Difference between revisions of "Aachen"

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=== West towards [[Netherlands]], [[Belgium]], East towards [[Cologne|Köln]] ===
 
=== West towards [[Netherlands]], [[Belgium]], East towards [[Cologne|Köln]] ===
There is a nice [[petrol station hitchhiking|petrol station]], ''Aachener Land'', on the A4, not too far east of Aachen. It is good for heading towards Netherlands or Belgium, while the other side offers good opportunities to hitch towards almost any region in [[Germany]]. The fastest way to get there is by taking a bus #52 from the ''Busbahnhof''. It stops close to the [[rest area|service area]]. Another option is to start hitchhiking from ''Europaplatz'' just where the cars enter the motorway from a [[roundabout]]. When going East (direction Köln), leave ''Aachener Land'' behind you. When going West, step out at the petrol station and do a little walk over the bridge nearby to cross the motorway.
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There is a nice [[petrol station hitchhiking|petrol station]], ''Aachener Land'', on the A4, not too far east of Aachen. It is good for heading towards Netherlands or Belgium, while the other side offers good opportunities to hitch towards almost any region in [[Germany]] via [[Cologne|Köln]].
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You can either hitchhike there or take the bus. To go by bus take line 52 from the main bus terminal ''Aachen Bushof'' in direction of ''Eschweiler Bushof'' and get out at ''Röhe Wasserwerk'' (3,20 Euro in January 2012, approx. 25 min). To go in direction of [[Cologne|Köln]] just walk back 500 meters, to go to NL cross the highway bridge and turn left at the first street. Another option is to start hitchhiking from ''Europaplatz'' just where the cars enter the motorway from a [[roundabout]]. When going East (direction Köln), leave ''Aachener Land'' behind you. When going West, step out at the petrol station and do a little walk over the bridge nearby to cross the motorway.
  
 
<map lat='50.79269814077799' lng='6.1571502685546875' zoom='12' view='0' width='400'/>
 
<map lat='50.79269814077799' lng='6.1571502685546875' zoom='12' view='0' width='400'/>
If heading towards the Netherlands you have several options. The first is to hitchhike to the traffic lights at the main motorway exit at Geleen from the ''Achener Land'' service station (perfect if you are going to Maastricht). Otherwise, one can walk from the ''Ponttor'' while in Aachen for about two kilometers up the ''Roermonderstrasse''. There are some petrol stations where you can find a Dutch driver. If you are going to [[Maastricht]] you can also go to ''Vaalserstrasse'' or take a bus to ''Vaals''. When in Vaals, walk to the roundabout on Maastricherlaan, go for 20 meters more and you will see a bus stop. It's a perfect place to get a lift to Maastricht.
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If heading towards the Netherlands you have several options. The first is to hitchhike to the traffic lights at the main motorway exit at Geleen from the ''Aachener Land'' service station (perfect if you are going to Maastricht). Otherwise, one can walk from the ''Ponttor'' while in Aachen for about two kilometers up the ''Roermonderstrasse'' or take the buses 27, 37, 47 or 77 from the central bus station ''Aachen Bushof'' to ''Jupp-Müller-Straße'' (2,40 Euro in January 2012). There are two petrol stations and the bus stop for thumbing where you can find a Dutch driver. If you are going to [[Maastricht]] you can also go to ''Vaalserstrasse'' or take a bus to ''Vaals''. When in Vaals, walk to the roundabout on Maastricherlaan, go for 20 meters more and you will see a bus stop. It's a perfect place to get a lift to Maastricht.
  
The Aachen-Laurensberg on-ramp is a pretty good for getting a ride, into the Netherlands. There is a petrol station right after the border, which is not very busy also most people living in Aachen prefer to go from Vaals than the highway.
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The Aachen-Laurensberg on-ramp is a pretty good for getting a ride, into the Netherlands. There is a petrol station right after the border, but people going from Aachen to Maastricht might prefer to use the road via Vaals instead of the highway.
  
