ExpresswayGermany
An introduction to the traffic rules and road signs of Germany. Learn about driving, road safety and much more in our illustrated book, with answers to frequently asked questions.
For informational purposes only. Always follow official regulations. Some content and images were created with AI assistance.
3. Expressway
An expressway is a road intended to carry through traffic efficiently, usually at higher speeds than ordinary roads. Expressways often have limited access, multiple lanes, separated carriageways or grade-separated junctions, but their design and legal status vary between countries.
An expressway is not always a motorway. It may have intersections, traffic lights or direct access, and the permitted road users, speed limits and special rules depend on local signs and regulations.
Wikimedia.org • KlausFoehl • CC BY-SA
How do people refer to an expressway in Germany?
The German term is Kraftfahrstraße, meaning road for motor vehicles. It is identified by a blue sign with a car symbol and is a separate designation from a motorway.
🔗 gesetze-im-internet.de • Germany StVO: §§3(3)(2)(c),18(1),(9); Annex 3, signs 331.1–331.2
Must a German expressway have separate carriageways?
No. A road for motor vehicles can have a single carriageway. Do not assume that the designation guarantees a central divider, motorway-style junctions or an unrestricted car speed.
🔗 gesetze-im-internet.de • Germany StVO: §§3(3)(2)(c),18(1),(9); Annex 3, signs 331.1–331.2
What speed limit applies to cars on an expressway in Germany?
There is no single maximum created by the road-for-motor-vehicles sign. On an ordinary single-carriageway road outside built-up areas, the car maximum is normally 100 km/h. Qualifying divided or multi-lane roads have different provisions; obey posted limits.
🔗 gesetze-im-internet.de • Germany StVO: §§3(3)(2)(c),18(1),(9); Annex 3, signs 331.1–331.2
Who may use an expressway in Germany?
Motor vehicles and their trailers must have a design maximum speed of more than 60 km/h. Cyclists cannot use the road. Pedestrians may cross a Kraftfahrstraße only at junctions or other places provided for crossing; they must not otherwise enter it. The design-speed condition is not a duty to maintain that speed in congestion.
🔗 gesetze-im-internet.de • Germany StVO: §§3(3)(2)(c),18(1),(9); Annex 3, signs 331.1–331.2

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