Hi just a quick question are the service station in Europe free to do an overnight stop in or do they charge thanks
on the motorway.s of Europe they are free, but to get a good cheap
meal you can use the truck-stops off the motorways, where you get charged
a parking ticket which is then used to eat in the restaurant, some give
100% back while others may only give a lesser sum back, this is for GERMANY,
correct,and also AUSTRIA;
Ok that’s good to know not like the £18- £28’s of the uk lol well cheapest one I’ve stayed at is magor on m4 £10 lol
yes but there are secure parking sites that do charge, by the hour
these have CCTV/GUARD and are enclosed by a secure fence, here you will
be paying, also in various country’s of Europe the truck-stops
off the motor way will charge a fee each country will have their own set
of prices,Be aware that in some country’s for a week end break you may
be better off parking there , more people will come on later and give their own
tips and views when they have time, where are you heading for would help,
as if its outside western EUROPE the other guys will have better information
which will help you,
all motorway services are free but the motorways are generally peages or tolled by another means, in france its best to stop in a relais routier as the price of the meal is controlled by the government and in germany in a autohof. most autohofs nowadays charge to park but as pete says you get the money off your meal, to stop the cabrats parking there and eating from their trailer boxes.
very few routiers in france charge however those that do also give you a discount like barbezieux for example.
nearly every service area, routier and autohof has a shower for drivers at between 2 and 3 euro
To Rowsom85,if you are heading on the forest dual carriegway between Bordeaux and Irun,there are some Rouitiers hidden away from view,i know one has a barrier on the front entrance,the owner stands there to check if you are buying a meal,it fills up quickly,for parking spaces,but has great food,a shower etc.
There is a secure parking(Payable) near Lyon,but next to it is free parking,but you take a risk,Lyon area has a reputation for cab break ins,and do not go near Marseille,if tip or load there,get on your horse,and get out of town,there is a safer Routiers northbound.
Payable parking on the motorway from Barcelona towards Toulose,near Beziers.
If weekended on a motorway,if you have a bicycle,you can leave the area via a small metal gate,the staff entrance,and bike to a nearby town or village,to get away from the motor,as the former eastern bloc drivers will pee you off,by reving their engines up all day and night,play music loudly from their cab radios,and they get drunk,early in the morning they will charge up the batteries to power their Sputnik satelite TV`s,but passing their wagons,you will see five big blokes sat on one bed,watching X Factor in Bulgaria or Romania.
Bless their cotton socks.
toby1234abc:
To Rowsom85,if you are heading on the forest dual carriegway between Bordeaux and Irun,there are some Rouitiers hidden away from view,i know one has a barrier on the front entrance,the owner stands there to check if you are buying a meal,it fills up quickly,for parking spaces,but has great food,a shower etc.
There is a secure parking(Payable) near Lyon,but next to it is free parking,but you take a risk,Lyon area has a reputation for cab break ins,and do not go near Marseille,if tip or load there,get on your horse,and get out of town,there is a safer Routiers northbound.
Payable parking on the motorway from Barcelona towards Toulose,near Beziers.
If weekended on a motorway,if you have a bicycle,you can leave the area via a small metal gate,the staff entrance,and bike to a nearby town or village,to get away from the motor,as the former eastern bloc drivers will pee you off,by reving their engines up all day and night,play music loudly from their cab radios,and they get drunk,early in the morning they will charge up the batteries to power their Sputnik satelite TV`s,but passing their wagons,you will see five big blokes sat on one bed,watching X Factor in Bulgaria or Romania.
Bless their cotton socks.
What ever you do, do not bother going to this place, it costs about €25 for a night (per hour charges) and there are no facilities worth speaking of, even the snack van has quit the place as it is so bad. The only good points are
1 it is secure
2 it has free wifi
3 you won’t be disturbed by trucks coming in ond out (not many use the place)
4 You can pay for the parking on any fuel card.
You would be better off going to Route de Narbonne 34440 Colombiers on the other side of the motorway to the secure parking, or down to junc 38 heading south (2 truckstops)
Other truckstops are available nearby
Don’t forget. Motorway services are much the same all over the world, well Western Europe anyway.