 
=== South towards [[Liège|Liege]], [[Luxembourg]], [[Eifel]] ===
 
=== South towards [[Liège|Liege]], [[Luxembourg]], [[Eifel]] ===

Revision as of 21:17, 11 January 2012

Aachen
<map lat="50.775160245564" lng="6.082352042177" zoom="10" view="3" float="right" />
Information
Country:
Flag of Germany
Germany
State:
Coat of arms of North Rhine-Westphalia.png
North Rhine-Westphalia
Population: 258,770 (31 Dec 2006)
Licence plate: AC
Major roads: A4, A44, A544
Meet fellow hitchhikers on Trustroots

Aachen is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, close to the Netherlands and Belgium.

Apparently - from what Guaka has heard - there is a somewhat official hitchhiking spot at Europaplatz.

Cars number plates starting with letters AC are registered in this locality. License plates with DN indicate that a car is from a neighbour locality of Düren.

Hitchhiking out

West towards Netherlands, Belgium, East towards Köln

There is a nice petrol station, Aachener Land, on the A4, not too far east of Aachen. It is good for heading towards Netherlands or Belgium, while the other side offers good opportunities to hitch towards almost any region in Germany via Köln.

You can either hitchhike there or take the bus. To go by bus take line 52 from the main bus terminal Aachen Bushof in direction of Eschweiler Bushof and get out at Röhe Wasserwerk (3,20 Euro in January 2012, approx. 25 min). To go in direction of Köln just walk back 500 meters, to go to NL cross the highway bridge and turn left at the first street. Another option is to start hitchhiking from Europaplatz just where the cars enter the motorway from a roundabout. When going East (direction Köln), leave Aachener Land behind you. When going West, step out at the petrol station and do a little walk over the bridge nearby to cross the motorway.

<map lat='50.79269814077799' lng='6.1571502685546875' zoom='12' view='0' width='400'/> If heading towards the Netherlands you have several options. The first is to hitchhike to the traffic lights at the main motorway exit at Geleen from the Aachener Land service station (perfect if you are going to Maastricht). Otherwise, one can walk from the Ponttor while in Aachen for about two kilometers up the Roermonderstrasse or take the buses 27, 37, 47 or 77 from the central bus station Aachen Bushof to Jupp-Müller-Straße (2,40 Euro in January 2012). There are two petrol stations and the bus stop for thumbing where you can find a Dutch driver. If you are going to Maastricht you can also go to Vaalserstrasse or take a bus to Vaals. When in Vaals, walk to the roundabout on Maastricherlaan, go for 20 meters more and you will see a bus stop. It's a perfect place to get a lift to Maastricht.

The Aachen-Laurensberg on-ramp is a pretty good for getting a ride, into the Netherlands. There is a petrol station right after the border, but people going from Aachen to Maastricht might prefer to use the road via Vaals instead of the highway.

South towards Liege, Luxembourg, Eifel

Another option to go to in the direction of Belgium, especially if you want to go to Liège or Luxembourg, is to go to the service station on the German-Belgium border at the A44. Take bus #11, #36, #55, or #SB63 from Busbahnhof or Hauptbahnhof (central station) to Oberforstbach Laschet, get out and walk back the direction you came from. You have to walk a few hundred meters until you reach a bridge after which you turn left to get to the service station after 150-200m (you can either walk through the fields or use the exit and walk along the autobahn). At the same bridge there is also the exit #2 Aachen-Lichtenbusch at the A44 which you can use to go either in the direction of Köln (or at least to the service station Aachener Land) or in the direction of Belgium.

To get to the service station or the exit you can also hitchhike from the bus station Aachen Siegel (reachable by the lines #11, #21, #36, #46, #53 and #SB63 or by foot - ask locals for directions) which is perfect if you want to hitchhike south to the Eifel in the direction of Roetgen, Monschau, Simmerath or further.

Other useful info

There are quite a few police controls around Aachen, so make sure you are not bringing any drugs from the Netherlands to Germany as you might get controlled, although hitchhiker Fverhart writes: "I don't like drugs and I was never checked on the border. Once in my life I had some marihuana with me, our host so kindly asked for it that I took the risk, although I did not know what kind of risk I was actually running." trash:Aachen