- Autobahn GmbH plans to build 1,725 new truck parking spaces between 2026 and 2028.
- Of these, 850 will be added at managed service areas and 875 at sites without service facilities.
- Germany’s parking information system currently covers 65,635 truck spaces at 1,838 facilities along federal motorways.
- A further 750 spaces are available along federal roads.
- A 2023 survey of 261 Autohof sites identified 19,680 truck parking spaces.
- Toilet cleaning at unmanaged service areas is expected to increase from once or twice a day to between two and five times a day.
For drivers operating across Germany, the challenge is familiar. Parking areas along major freight corridors often fill up by the evening, leaving drivers struggling to find a legal place to stop and take their required break or rest.
The German government has published updated parking data and outlined further expansion plans in response to a parliamentary question from the Greens. The figures show that the motorway network could gain more than 1,700 additional truck parking spaces over the next few years.
More than 65,000 truck parking spaces on Germany’s motorways
According to government data, Germany’s truck parking information system currently lists 65,635 spaces at 1,838 facilities along federal motorways. A further 750 spaces are available along federal roads.
Privately operated Autohof sites near motorway junctions provide additional parking capacity. A 2023 survey of 261 such locations recorded a total of 19,680 truck parking spaces.
The federal government said it does not have information on planned investment at privately operated Autohof sites.
1,725 new spaces planned by 2028
The main expansion programme is being led by Autobahn GmbH. Between 2026 and 2028, the company plans to add 850 truck parking spaces at managed service areas and a further 875 at unmanaged sites, bringing the total to 1,725.
The expansion forms part of a wider five-point plan from Germany’s transport ministry aimed at improving working conditions for truck drivers.
The government considers additional motorway parking a priority because drivers need safe places to comply with mandatory driving breaks and rest periods.
Germany also wants better service-area facilities
The programme is not limited to building more parking spaces. Autobahn GmbH also plans to improve conditions at unmanaged service areas by introducing consistent standards for sanitary buildings and changing how those facilities are maintained.
At present, toilets at unmanaged service areas are generally cleaned once or twice a day. The target is to increase cleaning to between two and five times a day, at least doubling the current frequency.
The government said the measures are intended to improve the conditions in which drivers take their compulsory breaks and rest periods.
Parking pressure is not going away
The Greens’ parliamentary question highlighted persistent overcrowding at parking areas and service areas along Germany’s federal roads. The shortage is particularly visible in the evening, when drivers reach the end of their permitted daily driving time.
Lawmakers also pointed to parking spaces being occupied for longer than required for a break or rest period. Trailers left without tractors, as well as complete vehicle combinations parked for extended periods, can block spaces for other drivers.
The government said it is currently estimating average truck parking times according to the type of break being taken.
The planned 1,725 spaces will expand the network, but Germany’s existing capacity and years of overcrowding show that the issue cannot be solved by numbers alone. The location of new spaces, their availability during periods of peak demand and the way existing facilities are used will remain equally important.
