Max Verstappen is driving the 24 Hours of Nürburgring – and you want to be there. The good news: It's less than 400 kilometers from the heart of the Netherlands to the Eifel region. The bad news: Around 40,000 Dutch fans will be making the trip on race weekend in 2026. Without planning, the journey will take eight hours instead of four. This guide has everything you need for a smooth trip.
Overview of travel times and distances
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Amsterdam → Nürburgring: 340 km, 3:30–4:00 hours (without traffic jams)
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Rotterdam → Nürburgring: 335 km, 3:30–4:00 Std.
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Utrecht → Nürburgring: 300 km, 3:00–3:30 hours.
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Eindhoven → Nürburgring: 235 km, 2:30–3:00 Std.
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The Hague → Nürburgring: 365 km, 4:00 hours.
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Groningen → Nürburgring: 425 km, 4:30 Std.
All times are for regular weekdays. On Friday and Saturday mornings of race weekends, you can add 1-2 hours to each number.
The two main routes
Route A: Via Cologne (the most heavily travelled route)
Recommended for everyone from Amsterdam, Utrecht, The Hague, and northern Germany. Route: A2 (NL) → Venlo border → A61 (DE) → Koblenz → A48 → A1 → Nürburg exit. Advantages: Motorway throughout, good signage, many rest areas. Disadvantages: The most congested option on race weekends, especially from the Cologne Ring onwards.
Route B: Via Aachen (the quieter route)
Recommended for everyone from Eindhoven, Rotterdam, and Limburg. Route: A73 / A2 (NL) → Maastricht/Aachen border → A4 → A61 → Nürburg exit. Advantages: Less traffic, more scenic drive through the Ahr Valley. Disadvantages: More winding in the final section, challenging in foggy conditions in the Eifel region.
Traffic hotspots and how to avoid them
The three biggest weaknesses of the journey to the race weekend:
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Venlo border crossing Friday 2:00 PM - 8:00 PM (rush hour + race arrivals)
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A61 near Koblenz/Mendig – natural bottleneck with construction sites
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Last 30 km A48/A1 → Nürburgring Saturday morning from 8:00 am
Three strategies to avoid traffic jams:
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Arrive on Thursday evening instead of Friday. Many campsites open on Wednesday.
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Arrival at night: No traffic jams between 11 pm and 5 am, even on Saturdays.
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Avoid traffic jams by taking the B257 to Adenau – park there, take the shuttle for the last few kilometers.
Get the Nordschleife on your wall.
At AP10 Studios We're producing the Nordschleife – the exact 20.832 kilometers where Verstappen will make his 24-hour debut on May 16th/17th – as a 3D-printed frame. Featuring a true elevation profile, made in Germany, and already in use by over 15,000 customers and partners. Use the Bundle Builder to create your own bundle of favorite tracks and save.
Tolls, speed limits, fines
Good news for Dutch drivers: There are no tolls for cars in Germany. The A2 motorway in the Netherlands is toll-free. The only exception is if you travel via Belgium (Maastricht-Liège-Aachen), where the Belgian A79 is subject to a toll – approximately €8 per crossing.
Speed limits: On Dutch motorways, the speed limit is 100 km/h (6 a.m. to 7 p.m.) and 130 km/h at night. In Germany, large sections of the motorways have no general speed limit. However, Verstappen fans with German motoring ambitions should still be careful: there are several fixed speed cameras in the Eifel region, and the last few kilometers towards the Nürburgring are a 70 km/h zone.
If you want to travel without a car
By train
Not ideal, but possible. Route: ICE train from Amsterdam/Utrecht to Cologne, then regional train to Remagen, change there to the Ahr Valley Railway to Kreuzberg, final leg by shuttle. Total duration: 6–7 hours, cost €80–140 each way. Deutsche Bahn runs special trains on race weekend, but this is only worthwhile if you're traveling light.
By coach
Several Dutch tour operators (Holland Tours, Blik Op Tours, MotorsportTravel) offer all-inclusive packages: bus from Amsterdam/Utrecht/Eindhoven, hotel in Bad Neuenahr or Koblenz, grandstand ticket, return trip. Prices: €450–€850 per person. Advantage: no travel stress, often the best accommodation deals. Disadvantage: you are dependent on the group's program.
With the rental car
If you want to fly: Fly to Cologne/Bonn, Düsseldorf, or Frankfurt-Hahn. Rent a car locally. Please note: Rental car locations between Cologne and Düsseldorf have been practically fully booked for the 24-hour weekend since March 2026. Book immediately if you want to choose this option.
What you need to have in the car
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High-visibility vest (mandatory in Germany)
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Warning triangle
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First aid kit (new model mandatory from 2023 onwards)
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First aid kit
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European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)
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ADAC card or equivalent ANWB card
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Fuel card: Diesel/petrol is often cheaper in Germany than in the Netherlands – it's worth filling up before the return trip.
Practical tips from the Eifel region
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Download the offline maps of the region before departure. Mobile network coverage is patchy in the Eifel region.
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Plan a stopover in Cologne (2 hours from Amsterdam, 1 hour from the Ring) – a classic German city break element.
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Reserve a fixed meeting point in case the group gets separated (network outages happen).
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Pack for all weather: sunscreen, rain jacket, warm jacket. Nights in the Eifel region can be surprisingly cold, even in May.
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The petrol stations along the A61 are often full during the race weekend – it's better to take a detour to a village.
After the return journey: the route for the wall
Once you've experienced the race, you won't just want to remember it. Our 3D-printed Nordschleife frame displays the 20.832 kilometers Max drove this weekend – in true elevation detail. Combine it with the Zandvoort frame: both of Verstappen's big 2026 races side by side on your wall. Made in Germany, with millimeter precision, and available with personalized engraving upon request.
Get the Nordschleife on your wall.
At AP10 Studios We're producing the Nordschleife – the exact 20.832 kilometers where Verstappen will make his 24-hour debut on May 16th/17th – as a 3D-printed frame. Featuring a true elevation profile, made in Germany, and already in use by over 15,000 customers and partners. Use the Bundle Builder to create your own bundle of favorite tracks and save.
