Breakdown on the A555 Between Cologne and Bonn

What happens after you call?

Tell us your direction of travel (Cologne or Bonn) and the last exit, for example Rodenkirchen or Godorf. We'll tell you the price right away and send a partner who'll drive to you on the A555.

Germany's oldest motorway

The A555 was opened on 6 August 1932 by then Cologne mayor Konrad Adenauer. Construction had begun in October 1928. Described in 1932 as a "junction-free motor road", it was, with around 3,000 vehicles a day, the busiest road in the German Reich at the time. It wasn't formally declared a federal motorway (Autobahn) until 1 April 1958, which is why it's also called the Cologne-Bonn motorway. This history explains why it's still used today as a direct link between two cities, with many short gaps between exits.

Traffic today

According to Autobahn GmbH, over 120,000 vehicles a day use the A555 at the Cologne-Süd interchange, and over 150,000 use the A4 there. Around 50,000 vehicles use the interchange to get into or out of Cologne. It's one of the bottlenecks in southern Cologne. Breaking down there often means ending up in a traffic jam.

A555 exits

A further junction is planned in between, at Bonn-Rheindorf. Within Cologne's city limits are the Rodenkirchen and Godorf exits, described in detail at Towing Service Cologne-Rodenkirchen. Wesseling and Bornheim are no longer part of Cologne; they're towns in the Rhein-Erft and Rhein-Sieg districts.

From country road 185 to federal motorway

Formally, the route was classed in 1932 as a motor road called "Landstraße 185", a southward extension of Bonner Straße in Cologne. Construction cost around 8.6 million Reichsmark, and the project was a job-creation scheme employing 5,540 unemployment relief workers. This has a practical consequence for you: the route is old, its exits follow close together, and many stretches have been widened repeatedly since the start. If you break down, the next exit usually isn't far, and you should tell us which one.

What's different in a breakdown here

On a heavily used commuter route, the hard shoulder is a dangerous place. If your vehicle loses power, try to roll to the next exit; on the A555, exits follow close together, which can help. Hazard lights, hi-vis vest, get out and go behind the crash barrier, see our guide (German) Breaking down on the motorway. If an automobile club or the police call in a contracted service, you may still state your preference, though it isn't a guarantee.

What to tell us

1. A555, towards Bonn or towards Cologne
2. Last exit: Rodenkirchen (3), Godorf (4), Wesseling (5) or Bornheim (6)
3. Whether you're before or past the Cologne-Süd interchange
4. Vehicle, drivetrain, and whether it still rolls
5. Whether anyone is injured

Who actually comes in Cologne?

Faster is based in Antwerp, Belgium. Jobs in the Cologne area are carried out by partners on the ground, we coordinate them. For jobs in Wesseling, Bornheim or Bonn, we'll work out on the phone whether and how we can help.