352
(bad)	(44) File:AB-AS-blau.svg 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) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Hannover-Bothfeld
	(46) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Hannover-Lahe
	(47) Kreuz Hannover-Buchholz * A 37
	(48) Kreuz Hannover-Ost * A 7
	(49) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Lehrte
		Raststätte Lehrter See Nord (good), going south (senseless), going north (average)
	(50) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Lehrte-Ost
	(51) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Hämelerwald
	(52) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Peine
Raststätte Zweidorfer Holz Süd (good)		Raststätte Zweidorfer Holz Nord (good)
	(53) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Braunschweig-Watenbüttel
(senseless)	(54) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Braunschweig-Hafen	(good)
	(55) Kreuz Braunschweig-Nord * A 391
(bad)	(56) File:AB-AS-blau.svg 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) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Braunschweig-Ost
	(58) Kreuz Wolfsburg/Königslutter * A 39
	(59) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Königslutter
	(60) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Rennau
	(61) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Helmstedt-West
	(62) File:AB-AS-blau.svg 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) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Helmstedt-Ost/Marienborn
		Raststätte Lappwald (very good)
Raststätte Marienborn (average)
	(64) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Alleringersleben
	(65) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Eilsleben
	(66) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Bornstedt
Raststätte Börde Süd (very good)		Raststätte Börde Nord (very good)
	(67) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Irxleben
	(68) Kreuz Magdeburg * A 14
	(69) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Magdeburg-Kannenstieg	(average) |
(senseless) better you go the ARAL station 1.5 km south and ask drivers there (very good), see Magdeburg	(70) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Magdeburg-Zentrum	(senseless) better you go the ARAL station 1.5 km south and ask drivers there (very good), see Magdeburg
	(71) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Magdeburg-Rothensee
	(72) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Lostau/Hohenwarthe
	(73) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Burg-Zentrum
	(74) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Burg-Ost
	(75) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Theeßen
	(76) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Ziesar
Raststätte Buckautal Süd (good)		Raststätte Buckautal Nord (good)
	(77) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Wollin
	(78) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Brandenburg an der Havel
	(79) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Netzen
	(80) File:AB-AS-blau.svg Lehnin
	(81) Dreieck Werder * A 10
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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