The A2 in Germany is a major motorway in Germany. It connects the Ruhr Area with Berlin, via Hannover, Braunschweig and Magdeburg.
It crosses the A1 (Hamburg-Cologne) near Dortmund, the A7 (Hamburg-Frankfurt) in Hannover and the A30 (Bad Oeynhausen - Amsterdam (it merges into the Dutch A1 near Hengelo)) in Bad Oeynhausen
You can almost be sure to travel very fast here. There are plenty of gas 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 til Berlin is part of the European road E30.
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Hitching the A2
Legend:(very good) |
(good) |
(average) |
(bad) |
(senseless)
- (1)
Kreuz Oberhausen - (2)
Oberhausen-Königshardt - (2b)
Bottrop
- Service station, only in direction Hannover.
- (3) & Kreuz Bottrop
- (4) Gladbeck-Ellinghorst
- (5) Essen/Gladbeck
- (6) Gelsenkirchen-Buer
- (6a) Resser Mark
- Only in direction Oberhausen.
- (7) Herten
- (8) Kreuz Recklinghausen
- (9) Recklingenhausen-Süd
- (10) Recklinghausen-Ost
- (11) Henrichenburg
- (12) Kreuz Dortmund-Nordwest
- (12a) Dortmund-Mengede
- (13) Kreuz Dortmund-Nordost
- (14) Dortmund-Landstrop
- (15) Kamen-Bergkamen
- (16) Kreuz Kamener Kreuz
- (17) Bönen
- (18) Hamm
- (18a) Hamm-Rhynern
(good)
- (19) Hamm-Uentrop
- (20) Beckum
At service area Auetal direction Dortmund.
- (21) Oelde
- (23) Rheda-Wiedenbrück
- (23a) Kleinraststätte-Gütersloh (very good)
- (24) Gütersloh
- (24a) Obergassel/Niedergassel (bad)
- (25) Kreuz Bielefeld
- (26) Bielefeld-Sennestadt (very good),
(average)
- This ramp is perfect for hitchhiking out of Bielefeld towards the Ruhr Area. At the ramp you find traffic lights and if you walk some 30m up the ramp you'll find a lay-by with enough space for cars to stop. For direction north towards Hannover it's a bit harder, no space for cars to stop along the ramp. You can try it in front of the traffic lights, but cars go up the highway quite fast.
- (27) Bielefeld-Zentrum (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.
- (28) Ostwestfalen-Lippe
- (29) Herford/Bad Salzuflen
- (29a) Herford (average)
- (30) Herford-Ost
- (31) Exter
- (32) Kreuz Bad Oeynhausen (senseless)
- Chance to get over to the A30. Hitchhiking here is impossible!
- (33) Porta Westfalica
- (34) Veltheim
- (35) Bad Eilsen
(Roadworks) Be aware of the roadworks between Bad Eilsen and Rehren, ramps might be close temporarily.
- (35a) Auetal Nord and South (good)
- In both directions, good to get lifts towards Bielefeld, Ruhr Area or Hannover. If going towards Amsterdam, you have to get out here if your driver isn't going on to the A30. For closer information, check out Auetal Nord and Auetal Süd.
- (36) Rehren
- (37) Lauenau
- (38) Bad Nenndorf
- (39) Wunstorf-Kolenfeld
- (40) Wunstorf-Luthe
- (40a) Garbsen Nord and South (very good)
- Your service station for finding rides from Hannover towards Dortmund or Berlin. A lot of traffic here, easy to reach by bus. For more, check out Garbsen Nord and Garbsen Süd.
- (41) Garbsen
- (42) Hannover-Herrenhausen
- Get off here, when heading to Hannover. A tram station is very close.
- (43) Dreieck Hannover-West Chance to get over to the A352.
- (44) Hannover-Langenhagen
- You can get off here if you want to visit Hannover. There's a tram station directly at the ramp, and drivers can go back to the highway easily. For hitchhiking there's not much space on the ramp itself, but should be possible somehow.
- (45) Hannover-Bothfeld
- (46) Hannover-Lahe
- (47) Kreuz Hannover-Buchholz Chance to get over to the A37.
- (48) Kreuz Hannover-Ost Chance to get over to the A7.
- (49) Lehrte
- (50) Lehrte-Ost
- (51) Hämelerwald
- (51a) Lehrter See Nord and South
- (52) Peine
- (52a) Zweidorfer Holz
- (53) Braunschweig-Watenbüttel
- (54) Braunschweig-Hafen
- (55) Kreuz Braunschweig-Nord
- Chance to get over to the A391
- (56) Braunschweig-Flughafen
- (57) Braunschweig-Ost
- (58) Kreuz Wolfsburg/Königslutter
- Chance to get over to the A39.
- (59) Königslutter
- (60) Rennau
- (61) Helmstedt-West
- (62) Helmstedt-Zentrum
- (62a) Helmstedt (good)
- (63) Helmstedt-Ost / Marienborn
- (63a) Lappwald / Marienborn (very good)
- Two big service station's in both directions. Lappwald towards Hannover with a good construction, all cars of the service station have to get out at one long road with enough space to stop for you. On the other side (Marienborn) you can visit the old inner-German border, many tourist will stop here, but also good to get cars towards Berlin.
- (64) Alleringsleben
- (65) Eilsleben
- (66) Bornstedt
- (66a) Börde (very good)
- (67) Irxleben
- (68) Kreuz Magdeburg
- (69) Magdeburg-Kannenstieg (average)
- Get out here if you want to go towards Magdeburg. Walk some meters down the road, there you'll have enough space to stop cars. They can take you for around 2-3 kilometers, there you'll find a small train station that brings you right into the city. Not much traffic for hitching up the highway though, so only average rating.
- (70) Magdeburg-Zentrum (bad)
- Direct ramp towards the center, but quite busy road with not much chance to stop cars. Better try Kannenstieg, somewhat less traffic but you can get into the city more relaxed. If going out of Magdeburg, this ramp is good because some 1-2 kilometers before there is a gas station situated. Check the Magdeburg-page for further information.
- (71) Magdeburg-Rothensee
- (72) Lostau/Hohenwarthe
- (73) Burg-Zentrum
- (74) Burg-Ost
- (75) Theeßen
- (76) Ziesar
- (76a) Buckautal (good)
- (77) Wollin
- (78) Brandenburg (Stadt)
- (79) Netzen
- (80) Lehnin
- (81) Dreieck Werder