On much of the German Autobahn there is no general speed limit for cars. No limit is not the same as no rules, though: 130 km/h is the recommended speed, and posted limits, weather rules and limits for heavier vehicles still apply. This guide explains what an Autobahn without a speed limit means under German law, where speed limits do apply, how BlitzBuddy shows the blue advisory 130 sign and what German law says about speed camera warners.
Is there really no speed limit on the Autobahn?
German law sets default speed limits in § 3 of the road traffic regulations, the Straßenverkehrs-Ordnung (StVO). For cars and other motor vehicles up to 3.5 t, the limit is 50 km/h in built-up areas and 100 km/h outside them. The 100 km/h limit does not apply on the Autobahn, on other roads whose carriageways are separated by a central reservation, or on roads with at least two marked lanes in each direction.
On those roads, then, cars have no general speed limit. They still have rules. § 3 (1) StVO says you may only drive as fast as you can keep the vehicle under control at all times, adapted to the road, the traffic, visibility, the weather, your own abilities and your vehicle and load. You must be able to stop within the distance you can see.
The Richtgeschwindigkeit: 130 km/h advisory speed
A separate regulation from 1978 adds a recommended speed. It says that drivers of cars and other motor vehicles up to 3.5 t are recommended not to drive faster than 130 km/h, even when road, traffic, visibility and weather conditions are good. The recommendation covers the Autobahn, other roads outside built-up areas with carriageways separated by a central reservation, and roads with at least two marked lanes in each direction. The regulation calls it the Autobahn-Richtgeschwindigkeit, the Autobahn advisory speed.
The wording matters: the regulation recommends, it does not set a maximum speed. It also states that the recommendation does not apply where the StVO or a sign sets a maximum speed. Where there is a limit, the limit is what counts.
Where speed limits do apply on the Autobahn
No limit is the default for cars on open stretches, not a rule for the whole network. Speed limits on the Autobahn apply in these cases:
- Posted limits. The round sign with a red ring (sign 274 in the StVO) sets a maximum speed for a stretch. It can apply to one lane only, or only when the road is wet if an extra plate says so.
- Limits at certain times. Some stretches have a limit that applies only at certain times, for example at night.
- Bad visibility. When fog, snow or rain reduce visibility to less than 50 metres, the maximum is 50 km/h. With snow chains the maximum is also 50 km/h.
- Heavier vehicles and trailers. Under § 18 (5) StVO, motor vehicles over 3.5 t other than cars, cars, vans and motorhomes towing a trailer, and buses may not go faster than 80 km/h on the Autobahn. Some buses and trailer combinations that meet specific technical conditions may drive 100 km/h.
A posted limit ends at the next sign that changes it, or at the sign that ends all speed limits and overtaking bans for a stretch (sign 282): a white circle crossed by black diagonal lines. From there the default rules apply again, including the 130 km/h recommendation.
One more detail from § 18 (5) StVO: on an Autobahn that runs through a built-up area, you may drive faster than 50 km/h. The urban default does not apply on the Autobahn itself.
How BlitzBuddy shows the blue 130 advisory sign
BlitzBuddy takes speed limits from OpenStreetMap data, in Germany and in the other four countries it covers. In OpenStreetMap, a road without a speed limit is tagged maxspeed=none. That is different from a road where the limit is simply not recorded.
BlitzBuddy keeps those two cases apart:
- Where the data has a limit, you see the round limit sign with that number.
- Where the data says the road has no limit and no temporary limit applies, you see a blue square sign with 130 and the status line no limit, advisory 130.
- Where the data has no limit recorded, BlitzBuddy shows no sign at all rather than guess.
Map data can lag behind changes on the road, and the signs on the road always take priority over what an app shows. BlitzBuddy shows overhead matrix signs only in the Netherlands, so on German motorways the electronic signs above the lanes are yours to watch.
Speed camera warnings in Germany: what the law says
BlitzBuddy shows fixed speed cameras in Germany with their exact positions. The law is clear here: § 23 (1c) StVO says a driver may not operate, or carry ready for use, a device designed to indicate or disturb traffic enforcement. On other devices, such as phones and sat-navs, that function must not be used. In Germany, using a speed camera warner while driving is not permitted, and the driver is responsible for that choice.
Average speed check warnings in BlitzBuddy cover the Netherlands, Belgium and Türkiye. For the rules on speed camera apps in other European countries, read are speed camera apps legal in Europe.
Live traffic on German motorways
On German motorways, BlitzBuddy shows live jams, roadworks and incidents from Die Autobahn GmbH, the federal company that runs the German motorways. Drivers can report jams, accidents, breakdowns and objects on the road, and votes from other drivers keep those reports fresh. BlitzBuddy is free, with no ads and no subscription. See everything BlitzBuddy does.
Sources
- Straßenverkehrs-Ordnung (StVO), § 3: speed, Federal Ministry of Justice
- StVO, § 18: Autobahn and motor roads, Federal Ministry of Justice
- StVO, § 23: other duties of drivers, Federal Ministry of Justice
- StVO, Annex 2: regulatory signs, Federal Ministry of Justice
- Verordnung über eine allgemeine Richtgeschwindigkeit auf Autobahnen und ähnlichen Straßen (the 1978 advisory speed regulation), Federal Ministry of Justice
- Road rules and safety: Germany, Your Europe, European Union
- Radarwarner und Blitzer-Apps, ADAC
- Key:maxspeed, OpenStreetMap Wiki
- Speed limit data: © OpenStreetMap contributors, Open Database License
Frequently asked questions
Is there really no speed limit on the German Autobahn?
For cars and other vehicles up to 3.5 t there is no general speed limit on the Autobahn. Many stretches have a posted limit, and 130 km/h is the recommended speed. Motor vehicles over 3.5 t other than cars, buses and cars towing a trailer are limited to 80 km/h, with a few exceptions.
Is 130 km/h a legal limit on the Autobahn?
No. 130 km/h is the Richtgeschwindigkeit, a recommended speed set by a regulation from 1978. Where a sign shows a maximum speed, the sign applies.
What is the speed limit on the Autobahn in fog?
When fog, snow or rain cut visibility to less than 50 metres, you may not drive faster than 50 km/h, on the Autobahn too.
What does the blue 130 sign in BlitzBuddy mean?
The road you are on has no speed limit in the OpenStreetMap data, so BlitzBuddy shows the German advisory speed of 130 instead of a limit.
