Munich--Driving the Autobahn

As far as I have found, A9 heading towards Nuremberg would be a good option.

Certainly, if you want to choose the most stau-prone route. In short - your plan will not work, as there is no stretch of highway within a wide radius of Munich where you can experience “a feel for the Autobahn".

sla019--I'm not following. We have the entire day to drive, surely there is somewhere we can go, no? Also, don't know what stau-prone means.

I found out what stau-prone means. So to avoid this, do you have another suggestion for a route for us?

I'm not sure what your fascination with the Autobahns is. Really they are little different from the US Interstates, except the roads are better maintained. You can run into a stau almost anywhere, depending on traffic, accidents, or weather. And it isn't common to have lengthy stretches of road without a speed limit. The longest stretch is supposedly between Berlin and Hamburg, and is only 150 km. You're going to run into speed limits every time you approach a large town or city. And even on stretches without a posted limit, drivers are still liable for unsafe driving. Be sure to read the German driving laws before attempting to blast down the road at full throttle. If you still want a drive on the Aurobahn, try the A8 east towards Stuttgart. But it can have staus, too.

My first trip I thought driving the no speed limit autobahns would be interesting. We’ve been a dozen times to Germany, landing and departing from Munich. There are some stretches with no speed limits, but they end quickly and you’ll need to do the posted speed limit immediately. It’s not really a thrill or an experience. It’s an on and off situation. No limit, limit. No limit, limit. Don’t get your hopes too high.

I hope you can find something but honestly, except for accelerating getting on and off exit ramps, the Autobahn looks like every interstate in the US. If you have driven on an interstate in America, it's the same feel. There are some people going 90 mph where I live so you can get the same deathtrap feel. It's not as exciting as the Kraftwerk song:)

Also, beware in the summer as there is a lot of construction going on.

I think I have been on highways in three continents and what amazes me is how alike they are to America. Driving on the Mexican and Turkish highways seems very much like driving on American highways just different landscapes.

Honestly, I would only rent a car if there is a destination you want to visit.

Sounds OP is not looking for the technocratic Autobahn of Kraftwerk but more for Ich will Spaß by Markus - an 80s ode to speeding.

Honestly I am not a fan of this because Autobahn is no race track and most tourists do not have the necessary German car driving education / knowledge nor the necessary experience.

70% of German Autobahn do not have speed limits. Although Bavaria is the German state with the most Autobahn kilometers Munich area is seldomly free enough to enjoy Autobahn, especially in summer. In 2024 Germans spend 448,000 hours in traffic jams on Autobahnen, 15% in Bavaria only.

On A9 the chance is likely highest to find a little space to get experience with Autobahn but be aware that this is used by a lot of professional drivers; so it can be also more stressful if you drive in front of impatient people.

Most important: make yourself familiar with all rules incl. physical laws regarding Autobahn rides (2 and 3 lanes). In Germany nobody gets a driving license without a minimum driver training on German Autobahn (minimum 4 hours in total).

I was driving motorways in many countries - in the US I often found low quality of motorway material which is no joy to drive on. In most cases this is enough for what is allowed there but not safe for more extreme conditions. Closest to German Autobahn quality I found the ones in UAE.

The A9 you mentioned is definitely not a good idea. That autobahn is far too busy.

But I would suggest the A95 (Munich to Garmisch), because there are zones there where there is no speed limit. But please avoid weekends, otherwise you'll be stuck in traffic with everyone else driving to Garmisch. If you're planning on doing something like that, then do it during the middle of the day on a weekday. Along the route, apart from the final stop in Garmisch, there are a few places worth stopping. For example, Starnberg on Lake Starnberg (a coffee by the lake or a boat ride is always a good idea), Iffeldorf on the Osterseen (a very pretty little village on another lake), and not to forget 'The Blue Land' around Lake Kochel.
In addition, you are slowly (or quickly... it's up to you) getting closer to the mountains and therefore the scenery is becoming more and more picturesque.

