Imagine this: you’re filling up your tank at a gas station right off the highway, thinking you’re getting a fair deal, but guess what? You’re getting robbed on every single liter! The German automobile club ADAC has revealed that fuel prices at highway gas stations are on average 40 cents per liter higher than at stations just a few kilometers off the highway. That means if you fill up 50 liters, you could be throwing away around 20 euros! The worst offender? The Limburg Ost rest stop, where Super E10 is 51 cents more expensive and diesel a whopping 53 cents more per liter! ADAC has dubbed this station the “dishonest leader” of the entire country.
Why does this matter? Because most travelers don’t realize they can just exit the highway and drive one or two kilometers to save a fortune. ADAC recommends always filling up your tank before hitting the road and topping off in the evening when prices tend to be lower.
But who’s to blame for these astronomical price differences? The Tenk Rast group, which manages the rest stops, claims they have no influence on prices since oil companies set them. However, ADAC argues that the price differences are excessive and unjustified, especially since concession costs and 24/7 availability are already factored into the base margin.
So next time you’re on the road, don’t be a victim of these highway gas station rip-offs! Exit the highway, save tens of euros, and don’t let them fool you. And if you’ve already fallen for it, feel free to share your story in the comments — maybe together we can expose more stations to avoid!
