If you are going to drive through Europe, motorways apply. I have rolled the dice over motorways through 6 different countries - and have chosen a winner!
A freeway, is a freeway, is a…
We had a nice trip this time too. Three days on the motorway went like a dream, thanks to the motorways, the service offers along the road and the other road users. The motorways do not only consist of vei, but is also an international "community" that supplies everything that road travelers from all corners of Europe need on their journey. That's why I think that if you've seen one motorway, you've seen them all.
But are all roads equally good?
We have driven the AP7 in Spain from Barcelona to France. Then A9, A7, A6 and A36 via Lyon to Alsace, Bundesautobahn 5 and 7 through Germany via Hanover to Denmark, then E45 and E20 over the Øresund Bridge and E6 through Sweden to Oslo.
Road standard
The roads in Spain and France are part of Vinci Autoroutes. In Spain the motorways are tolled and free, while it cost €80 to drive through France. The road standard in Spain is good, but some sections of the road seem undersized in relation to the speed limit of 120 km/h. In France, the road standard is excellent and can easily withstand 130 km/h.
In Germany, on the other hand, the maintenance of the roads seems to have been neglected for many years. They are simply so bad that I was afraid that the tires would be destroyed. Road works are taking place "all over the place" and they are unlikely to be finished for several decades. Dilapidated 4-lane roads with tight on-ramps and exits bear little resemblance to what one would expect from class A motorways.
The roads in Sweden receive top scores - not only for the road standard, but also for how they are laid out in the landscape. The roads in Denmark are surrounded by vegetation and earth embankments. Although the standard is good, it is boring that you cannot follow the surrounding landscape.
Service offer
You should not need to leave the motorway system to refuel, charge, top up air, eat or visit a toilet. In Germany, you are continuously notified of how far it is both to the next and subsequent service station. In France we paid tolls, but in return could use very good and safe service points along the road, including good toilets. Since Spain no longer charges tolls, we are unsure whether the service offer in Spain will be maintained. We experience that Circle K charges to use the toilets in Denmark and Sweden. The rest areas are centered around Circle K and Q8 stations. In Sweden, the Swedish Transport Administration has established nice rest areas with free toilets.
Charging options
Had we made the same journey 4 months ago, we would have argued that France was not suitable for electric cars. Today the situation is completely different. All the charging stations we have visited - Tesla and others - have been established during the last 4 months - several with the option to pay by bank card. The Tesla chargers are located outside the motorway system. Although they are cheaper, we preferred fast chargers located within the toll booths.
We had expected that the development of charging stations in Germany would have progressed further. We found older chargers that could barely cover the demand on a normal weekday in October. In both France and Germany, service points with charging stations were marked from the road with their own charging symbols. Signage of charging stations was not as well implemented in the Nordic countries. It is important that there are signs for the charging stations along the road, so you don't have to search on a screen while driving. In Sweden, it was possible to observe the charging stations from the motorway in several places.
Driving culture
On the continent, you are expected to keep to the right on motorways and use the lanes on the left for overtaking. In Germany, you are expected to pull over to the right - if possible - if you are overtaken by another vehicle. That way you undoubtedly get more cars through the motorway at the same time - especially on sections with free speed.
In France, many people drive in "jerks and nibbles". They give full throttle when they "throw" the car out to drive past - and reduce speed just as suddenly after they have pulled in to the right. Both parts create unrest in the traffic picture, and inhibit the flow of traffic.
In the Nordic countries, the principle of lining up on the right is not followed as strictly. In Norway, many people choose to drive in the left lane over long distances, despite the fact that the traffic behind wants to pass. Seen from Norwegian eyes, this is normal - "the road is free for all". Seen with continental eyes, on the other hand, it seems arrogant that one motorist chooses to block other road users from passing, and I can clearly see how this inhibits the capacity of the motorway. Danes and Swedes are generally better at changing lanes without disrupting the flow of traffic.
On German motorways we saw several times grown men in expensive fast cars driving at "free speed", closely followed by young people in older cars. It was clear they were racing. Shouldn't adults show responsibility towards the youngest road users?
| Country | ES | FR | DE | DK | SE | DO NOT |
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| Service offer | |
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| Driving culture | |
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| Total | 17 | 21 | 13 | 18 | 22 | 18 |
Sweden wins on good roads and skilled drivers. France ends up in 2nd place. We love the motorways and the new charging stations, but many French drivers have trouble keeping the flow. Norway and Denmark end up in shared 3rd place. The Danes have a better driving culture than the Norwegians, but lose something at hidden and poorly signposted service stations and the charging options along the road are not quite on par with Norway. Spain comes in second last place due to few charging options. Germany is beautiful, especially to the south, but the roads are worn and some Germans drive recklessly fast. All the accidents we saw on the road happened in Germany.
A couple of tips
Rescue alley
I don't think anyone can drive through Germany without experiencing a traffic jam. You are then obliged to ensure that emergency vehicles have clear passage. That passage is created between the two lanes furthest to the left, which means that the cars in the left lane lay well to the left before stopping, and that the cars on the right squeeze together towards the right. This worked fine. If there is a queue on the motorway, an emergency vehicle will often pass by.
The bypass north of Gothenburg
As is well known, part of E6 disappeared in the quick clay landslide in Stenungssund north of Gothenburg. If you are coming from the south, traffic will be signposted onto E45 towards Karlstad, with exit at Lilla Edet to E6 at Ljungskile south of Hogstorp. The detour steals neither time nor kilometres, but if you drive an electric car, you should be on your guard as there are no charging options until you get back down to the E6. You can choose to drive north as normal with a local detour around the slide.
See
