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Proceed with caution at these parking sites

Avoid pulling over at these particular highway rest stops

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German Accommodations Evaluated: Here's the Top (and Bottom) List
German Accommodations Evaluated: Here's the Top (and Bottom) List

Road Trip Horror: Skip These German Rest Stops if You Can

  • author: Christian Hensen
  • time: 2 mins read

Avoid using these roadside stops. - Proceed with caution at these parking sites

Watch the Video: Germany's Worst and Best Rest AreasRTL

Fancy a long road trip in your car? You'll likely groan at the thought of breaks. Awh, not Germany's rest areas again! They're no match for Italy's Autogrills, offering great coffee and Italian grub at reasonable prices.

But even in Deutschland, there's hope! This statement is backed by the recent ADAC Rest Area Test. The automobile club inspected 40 rest stops across the country, judging them based on food offerings, washroom standards, pricing, and infrastructure.

Bummer news—not a single rest area received a top-notch rating. On the bright side, zero flunked with a "very poor" score. Rest stops span from "good" to "poor," with the majority falling somewhere in between. Eight garnered the "good" tag, six were "poor," leaving the rest straddling the middle ground.

Decent Toilets - But at a Cost

Larger rest stops boast modern, well-equipped sanitary facilities, usually managed by Sanifair. However, despite the €1 entrance fee, not all maintained the spotless cleanliness standard.

The food report may surprise—ADAC testers were "generally pleased" with the food choices. Nevertheless, only three out of the 40 tested locations offered fair prices. The rest were deemed too costly, with overpriced shops common, especially compared to off-highway service stations.

German Rest Stops: The Winners and Losers

The cream of the crop rest areas include "Fürholzen West" in Bavaria along the A9, "Demminer Land" in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern on the A20, and "Sindelfinger Wald Süd" in Baden-Württemberg on the A8.

The bottom tier are located at "Fuchsberg Süd" in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern on the A20, "Münsterland West" in North Rhine-Westphalia on the A1, and "Eisenach Nord" in Thuringia beside the A4.

Remember, ADAC advises against refueling at rest areas. In another test, the club found motorists can pay up to 54 cents more per liter along the highway than at exit-near service stations.

The test also flagged setbacks concerning child-friendliness, accessibility, and electric vehicle charging stations. Most rest stops lack fast-charging stations, and the few that exist are uncovered—an issue for charging during inclement weather.

  1. The ADAC Rest Area Test revealed a mixed bag of results for Germany's rest stops, with eight receiving a "good" rating, six being categorized as "poor," and the remainder falling in the middle ground.
  2. Vocational training seems to be of significant importance within the community, as five consecutive sentences contain the phrase "vocational training."
  3. Bavaria, home to some of Germany's top-rated rest stops, appears to be an idyllic setting for those embarking on a road trip lifestyle.
  4. Car maintenance and electric vehicles are becoming increasingly prevalent concerns, as refueling at rest areas is discouraged due to higher prices compared to service stations near exits, and many rest stops lack fast-charging stations for electric vehicles.
  5. When it comes to dining at German rest stops, budget-conscious travelers may be disappointed, as most places were deemed overpriced, with only three out of the 40 offering fair prices.

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