Towing Service Essen

Nine boroughs, 50 districts

The city is made up of nine boroughs, identified by Roman numerals and a name, split into 50 districts in total. For your location, the district name and street help more than the borough number, for example Rüttenscheid, Karnap, Werden or Kupferdreh.

Split in two: north and south

The city is clearly split between densely populated northern districts around the city centre and a southern area shaped by green space and smaller-scale development. In the south, the Ruhr dams up between Kupferdreh, Heisingen, Fischlaken and Werden to form Lake Baldeney. For you, that has a practical consequence: the south has sloped terrain and narrow streets, the north has dense development with commercial and industrial land. Both affect which vehicle can reach you.

The Ruhrschnellweg and its tunnel

The A40, called the Ruhrschnellweg in the Essen section, runs centrally through the city and through the Ruhrschnellweg tunnel. If you break down in the tunnel: hazard lights on, move well to the side, use the emergency equipment, more in our guide Breakdown in a tunnel. Between Essen and Dortmund the A40 is especially prone to jams, so expect slow-moving traffic there.

A52: the Mintard Ruhr valley bridge and the Huttrop tunnel

Coming from Düsseldorf, the A52 reaches Essen via the roughly 1,830-metre Mintard Ruhr valley bridge in Mülheim's Mintard district. Next comes the 340-metre Huttrop tunnel. This section ends at the A40 at the Essen-Ost triangle. Between the Essen-Ost triangle and the Essen-Nord exit on the A42, there's no properly built connecting gap: near the Essen-Nord exit, the B224 is already built to motorway standard and designated a motor road, and further towards Gladbeck it has four lanes. If you're between these points, tell us the road and direction of travel, since motorway and federal road alternate there.

A42: the Emscherschnellweg in the north

The A42 runs as the Emscherschnellweg through Bottrop, northern Essen, Gelsenkirchen, Herne and Castrop-Rauxel to Dortmund. If you're on the A42 in northern Essen, tell us the Essen-Nord interchange, the exit, and your direction.

Waiting safely in Essen

On the A40, A52 or A42: hazard lights on, everyone behind the crash barrier, set up a warning triangle if it's safe to do so. In the Ruhrschnellweg tunnel or the Huttrop tunnel: don't turn around or reverse, drive to the next emergency bay if you can, otherwise hazard lights on and raise the alarm via the emergency equipment or 112. At Lake Baldeney: hazard lights on and, if possible, pull into a car park rather than stopping by the shore.

Where it often happens in Essen

Between Essen and Dortmund, the A40 is especially prone to jams, with more frequent sudden stops. On the Mintard Ruhr valley bridge and in the Huttrop tunnel, traffic narrows in places. Between the Essen-Ost triangle and the Essen-Nord exit, motorway and federal road alternate, causing unfamiliar lane changes.

How to describe your location in Essen

• District and street, plus house number or cross street.
• On the A40, A52 or A42: motorway, direction, exit, interchange or triangle.
• At Lake Baldeney: street, car park or jetty.
• In a tunnel: name, direction of travel, nearest exit.

Neighbouring cities in the Ruhr area are Dortmund and Düsseldorf. All cities: Towing service in your city (German).