Autobahn

Autobahn is the German word for high-speed road, similar to motorway or freeway in English-speaking countries. (pronunciation: OUT oh bahn) Autobahns were first built in Germany, where Hitler appointed Fritz Todt to oversee their construction. The autobahns formed the first limited access high-speed road network in the world, with the first section from Frankfurt am Main to Darmstadt opening in 1935. Today, they have a total length of 11,400 km.

The German autobahns are famous as the only important public roads remaining without blanket speed limits, though traffic on them is usually heavy enough to restrict speeds to little above typical motorway speeds in any case. However, speed limits do apply at junctions and other danger points.

Autobahns in Austria and Switzerland have normal speed limits.

Compare Interstate highway, Road transport, Toll road, Parkway

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Autobahn is also the name of an album by Kraftwerk. See Autobahn (album).