Filling up at highway filling stations remains significantly more expensive than next to the highway
According to an analysis by the ADAC, filling up at motorway service stations is still significantly more expensive than at stations located off the motorway. On average, drivers paid approximately 39 cents more for a liter of Super E10 in the spring of this year at motorway service stations compared to the nearest station off the motorway; drivers of diesel cars paid roughly 38 cents more. The ADAC strongly criticized these price increases.
In a sample survey, the ADAC compared prices at 40 motorway service stations along the 15 longest motorways with the prices at the nearest station not directly on the motorway. The price differences were "still significant" - albeit slightly less pronounced than in the previous year.
At the A2 motorway near Hamm, a liter of diesel cost 50 cents more on the motorway than off it. The difference for E10 was even more pronounced at 54 cents. In the previous year, customers had to pay up to 70 cents more at the service station.
The ADAC advises drivers to "urgently" bypass motorway service stations and either fill up beforehand or pull off the motorway briefly. By doing so, they can save a significant amount of money: with a fueling of 50 liters, for example, they can save around 20 Euros based on the price differences identified in the study.
A accompanying online survey among over 2000 people revealed that 82% of motorists already do this. However, approximately two-thirds of those who fill up at the motorway service station fill up their entire tank.
- Motorists who choose to refuel at ADAC-evaluated highway service stations along freeways might pay significantly more compared to nearby stations off the motorway, with a difference of up to 54 cents per liter for Super E10 and 50 cents for diesel in the A2 motorway near Hamm, as previously observed.
- Despite the identified price differences at motorway service stations, the ADAC's online evaluation found that 82% of motorists were already in the habit of bypassing these stations, likely to save money while refueling, with a potential savings of around 20 Euros on a 50-liter filling, as advised by the ADAC.
