The A2 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 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 E30.
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Hitching the A2
Legend:(very good) |
(good) |
(average) |
(bad) |
(senseless)
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(1)  Kreuz Oberhausen * connection to the A1 and to the A516 |
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(2)  Oberhausen-Königshardt |
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  Raststätte Bottrop |
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| (3) Bottrop |
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| (3) Kreuz Bottrop * connection to the A31 |
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| (4) Gladbeck-Ellinghorst |
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| (5) Essen/Gladbeck |
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| (6) Gelsenkirchen-Buer |
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| Raststätte Resser Mark |
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| (7) Herten |
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| (8) Kreuz Recklinghausen * connection to the A43 |
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| (9) Recklingenhausen-Süd |
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| (10) Recklinghausen-Ost |
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| (11) Henrichenburg |
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| (12) Kreuz Dortmund-Nordwest * connection to the A45 |
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| (12a) Dortmund-Mengede |
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| (13) Dortmund-Nordost |
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| (14) Dortmund-Landstrop |
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| (15) Kamen-Bergkamen |
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| (16) Kamener Kreuz * connection to the A1 |
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| (17) Bönen |
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| (18) Hamm |
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Raststätte Rhynern Süd  (good) |
Raststätte Rhynern Nord (good)
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| (19) Hamm-Uentrop |
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| (20) Beckum |
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| (21) Oelde |
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| (22) Herzebrock-Clarholz |
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| (23) Rheda-Wiedenbrück |
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Raststätte Gütersloh Süd  (very good) |
Raststätte Gütersloh Nord (very good)
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| (24) Gütersloh |
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Raststätte Obergassel  (bad) |
Raststätte Niedergassel (bad)
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| (25) Kreuz Bielefeld * connection to the A33 |
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 (average), but not possible on the ramp, you better stand at the traffic lights of Paderborner Straße/Buschkampstraße some 1.4 km north of the motorway |
(26) Bielefeld-Sennestadt |
(very good), 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
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| (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-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.
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| (28) Ostwestfalen-Lippe |
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| (29) Herford/Bad Salzuflen |
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| Raststätte Herford Süd (average) |
Raststätte Herford Nord (average)
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| (30) Herford-Ost |
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| (31) Exter |
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| (32) Kreuz Bad Oeynhausen * connection to the A30 |
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| (33) Porta Westfalica |
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| (34) Veltheim |
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| (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)
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| Raststätte Auetal Süd (good) |
 At service area Auetal direction Dortmund |
Raststätte Auetal Nord (good)
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| (36) Rehren |
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| (37) Lauenau |
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| (38) Bad Nenndorf |
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| (39) Wunstorf-Kolenfeld |
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| (40) Wunstorf-Luthe |
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| Raststätte Garbsen Süd (very good) |
Raststätte Garbsen Nord (very good)
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| (41) Garbsen |
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| (42) Hannover-Herrenhausen Get off here, when heading to Hannover. A tram station is very close. |
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| (43) Dreieck Hannover-West * connection to the A352 | ||
| (bad) |
(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 motorway easily. |
 (senseless)
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| (45) Hannover-Bothfeld |
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| (46) Hannover-Lahe |
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| (47) Kreuz Hannover-Buchholz * connection to the A37 |
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| (48) Kreuz Hannover-Ost * connection to the A7 |
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| (49) Lehrte |
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| Raststätte Lehrter See Nord (good), going south (senseless), going north (average)
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| (50) Lehrte-Ost |
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| (51) Hämelerwald |
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| (52) Peine |
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| Raststätte Zweidorfer Holz Süd (good) |
Raststätte Zweidorfer Holz Nord (good)
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| (53) Braunschweig-Watenbüttel |
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| (senseless) |
(54) Braunschweig-Hafen |
(good)
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| (55) Kreuz Braunschweig-Nord * connection to the A391 |
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| (bad) |
(56) Braunschweig-Flughafen low traffic and almost no traffic during evenings and weekends |
(bad)
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| (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 |
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| (58) Kreuz Wolfsburg/Königslutter * connection to the A39 |
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| (59) Königslutter |
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| (60) Rennau |
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| (61) Helmstedt-West |
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| (62) Helmstedt-Zentrum |
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| Raststätte de:HelmstedtHelmstedt (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. |
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| (63) Helmstedt-Ost/Marienborn |
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| Raststätte Marienborn (average) |
Raststätte Lappwald (very good)
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| (64) Alleringsleben |
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| (65) Eilsleben |
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| (66) Bornstedt |
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| Raststätte Börde Süd (very good) |
Raststätte Börde Nord (very good)
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| (67) Irxleben |
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| (68) Kreuz Magdeburg |
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| (69) Magdeburg-Kannenstieg |
(average) |
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| (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
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| (71) Magdeburg-Rothensee |
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| (72) Lostau/Hohenwarthe |
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| (73) Burg-Zentrum |
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| (74) Burg-Ost |
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| (75) Theeßen |
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| (76) Ziesar |
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| Raststätte Buckautal Süd (good) |
Raststätte Buckautal Nord (good)
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| (77) Wollin |
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| (78) Brandenburg (City) |
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| (79) Netzen |
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| (80) Lehnin |
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| (81) Dreieck Werder * connection to the A10 |
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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