Fodor's Travel Talk Forums - Pit stops in Germany/Switzerland

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Pit stops in Germany/Switzerland

We will be driving in Germany and Switzerland during the month of May. Are there public restrooms available for automobile travelers. If so, how do you find them?

The answer to your question is yes. Both countries have nice gas station/restaurant/rest room facilities along all major highways. You will find them well designated by signs on the autobahn. Just look for them. No problem.

There are plenty of McD's and other US-based fast food restaurants all over Europe. They have the same facilities and same general types of locations as in the US.

I agree with Bob - - bojack, unless I've missed something, Don is going to bust a bladder looking for McDonald's along the autobahn! I've never seen a McDonald's - - at autobahn stops, that is - - there are plenty of decent little rest-stops/gas station with restaurant combos. The Italian chain AGIP (of gas stations) - - all over Europe - - very often has an "Alemania" coffee bar (great espressos!) with typical candy/chips/etc and sometimes re-heatable sandwiches (they do 'em for you on a grill press type thing). And there are perfectly modern clean bathrooms; there may be an attendant and/or a dish where a mark or a Swiss franc would be a welcome contribution.

Hi Don, don`t worry about restrooms, like the previous posters pointed out you`ll find them at every gas-station and the stops called "Rasthof..." along the Autobahn. You`ll be also informed about the distance of the next possibility to stop. When there`s a sign that the next gas-station or a Rasthof is in 5 km, there`s always also a sign when the next one after that is coming. With that information it`s easy for you to decide "Do I need gas now or use the restroom or can I wait another 30 km?" Although it wasn`t the original question, yes,there are Mc. Donald`s integrated in the Rasthof along the Autobahn. For example at the A3 Frankfurt-Munich near Nuernberg and at the A 66 Frankfurt-Fulda near Steinau. And those are only the ones I`ve been to, there should be a lot more. Kind regards Miriam

In Switzerland, you will find places to stop along the limited access highways. Between Interlaken and Zurich, via Bern, I know we stopped at a rest area that had facilities, but I don't recall a restaurant. Outside of Lausanne headed for Sion, we stopped at a very nice facility that had food and other types of shops.

You will have no problems. The bathrooms are meticulously clean. I would suggest that you have loose coins because at the service stations we were charged. We looked for the bright red MacDonald sign and were able to locate it on numerous occasions. Rest a sure you will able to make alot of pit stops. Have a great trip. Ps. Please be careful on the autobahn....excellent freeway but no speed limits cars driving in excess over 100 miles per hour or more.....

I'll take a partially contrarian view here. In Germany, the autobahns are pervasive, and rest stops are spaced similarly to in the US on >>turnpikes<< ... i.e. found far more frequently than on normal US Interstates where one normally is expected to exit and visit one of the fast food franchises or gas stations at the interchange. As others have noted German rest stops are spotlessly clean (from which US authorities and businesses could learn). Most, as I recall from the 3-4 autobahns we've traveled, have restaurants. Somewhat pricey, as in the US, and food not up to normal German standard, but better than in most or all US rest stops. There are few autobahns in Switzerland. As noted there is one rest stop on the Autoroute between Bern and Lausanne. I recall few others on other routes, perhaps one between Zuerich and Luzern, for example. In any event you'll find yourself >>not<< on autobahns in Switzerland on many trips. If you've a need for a break for food or otherwise you'll want to look for a likely restaurant or bar (in the European sense) along the route. Full-service gas stations are rare, as are fast food spots. Unless you're rushing through Switzerland from France/Germany to Italy driving distances are generally short, so there's really no problem. And villages, cities and towns are not far apart; virtually every hamlet has at least one place of 'refuge' for travelers. Rome.Switzerland.