The European version don’t charge you to park, and they are usually slightly better than there British counterparts. But you’ll get much better food, at a better price, usually with better facilities at a truckstop. They are often on the edge of a town, so you could get away from your truck, get some fresh air and explore a bit. Find a nice bar for a drink, see some local sites, whatever. You’ll probably be much less restricted at a truckstop, in comparison to a service area.
This is an interesting thread.Just wondering if anyone out there has a list of good places to overnight/scoff etc?
Going over the water myself soon after 14 years away,therfore was wondering if theres any definitive info that covers both France and Italy?
almost any relais routier in france and autohof in germany, there are way too many to list just ask on here when you know where you’re going and somebody will put you right
German Autohof Guide, this is a map of the German Autobahn system with all the Autohofs registered with this guide, just off the autobahns marked on it. There are others just off the autobahns and many others no where near the autobahns not in this guide, but it’s a start 
Les Routiers Europeans for the Dutch and Belgian Guide. Click on the coloured section of map for the area you want.
Swiss Routiers, a .pdf list of restaurants in Suisse.
I don’t know of any other free on-line guides.
The French Les Routiers Guide has to be paid for.
There’s one more though. A download of POI’s made by our own Ossie, with around 1400 truckstops throughout Europe.
will you be going to portugal on your travels■■?
if so, maybe parking for your overnight rest would be best done off the motorway.
i stopped in a portugese motorway services when my time was up, we were on route from zagreb to lisbon, as we had made good progress, we treated ourselves, to about a 14 hour overnight rest, and planned to set off late next morning to hit the gig at exactly the right time, to get offloaded on the same card.
when we set off, got to the peage, near the big bridge, (vasco de garmes) i think, and they wanted to charge our 2 trucks double, it was something to do, with 12 hours having passed, from the time, our entrance motorway toll ticket had been issued 
i made out i never had the cash, they wouldn’t take any toll cards, and wanted my passport, but settled for my driving licence number 
i phoned the company to let them know, (they are pretty big, and have done all of europe for years) but seemed somewhat surprised at what i told them, as of yet, i’ve had no comebacks.
chilistrucker:
will you be going to portugal on your travels■■?
if so, maybe parking for your overnight rest would be best done off the motorway.
i stopped in a portugese motorway services when my time was up, we were on route from zagreb to lisbon, as we had made good progress, we treated ourselves, to about a 14 hour overnight rest, and planned to set off late next morning to hit the gig at exactly the right time, to get offloaded on the same card.
when we set off, got to the peage, near the big bridge, (vasco de garmes) i think, and they wanted to charge our 2 trucks double, it was something to do, with 12 hours having passed, from the time, our entrance motorway toll ticket had been issued
i made out i never had the cash, they wouldn’t take any toll cards, and wanted my passport, but settled for my driving licence number
i phoned the company to let them know, (they are pretty big, and have done all of europe for years) but seemed somewhat surprised at what i told them, as of yet, I’ve had no comebacks.
It amazes me that they wouldn’t know about this, first of all it is written on the back of the peage ticket in English, and secondly there are signs in all the truck parking areas warning you about the rule.
What we used to do if parking on the peage was come off the junction before the service area, then go back on the motorway, giving us 12 hours, then in the morning after 11 hours break go to the first exit and leave the motorway then come back on. 
oops, oh well, after 15 years of european work, proves how stupid we can be sometimes 
got to hold my hands up, i’d never felt the need to flick the peage ticket over, for some random reading.
never saw the sign in the motorway services either, mind you, we did roll in late at night, and, and go straight to bed. lesson learnt.
next time, i’ll do as said, come off the exit before the services, so as to get the 12 hour period needed.
I only ever paid for parking once in Germany. Near Koln. 7.50 Euro, but that covered my massive Spag Bol and a coffee.
Showers spotless, hot and long!
Get in early if possible and enjoy!