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RTL reporter experiences a real surpriseGerman motorway service stations in the test – how good are the toilets, price and dining options?
14 stops, four criteria and lots of Sanifair vouchers at the end.
RTL reporter Sascha Winkel drives across the country and takes a close look at what awaits Germany's drivers day in and day out. The motorway service station test reveals some surprises.
Four criteria of the motorway service area test
From Weil am Rhein in the very south of Germany to Cologne in the west. On this route, RTL randomly examined 14 German motorway service areas. We evaluated the rest areas according to four criteria:
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Cleanliness, especially of the sanitary facilities
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Gastronomic offer
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Prices
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Special service offerings, such as play opportunities for children or charging stations for electric cars
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Motorway service areas in Germany: All Serways, or what?
After just a few stops, it is noticeable how similar many rest stops seem. There is a reason for this: Along the approximately 13,000 kilometers of motorways in Germany, more than 400 service areas are operated by Tank & Rast, also known as Serways. Only 32 rest areas across Germany are not part of this network.
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The price differences are all the more surprising. A mixed salad costs 9.90 euros at one service station tested and suddenly 11.90 euros at another. When it comes to schnitzel, it gets even more expensive: with a side dish and a drink, you end up with just under 30 euros at one rest stop, and at another you can quickly reach over 40 euros for two people. You can see in the video why ADAC spokesman Thomas Müther has no understanding of these immense price differences.
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Eating at motorway service stations: The quality is good, the price is painful
If you keep making stops along the way, you also diligently collect Sanifair vouchers. The vouchers seem practical at first glance. Nevertheless, the impression remains: If you stop on the motorway, you will pay a lot more in many places.
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There is also room for improvement in the service offerings. Charging stations for electric cars are not a given everywhere, and play opportunities for children are sometimes very limited. When it comes to eating, however, there are rarely any real failures. The quality is often good, but the price is much more painful.
And what about the cleanliness of toilets etc.? You can see that in the video.
Sources used: own RTL research
