Bundesautobahn 40 (translates from German as Federal Motorway 40, short form Autobahn 40, abbreviated as BAB 40 or A 40), (named A 430 until the early 1990s) is one of the most used Autobahns in Germany. It crosses the Dutch-German border as a continuation of the Dutch A67 and crosses the Rhine, leads through the Ruhr valley toward Bochum, becoming B 1 (Bundesstraße 1) at the Kreuz Dortmund West and eventually merging into the A 44 near Holzwickede.

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A 40
Bundesautobahn 40
Route information
Length94 km (58 mi)
Major junctions
West endStraelen
A67 border with  Netherlands
East end B 1 in Dortmund
Location
CountryGermany
StatesNorth Rhine-Westphalia
Highway system
  • Roads in Germany
A 39 A 42
BAB 40 as Ruhrschnellweg in Essen

It has officially been named Ruhrschnellweg (Ruhr Fast Way), but locals usually call it Ruhrschleichweg (Ruhr Crawling Way) or "the Ruhr area's longest parking lot". According to Der Spiegel, it is the most congested motorway in Germany.

Stadtbahn stop Savignystraße, close to the Essen-Holsterhausen exit.

In the city of Essen, a Stadtbahn service operates on the median of the A 40 between Tunnel Ruhrschnellweg and Mülheim-Heißen. Between the Essen-Huttrop and the Essen-Kray junctions, there is a guided bus system called Spurbus.

Exit list

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  A 67
  E34
Netherlands

  (1) Straelen border crossing
  Raststätte Niederdorf
  (2) Straelen   B 221
  (3) Wankum
  (4) Wachtendonk
  (5) Kempen
  (6) Kerken   B 9
    Services Neufelder Heide
  (7) Neukirchen-Vluyn
  (8) Moers 4-way interchange   A 57  E31
  (8) Moers
  (9) Moers-Zentrum  
  (10) Duisburg-Rheinhausen
  (11) Duisburg-Homberg
  Neuenkamper Rheinbrücke
  (12/1) Duisburg-Häfen
  (12/2) Duisburg-Häfen
  (13) Duisburg 4-way interchange   A 59
  (14) Kaiserberg 4-way interchange   A 3  E34  E35
  Ruhrbrücke
  (15) Mülheim an der Ruhr
  (16) Mülheim-Styrum   B 223
  (17) Mülheim-Dümpten
  (18) Mülheim-Winkhausen
  Hardenbergbrücke 170 m
  (19) Mülheim-Heißen   B 1
  (20) Mülheim-Heimaterde
  (21) Essen-Frohnhausen
  (22) Essen-Holsterhausen
  (23) Essen-Zentrum
  Tunnel Ruhrschnellweg 1.005 m
  (24) Essen-Huttrop   B 227
  (25) Essen-Ost 4-way interchange   A 52
  (26) Essen-Frillendorf
  (27) Essen-Kray
  (28) Gelsenkirchen-Süd   B 227
  (29) Bochum-Wattenscheid-West
  (30) Bochum-Wattenscheid
  (31) Dückerweg
  Tankstelle Dückerweg
  (32) Bochum-Stahlhausen
  Tankstelle Wattenscheider Straße  
Darpestraße  
  (33) Bochum-Hamme   B 226
  (34) Freudenbergstraße  
  (35) Bochum-Zentrum   B 51
  (36) Bochum-Ruhrstadion
  Tunnel Grumme 328/302 m
  (37) Bochum-Harpen
  (38) Bochum 4-way interchange   A 43
  (39) Bochum-Werne
  (40) Dortmund-Lütgendortmund   B 235
  Tankstelle Rheinlanddamm
  (41) Dortmund-Kley
  (42) Dortmund-West 4-way interchange   A 45  B 1
  (43) Dortmund-Dorstfeld
  (44) Dortmund-Barop
  Schnettkerbrücke 328 m

  Dortmund Hombruch (planned)
  Intersection Dortmund Zentrum (planned)   B 54
  Filling station   (planned)
  Dortmund (planned) (Märkische Straße)
  Tunnel Westtunnel 500 m (planned)
  Dortmund (planned) (Semerteichstraße)
  Tunnel Osttunnel 1500 m (planned)

  (48) Dortmund-Ost interchange   B 236
  (49) Dortmund-Stadtkrone Ost

  Psychiatrische Einrichtungen (Marsbruchstraße)  
 
Level crossing
Stadtbahnlinie
  Tankstelle  

  Dortmund-Aplerbeck (planned) (Leni-Rommel-Straße)
  Straßenbrücke Neuasseln 60 m (planned)
  Dortmund-Sölde (planned) (Köln-Berliner-Straße)
  Tankstelle  

  (51) Holzwickede   B 1 Flughafen Dortmund Airport
  Tankstelle  
  Holzwickede-Ost (planned)
  Talbrücke Massener Bach 190 m

  A 44  E331 Dortmund / Unna

References

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  • Ambach, Markus, ed. (2010). B1-A40: die Schönheit der grossen Strasse / The Beauty of the Grand Road (in English). Berlin: Jovis. ISBN 9783868590777.
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