The A95 begins in Munich at the Luise-Kiesselbach-Platz, so there's no classic autobahn ramp - you turn right or left from an ordinary road (depending on which direction you come from) and suddenly you are on the autobahn. The stretch up to Starnberg feels a bit like a normal road, as there are strict speed limits. So please pay close attention to the signs, as there are speed controls there.

Since I like driving fast myself, I can understand why you're looking forward to a day like this. However, as already has been mentioned, it's really advisable to memorize the signs and the rules, like 'drive on the right side except you want to overtake on the left side' (Rechtsfahrgebot). Especially on this autobahn, I've often seen one of the rich Starnberg dudes want to use his Ferrari as a race car in the left lane all the way to Garmisch, but some other drivers didn't understand that the left lane isn't for a leisurely Sunday drive :-)

Since there are often construction sites on German autobahn, I recommend checking them on google beforehand so you won't be surprised. The autobahn is usually still passable, but there are more speed limits due to the construction.

I think some of us could join a game of My Stau Was Worse Than Yours - I certainly could, particularly remembering one on the previously mentioned A8, and of course the infamous A5.

I saw a recommendation six posts up to take the A8 west from Munich towards Stuttgart. My biggest Stau was on a beautiful Sunday late morning when having been passed at great speed by a motorcycle club sometime before Ulm we came to a halt maybe 30km or 50km before the Drackenstein. We were stopped over 2 hours (remember when stopped to pull all the way right and left leaving free passage through the middle for emergency vehicles - you are required to by law). When we eventually got forward unfortunately there were a number of bikes (including one with a sidecar) and cars all over the side of the road and many emergency vehicles.

The road looks safe but when people go beyond their skill level many people wind up in hospital or worse.

To avoid getting run over, move out of the fast lane if you’re not the fastest on the road. It’s amazing how quickly cars come up on you.

The A8 is no fun for me in either direction from Munich - I've never enjoyed driving there.

Munich heading south screams traffic jam, because it seems like there's always a school holiday somewhere and everyone's off to Italy all the time (that's an exaggeration, of course). The direction toward Stuttgart is no fun either. I find it a bit unpleasant to drive.

Keep in mind fuel is around 1.70 euro a liter. You don't see fast driving like just 10 years ago. The recommended speed is 130kph. I think I top out at 160kph anymore and only for short distances. People die on the Autobahn in crashes. There are speed and distance cameras. Lots of construction as roads and bridges need replacing. You want to drive fast then 4:30 in the morning on A9. Your car needs speed rated tires. How are your eyes? Can you slam on the brakes in a stuttering stop and keep contol? An LKV pulls in front of you to pass going half your speed. It not a playground. Do you know how to herringbone in a Stau?

I lived in Germany for 13 years. Driving “fast” was interesting and also allowed me to make an over 140mile (ROUND TRIP) commute to work for 5 years.

Expecting the A9 to be clear enough to set the cruise control to 160kph isn’t really going to happen. By the way the simple way to define “STAU” is a traffic jam, slow traffic and so on.

Driving fast late at night you might meet drivers trying to set speed records between cities . (Koln-Frankfurt comes to mind) Those daredevils will blow by you at well over 200KPH…..some on motorcycles.

So the only place that I know real well is the A63 between Mainz & just outside Kaiserslautern. High average speed, beautiful scenery and relatively limited rush hour traffic.

Candidly, take a drive to Nurnberg well after breakfast and maybe you’ll get a few stretches in of blistering speed. Please be careful it’s not a Disney E ticket ride and deserves your full attention. Be prepared for the outside chance you’ll get a ticket by radar or a pullover. Don’t worry plenty of Americans in Germany and the Police will speak your language.

If you’re going to try a speed run, rent something that is up to it. My first speed run was in a Turbo Golf many decades ago.

You don't see fast driving like just 10 years ago.

