Germany is famous for its highways. With over 13,000 kilometers in total, this is the fourth-longest highway network in the world. Unlike most countries in the world, many of the autobahn routes still have no speed limit. This means that you can drive as fast as you want – as long as there is no traffic jam. There are, however, discussions about introducing a speed limit on highways. Many are in favor of a speed limit of 130 km/h – for greater road safety and climate protection. Others see it as an intrusion on their personal freedom.

Incidentally, the first stretch of autobahn was opened in 1932 and was 20 kilometers long. It connected the cities of Cologne and Bonn. Since then, there has been lots of construction work, and today an extensive network of highways covers the country. But the autobahn sometimes serves other purposes, like the Ruhrschnellweg, which connects Dortmund with Duisburg. Usually, more than 100,000 cars travel here every day. Once, for a festival, the 60-kilometer stretch was closed for an entire day in July 2010, and 20,000 tables and 40,000 benches were set up. Then, 3 million visitors had a high-spirited celebration where cars normally race – or are stuck in traffic jams!