Bundesautobahn 8

Bundesautobahn 8 (BAB 8 or A 8) is an Autobahn that runs 497 km (309 mi) from the Luxembourg border through southern Germany to Austrian border near Salzburg. The A 8 is a significant East-West transit route. Its construction began during Nazi rule. Although parts have been modernized and extended after WW II, significant sections remained in their original condition from the 1930s - 2+2 lanes, no emergency or acceleration lanes, steep hills and tight curves. In combination with today's traffic this makes the A 8 one of the most crowded and dangerous Autobahns in Germany. Especially in the wintertime the slopes of Swabian Alb and Black Forest become bottlenecks when heavy trucks crawl uphill.

Future plans

As of 2006, a gap remains between Pirmasens and Karlsruhe with no immediate plans to close the gap. Additionally, a sub-standard section between Aichelberg and Hohenstadt is being re-routed with a projected 2010 completion date. It is proposed that tolls be charged on this tunnel-oriented replacement stretch (presumably to cover the costs of the project), which would make it the first tolled section of a German autobahn.

Exit list

colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | A13
BAB-E|29
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(Luxembourg)"
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colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"| A 1
BAB-E|52
"Westautobahn
(Austria)"