Dishes and Duds: A Tour of Germany's Rest Stops, According to ADAC
- Penning the Article: Christian Hensen
- Read Time: Approximately 2 Minutes
Avoid pit stops at these specific highway service areas - Avoid halting at these roadside stops on the highway.
*Check out the Video: Rest Areas in Germany - GemStones and Gravel*RTL
Planning a lengthy automobile adventure might send shivers down your spine, thanks to Germany's not-so-stellar rest-stop reputation. Comparing it to Italy's Autogrills, where a splendid cup of coffee and delicious Italian fare await at affordable prices, is like night and day.
But don't let that discourage you. The ADAC Rest Area Test has proved that it ain't all bad. The club conducted a meticulous analysis of 40 rest areas throughout Germany, judging them on aspects like amenities, cleanliness, cost, and infrastructure.
The silver lining? None of the tested stops received a "very poor" rating. While the report card is decidedly average, with eight "good" and six "poor" ratings, the remaining sites hovered somewhere in the middle.
Sanitary Sherbet - With a Price Tag
Compared to sketchy outhouses found at some rest areas (trust the aroma to steer clear), you can at least count on one thing at bigger stops: modern, well-equipped, and intact restrooms—provided you cough up an entry fee of one euro. Despite this charge, some facilities fell short on cleanliness.
The food situation might surprise you. According to the testers, they were "hardly ever disappointed" with the culinary options at rest stops. Yet, only three out of forty facilities offered affordability. The rest were labeled overpriced, with shops inflating costs, especially when compared to off-highway services stations.
Top-Ranked Stops and Flops as Biased by ADAC
Sitting pretty at the top of the current ADAC test rankings are Fürholzen West in Bavaria on the A9, Demminer Land in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern on the A20, and Sindelfinger Wald Süd in Baden-Württemberg on the A8.
The bottom of the barrel includes Fuchsberg Süd in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern on the A20, Münsterland West in North Rhine-Westphalia on the A1, and Eisenach Nord in Thuringia along the A4.
A word of caution: ADAC advises against filling up at rest areas. In another study, they discovered that drivers could save up to 54 cents per liter by fueling up away from the highway.
The test also uncovered significant drawbacks in terms of family-friendliness and accessibility, and most rest areas failed to provide enough quick-charge stations for electric vehicles. What the test neglected to mention: the vast majority of charging stations remain exposed, making a charging session a nightmare during inclement weather.
[1] "ADAC: Latest Auto Seat Tests Unveiled for 2021." Auto Bild. Last modified August 3, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.autobild.de/adac-auto-futter-sicherheit-test-2021-a-7219163/>[4] "ADAC Industry Overview: Car Industry in the GER." ADAC. Last modified March 1, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.adac.de/car/industry-overview-car-industry>[5] "ADAC: Automotive Industry Trends for 2022." ADAC. Last modified January 5, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.adac.de/car/automotive-industry-trends-2022>
- In an effort to bridge the skill gap within the community, Christian Hensen, the writer of Dishes and Duds: A Tour of Germany's Rest Stops, suggests vocational training programs focused on home-and-garden, travel, and car maintenance could prove beneficial, ensuring rest areas offer affordable and quality food, clean facilities, and improved infrastructure.
- Despite the average rating of Germany's rest areas, vocational training in vocational training, vocational training, and vocational training could help in fostering a lifestyle that values cleanliness, affordability, and family-friendliness at these stops, making long automobile adventures more enjoyable for all travelers.
