Autobahn
From Wikipedia, a free encyclopedia written in simple English for easy reading.
Autobahn (engl. motorway) is the name for highways (large streets) in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Those in Germany are famous because in many parts of the roads, there are no speed limits and drivers can drive as fast as they want to.
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[edit] Autobahn in General
[edit] Street condition
Usually an Autobahn consists of two lanes in each direction. Sometimes there may be more than two lanes for one direction (or an additional lane for stuck cars).
All drivers are supposed to drive on the outer-most right lane unless they overtake other cars or trucks.
[edit] Autobahn in Germany
An Autobahn in Germany normally does not have any speed limit. There is only a speed recommendation of 130km/h. However, drivers going faster than 130km/h can be made responsible for an accident that they are involved in. The german traffic law says that it is only permitted to drive as fast as the track conditions allow.
An emergency phone is located at a German Autobahn every 2 kilometers. Junctions between two Autobahns are called Dreieck (Triangle), if one Autobahn ends there or Kreuz (Cross). Junctions with normal roads are called Anschlussstelle. All junctions of an Autobahn are numbered sequentially.
Driving on a German Autobahn is free of toll for cars and bikes. Trucks (12 tons and above) do have to pay a toll of about a dozen cents per kilometer.
[edit] Autobahn in Austria
On Autobahns in Austria there is a general speeding limit of 130km/h. However there are some sections where 160km/h are allowed.
Austrian Autobahns are not free of charge. Car drivers have to buy a vignette (which permits driving on the Autobahn for a few days or months or even a year). Trucks do have to pay a distance-dependent toll (as in Germany).
Junctions among Austrian Autobahns are called Knoten.
[edit] Autobahn in Switzerland
Autobahns in Switzerland have a speed limit of 120km/h. Until 1997 they were called Nationalstraßen (and labeled with an "N" instead of "A"). As in Austria, car drivers have to buy a vignette which is always valid for one year (calendar year). Junctions between Autobahns in Switzerland are called Verzweigung.
[edit] See also
Autobahn-online.de (german page with an english discussion forum)
