1

I saw this sign while driving on autobahn in Germany. Can you please explain what does this sign mean? Does it mean there is no speed limit now?

enter image description here

Anonymous RA
  • 39
  • 1
  • 3

3 Answers3

5

This site AUTOBAHN(S) OF GERMANY states

... drivers are free to go as fast as they want in de-restricted sections of the autobahns ... Germany is the only country in the world where no general speed limit apply on motorways. That could change, but for now derestricted stretches still exist and are marked with the “end of all speed bans” sign, which is a white round sign with four thin lines crossing over it.

On roads other than autobahns, national speed limits apply, as shown in Speed limits in Germany – your complete travel guide.

Weather Vane
  • 12,289
  • 3
  • 43
  • 60
  • I understand it cancels the 120 km/h limit but I'm trying to understand whether this sign allows me to go at unlimited speed or do I have to stay under 130 km/h. – Anonymous RA Apr 10 '23 at 17:05
  • This answer says there is no speed limit unless posted. The 130kph is advisory. – Weather Vane Apr 10 '23 at 17:10
  • 1
    That the sign has the speed on it has a different meaning, it means that there may still be a no-passing zone. If the sign has only the four lines, no-passing zones are also ended. For visuals on how different end zone signs look, see here https://www.adac.de/verkehr/recht/verkehrsvorschriften-deutschland/ueberholverbot/ – JakeDot Apr 10 '23 at 17:10
  • 1
    @JakeDot sorry your page link is in German with no visuals. This page shows that "end of no passing zone" is a picture of two vehicles, with the bars. Generally, the background shows what zone is ending, if no background the end of all restrictions. In the question, it is the end of the speed restriction. – Weather Vane Apr 10 '23 at 17:19
  • 1
    An answer on questions like this should always emphasize that motorist must adjust their speed to road conditions, weather, traffic, and the conditions of their vehicle. – o.m. Apr 11 '23 at 05:43
  • 1
    I don't know if it matters, but that sign has five black lines crossing it. – MadHatter Apr 13 '23 at 05:49
  • I would not recommend the "Speed limits in..." web page. There are many mistakes and wrong statements there. – asdfex Apr 13 '23 at 10:27
4

According to this random site I got through googling "autobahn roadsigns", the sign you have shown is described as "End Speed Zone". So that would suggest that the 120 km/h speed limit has been rescinded past that sign.

Peter M
  • 15,422
  • 1
  • 50
  • 70
  • 1
    I understand that it ends the 120 km/h limit but do you know if there is still any limit after this sign? – Anonymous RA Apr 10 '23 at 16:13
  • 2
    German bureaucracy would dictate that if there was a limit after that 120 km/h sign, then it would be indicated. – Peter M Apr 10 '23 at 16:17
  • 3
    @PeterM perhaps, but in UK the "end of speed limit" sign is taken to mean "national speed limits apply". – Weather Vane Apr 10 '23 at 16:28
  • 3
    @WeatherVane Then it's a good thing we are talking about Germany and Autobahns – Peter M Apr 10 '23 at 16:48
  • @PeterM I'm trying to understand whether this sign allows me to go at unlimited speed or do I have to stay under 130 km/h. – Anonymous RA Apr 10 '23 at 17:07
  • 1
    @AnonymousRA the 130 kph is only advisory. – Weather Vane Apr 10 '23 at 17:21
  • 4
    @PeterM the same applies in Germany: a non-motorway road has a national speed limit of 100 kph. – Weather Vane Apr 10 '23 at 17:36
  • @WeatherVane then it's a good thing we're talking about Autobahns :) – njzk2 Apr 10 '23 at 19:30
  • You are not supposed to come to Germany to race on the Autobahn like crazy. – Bernhard Döbler Apr 10 '23 at 21:31
  • I consider this answer the best of the answers here because it is very concise, but the author's addition as per their comment "German bureaucracy would dictate that if there was a limit after that 120 km/h sign, then it would be indicated." is simply not true. When a speed limit is rescinded, it means you fall back to the default speed limit depending on what kind of road you are on. – O. R. Mapper Jun 20 '23 at 15:00
4

The sign you saw is sign 278 (Zeichen 278) as defined in Annex 2 to the German Straßenverkehrsordnung. The explanation given to the sign in the annex is:

Ende der zulässigen Höchstgeschwindigkeit

(End of permitted highest speed = end of speed limit)

The sign signalises that a previously imposed speed limit by sign 274 (black numbers on a white background surrounded by a red circle; your average European speed limit sign) is no longer valid.

The literal meaning of the words used can be a bit confusing. The sign does not necessarily mean ‘no speed limit from here on’. It is used in towns and on country roads as well as on the motorway. It only means that the (typically lower) speed limit previously imposed by a road sign is now no longer valid and standard speed limits apply. In towns, that would be 50 km/h; on country roads 100 km/h.

Only on motorways and dual carriageways, where there is no general speed limit, does this sign imply a literal end of limited speed. However, note that even in the absence of a speed limit a Richtgeschwindigkeit (recommended speed) of 130 km/h applies (rectangular blue sign with white numbers on it).

Also note that outside of towns (meaning on country roads, dual carriageways and motorways) specific types of vehicles such as buses and cars with trailers or caravans still have a general speed limit imposed on them. This sign does not cancel these general speed limits, much like a limit of 120 km/h does not permit a lorry to drive at 120 km/h (it is still limited to 80 km/h).

Finally note that this is only one option of cancelling a speed limit previously imposed by sign 274. Another one is sign 282, which is identical except that there is no number in grey on the background. Sign 278 only cancels the speed limit; while sign 282 will cancel speed limits and restrictions on overtaking.

Jan
  • 16,047
  • 4
  • 47
  • 84