Avoiding traffic jams on German autobahns

Idea

If you drive on German autobahns regularly, you know this for sure. If you drive there just occasionally and you ended up in a long traffic jam, you wish you knew it before.

You can get from an autobahn exit to the next exit by following blue U signs. The signs contain the letter “U” (Umleitung = detour) and a number, e.g. “22”. You should see the first blue U sign several hundred meters before the exit. The next one is normally above the big sign with the label “Ausfahrt” (exit) that is placed right after the point where the exit lane splits from the autobahn. Then, you should see the U signs with the same number on every crossing and possibly more often until you join the autobahn again on the next junction.

Sometimes, you may see two blue U signs next to each other. That normally happens when another autobahn is in the proximity. In this case there should be a small sign with the destination under each of the blue signs (e.g. “Berlin” and “Leipzig”).

So next time, you see on the banners above the autobahn that there is a traffic jam ahead and you are close to an exit, you may consider taking a detour and follow the U signs to the next junction.

Limitations and Side Effects

You may not gain any advantage during the peak hours. The Germans know the detours. Thus the detours may be as congested as the autobahns.

References

Getting Around in Germany - The Autobahn