Now I feel guilty :-) :-) No kidding, you do see them, but less often. And I hope it's not the gas price, but the environmental conscience... I know sometimes I'm a dreamer

Well in Northern Germany we still see the same amount of drivers going for speeds wide over 200 kph. I guess it is more a question of free way. Nobody wants to brake down from 250 to 110 kph because non German drivers are just switching lane without looking first. We have it here mainly with drivers from Poland and Denmark - and also the other guys from these countries who like to try out their cars in full speed; sometimes with brutal accidents.

One main issue is that non-domestic drivers do not learn to calculate the length of braking and fully stopping and how to recognize distances on German Autobahn. Also the thumb formula between speed and length of braking and stopping way to zero is not known - double speed means 4 times stopping way incl. reaction and braking). This is what German drivers learn at driving school - theoretically and practically. One of what I meant in my first post because a traffic jam behind a Autobahn curve can mean a full break from your speed to zero - had this twice on A9. Nothing happened but not funny at all.

Btw: if someone has a chance for a driver training, use this opportunity. You will learn much more about driving, steering and braking.
I still profit from a BMW driver training some years ago.

The reason of impression of more people driving not full speed is that more and more corporate drivers have all-year or or drive full-year winter tires (same for rental cars) which are limited either to 190 or 210 kph. So, they are not allowed to drive faster than this. Personally I drive winter tires with speed index V, so 240 kph, which allows smoothly passing by and waving to the middle and upper management.

You are overthinking this. The Autobahn and running it fast can happen simply by planning intercity travel. First and foremost, if you plan to run a car to its limits, be sure you have rented a car that is suitable for that. If you and your son have rented a Fiat Panda and expect to push it to its limits, not good. A friend of mine rented a GT3 and drove it from Munich to Berlin. It is incomprehensible how fast he did it. Here, he is the guy whizzing past on a YZF....a bike capable of over 170mph. He has the driving skills and youthful reaction time to run at speeds, as well as a bit of a lawless flare for speed. The local police have let him know, they know he is "the one"....and suggested a more conservative coming and going.
So, rent a suitable car. Then, instead of planning an Autobahn hammer day, plan a trip that covers the Autobahn. Go somewhere. When the limits are lifted, hammer time. Go until you feel like you need to lift. If your foot is shaking because it wants you to pull up, you are getting there. Pay attention to the other cars. If you are closing on traffic, will someone pull out in front of you? Is there a faster car coming from behind you? What are the road signs telling you? Pay very close attention to the signs. Slow when you need to, go when you can. You cannot pass on the right. You had better not tailgate. In order to permit fast driving, the drivers must be very skilled and disciplined. If your plan is to go fast, you must be both.... The crashes I have seen on the Autobahn have been pretty horrible. Horrible in that no one lived. I recall being passed once by a smaller car going way too fast. Not very much later, I passed them, 4 people scattered across the highway covered up in place. Not pretty.
If your baseline is 85 mph here on a US highway, I'd be pretty careful about opening up to 120 plus....
And.....since you are planning a winter trip, you should be on winter tires....not what you want to drive hard on.

If you don't mind getting out of the city a bit first, the A7 south of Memmingen is usually a quieter section, almost all the way down to Fussen. Kempten is a good stop.

Where does the OP mention driving in winter?

profile says summer

I drove a little over 200 miles on A6, A5, and A8 today. Two long stau, about 50 km of road construction with a top speed of 80kph, the usual truck traffic with the (always fun) addition of caravans and RV's. Counted 23 speed cameras. Over 5 hours of "experience". Can't say I'd make it a vacation goal.

not good. I usually go for an average of one hour per 100km, and anything better is a bonus. But 5 hours for 200 km is no fun.

The caravans (often with a pair or more of bicycles on the back) often cause the heavy trucks to have to overtake them - and they do that s-l-o-w-l-y so everything backs up behind. Deep joy.

School holidays are over in some states and the weather is perfect for a Sunday ride. So it's no surprise that there's so much traffic on the autobahn today.

I lived in Augsburg, Germany for four years and did the Autobahn.
I remember running into staus (Stuttgart is called stau city) and that had me focus very hard on my driving when I was going 170KM per hour.
When you drive that fast, you must have your car in great condition, especially the tires and brakes. I had to change my brake pads every 5000 miles due to braking at high speeds.
The rules of the road in Germany require drivers in the left lane to move to the slow lane if a faster car approaches from the rear.
You must concentrate, since there are normally trucks going 90KM per hour in the slow lane and there will always be someone in a Mercedes or Porsche going over 200KM per hour in the left lane.

Drove from Ötztal to Lechtal Österreich today. Heard on the radio 1.5 hours on the Fernpass into Germany! Never used to be so much traffic just 10 years ago. Beautiful Cabrio weather with realitively mild traffic on secondary roads.

I've never known Fernpass to be particularly fast, even many years ago. But not that slow.

Hmmm....whoops. Yes, not winter driving. For some reason I thought TMom was travelling with a small army of high school aged boys in the winter, but she is actually planning a nice summer trip.
If the idea is to give her son and herself a bit of a thrill ride, I am not sure the Autobahn is the ideal place for that, although I suppose we have all had that momentary joy when you realize that you have a good high-performance car on an open road. Here in the US I try to restrain myself, but if you have a 5-liter engine, a Healey or new rubber on a freshly tuned Porsche it is hard to keep the foot out of the throttle. We do suggest that the place to run a good car is on the track, and the Porsche club holds track days for owners who want to thrash their cars. For AutoMom, I would offer another possibility. The Nuburgring. At my first F1 race I saw Sterling Moss and Graham Hill run there. What an amazing place. If driving the ring is interesting, you can do it. That would be far more epic than pushing a rental car over 200 on the Bahn. https://nuerburgring.de/driving/touristdrives?locale=en&srsltid=AfmBOoonh23LBn9RetyeblUGP1ZTp_9BT5ITmPHtLvvRQpV6g0QnL7L9

I have been a passenger a few times on the stretch between Stuttgart and Frankfurt about 15 years ago - the driver lived in the area - I was a bit disappointed because many times the traffic was so bad we just crawled along stopping and starting. I also was surprised at how parts of it seemed so old and small- almost no shoulders. Where I live in Canada the big 4 lane freeway between Edmonton and Calgary is much bigger and wider with big wide shoulders to pull over if you need to. There is a speed limit though, of course.

Lots of construction. You probably would not recognize the Autobahn now. No more Kraftwork. A3 widened to 3-4 lanes. Bridges rebuilt. A9 Stau und stockender Verkehr daily. Forget the A8 to Salzburg. No relief on Sundays without most LKV traffic. With covid long behind tourism and traffic seems to have exploded this year.

mchpp, you are in the know for sure. Yes, it is not as it was. When I drove on these roads last fall, I was shocked at how slow traffic was in some areas. There was a lot of single lane due to construction and even when the roads were good, the drivers were not. In my 50 years of driving in Germany, I have never seen so many sad little cars sitting in the passing lane and not moving over. It's like Germans (or whomever these people are) have transported US driving behaviors back to Germany. Missing (for a true US experience) were mini-vans and Ram trucks using the right-hand lane to pass on the right, but it seems to be headed in this direction. Personally, I prefer to drive the twisty country roads where there are limits, but achieving the limits require a good car and driving skills. Bavaria has so many amazing roads to explore. The numbers of motorcycles you see suggest that two wheels might be the best way to explore.

Off topic but I drive 150 ps Diesel M2 Cabrio. It uses AdBlue to keep smoke and polution down. It's all I need. We drive an older Golf in winter. I had a new 2012 TTRS that I drove to the limit. As Mignon alluded I did become more environmentally conscious like others here in Germany. 45 solar panels on the roof last year. Atoning for my pollution a bit. No electric car yet. I need a little more range to feel comfortable. In a few more years? I drive secondary roads most of the time, especially in Österreich and in Bayern when not traveling.